CUNY School of Professional Studies
Encyclopedia
The CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS) is one of the schools of the City University of New York
(CUNY).
Drawing on CUNY’s nationally and internationally renowned faculty and practitioners, as well as industry and education partners, the School’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs, advanced and undergraduate certificate programs, and professional development courses provide opportunities for personal growth, job mobility, greater participation in social institutions, and new ways to meet the constant need to upgrade knowledge.
SPS offers several undergraduate and graduate courses and programs, including:
SPS is located within the CUNY Graduate Center
.
Since then, SPS has developed into a well established school serving New York City
's dynamic marketplace through the provision of timely, innovative and academically rigorous programs of study designed to address new or unmet needs. Home to CUNY’s first fully online degrees
and groundbreaking Master’s degree programs, SPS has found new ways of fulfilling CUNY’s mission of access, reaching students with new modes of instruction, new courses and curricula, new kinds of learning tailored for diverse requirements and constituencies.
Drawing its sense of purpose from its receptiveness to new challenges, the School of Professional Studies (SPS) of The City University of New York (CUNY) also draws great strength and pride from its vanguard role in the world's largest public urban university, serving and reflecting New York's diverse needs and constituencies. SPS is committed to CUNY's core mission of access with excellence, with programs and services that add new dimensions to this mission. Dedicated to being responsive and innovative - responsive to emerging needs, innovative in addressing them - SPS gives students high-quality instruction and extraordinary academic support in programs offered online, in traditional classroom settings, and in the workplace. The School's undergraduate and graduate degree programs, advanced and undergraduate certificates, and professional development courses provide opportunities for personal growth, job mobility, greater participation in social institutions, and new ways to meet the constant need to upgrade knowledge.
Vision Statement
In just over half a decade since its inception, SPS has grown dramatically, and not just in enrollments, launching six new degree programs in the past three years. Home of CUNY’s first fully online degrees, it has found new ways of fulfilling CUNY’s mission of access with excellence, reaching students with new modes of instruction, new courses and curricula, new kinds of learning tailored for diverse requirements and constituencies. Its programs are genuinely groundbreaking, providing instruction and perspectives simply not offered elsewhere, as exemplified by its Master’s degree programs in applied theater, disability studies, labor studies, and business management and leadership – that last CUNY’s first graduate degree offered online.
Distinguished above all by its responsiveness, its quickness to address new needs and opportunities, SPS plans to cultivate that distinction. It will continue to show leadership in developing new ways of meeting new or unmet needs. It will consolidate and expand on its proven capacity for using technology to reach students and enhance their learning. It will strengthen and extend the partnerships formed with agencies, unions, and business partners, partnerships that make it a magnet for innovative educational possibilities.
The worth and distinction of the School of Professional Studies, as for any school, must lie in its academic offerings. As it develops, SPS will continue to offer courses and whole programs distinguished by the special emphasis placed on
SPS commits itself to aligning the education it offers with the current needs of its students and their world(s), always intent on making that education timely, relevant, powerfully useful, horizon-expanding – not just for the students but for a global city and a global culture that is ever more changeful and interdependent.
(NYSED) under the CUNY Graduate School and University Center and assigned HEGIS code numbers in compliance with State requirements.
Degree Programs:
Non-Degree and Certificate Programs:
The John F. Kennedy, Jr. Institute for Worker Education supports workforce development initiatives in health and human services. The institute works with colleges, public and private employers, organized labor, professional associations, advocacy groups, community organizations, foundations and government agencies to:
• Design and implement collaborative worker education programs
• Provide career mentoring and college scholarships for exemplary workers
• Advocate for career ladders, health and educational benefits, and a living wage for frontline workers • Support the employment of people with disabilities
• Conduct workforce research in related areas
Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies
The Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, named after a former CUNY Chancellor who was a strong proponent of organized labor, serves the educational, policy and research needs of unions and their members and increases access to higher education as well as retention and graduation of union members enrolled in CUNY colleges. The Institute provides a gateway to higher education by offering comprehensive information and academic support services that help union members attain their educational goals. The Institute’s commitment to revitalizing a strong and democratic labor movement is supported through research, leadership development programs, forums and national conferences, and publications such as the New Labor Forum.
Off-Campus College
The Off-Campus College (OCC) at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS) offers working students access to a college education by providing workplace related, credit-bearing courses and certificates. Founded in 1980 as part of Cornell University's Institute for Women and Work, the Off-Campus College provides college courses for women and men in preparation for advancement in the work place. The OCC is continuing its mission of advancing the world of work by introducing students to the history, sociology and behavior of organizations through the study of related issues in Communication, Finance, Management, Leadership, Diversity, Education and Adult Learning. The OCC prides itself on working with students individually to help them successfully begin or restart college careers.
Paul A. Kaplan Center for Educational Drama
Created in 1993, the Paul A. Kaplan Center for Educational Drama is the outreach and professional development program of the Creative Arts Team (CAT). The Kaplan Center offers graduate level professional training opportunities in educational drama and theatre methodologies that focus on active approaches to student-centered learning. Classes are led by CAT's senior artistic staff as well as guest instructors who are international leaders in the field of arts in education.
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
(CUNY).
Drawing on CUNY’s nationally and internationally renowned faculty and practitioners, as well as industry and education partners, the School’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs, advanced and undergraduate certificate programs, and professional development courses provide opportunities for personal growth, job mobility, greater participation in social institutions, and new ways to meet the constant need to upgrade knowledge.
SPS offers several undergraduate and graduate courses and programs, including:
- An online bachelor's degree in Business, Communication and Culture, Health Information Management or SociologyOnline degreesAn online degree is an academic degree that can be earned primarily or entirely through the use of an Internet-connected computer, rather than attending college in a traditional campus setting...
- Master's degrees in Applied TheaterTheatre for developmentTheatre for Development, or TfD, means live performance, or theater used as a development tool -- as in international development. TfD encompasses the following in-person activities, with people or "puppets", before an audience:* a spoken-word drama or comedy...
, Labor Studies, Disability StudiesDisability studiesDisability studies is a relatively new interdisciplinary academic field focusing on the roles of people with disabilities in history, literature, social policy, law, architecture, and other disciplines. Although it has many antecedents, disability studies began to flourish toward the end of the...
, and Online Masters in Business Management and Leadership - Credit courses in a variety of areas, including project managementProject managementProject management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...
, immigration lawImmigration lawImmigration law refers to national government policies which control the phenomenon of immigration to their country.Immigraton law, regarding foreign citizens, is related to nationality law, which governs the legal status of people, in matters such as citizenship...
, and healthcare administrationHealthcare administrationHealth administration or healthcare administration is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of hospitals, hospital networks, health care systems, and public health systems... - Customized training programs for government agencies, unions, and nonprofit organizations
SPS is located within the CUNY Graduate Center
CUNY Graduate Center
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York brings together graduate education, advanced research, and public programming to midtown Manhattan hosting 4,600 students, 33 doctoral programs, 7 master's programs, and 30 research centers and institutes...
.
History
In 2003, the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York created the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS) with the purpose of meeting the educational needs of working adults, organizations, and employers.Since then, SPS has developed into a well established school serving New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's dynamic marketplace through the provision of timely, innovative and academically rigorous programs of study designed to address new or unmet needs. Home to CUNY’s first fully online degrees
Online degrees
An online degree is an academic degree that can be earned primarily or entirely through the use of an Internet-connected computer, rather than attending college in a traditional campus setting...
and groundbreaking Master’s degree programs, SPS has found new ways of fulfilling CUNY’s mission of access, reaching students with new modes of instruction, new courses and curricula, new kinds of learning tailored for diverse requirements and constituencies.
Mission and Vision
Mission StatementDrawing its sense of purpose from its receptiveness to new challenges, the School of Professional Studies (SPS) of The City University of New York (CUNY) also draws great strength and pride from its vanguard role in the world's largest public urban university, serving and reflecting New York's diverse needs and constituencies. SPS is committed to CUNY's core mission of access with excellence, with programs and services that add new dimensions to this mission. Dedicated to being responsive and innovative - responsive to emerging needs, innovative in addressing them - SPS gives students high-quality instruction and extraordinary academic support in programs offered online, in traditional classroom settings, and in the workplace. The School's undergraduate and graduate degree programs, advanced and undergraduate certificates, and professional development courses provide opportunities for personal growth, job mobility, greater participation in social institutions, and new ways to meet the constant need to upgrade knowledge.
Vision Statement
In just over half a decade since its inception, SPS has grown dramatically, and not just in enrollments, launching six new degree programs in the past three years. Home of CUNY’s first fully online degrees, it has found new ways of fulfilling CUNY’s mission of access with excellence, reaching students with new modes of instruction, new courses and curricula, new kinds of learning tailored for diverse requirements and constituencies. Its programs are genuinely groundbreaking, providing instruction and perspectives simply not offered elsewhere, as exemplified by its Master’s degree programs in applied theater, disability studies, labor studies, and business management and leadership – that last CUNY’s first graduate degree offered online.
Distinguished above all by its responsiveness, its quickness to address new needs and opportunities, SPS plans to cultivate that distinction. It will continue to show leadership in developing new ways of meeting new or unmet needs. It will consolidate and expand on its proven capacity for using technology to reach students and enhance their learning. It will strengthen and extend the partnerships formed with agencies, unions, and business partners, partnerships that make it a magnet for innovative educational possibilities.
The worth and distinction of the School of Professional Studies, as for any school, must lie in its academic offerings. As it develops, SPS will continue to offer courses and whole programs distinguished by the special emphasis placed on
- active and experiential learning: instruction that is challenging to students, not just in rigor, but in demands to adapt, to synthesize and to act upon a rapidly changing flow of information, to become researchers and not just receivers
- civic learning and engagement: instruction that is urban in orientation, using New York City as a resource, building a sense of local and global citizenship and social responsibility, inviting students to participate in changing society for the better
- institutional partnerships and service learning: instruction that is responsive to the changing demands of the workplace and the knowledge needs of institutions that are key strategic partners, so students develop capacities sure to be valued
- innovative pedagogy and technology-enhanced learning: instruction that is as up to date as possible, not just in what is taught, but in how it is taught, with the use of new technologies a hallmark
- collaborative learning and outreach: instruction that is constantly supportive of diverse student needs, making diversity a resource, creating new possibilities for community and collaboration credentialing and certification: instruction that is transformative for students, granting them new and valued abilities that redefine their opportunities, enabling them to live and contribute more richly and productively
SPS commits itself to aligning the education it offers with the current needs of its students and their world(s), always intent on making that education timely, relevant, powerfully useful, horizon-expanding – not just for the students but for a global city and a global culture that is ever more changeful and interdependent.
The School of Professional Studies Programs
The following list contains the names of the School of Professional Studies programs that have been registered with the New York State Education DepartmentNew York State Education Department
The New York State Education Department is the state education department in New York. It is part of the University of the State of New York , one of the most complete, interconnected systems of educational services in the United States...
(NYSED) under the CUNY Graduate School and University Center and assigned HEGIS code numbers in compliance with State requirements.
Degree Programs:
- Master of Arts in Applied Theatre
- Master of Arts in Disability Studies
- Master of Arts in Labor Studies
- Online Masters in Business Management and Leadership
- Online B.A. in Communication & Culture
- Online B.S. in Business
- Online B.S. in Health Information Management
- Online B.S. in Sociology
Non-Degree and Certificate Programs:
- Applied Theatre
- Business Communication
- Disability Studies
- Diversity in the Workplace
- Early Childhood Education Administration
- Education
- Education Foundations
- Energy Services and Technology
- Financial Studies
- Health Care Administration
- Immigration Law (Graduate)
- Immigration Law (Undergraduate)
- Information Technology
- Labor Relations
- Labor Studies
- Leadership
- Management
- Management (graduate)
- Nonprofit Management
- Organizational Studies
- Project Management
- Public Administration and Public Policy
- Real Estate
- Science
- Transportation
- Understanding How Adults Learn
Centers and Institutes
John F. Kennedy, Jr. Institute for Worker EducationThe John F. Kennedy, Jr. Institute for Worker Education supports workforce development initiatives in health and human services. The institute works with colleges, public and private employers, organized labor, professional associations, advocacy groups, community organizations, foundations and government agencies to:
• Design and implement collaborative worker education programs
• Provide career mentoring and college scholarships for exemplary workers
• Advocate for career ladders, health and educational benefits, and a living wage for frontline workers • Support the employment of people with disabilities
• Conduct workforce research in related areas
Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies
The Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, named after a former CUNY Chancellor who was a strong proponent of organized labor, serves the educational, policy and research needs of unions and their members and increases access to higher education as well as retention and graduation of union members enrolled in CUNY colleges. The Institute provides a gateway to higher education by offering comprehensive information and academic support services that help union members attain their educational goals. The Institute’s commitment to revitalizing a strong and democratic labor movement is supported through research, leadership development programs, forums and national conferences, and publications such as the New Labor Forum.
Off-Campus College
The Off-Campus College (OCC) at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS) offers working students access to a college education by providing workplace related, credit-bearing courses and certificates. Founded in 1980 as part of Cornell University's Institute for Women and Work, the Off-Campus College provides college courses for women and men in preparation for advancement in the work place. The OCC is continuing its mission of advancing the world of work by introducing students to the history, sociology and behavior of organizations through the study of related issues in Communication, Finance, Management, Leadership, Diversity, Education and Adult Learning. The OCC prides itself on working with students individually to help them successfully begin or restart college careers.
Paul A. Kaplan Center for Educational Drama
Created in 1993, the Paul A. Kaplan Center for Educational Drama is the outreach and professional development program of the Creative Arts Team (CAT). The Kaplan Center offers graduate level professional training opportunities in educational drama and theatre methodologies that focus on active approaches to student-centered learning. Classes are led by CAT's senior artistic staff as well as guest instructors who are international leaders in the field of arts in education.