Columbia University announced today that its School of Continuing Education has been renamed the School of Professional Studies (sps.columbia.edu) to reflect a targeted focus on professional degree offerings, market-specific academic programming, and cross-disciplinary scholarly research.

“This School, one of the premier destinations in the world for innovative professional education, has been evolving for several years now to better meet the needs of professionals grappling with the challenges of a transformed global marketplace,” said University President Lee C. Bollinger, “and the change in name is emblematic of this shift.  We look forward to seeing the next chapter of the School of Professional Studies under the leadership of our new Dean, Jason Wingard.”

Columbia’s School of Professional Studies currently offers fourteen masters degrees, a comprehensive portfolio of pre-professional, post baccalaureate, and life-long learning programs, and interdisciplinary research centers.

“The name reflects our renewed mission to provide rigorous educational offerings, informed by rapidly evolving global market needs, that support the academic and professional demands of individuals and organizations worldwide,” said Jason Wingard, Dean and Professor of the School of Professional Studies. 

By offering market-leading degree programs across disciplines, such as, Actuarial Science, Applied Analytics, Bioethics, Sports Management, and Sustainability Management, the School is uniquely positioned to meet the diverse professional education needs of top recent graduates, successful mid-career professionals, and accomplished executives. The mixed methodological approach applied by the School enables students to enter burgeoning fields, advance existing career trajectories, or pivot to new domains of expertise. At the foundation of these efforts is an active research agenda that informs both field best practices, as well as inquiry at the intersection of academic disciplines.

“The School no longer focuses solely on regional, non-degree offerings, as indicated by the denotation ‘Continuing Education’,” stated Dean Wingard. By generating interdisciplinary thought leadership, developing innovative pedagogy, and advancing globally competitive academic solutions, we are preparing the global workforce of the 21st century, across sectors and industries, for the ever-shifting and urgent requirements of the knowledge economy.”

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Contact:

CU Public Affairs/Evelina Freeman, ef2360@columbia.edu, 212 854-0258