New York University School of Professional Studies

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New York University
School of Professional Studies
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Former names
  • School of Continuing and Professional Studies
  • School of Continuing Education
  • School of Continuing Education and Extension Services
  • Division of General Education and Extension Services
  • Division of General Education
Type Private
Established1934;92 years ago (1934)
Parent institution
 New York University
Dean Angie Kamath
Address
7 East 12th Street
,
New York
,
New York
,
United States
Campus Urban
Website www.sps.nyu.edu
Sps long color.jpg

The New York University School of Professional Studies (SPS) is one of the schools and colleges that compose New York University and that is oriented towards pragmatic, career-connected undergraduate- and masters-level degrees and continuing education offerings. The school was founded in 1934 as the Division of General Education and supplied adult education courses in subjects that were socially useful during the Great Depression in the United States, the home front during World War II, and the postwar era. By 1966, it had been renamed to the School of Continuing Education and came to feature 2,000 continuing education courses with some 50,000 students in them, largely oriented towards servicing career change goals or supporting personal fulfillment. The change to the present name occurred in 2014 and is part of a shift in the school towards providing more degree-oriented programs and enrolling more degree-seeking students and having fewer continuing education students. The school's main offices are located at 7 East 12th Street on the University's main campus in the Washington Square Park area.

Contents

History

1930s–1950s

The story of the school begins with its establishment in 1934, [1] as the Division of General Education (DGE). [2] The new entity pulled together several programs that had existed for decades in adult education and extension efforts. [3] Some predecessors dated to 1908, [3] while the Division of Extra-Mural Instruction went back to the 1890s. [4]

In the beginning, the division had some 6,000 students across 200 courses. [4] It offered courses in adult education such as "Character Building" and "Social Hygiene" [5] as well as Women's Law [6] (a storied class with a long history and its own alumni organization [7] ) while sponsoring lectures on "The American Way". [8] New York University's School of Education did not accept the courses offered through the DGE as part of the "in-residence" requirements towards a Bachelor's degree. [9]

During the Depression years, when almost 25 percent of the U.S. workforce was unemployed, the DGE responded with training programs for new social workers in the Temporary Emergency Relief Association, the city's public welfare agency, and the Home Relief Bureau. [3] Many of those so trained went on to staff positions in various New Deal programs. [4]

The Washington Square Writing Center was begun around 1935. [10] It quickly became popular: by 1938 the center had some five hundred students spread out over thirteen evening, non-credit courses covering both fiction and non-fiction writing in various manifestations. [11] Instructors at the school included Harlan Logan and Albert Maltz. [11] By 1940, the center was expanding the number of courses dealing with English grammar and composition and aimed at people looking for greater achievements in their vocations. [12] Meanwhile, two novels that had been at least partly written during fiction courses were accepted for publication. [11] Two decades later, the Washington Square Writing Center was still going: in 1954, it was offering sixteen different courses, [10] a number that rose to twenty-one in 1955. [13] Classes were still taught in the evening and were still aimed both at aspiring writers of various kinds as well as people in other careers who wanted to improve their writing skills. [10]

During World War II, the division offered classes in new technologies, foreign languages, and industrial management. [4]

After the war, there was a need to get returning veterans into the labor market; [4] in response to increasing demand for skills, training, and for-credit courses, DGE developed, among other new programs, a Certificate in General Education, which required forty-eight semester hours of study over a one-to-six year period, [14] and that helped veterans fulfill requirements under the G.I. Bill. [15] DGE also formulated the Management Institute to focus on courses for business and industry, such as in areas involving systems and procedures. [16]

In 1954, the school's name was adjusted to the Division of General Education and Extension Services (DGEES) to reflect the full scope of its non-degree, adult education-related activities. [17] New departments were created, including the Office of Special Services to Business and Industry, which also included programs of interest to governmental bodies, [18] and the Liberal Arts in Extension program, based on a grant from the Fund for Adult Education to further adult education at locations beyond the immediate NYU campus. [19] Enrollment surpassed that of any other individual school at NYU. [1]

In 1958, the school offered a series of seminars aimed at studying the idea that America's success as a country would come to rely on cultivating creativity. [20] Dr. Myron Coler, a former supervisor on the Manhattan Project and a consultant for both Oak Ridge and Brookhaven National Laboratories, headed the project which initially focused on using creativity in scientific fields. [20]

1960s–1980s

The School of Continuing Education's 168-page bulletin of course and program offerings, Spring 1979 New York University School of Continuing Education Bulletin Spring 1979.jpg
The School of Continuing Education's 168-page bulletin of course and program offerings, Spring 1979

In the 1960s, the Office of Community Service Programs was created, [21] as was the Division of Business and Management. [22] Associate's degree offerings began in 1964, [4] in fields including the liberal arts, business, public service, and physical therapy; these generally took four years of part-time study to complete, although subsequently they could be done within three years. [23] These introductions laid the groundwork for the future Paul McGhee Division for adult learners returning to college to earn a degree. [1]

The school produced a monthly publication, Pleasures in Learning; in 1964, Milton R. Stern served as editor. [24]

Shimkin Hall, for many years the center of the School of Continuing Education Shimkin Hall NYU 30yl.jpg
Shimkin Hall, for many years the center of the School of Continuing Education

By 1966, the school had been renamed to the School of Continuing Education and Extension Services, [25] but was often referred to as just the School of Continuing Education (SCE). [26] In 1966, the publisher Leon Shimkin, chairman of Simon & Schuster, pledged $2 million to NYU's capital fund in part to renovate and modernize the existing New York University School of Commerce building, an 11-story structure on a corner of Washington Square Park. [27] (Shimkin had studied in the School of Commerce as a youth, first full-time for a year and then at night, and later had given a course in book publishing at the Division of General Education. [25] ) Renamed to Shimkin Hall, the structure served as the headquarters for the School of Continuing Education and Extension Services and was the location for many of its classrooms. [27] [25]

In the 1970s, new diploma programs were created in release estate, data processing, computer technology, and systems analysis. [1] The Institute for Paralegal Studies was created. [28] The General Studies Program was instituted to offer two years of instruction to college-age students, conducted on a full-time basis during the day and leading to an associate's degree. [23] There was a boom in the real estate market during the 1970s, [29] and an expansion of the school's Real Estate Institute. [30]

Programs for bachelor's degrees were also added along the way. [4] At the time, though, students going for degrees were still a small fraction of the overall School of Continuing Education enrollment: for instance, 1,700 out of 56,000 in the early 1980s. [31]

By the late 1970s, the most popular programs at the school were in data processing and real estate, with each having enrollments of around 3,000 students in a term. [32] The content of courses often changed with demand, [4] and SCE continued ramping up its information technology offerings in the 1970s. [32] In the 1980s, the school extended its growth by expanding its publishing and business programs. [1]

Catalog and course materials for 1979 edition of 'the Intensive': a full-time, nine-week program in COBOL and Assembler language for the IBM System/370 designed to providing a launching point for a career as a computer programmer in business applications NYU School of Continuing Education data processing course materials Spring 1979.jpg
Catalog and course materials for 1979 edition of 'the Intensive': a full-time, nine-week program in COBOL and Assembler language for the IBM System/370 designed to providing a launching point for a career as a computer programmer in business applications

The school was explicitly marketed as a place for people to begin a career change. [33] Ann Marcus, the dean of the School of Continuing Education during the 1970s, said: "Our program is mainly focused on career development and upgrading." [34] First among these was computer technology, with an introductory course and a broad range of follow-ons available, or, for those more intent on a change as soon as possible, a nine-week, full-time, intensive course in computer programming. [33] Various other career choices were promoted, [33] and even the school's liberal arts courses leaned towards the pragmatic. [34]

There was a trend across the nation for adults to return to college for additional education, either for personal fulfillment or to improve their career prospects. [32] About half the students at the School of Continuing Education were between ages 26 and 35 and a large majority between 22 and 45. [4] NYU's primary competitor in the market for continuing education was The New School for Social Research, which also offered a large catalog of courses, a Lower Manhattan location, and increasing enrollments. [34] [32] [35] At times some New York-area institutions attempted to compete with the pair, such as Columbia University. [34] But these other places lacked the long experience of NYU and the New School in this area and found that establishing financially successful continuing education programs was more difficult than they first thought. [35]

Writing courses, including for those attempting to improve at fiction, remained popular at the school. [36] Classes in filmmaking were also popular, [32] included a full-time film production workshop given during the summer. [37]

By 1984, the School of Continuing Education had more than 50,000 students across some 2,000 courses, had increased its enrollment by almost a third in the prior decade, and was the largest continuing education program of any private university in the nation. [4]

Real estate seminars were a steady presence at the school. [4] This went back to 1967, when the school's Real Estate Institute was announced. [38] In 1979, the school opened a Midtown Manhattan operation, which helped bring in a new source of continuing education students. [39] Located at 11 West 42nd Street, this would house the Real Estate Institute beginning in the 1980s. [1] A new degree, Master of Science in Real Estate, was launched in the late 1980s, partly funded by the builder Larry Silverstein. [40] By 2004, that masters program was growing and had 500 students in it. [41] In 2008, it would be renamed as the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate after a $10 million donation by the Schack family. [42]

1990s

The 1990s saw SCE exploring virtual and Internet-based learning, and new degree and certificate programs were created in hospitality and tourism, real estate, digital technology, and media. [1] Following technological advances in media, the Center for Advanced Digital Applications was formed. [43] In 1998, the school's name was modified to the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS). [44]

2010s–2020s

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Exterior and interior of the School of Professional Services main building at 7 East 12th Street, as seen in 2015

In 2011, the school moved into a new headquarters location on 12th Street near Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. [45] At that point, the school had about 5,000 degree-seeking students in both undergraduate and graduate programs and about 30,000 non-credit students among 1,500 continuing education courses and certificate-granting programs. [45]

As of 2021, the school offered 20 graduate degree programs and 3 traditional bachelor's degrees. Through its Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies, students who could not attend school full-time, transfer students, as well as older students who wish to return to school, could complete a bachelor's or associate degree.

The school was renamed the NYU School of Professional Studies in 2014. [46] By then, its staffing was comprised of greater than 100 full-time professors and some 2,000 who were teaching on an adjunct basis. [46] There were almost 5,000 students enrolled on a degree basis and around 48,000 people enrolled annually in various noncredit courses and programs. [46]

In 2017, the Paul McGhee Division was restructured to focus less on bachelor degrees and more on associate degrees and renamed to the Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies. [47] The intent was to provide a lower-cost option and compete with local community colleges, [48] as more were looking for career-oriented courses and fewer toward a liberal arts degree. [47] As part of this change, ten full-time SPS faculty members were laid off. [48] One student protesting the changes said to the Washington Square News : "SPS is changing from an academic institution to an international corporate enterprise." [47] The change also provoked some nervousness among incoming students. [48]

In July 2021, Angie Kamath was appointed as the School's dean. [49] By this decade, the school was perhaps most known for its programs in real estate, hospitality, and sports management. [50]

For the academic year 2020–21, the school was home to 3,634 graduate students, 1,423 traditional undergraduate students, and 696 post-traditional undergraduate students; in addition, it educated more that 11,000 students who were enrolled in its continuing education courses and certificate programs during the academic year 2019–20. [51] By the mid-2020s, the school featured some 37 different types of degrees being granted and 5,000 students enrolled in degree programs, while the number of continuing education students was placed at around 10,000. [52]

Buildings

Classes are held at four locations:

Academics

The school offers associate degree programs, bachelor's degree programs, graduate degree programs, and continuing education courses and certificates. In addition, it offers executive education programs for individuals and organizations. [54] NYU SPS has departments and divisions in liberal arts, global affairs, publishing, business, English, hospitality, sports business and management, and real estate. [55]

Undergraduate degrees

NYU SPS offers bachelor's degrees for students entering directly out of high school in hotel and tourism management, real estate, and sport management. Bachelor's degrees for transfer students, adult learners, active duty members of the military, and military veterans include programs in applied data analytics and visualization, applied general studies, digital communications and media, healthcare management, leadership and management, information systems management, real estate, marketing analytics, humanities and social sciences. These programs are available for those who have earned 45 transferable college credits or more.

Associate degrees can be obtained at the school in the areas of business, health administration, information systems management, and liberal arts.

Graduate degrees

Graduate degrees are offered in the areas of Construction Management, Real Estate Development, Real Estate, Global Affairs; Global Security, Conflict, and Cybercrime, Event Management, Global Hospitality Management, Travel and Tourism Management, Executive Coaching, Human Capital Analytics and Technology, Human Resources Management and Development, Integrated Marketing, Public Relations and Corporate Communication, Management and Systems, Project Management, Publishing, Professional Writing, Sports Business, Global Sport, Translation & Interpreting.

Student life

Some SPS students have noted that the school seems to be little known. [48]

According to a 2025 piece in the Washington Square News , SPS students tended to dress on the professional side of things, matching their desire to gain career-related connections. [50]

Rankings and recognition

In 2020, the NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate BS in Real Estate program was ranked #3 nationwide by U.S. News & World Report Education in the category of Undergraduate Program - Real Estate. [56]

The NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport MS in Sports Business was ranked #16 globally (up from #31) in the SportsBusiness Postgraduate Rankings for 2020. [57]

The NYU SPS MS in Public Relations and Corporate Communication was named the winner of the 2021 PR Week Awards for Outstanding Education Program. [58]

Centers

SPS is home to five centers: [59]

Notable Faculty & Advisors

145 Fourth Avenue, a prior headquarters for the school 145 Fourth Avenue (8501238603).jpg
145 Fourth Avenue, a prior headquarters for the school

Notable alumni

Conferences

The NYU School of Professional Studies hosts a range of conferences including:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Mission and History: Our history". New York University School of Professional Studies. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  2. ↑ "N.Y.U. Center Being Held At School Here" . The Stanford-Star. Vol. 11, no. 244. New Rochelle, NY. April 18, 1934. p. 14. Retrieved September 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 3 Frusciano, Thomas J.; Pettit, Marilyn H. (1997). New York University and the City: An Illustrated History. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. pp. 182, 183.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Greer, William R. (August 19, 1984). "Continuing Education: At N.Y.U., 50 Years of Adult Fare". The New York Times. p. 7 (Section 12, Education).
  5. ↑ "Educational Adventures for Men and Women" . Times Union . Vol. 89. September 20, 1936. p. 4. Retrieved September 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Corby, Jane (December 12, 1934). "Reforming Modern Girl Not Such Hard Task as It Was, Asserts Jane Corby" . Brooklyn Eagle . Vol. 94, no. 344. p. 6. Retrieved September 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Bender, Marilyn (September 23, 1969). "Lawyer at Home? A Class for Wives". The New York Times. p. 50.
  8. ↑ "N.Y.U. Forum to Hear Thomas on Tuesday" . Brooklyn Eagle . Vol. 95, no. 320. November 18, 1935. p. 11. Retrieved September 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "University Courses Open Here Sept. 29" . The Kingston Daily Freeman . Vol. 65, no. 291. September 25, 1936. p. 8. Retrieved September 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 3 B. F. (August 1, 1954). "Education Notes: Varied Activities on the Campus And in the Classroom". The New York Times. p. 7 (Section 4, News of the Week in Review.
  11. 1 2 3 McGhee, Paul A. (January 30, 1938). "Traces The Growth Of Writing Center". The New York Times. p. 4 (Section 2).
  12. ↑ "N.Y.U. Expands Language Course". The New York Times. July 28, 1940. p. 4 (Section 2).
  13. ↑ B. F. (August 28, 1955). "Education News: Varied Activity on the Campus And in the Classroom". The New York Times. p. 9 (Section 4, News of the Week in Review.
  14. ↑ "New Study Certificate". The New York Times. September 16, 1948. p. 19.
  15. ↑ "Careers in Radio and Television". The New York Times (Advertisement). January 18, 1948. p. 12 X (Section 2) – via ProQuest.
  16. ↑ "N.Y.U. Program Enlarged". The New York Times. August 24, 1951. p. 28.
  17. ↑ "Reorganization at N.Y.U." The New York Times. June 5, 1954. p. 19.
  18. ↑ "To Direct N.Y.U. Business Aid". The New York Times. January 1, 1956. p. 38.
  19. ↑ "N.Y.U. Names Director Of Extension Program". The New York Times. September 22, 1957. p. 50.
  20. 1 2 "Resident To Head N. Y. University Research Program" . Scarsdale Inquirer . Vol. 39, no. 52. December 27, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved September 2, 2024– via Newspaper Archive.
  21. ↑ "The American Language Institute". The New York Times (Advertisement). September 9, 1973. p. 14 (Section 13) – via ProQuest.
  22. ↑ "News of the Realty Trade". The New York Times. December 30, 1973. p. 2 (Section 8 Real Estate).
  23. 1 2 "NYU Offers Associate Degree, 3 yrs, Pt. Time". New York Amsterdam News. August 25, 1973. p. C-4 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "Stern Seeks Key To Aid U.S. In Liverpool 1839-40 Study" . The Standard-Star. Vol. 42, no. 42. August 19, 1964. p. 15. Retrieved September 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  25. 1 2 3 Gilroy, Harry (November 17, 1966). "Publisher Gives N.Y.U. $2-Million". The New York Times. p. 52.
  26. ↑ See for instance "N.Y.U. To Offer Course In Arts". The Bergen Record. January 31, 1967. p. B-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. 1 2 "N.Y.U. Will Get $2 Million Gift". The Bergen Record. November 21, 1966. p. C-3 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ "NYU Will Begin Course in Fall For Paralegals". The Daily Record. Salt Lake City, Utah. ACCN. August 18, 1972. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ↑ Murphy, Betsy A. (2022). "Real estate boom of the 1970s". EBSCO. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Real Estates Studies". New York Daily News. July 29, 1972. p. B7 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ Johnson, Kirk (January 10, 1982). "Some People Learn Degree By Night". The New York Times. p. 7 (Section 13 Education).
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 Oppenheimer, Andres (October 25, 1978). "Thousands of adults return to classrooms in New York". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Associated Press. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. 1 2 3 "How to get out of a job and into a career". The New York Times (Advertisement). August 29, 1977. p. 54 – via ProQuest.
  34. 1 2 3 4 Schachter, Jim (October 7, 1977). "Continuing ed program: a year later". Columbia Daily Spectator. pp. 1, 2.
  35. 1 2 Arenson, Karen W. (September 9, 1979). "Continuing Education Programs Are Money, Problems For Schools". The Sunday Rutland Herald. Times News Service. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. 1 2 "Roy Doliner". The New York Times (Classified). April 17, 2015.
  37. ↑ "uncertain". Filmmakers Newsletter. Vol. 9, no. uncertain. 1976. p. 6.
  38. ↑ Ennis, Thomas W. (December 28, 1967). "N.Y.U. Will Open Realty Institute". The New York Times. p. 70.
  39. ↑ Fiske, Edward B. (November 26, 1979). "N.Y.U., Bucking National Trend, Expands Its Classes and Faculty". The New York Times. pp. A1, B8.
  40. ↑ "Master's degree". Asbury Park Press. December 20, 1987. p. H4 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ↑ Barbanel, Josh (July 25, 2004). "In a Hot Market, Everyone Wants To Be a Developer". The New York Times.
  42. ↑ Marshall, Samantha (June 13, 2008). "NYU receives $10M donation". Crain's New York Business.
  43. ↑ "Bulletin Board: When a Film Needs Good Buzz". The New York Times. November 29, 2000. p. B11. Three author byline for collection of items.
  44. ↑ See first mentions in newspapers of the new name occurring in 1998.
  45. 1 2 "NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies to Officially Open Redesigned, State-of-the-Art Learning Facility" (Press release). PR Newswire. November 16, 2011.
  46. 1 2 3 "NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies Announces Name Change and Redefines Focus to Meet Demands of a Global and Evolving Economy" (Press release). PR Newsire. September 17, 2014.
  47. 1 2 3 Roy, Natasha (May 22, 2017). "SPS Changes Lead to Firing of 10 Faculty Members". Washington Square News.
  48. 1 2 3 4 Roy, Natasha (September 5, 2017). "SPS Changes Paul McGhee Division to Provide Affordable Education". Washington Square News.
  49. ↑ "NYU Names Angie Kamath as Dean of its School of Professional Studies". sps.nyu.edu. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  50. 1 2 Alluin, Alessa (February 21, 2025). "What your NYU school says about your style". Washington Square News.
  51. ↑ Figures from the head of public relations for the NYU School of Professional Studies, August 2021.
  52. ↑ "Angie Kamath: A distinguished career in higher education and city government". New York University. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  53. ↑ "NYU School of Continuing & Professional Studies". NYC-Arts. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  54. ↑ "Academics". sps.nyu.edu. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  55. ↑ "Academics". sps.nyu.edu. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  56. ↑ "NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate BS in Real Estate is Ranked #3 Nationally by US News & World Report". sps.nyu.edu. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  57. ↑ "2020 Post Graduate Rankings" (PDF). Sports Business.
  58. ↑ "PRWeek US 2021: The Winners". PRWeek.
  59. ↑ "Divisions and Departments". NYU.
  60. ↑ Bruno, Teresa (December 11, 2020). "The Graduate: Vanessa O'Brien". The Stern Opportunity. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
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