In June of 2003, Neil Kleiman, then-director of the Center for an Urban Future, addressed the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York detailing the need for creating the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS).[1]
In 2013, CUNY SPS opened its principal campus in midtown Manhattan, at the former site of the Gimbels department store.[2]
In the twenty years since its founding, CUNY SPS became CUNY’s first and leading campus to offer fully online degree programs at both the bachelor's and master's level. The School's programs have also been ranked among the top in the nation. As of 2024, the U.S. News & World Report named CUNY SPS #11 on their nationwide list of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs.[3] Ranked out of 339 schools assessed, CUNY SPS is the highest listed in New York City. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report ranked CUNY SPS #3 in the nation on the publisher’s 2024 list of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans.[4]
Programs
The following list contains some of the CUNY School of Professional Studies programs that have been registered with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) under the CUNY Graduate School and University Center and assigned HEGIS code numbers in compliance with State requirements.
An online bachelor's in psychology that has been ranked #8 in the nation on the 2024 list of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Psychology by U.S. News & World Report.[4]
Other online bachelor's degrees include business, communication and media, disability studies, health information management, sociology (the sociology bachelor's is ranked #1 nationwide by Great Value Colleges),[5] and more.
Customized training programs for government agencies, unions, and nonprofit organizations
Alumni
CUNY SPS has over 6,000 alumni who work principally in the healthcare and business sectors. While the majority of its alumni reside in the United States, the school has alumni representation in the Czech Republic, Kenya, India, Serbia, and Slovakia.
