School of Continuing and Professional Studies

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates that are recognized for their high quality and applicability in an ever-changing professional world. We also provide extensive continuing education and workplace learning opportunities through our seminars, workshops and customized corporate training programs.

Our school is designed to offer personalized academic and career guidance, credit for prior learning, and flexible learning structures that meet the schedules and demands of busy adult lives. We extend learning through online, hybrid, and on-campus offerings, as well as through cohort programs delivered onsite at our corporate and college partners.

Whether pursuing degree completion, accelerated, customizable, and/or highly-structured programs, our students develop skills in collaboration, persuasion, critical-thinking, inquiry, technology, creativity, adaptability and specialized fields for success in today's workplace.

Contact Us

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies office is located in suite 1400 of the Daley Building at 14 E. Jackson Blvd. in Chicago. Website: https://scps.depaul.edu/

Office hours are 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday. Telephone: 312-362-8001. Fax: 312-476-3220. General Email: scps@depaul.edu

Mailing Address:
DePaul University
School of Continuing and Professional Studies
1 East Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604.

Administration & Faculty

Office of the Dean

Tatum D. Thomas, PhD
Dean

Arieahn Matamonasa, PhD
Associate Dean, Academic Affairs

Jenny Prey, BA
Assistant Dean, Operations

Scott Gabbert, MS
Acting Assistant Dean, Academic Services

Hap Bryant, PhD
Director, Continuing and Professional Education

Undergraduate Programs

Marisa Alicea, PhD
Director, Undergraduate Programs

Kenn Skorupa, MEd
Associate Director, Undergraduate Programs

Graduate Programs

Arieahn Matamonasa, PhD
Interim Director, Graduate Programs

Patrizia Acerra, MA
Interim Associate Director, Graduate Programs

Office of Prior Learning Assessment

Joseph Chen, PhD
Director, Assessment

Nicholas Hayes, MFA
Assistant Director, Assessment

Faculty

Marisa Alicea, PhD
Professor

Joseph Chen, PhD
Associate Professor

Ludovic Comeau Jr., PhD
Associate Professor

Nancy Davis, PhD
Associate Professor

Kevin Downing, PhD
Professor

Dan K. Hibbler, PhD
Associate Professor

Sara Kimble, PhD
Associate Professor

John Kimsey, PhD
Associate Professor

Caroline Kisiel, PhD
Associate Professor

Arieahn Matamonasa-Bennett, PhD
Associate Professor

Susan McGury, PhD
Associate Professor

Donald L. Opitz, PhD
Associate Professor

Centers

Jessica Cook, PhD
Director, Labor Education Center

Susan McGury, PhD
Director, Center to Advance Education for Adults

Undergraduate Academics

An internationally recognized leader in education for adults, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers degrees and certificates at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The undergraduate Bachelor of Arts programs include professional studies majors in Business Administration (BAPSBA) and Computing (BAPSC), program majors in Healthcare Administration (BAHA), Decision Analytics (BADA), Nonprofit Management (BANM), Leadership Studies (BALS) and Recreation and Sport Management (BARSM) and a degree completion major in Applied Behavioral Sciences (BAABS). For information on programs no longer offered by the school, please refer to the university catalog archive.

For information and program requirements for SCPS undergraduate programs, select the links below.

SCPS Undergraduate Online Degree Program Options

Most SCPS programs can be completed totally online without coming to campus. If you plan to attend most or all of your program online, you can select the online version of the program when you apply.

Programs that offer the online option are Business Administration (BAPSBA), Computing (BAPSC), Decision Analytics (BADA), Leadership Studies (BALS), Nonprofit Management (BANM), Recreation and Sport Management (BARSM) and Applied Behavioral Sciences (BAABS). Information about program requirements for these degrees can be accessed through the program links above. Healthcare Administration (BAHA) is not fully online at this time but most BAHA program requirements are available online.

Combined Bachelor's + Master's Degree Programs

SCPS offers a combined Bachelor's + Master's degree program that allows students across the university to complete 12 graduate credit hours at the undergraduate tuition rate while completing their undergraduate programs . These 12 graduate credit hours will count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.

Combined degree program students are also eligible for DePaul's Double Demon Scholarship, a 25% reduction in the graduate tuition rate. The SCPS master's program available through the combined degree program is the MA in Applied Professional Studies (MAAPS) which is available fully online.

SCPS students interested in applying to the SCPS Combined Degree can contact the SCPS Advising Center for more information at scpsadvising@depaul.edu . Students can apply to the combined degree by submitting a Program Plan and Minors Change Request Form.

Double Majors

For SCPS students who wish to do a double major within the school, the following guidelines apply.

University policy dictates that the student must select a primary major which determines the minimum requirements for conferral. The secondary major requirements must be completed or the declaration withdrawn before conferral.
University policy dictates that no more than 50% of the credits that apply to the primary major can be applied to the secondary major. The SCPS Professional Studies Core is not included as part of this calculation.
University policy dictates that no more than half of the major can be completed as transfer credit. This policy would apply to both the primary and secondary major.
Courses for the secondary major can be placed as electives or additional credit to the 192 minimum cumulative credit conferral requirement.
The degree completion major in Applied Behavioral Sciences (BAABS) can not be paired with any other majors.
No BAPSC Concentrations can be paired with the BADA Computing Concentration.

SCPS students interested in completing a secondary major from a non-SCPS college should contact their SCPS advisor to discuss their options. Requirements for the secondary major would be determined by the college offering the major.

Students enrolled in a Non-SCPS college that are interested in adding a secondary major from SCPS can contact the SCPS Advising Center for more information at scpsadvising@depaul.edu . Students from a Non-SCPS college would need to complete the Professional Studies Core, the Major Core and the Major Elective requirements to complete the SCPS major.

The requirements for a double major are represented on the student's Degree Progress Report (DPR) and the second major would be listed on the final transcript. Students can add a second major offered by SCPS to their programs by submitting a Program Plan and Minors Change Request Form.

Inter-College Transfer to SCPS

DePaul students who wish to transfer to SCPS from other DePaul colleges can do so by completing the Inter-College Transfer to SCPS Form. Students that are interested in transferring to SCPS can contact the SCPS Advising Center for more information at scpsadvising@depaul.edu .

SCPS Minors

SCPS offers a minor in Cannabis Studies. The minor features a multidisciplinary curriculum that examines the topic in a social justice context including issues of diversity and equity as well as medical and economic aspects of cannabis in society. For more information, see the Cannabis Studies Minor curriculum requirements. Students can add the minor to their programs by submitting a Program Plan and Minors Change Request Form.

SCPS Undergraduate Academic Policies

All SCPS undergraduate students assume responsibility to know and meet both the general and particular regulations, procedures, policies and deadlines set forth in the academic catalog. In addition, all SCPS undergraduate students are expected to adhere to the Student Code of Responsibility (available in the DePaul University Undergraduate Student Handbook) to follow the policies, procedures and regulations of the University. Failure to do so may be grounds for dismissal from the applicable degree program. Additional program information and regulations applicable to specific programs can be found on the SCPS website.

Dean's List, Honors and Honor Societies

Students in the following SCPS undergraduate programs are eligible to receive graduation honors, BAPSBA, BAPSC, BAHA, BADA, BANM, BALS, BARSM and BAABS. These honors are based on the student's final cumulative GPA, at least 3.85 for summa cum laude, 3.7 for magma cum laude, and 3.5 for cum laude. To qualify for honors, students must complete at least 60 credit hours at DePaul of credit posted with letter grades, grades recorded as a pass are not included in the calculations.

Invitation-only honor societies such as Alpha Sigma Lambda may offer graduation honors to eligible undergraduate students per each honor society’s criteria. SCPS also offers a quarterly SCPS Dean’s List designation for undergraduate students who earn a GPA of 3.5 for the quarter based on a minimum of 8 graded credit hours in DePaul courses, excluding grades of Pass and W. Students who received IN, M, or R grades for the quarter are not eligible.

Grades

SCPS degree programs with majors (BAPSBA, BAPSC, BAHA, BADA, BANM, BALS and BARSM) require a grade of C- or better in courses taken at DePaul or transfer work applied to course requirements in the Major (the Professional Studies Core, the Major Core and the Major Elective requirements) and in the LL 261: Essay Writing course in the College Core. All other course requirements in these programs can be completed with a grade of D or better. R grades (Research based incompletes) are only permitted for the following courses: LL 301, LL 302, LL 303, Guided Independent Studies, and SCPS Study Abroad courses applied to these programs. The BAABS degree completion major program requires a C- or better in all courses taken at DePaul applied to the program.

Grades are not changed because of a reassessment of course work, the submission of extra work or by the retaking of an examination. In cases of administrative error, an instructor may request to a change of grade with the approval of the SCPS Exceptions Committee. The SCPS Exceptions Committee will entertain grade change requests from instructors when either the student or the instructor has made a compelling case with adequate written supporting documentation that a grade change is warranted for equitable considerations. If a student's IN (Incomplete)or R grade has reverts to a F grade due to missed deadlines, this is not sufficient grounds to warrant such an exception. If a grade change is deemed appropriate by the Exceptions Committee or through an Incomplete Contract, faculty enter the grade change directly in Campus Connect.

A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required to graduate in all SCPS undergraduate programs.

Pass/Fail Grades

Undergraduate courses at SCPS are graded on the A/F grading scale. Students can request to take courses from any university department on a pass/fail (P/F) grading basis by contacting their academic advisor for approval.

The following university guidelines can be found in the Grades, Pass/Fail entry in the university student handbook to qualify for the P/F option. For more information about how P/F grades are recorded and implications for student records, please see the student handbook explanation.

Sophomore Standing (at least 44 quarter hours)
A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
One P/F course can be taken per quarter
Only one course can be taken P/F from any department
A maximum of 20 credit hours can be taken as P/F
Courses in the major/minor or certificates are not eligible for P/F option

A grade of pass in SCPS courses represents the university standard of D or better. Pass grades recorded for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits are excluded from the maximum 20 credit hour limit on P/F grades. LL 261: Essay Writing requires needs C- or better and does not qualify to be taken P/F. SCPS courses considered to be in the major include those in the Professional Studies Core, the Major Core and the Major Electives whether taken through SCPS or from other colleges.

In terms of PA grades from other institutions, those sources that record PA as the minimum standard without grades assigned, such as ACE credit or Advanced Placement (AP) or CLEP exams, those course equivalents can be placed according to the C- or better standard. For grades recorded on college transcripts as PA, if the transcript indicates that a PA grade meets the C- or better standard, those courses can fulfill program requirements of C- or better.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) allows students to earn credit toward degree requirements based on demonstration of college-level learning that may have been accomplished prior to or during studies at DePaul. Students may apply PLA credit in a variety of ways depending on the type of the learning being demonstrated through professional development in the workplace, courses and workshops in non-accredited programs and other types of independent learning. PLA credit is governed by the University Transfer Policy that permits a maximum of 99 quarter hours from a combination of credit based on prior learning assessment, credit earned at a community college, credit by examination, and ACE military credit in DePaul's 192 credit hour programs. PLA credits are not eligible for Financial Aid, do not count for purposes of determining enrollment status, and do not count as residency requirements. Students interested in pursuing PLA credit should contact the Office of Prior Learning Assessment, SCPSPLA@depaul.edu or visit the SCPS PLA website.

Repeating Courses

SCPS follows the University policy for repeating courses in all undergraduate programs (BAPSBA, BAPSC, BAHA, BADA, BANM, BALS, BARSM and BAABS).

When SCPS undergraduate students repeat a course, all grades achieved are recorded on their academic records. Recalculations of the GPA will be made according to the following guidelines:

Upon the initial repeat, only the second grade will be used to calculate the GPA.
Upon further repeats, the second and all subsequent grades will be used to calculate the GPA.

These guidelines apply whether students took the course for pass/fail or A/F grades. GPA recalculations for a repeated course are made on an ad-hoc basis only. Recalculations are initiated at the request of students, faculty, and advisors and performed by the SCPS Student Records office.

Residency Requirements

SCPS students are required to complete a portion of their requirements in residence. In order to meet the residence requirement, a course must be taken at DePaul, either from SCPS or any other DePaul college. Credit granted for PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) does not count as a residence requirement.

SCPS degree programs with majors (BAPSBA, BAPSC, BANM, BALS, BARSM and BADA) require that students complete at least 20 credit hours from the College Core in residence and at least 40 credit hours from the Major Requirements in residence. Students in the BAHA program must complete 16 credit hours in the College Core and 44 Credit hours in the Major Requirements in residence. In addition to these requirements, students in the BAPSC joint degree program with the College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM) at DePaul need to complete at least 20 credit hours in the major from CDM.
SCPS degree completion major programs (BAABS and BALS): Students in these programs must complete at least complete 94 credit hours in residence.

Active Student Status

Students who complete a term and do not enroll for the following term at DePaul remain active and eligible to enroll until they are formally discontinued. The student does not register for three consecutive quarters (or for Law two semesters), excluding summers. In these cases students must seek readmission.

Once discontinued, students wishing to resume their studies are required to reapply for admission to the school, and, upon readmission, proceed in accordance with program specifications in place from that point forward, as well as any special directives provided at the point of readmission.

Graduate Academics

An internationally recognized leader in education for adults, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers degrees and certificates at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The graduate program offers a master's degree in Applied Professional Studies (MAAPS), with tracks in Organizational Leadership, Educating Adults, Social Change, and an individually designed Custom track. For information on programs no longer offered by the school, please refer to the university catalog archive.

Applied Professional Studies (MAAPS)

Graduate Admission Application Steps

The following process and components apply to the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) graduate programs and certificates. Additional program information can be found at the SCPS Graduate Programs page.

1. Application and Required Materials

Applicant submits required application materials including:

a completed Application form and Application fee¹;
a current resume;
an Application Essay (writing sample) that addresses key questions pertinent to assessing the “fit” of the program to the student and vice versa; and,
official, sealed transcripts documenting all prior college/university coursework including demonstration of a completed undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required for all prior coursework.

¹: The application fee is waived for DePaul alumni.

2. Interview

Upon initial review of application materials, qualified applicants are invited to an admissions interview. The purpose of this interview is to enable both the program and the applicant to further ascertain the match or alignment between the graduate program/certificate and what the applicant is seeking in terms of their graduate-learning or certificate-learning experience.

3. Review

Information gleaned from each applicant’s materials and interview is reviewed and assessed by SCPS Graduate Admissions in accordance with the program’s admission considerations.

4. Decision

An admission decision is rendered and communicated to the applicant in writing. As necessary, SCPS reserves the right to admit particular applicants conditionally. In such cases, the terms (conditions and timeline) of the conditional status are noted in the student’s acceptance letter. Failure to satisfactorily adhere to or fulfill these terms may result in academic dismissal/withdrawal from the particular program.

Admission Considerations

The following areas are considered in making admission decisions:

applicant’s professional background including, for MAAPS program applicants, his/her possession of at least three years of direct or interrelated experience, or equivalent, relevant to the particular SCPS graduate program/certificate under consideration;
applicant’s possession of a practice-site (worksite or relevant application setting in which to apply learning from the particular SCPS graduate/certificate program) is preferred;
applicant’s educational goals/objectives and the congruence between those goals and the graduate/certificate program under consideration;
applicant’s learning values and skills (willingness and ability to conduct self-managed/independent learning; participate positively in peer-group learning; engage in self-assessment; engage in reflection to increase understanding and improve practice; and organize areas of knowledge and skill into themes and describe evidence in support of such)
applicant’s undergraduate cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5.

Admission Status

Students are to matriculate in the quarter for which they are admitted. Students failing to do so (and who later wish to start) are responsible to update their admissions materials and, if necessary—depending on changes to those materials—reapply. The Graduate Program maintains an admission file/status for one year from the date of admission.

After three consecutive quarters, excluding summer, of no registration activity (no credit hours or the minimal Continuing Activity Status), the University deems graduate students to be discontinued. Once discontinued, graduate students wishing to resume their graduate studies are required to reapply for admission to their graduate programs and, upon readmission, proceed in accordance with current program specifications in place from the point of readmission forward, as well as any special directives provided at the point of readmission. These contingencies of reapplication / readmission also apply to graduate students who are not able to complete their graduate programs within the allotted six years from point of first enrollment.

International Admission

In addition to the Admissions Requirements above, International Students must also submit the following:

Proof of English Language Proficiency.
English Proficiency Test. Applicants educated outside of the U.S., at an institution where English is not the primary language, must present proof of English proficiency to be considered for admission. DePaul University accepts the TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson Test of English. Most scores are valid for two years only. Expired test scores will not be accepted.

The minimum scores considered for graduate admission to SCPS are:
- 80 on the iBT of the TOEFL with an minimum score of 17 on each section
- 550 on the paper-based TOEFL test
- 213 on the computer-based TOEFL test
- 6.5 on the IELTS test
- 53 on the Pearson Test of English
Credential Evaluation. DePaul University requires that applicants educated outside of the U.S. submit official educational credentials and evaluation fee directly to one of the following companies:
- One Earth International Credit Evaluation
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
- Educational Perspectives
- Applicants must request a course-by-course evaluation. Please direct any questions about required credentials to the evaluation company. DePaul University will not accept evaluations from any evaluation company not listed here.

Upon admission, regarding student visa information, please click here.

SCPS MAAPS Program Guidebook

All SCPS graduate students assume responsibility to know and meet both the general and particular regulations, procedures, policies and deadlines set forth in these materials. In addition, all SCPS graduate students are expected to adhere to the Code of Student Responsibility (available in the DePaul University Graduate Student Handbook) to follow the policies, procedures and regulations of the University, and to fulfill any particular stipulations which the School of Continuing and Professional Studies Graduate Program.

Additional program information and regulations can be found in the MAAPS Program Guidebook and student resources on the SCPS website.

Acceptable Grades

Grades of “A” through “C” are acceptable for registrations applied to SCPS graduate programs. Grades of “C-“ or lower require re-registering and re-completing course/competence.

Combined Degree Programs

SCPS offers two combined Bachelor's + Master's degree programs that allow students across the university to complete 12 graduate credit hours while completing their undergraduate programs at the undergraduate tuition rate. These 12 graduate credit hours will count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Combined degree program students are also eligible for DePaul's Double Demon Scholarship which provides a 25% reduction in the graduate tuition rate.

MA in Applied Professional Studies

Double Demon Scholarship

Alumni from any of DePaul’s colleges who are admitted into any graduate degree program at the university automatically qualify for the Double Demon Scholarship which provides a 25% reduction in the graduate tuition rate. Combined degree program students are eligible. Both full-time and part-time students are eligible. No scholarship application is required.

Cumulative GPA

SCPS graduate programs require a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5 to remain in good standing and at the point of graduation in order to complete the respective degree and enable degree conferral.

Graduate Program Honors

Students in SCPS graduate programs that post a final GPA of 3.85 or higher are recognized with the Degree Honor of "With Distinction" listed on their transcript below the Degree Awarded.

Earning a Second School of Continuing and Professional Studies Graduate Degree

Alumni from any SCPS graduate program (MAAPS, MAEA or MSAT) may apply to a second different SCPS graduate degree, provided the first program is completed. Concurrent matriculation in two degree programs is not permitted. Those who wish to pursue a second degree are required to follow the second program's admission process. Students admitted to the second program may apply up to 16 credit hours of previously completed SCPS graduate courses to the new degree in partial fulfillment of the second program's requirements, provided no more than 10 years has lapsed between the course completion quarter of the first degree and the quarter in which the second degree is conferred. Application of credit hours and degree requirements into a third SCPS graduate program is prohibited.

Graduation Steps

A detailed list of Graduation Steps is provided for all SCPS graduating graduate students on the SCPS website.

Probation & Dismissal

Students whose performance jeopardizes their satisfactory academic progress as outlined in program materials are subject to being placed on probation by the Director of Graduate Programs. Students will be notified in writing and encouraged to meet with the Director of Graduate programs for remediation. Registration hold will be placed on student’s account until the student reaches a cumulative GPA of 2.5. and/or at the discretion of the Director of Graduate programs.

Failure to comply with any of the terms of probation will result in academic dismissal from the applicable graduate program. A student who has been dismissed for academic/special-review reasons may, after a period of time not less than two quarters, reapply for readmission.

Six-Year Time Limit

All graduate degree requirements must be satisfied within six years commencing with the term of initial enrollment. Students who fail to complete their graduate program/certificate requirements within the six-year limit must reapply and be readmitted. Upon readmission, students will proceed in accordance with the current program specifications in place from the point of readmission forward, as well as any special directives provided at the point of readmission. In such cases, readmission may also require students to re-enroll and re-complete portions of their respective program/certificate in order to ensure currency of the knowledge-base/skill-base.

Transfer Coursework

Up to eight credit hours of graduate study may be “transferred” from other programs/universities in partial fulfillment of approved portions of SCPS’s graduate programs’ requirements. Such coursework must have received a grade of “C” or better, been from a regionally accredited university, and been completed no longer than six years prior to SCPS graduate degree conferral.

Prior Learning Certificates and Course Matched Credit

Students may apply approved certificates or course matched prior learning to their graduate program for up to eight credit hours. Students will submit the required information to the Office of Prior Learning Assessment for approval. Applicable fees apply. See details in MAAPS Program Guidebook.

Admission & Aid

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates at the graduate level. Admission requirements vary by program.

Undergraduate Admission

Candidates interested in admission to the School of Continuing and Professional Studies should direct all inquires to the:

Office of Admission
DePaul University
1 E. Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60604
admission@depaul.edu, or
312-362-8300

Applicants must have a GPA of 2.0 from the last school attended. This requirement may be waived for a transcript more than three years old. See further information and online application here. Information on applying for financial aid is available here.

Combined Degree Programs

Undergraduate students from any major at DePaul University are eligible to apply for admission in one of the two combined degree programs. Admission is conditional until the conferred bachelor's degree is posted on the DePaul transcript. The M.A. programs in Applied Professional Studies and Educating Adults offer an accelerated master’s degree that begins in an undergraduate’s senior year and may be completed in one subsequent year.

Further information about these combined degree programs can be found within specific program descriptions in this Catalog and on the College website. For more information on SCPS combined degree programs, contact scpsgrad@depaul.edu or 312-362-5744.

Graduate Admission

Candidates interested in admission to SCPS graduate programs should direct all inquires to the college graduate office at 312-362-5744, or email: scpsgrad@depaul.edu. The admissions staff can assist you in explaining the program options and deciding on next steps. Students can apply for admission at any time of the year.

For more information about SCPS graduate programs and the admissions process please go to the SCPS graduate program information site. Or, you are welcome to complete an Application for admission at this time.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

SCPS has scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. To be considered for SCPS scholarships, please apply at DePaul Scholarship Connect. Please complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid before applying for scholarships.