Northwestern University School of Professional Studies
About SPS
Welcome
Dear Friends of SPS,
These are exciting times in higher education. Adult students — now keenly aware of the value of advanced degrees and certificates — are changing the face of higher ed.
Technology has removed the constraints of time and place and expanded our ability to deliver a broad range of programs that support the needs of working professionals seeking to enhance their skills and take on new challenges.
Amid these dramatic changes in the education landscape, our goal has remained the same — delivering the highest quality education in a dynamic, supportive learning environment. That is my promise, our promise, to each of our students.
With best regards,
Thomas F. Gibbons, Dean, Northwestern University School of Professional Studies
A core part of Northwestern's mission for more than 80 years
Northwestern University School of Professional Studies students are part of a unique and distinguished university community. They learn in a supportive, collaborative environment in courses — offered online and in the evenings on Northwestern's Chicago and Evanston campuses — that enable them to balance their personal and professional lives with the pursuit of learning. Classes in SPS degree and certificate programs are taught by some of the university's most respected and talented teachers — scholars and professionals who value the diversity, energy and creativity of our students.
One of the 12 colleges and schools of Northwestern University, SPS and adult learning have been a core part of Northwestern’s mission for more than 80 years. SPS is enmeshed in many parts of the University — sharing faculty members, creating innovative programs and setting the standard for higher education for adults. SPS students become part of a university ranked among the nation’s best universities with top medical, law and business schools, and a faculty that has made pioneering contributions to materials science, nanotechnology, economics, the humanities, and more.
Our Mission
Providing innovative learning opportunities
The mission of the School of Professional Studies is to provide a superior Northwestern education to outstanding students whose academic pursuits must be balanced with professional or personal commitments. SPS strives to be a national leader in continuing and professional education by providing innovative learning opportunities that serve the lifelong learning needs of its students.
Meet some of our students and alums
It was incredibly important for me to maintain my professional experience while I went to school. Northwestern gave me the most flexibility and the best-rounded coursework, so I knew I’d be able to learn what I wanted to on a timeline that accommodated my busy schedule.”
My professors are running businesses, working for consulting firms and agencies, and navigating today’s workplace just like I am. Hearing about their experiences and creative solutions to work challenges many of us face is not only really interesting but also applicable.”
Northwestern is a high-end research facility and I’m certain some of the more advanced concepts I learned here are going to help me fit in well at Yale.
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