The predecessor of the School of Professional Studies was first established as the Division of Special Programs in 1995 and offered several non-degree and summer programs.[4]
Over the next five years the school expanded to offer programs focused in graduate preparation and career advancement. In 2002, the university's board of trustees granted final approval for the creation of the School of Continuing Education, the first new school at Columbia in 50 years. With this new status, the School became both a Faculty and a Department of Instruction in the Arts and Sciences, and was granted authority to offer the
Master of Science degree. In the course of 2002–2006 it expanded its graduate offerings to eight M.S. Programs. A cross‑enrollment agreement with
Union Theological Seminary was also established in 2002. [4]
In 2015, the School's incoming Dean,
Jason Wingard announced that the School of Continuing Education was renamed the School of Professional Studies.[5][6]
During the 2021-2022 academic year, the school's 1,384 graduates represented 11.7 percent of the 11,836 postgraduate degrees conferred across all of Columbia University's graduate and professional schools.[7]
The latest career outcomes released by the school's Career Design Lab for 2022 showed that 73.5% of students surveyed reported they were employed at the time they graduated (based on a sample of 72% of the total class).[9]
According to the report, postgraduates were earning an average annual base salary of $93,470.[9]
Rankings
In 2020, the School's Negotiation and Conflict Resolution master's program was named the #1 Best Master's in Negotiation and Conflict Management degrees in the United States by College Choice.[10]
In 2021, the School's Construction Administration master's program was ranked #1 and topped the list of 25 Best Master's in Construction Management, compiled by Great Business Schools. College Choice also ranked it #1 amongst the Best Master's Program in Construction Management.[11][12]
In 2021, the School's Sustainability Management master's program was named #2 in the United States on Great Business Schools' list of the best Environmental & Sustainability Management Master's Programs.[13]
Notable faculty
Jeffrey Sachs – University Professor and Director of the Earth Institute, Faculty in the Bioethics Program[14]
Rita Charon – Professor of Medicine, Founder and Executive Director of the Narrative Medicine Program[15]
Peter T. Coleman – Professor of Psychology and Education, Lecturer in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution[16]