ABOUT CPS
The Center for Professional Studies offers professional certificate programs to current students at qualifying colleges. Each program is a focused course of study in a professional field, completed online in about 15 hours alongside a degree, and each certificate carries a credential ID that anyone can verify.
The Center exists because hiring decisions have to be justified, and the résumé is where they are justified. A degree is the foundation every applicant in a field shares; the qualification an employer can point to is the one named for the work itself. Earning one during college has usually meant a certificate program inside the university, with an application, prerequisites and several semesters of additional coursework. CPS was established to offer a direct path to a credential in a professional field: not for academic credit by design, completed beside the degree rather than inside it.
CPS invites students at qualifying colleges and in qualifying fields of study. If you received an invitation, it links to a program chosen for your field. There is no application: eligible students can enroll directly, and there are no additional prerequisites.
You earn your certificate by completing the program’s requirements. Each certificate carries a credential ID, and anyone, including an employer, can confirm it on our verification page.
A syllabus of lessons and quizzes you can read before you enroll, written assignments that come back with detailed feedback, a certificate review, and a certificate issued by the Center with a credential ID. Most programs take about 15 hours and give four months of access.
CPS is an independent online learning provider. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with any university. Programs are non-accredited professional development.
THE CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
Hiring decisions have to be justified, and the résumé is where they are justified. A degree is the foundation every applicant in a field shares. The qualification an employer can point to is the one named for the work itself.
Earning a credential during college has usually meant a certificate program inside the university: an application, prerequisites and several semesters of additional coursework. Most students graduate without one. The Center for Professional Studies was established to offer a direct path: a focused certificate in a professional field, completed in about 15 hours alongside the degree.
Enrollment is open to current students at qualifying colleges and in qualifying fields of study, by invitation. A CPS certificate is earned during a degree and listed beside one.
CPS programs award no academic credit, which is what lets them fit beside coursework: no application, no prerequisites, no registrar. Each program is built from the concepts and skills the field’s entry-level roles ask for.
Every program is assessed, and every certificate carries a credential ID that anyone can verify online.
AN EMPLOYER-FOCUSED APPROACH
CPS openly seeks validation from major Fortune 500 companies for its programs and its approach to course design. We have received validation from some of the world’s most significant employers, recognizing our programs as especially useful for helping a résumé stand out.
STUDENT SERVICES
Email support@professionalstudies.org or use the form on our Student Services page.