PARSIPPANY — Centenary University’s School of Professional Studies (SPS) is coming up to its one year anniversary at its new location at the Mack-Cali Professional Building at 7 Campus Drive and new classes are starting on January 7. This facility offers a large amount of classroom and conference space and it houses #theVIBE, which is the Social Media Center of Expertise.
Programs that are available starting in January include an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Management and Social Media Marketing, a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting (NEW!), a Master in Business Administration degree with concentrations in Management, Marketing, Leadership and Health Administration. In addition, they offer certificates in Social Media Marketing, Leadership and Health Administration.
“It was a strategic decision almost 20 years ago to develop SPS in Parsippany to build the workforce capacity in the region,” says Dr. Deidre Letson-Christofalo, Vice President for Adult, Corporate and Online Education at Centenary University. “The new location on Campus Drive has further enriched the learning experience as it was designed to accommodate the needs for the adult learner.”
First established in 1999, Centenary University’s School of Professional Studies (SPS) provides an entrepreneurial approach to the educational experience by offering professional studies to an adult population, allowing students to select the modality most conducive to their busy lifestyle. Students can take classes in a variety of formats: one-night-per-week, completely online or through a blended approach, which combines online and in-class methods.
The curriculum combines theory and practical experience, allowing students to apply knowledge acquired immediately. Having conferred thousands of A.A., B.S.B.A. and M.B.A. degrees, the School of Professional Studies serves as an inclusive and collaborative learning community dedicated to preparing adult students to progress further in society and to contribute directly to the state’s economic engine.
Students studying Social Media Marketing will be immersed in social media by learning in a modern collaborative environment at #theVIBE, with its impressive touchscreen videowall streaming the latest social media data. This is a rapidly changing field and the program keeps students on the pulse of social media through interactive demos, customized video homework by social media experts, and hands-on use of industry social media listening software. #theVIBE facility also includes an Innovation Cave and Innovation Lab, which are environments designed to promote ideation. Additionally, embedded in the courses are Google and Facebook certifications. Courses that are being offered are Social Media Marketing, Digital Advertising, Digital Analytics and Social Media Strategy and Consulting.
“The career opportunities in this field in this part of the country are massive,” says Kathy Naasz, Vice President of Innovation at Centenary University. “We can’t fill all the requests from companies looking for social media experts, so the move to Parsippany last year accelerated the training of working professionals who have interest in either expanding their skill set or making a career shift.”
For more information about SPS offerings, visit SPS.CentenaryUniversity.edu.
Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary University’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world.
Centenary University’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County). Centenary’s School of Professional Studies offers degree programs in Parsippany, as well as, corporate sites throughout New Jersey.
