The College of Professional and Continuing Studies is Adelphi’s college for the working adult and offers innovative instructional programs, including noncredit courses and certificate programs; associate’s and bachelor’s degrees; and graduate programs, including graduate certificates in basic sciences for health professions and emergency management.

Mission Statement

To enhance the professional and personal lives of diverse adult learners by providing pathways to undergraduate, graduate, and alternative credentials via high quality programs that offer value, convenience, and relevance to the current and future job market. The College of Professional and Continuing Studies is focused on helping adult learners – particularly those from populations that have historically lacked access to higher education – to reach their educational and career goals and to realize their full potential to contribute to a just society.

Vision

To be a recognized leader among private, metropolitan universities in the U.S. in providing innovative educational programs that meet the lifelong learning needs of diverse adult learners and their employers.

College of Professional and Continuing Studies Rules and Regulations

Advisement and Plans of Study
Academic Dismissal
Academic Probation
Administrative Withdrawal from the University
Graduation
Independent Studies
Incompletes

Pass/Fail Option
College of Professional and Continuing Studies Dean’s List
Admissions
Noncredit Certificates and Courses
Degree Program Calendar
Financial Aid
Noncredit Programs

Advisement and Plans of Study

Advisers are available for individual consultation at convenient times, including evenings, in Garden City, Hauppauge and Manhattan. All students must contact an academic adviser prior to their initial registration to prepare a plan of study, a personalized summary of completed and outstanding academic requirements that allows students to select their sequence of courses for up to two years. Students can contact an adviser, even prior to initial College of Professional and Continuing Studies admission, at cpcs@adelphi.edu or by calling 516.877.3412.

It is the student’s responsibility to follow the plan and to update it regularly with his or her adviser. Failure to do so may delay or jeopardize the student’s graduation from the University.

Academic Dismissal

Students who do not maintain satisfactory grade-point averages or who do not show satisfactory academic progress after two terms on academic probation will be dismissed from the College of Professional and Continuing Studies. When students are dismissed, all forms of financial aid will be denied.

Academic Probation

While pursuing their education, students are expected to make reasonable progress during each period of enrollment. If they do not, students will be placed on academic probation. Academic probation may result from any of the following: The current or cumulative grade-point average falls below 2.0 (or 2.75 for students in the College of Professional and Continuing Studies/School of Education specialization). The transcript shows a large number of unsatisfactory grades (grades of I, F, or W). The number of credits completed falls significantly below the number of credits attempted as defined below:

If you registered for:	You must earn:
15 credits	11 credits
30 credits	22 credits
45 credits	33 credits
60 credits	48 credits
75 credits	60 credits
90 credits	75 credits
105 credits	90 credits
120 credits	105 credits
135 credits	120 credits

Students have two semesters to remove themselves from academic probation by bringing their cumulative grade-point average to the required level and resolving all outstanding grades of I.

Administrative Withdrawal from the University

Involuntary Withdrawal

At the discretion of University, students may be administratively withdrawn for the following reasons:

Failure to submit official transcripts within established deadlines
Failure to fulfill the requirements for removal from provisional status
Failure to fulfill the conditions of an academic contract
Failure to enroll for courses for three consecutive semesters without having requested an official leave of absence

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who wish to withdraw in good standing from the University must inform College of Professional and Continuing Studies in writing. Any refund of tuition or fees to which students are entitled will be given according to the date when their written request is made and to the current refund schedule. Students seeking readmission to the University must complete a readmission form, available at the College of Professional and Continuing Studies office.

Graduation

Students should schedule a graduation clearance appointment with their College of Professional and Continuing Studies academic adviser before filing an Application for Graduation form. Deadlines for filing the Application for Graduation are listed in the current College of Professional and Continuing Studies Registration Guide. (Students engaged in the prior learning process may not file for graduation until they have received their final award notice.)

Independent Study

Students who have demonstrated the ability to undertake independent study may, under the direction of a faculty member, engage in intense research on a topic of merit or originality. The maximum number of Independent Study credits that may be taken by an undergrad is 16.

Incompletes

The grade of I (Incomplete) may be given only with the prior approval of the Dean or Assistant Dean for College of Professional and Continuing Studies, and only when students have experienced well-documented illnesses or well-documented catastrophic personal circumstances. The grade of I will not be used in lieu of a poor grade resulting from excessive absences or a failure to complete course work. The Incomplete must be resolved within one year—including the summer term. After this time, the grade of I will become a grade of F.

Pass/Fail Option

College of Professional and Continuing Studies students may, with the written approval of their academic adviser, register for up to 8 credits on a Pass/Fail basis during the course of their entire undergraduate program of study. This option must be selected when students register, and no changes regarding their choice will be allowed after the fourth week of the semester or term.

Students may not select the Pass/Fail Option for English composition courses, any courses in their Area of Concentration, or Capstone I and Capstone II. Those students considering a change of major must consult the appropriate school or department at Adelphi regarding their Pass/Fail policy. (Please note that many universities require traditional letter grades—A, B, C, D, F—for admission to their graduate programs.)

College of Professional and Continuing Studies Dean’s List

Students are placed on the Dean’s List to recognize their academic achievement during a given semester. (The list applies to spring and fall semesters only.) To qualify for the College of Professional and Continuing Studies Dean’s List, a student must have:

Completed at least 12 credits during that semester;
Received no grades of F;
Earned a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher for the semester.

Admissions

You can apply online to any College of Professional and Continuing Studies degree or credit certificate programs at any time. Once you have completed this online application, you will be contacted by a College of Professional and Continuing Studies academic counselor to help you finish your enrollment procedures and begin your plan of study.

Admission to the College of Professional and Continuing Studies is based on the student’s ability to learn at a college level.

Adults interested in the College of Professional and Continuing Studies programs are required to:

Submit a completed Adelphi University application, noting interest in the College of Professional and Continuing Studies and including an essay that demonstrates both intellectual promise and the motivation to engage in college-level work
Provide all previous college transcripts. A high school transcript is necessary for students who have completed less than 30 college credits.
Pay the nonrefundable application fee.

Graduate admissions requirements vary for each program. Students applying to a graduate program must check the program’s webpage to find out about the specific admissions requirements of that program.

An SAT score is not required for College of Professional and Continuing Studies applicants.

The College of Professional and Continuing Studies was founded to serve the non-traditional and adult student, and the admission policy reflects a commitment to enrolling students who may have not had the opportunity to complete their degree in a traditional undergraduate program. Please read the Admissions FAQ for more information on the College of Professional and Continuing Studies application.

Apply now! You can apply online at admissions.adelphi.edu. Or if you prefer, you can contact us at cpcs@adelphi.edu or at 516.877.3412 to have one mailed to you.

Self-Guided Program Orientation Course

All College of Professional and Continuing Studies students will have access to this orientation on Moodle. Students can utilize this course as a way to learn about the various resources at AU offers, as well as for events, news, and technology tutorials. This orientation can be navigated through at the student’s own pace.

Degree Program Calendar

Students should check the Academic Calendar for semester starting dates. They are advised to begin the application process at least two to three months prior to the semester in which they want to enroll. For the fall semester, begin the application process in May. For the spring semester, being the application process in October.

Financial Aid

The College of Professional and Continuing Studies students are eligible for a wide variety of student financial aid and loan programs. For more information, please see the Expenses and Financial Aid section. You can also contact a College of Professional and Continuing Studies adviser at 516.877.3412 or cpcs@adelphi.edu.

Continuing Education and Professional Development

continuing-education.adelphi.edu

College of Professional and Continuing Studies offers noncredit courses and programs that are open to the public. You do not need to be enrolled in an Adelphi degree program to register for noncredit courses. These courses and programs are meant to help students advance in their academic and professional careers.