The School of Professional Development (SPD) offers graduate degree and certificate programs designed for working adults. Courses are scheduled in the evenings, on Saturdays, off-campus, and online; students may enroll on a parttime or full-time basis.

From Human Resource Management to Environmental Management, SPD offers a wide range of programs that address the needs of the Long Island region and emerging professions. Its most popular programs, however, are in the field of professional education. SPD supports K-12 educators in each step of their careers by preparing new teachers seeking initial licensure (the Master of Arts in Teaching), assisting current teachers in obtaining their professional license (the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies), and helping advance seasoned teachers into the ranks of administration (the Educational Leadership programs). For professionals who work in colleges and universities, SPD has two new programs in Higher Education Administration (the Master of Arts and Advanced Graduate Certificate) that provide the educational foundations and analytical skills necessary to pursue administrative leadership and supervisory positions.

Since 1996, SPD has been at the forefront of online learning and currently has the highest online graduate enrollment of any SUNY school. As of Fall 2011, SPD offers seven fully online degree and advanced graduate certificate programs. All of SPD’s online graduate programs are accredited, and its Master of Arts in Liberal Studies and post-master’s Educational Leadership Advanced Graduate Certificate have been approved by the New York State Department of Education for the purposes of initial and professional certification. (Refer to individual program descriptions for specific information about how these programs meet certification requirements.) In addition, the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Coaching is valid for district recommendation to BOCES for a New York State coaching license.