CPS Dean Headlines GW Faculty Senate Meeting


April 10, 2017

Dean Eskandarian

CPS Dean Ali Eskandarian gives an update on the college to Faculty Senate members on April 7. (Logan Werlinger/GW Today)

The College of Professional Studies (CPS) continues to provide high-quality programs to students pursuing education in various disciplines, particularly emerging and growing professions, Ali Eskandarian, dean of the College of Professional Studies and GW’s Virginia Science and Technology Campus, told members of the Faculty Senate on April 7.

CPS, which enrolls a diverse group of students in various bachelor’s, master’s and certificate programs, has grown since its establishment, receiving grants, becoming an important presence in Virginia and creating institutes such as the AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy. The college has both full- and part-time faculty, including professionals who are leaders in their fields. 

Students, in turn, have given CPS “high marks” when it comes to their academic experiences and quality of classroom instruction, among other aspects, Dr. Eskandarian said, and they go on to earn prominent roles in their desired areas.

Dr. Eskandarian added that CPS has many opportunities in its future, including the fact that research has shown millennials rate training and development as critical to their professional development. The university also continues to track industries that are growing or in demand.

“We need to pay attention to these trends if we want to be relevant,” he said.

Some challenges include unpredictability in the economy, competition from other universities with similar programs and taking risks.

“None of these challenges is insurmountable,” Dr. Eskandarian said.


The Hatchet also covered the event and ran two stories on CPS:

Online courses make up more than half of CPS’s revenue

Few international students familiar with professional studies degrees: CPS dean

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