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COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

COLLEGE OF

PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

PURSUE THE NEXT YOU.

3-cps-students-in-professional-attire

Villanova’s College of Professional Studies (CPS) provides an academically rigorous education to high achieving adults who are balancing educational and professional aspirations with life’s commitments.

Firmly believing that life experience is the kindling to the brightest futures, we offer learners of all ages an academically challenging and collegiate educational experience that is transformative.

Through a variety of education pathways, CPS enables students to enrich their lives, enhance their value in the workplace and pursue new careers.

Make today the day to change course, pivot to an alternate adventure, become who you've always said you'd become.

The CPS Experience

EXPLORE CPS PROGRAMS

ASSOCIATE'S

Pursue an Associate of Arts or Science degree, offering flexibility to explore your areas of interest.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Attain immediately applicable skills and industry-recognized credentials.

BACHELOR'S

Explore full-time, part-time, on campus, online and hybrid degree options, including evening and accelerated courses.

100% ONLINE

Join the Villanova community from anywhere in the world with our 100% online programs.

CERTIFICATES

Learn if a certificate is right for you, including undergraduate and post-baccalaureate options.

CUSTOM CORPORATE

Partner with CPS to deliver customized training for your organization.

THE CPS DIFFERENCE

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ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Student and teacher working on a lesson

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

A student and his advisor in a meeting

STUDENT ADVISING AND SUPPORT SERVICES

Graduate at commencement

ADMISSIONS

Student entering Career Center

CAREER SERVICES

Student on computer

FLEXIBLE STUDENT PATHWAYS

Corporate training session

CORPORATE TRAINING

 

 

FACULTY

Alexis Coulter, PhD

Alexis Coulter, PhD joined Villanova's College of Professional Studies as Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Fall semester of 2023. She brings a wide array of experience, in both higher education and the non-profit sector, with particular expertise in organizational development and behavior. Coulter sees an opportunity to connect with the student population in CPS, having herself been a first-generation college student and understanding the value that experience can bring to an entire family. MORE...

Therese DeVries Narzikul, MBA, MSN, CRNP

Therese DeVries Narzikul, MBA, MSN, CRNP joined Villanova's College of Professional Studies (CPS) as Professor of the Practice, adding to the growing group of full-time faculty within CPS. Narzikul brings a passion for education and teaching that was forged early in her career, which started not in the classroom, but in hospitals. She began her career as a nurse, but as her career continued, Narzikul began to notice changes in the healthcare industry and sought to better understand her field, leading her to Villanova and the executive MBA program. Within that program, she took an interest in systems thinking and leadership strategy. With her rich history in both healthcare and higher education, Therese is poised to make an impact at CPS. MORE...

Marv Meissner, MBA

For Marv Meissner, becoming an expert in Lean Six Sigma and process improvement flowed naturally from his career in engineering and business. It eventually led to his current position as a professor at Villanova University, a recognized leader in Lean Six Sigma education and certification, most notably the online Lean Six Sigma program. Meissner said he started working with the methodology in the 1980s, when the predecessor to Six Sigma methodology was known as Total Quality Management. “I became involved with quality and continuous process improvement relatively early in my career and developed a lifelong passion for it,” Meissner said. MORE...

Tina Agustiady

Since joining the College of Professional Studies in 2015, Professor Agustiady has shared her knowledge and expertise with thousands of professionals in a wide range of industries. She has seen her students use Lean Six Sigma to drive significant business impact—from major manufacturing corporations and financial-service firms to the US government and nationally recognized health care facilities. “The applications are endless,” says Professor Agustiady. “It starts with knowledge transfer and building a leadership culture that empowers and encourages people to identify areas for improvement. Then you can implement the methodologies and tools to put systems in place that can transform the way you do business.” MORE...

Michael F. Palladino, PMP

Michael Palladino has established a global reputation over the last three decades as a thought leader in Agile methodology and an authority on project management. An adjunct professor with Villanova’s College of Professional Studies and sought-after keynote speaker who has presented for audiences in more than three dozen countries, Professor Palladino has taught thousands of business leaders and decision-makers strategies to strengthen teamwork, increase production and optimize efficiency in projects. “Agile principles enable high-performing teams to accelerate decision-making and increase transparency, accountability and engagement while improving employee retention,” he explains. “It boils down to breaking work into smaller pieces, bringing teams together to function better and eliminating wasteful steps that don’t add value.” MORE...

Our Faculty

Faculty in Villanova University's College of Professional Studies are as varied as our student population. Comprised of three full-time faculty and over 150 adjunct faculty of industry practitioners, these experts bring years of real-world experience to the classroom. They develop programs, majors and courses that align with the needs of our adult learners, infused with and grounded by the Villanova values of Veritas, Unitas, Caritas - Truth, Unity and Love. MORE...

OUR FACULTY

NEWS

Vincent Guerrero

The Journey Continues: Villanova’s College of Professional Studies offers many paths for students to become what they are not yet

FROM VILLANOVA MAGAZINE: Villanova’s newest college is based on one of the University’s foundational principles: meeting the unique needs of students at every stage of their educational journey. The College of Professional Studies, established in 2014, builds on a more than century-long commitment to adult learners.

DECEMBER 1, 2023

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two new faculty members

Villanova's College of Professional Studies Welcomes Two New Full Time Faculty Members

Villanova University's College of Professional Studies (CPS) has added two full time faculty members, Alexis Coulter, PhD and Therese DeVries Narzikul, MBA, MSN, CRNP. These additions in th Fall 2023 semester will allow CPS to build a stronger academic community and offer students a richer, more evolved learning experience. 

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

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student studying

Villanova University Paralegal Professional Certificate Program Offers Updated Requirements and Timeline to Increase Accessibility for Students

Villanova University's College of Professional Studies (CPS) offers a program designed to train paralegals, with two distinct modalities: a part-time online program and a full-time in person offering. In the spring of 2024, the full-time day program is being amended to offer greater access to the program for a wider group of potential students.

Additionally, the spring cohort of the Paralegal Professional Certificate program will, for the first time, be open to applicants who have achieved an associate's degree. Previously, the program required a bachelor's degree (and the part-time evening program will continue to do so). 

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

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Fall at Villanova

Villanova University Selected to Join Grant-Funded Pilot Consortium Fueled by UPCEA to Expand Pathways to Education

UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announced the selection of ten institutions, including Villanova University, to be part of a small pilot consortium fueled by UPCEA’s “Building Capacity, Expanding Pathways: Accelerating the Growth of Credential Innovation in Higher Education” project. The project aims to facilitate and expedite the adoption of scalable business and program models by colleges and universities, supporting the development and delivery of noncredit, short-term credentials to local, regional, or statewide businesses.

OCTOBER 11, 2023

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MORE NEWS AND EVENTS

OUR STORIES

These are the stories of CPS students, driven to Pursue the Next You.

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