About SPD Online

The School of Professional Development (SPD) has been a leader in online graduate learning since 1996. Our fully online, asynchronous programs have made it possible for hundreds of working professionals to earn their degrees.

Connecting via the Internet, students receive instruction, discuss issues with their instructors and classmates, submit assignments, and actively participate in their classes. Unlike in a "chatroom," SPD Online classroom discussions are asynchronous; that is, discussion does not occur in "real" time. This allows you to log on, post comments, and submit assignments whenever and wherever you wish—at home, at work, on the road—any place that has Internet access.

While online courses are flexible, they cannot be classified as independent study; they are 10-week online seminars that require the active participation of each student. Each student is required to log on and participate on at least three days per week. This website contains links to the most frequently asked questions about the program, course descriptions and instructor contact information. Students should not register for an online course until they have read all of the information in the SPD Online website.

SPD Online courses can be taken individually (by non-matriculated students), can be applied to one of our traditional degree or certificate programs or can be taken as part of our fully online degree or certificate programs (MA in Higher Education Administration, MA/LS, MS in Human Resource Management, the Educational Leadership Advanced Graduate Certificate or the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management).

For more information, visit our FAQs page.