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| Roger Williams University School of Continuing Studies | |
|---|---|
| Name | Roger Williams University School of Continuing Studies |
| Established | 2005 |
| Type | Private |
| City | Bristol |
| State | Rhode Island |
| Country | United States |
Roger Williams University School of Continuing Studies is the continuing education division of a private university located in Bristol, Rhode Island, offering degree completion programs, professional certificates, and noncredit courses. It serves adult learners, working professionals, and lifelong learners through flexible schedules, evening classes, online delivery, and accelerated terms. The School engages with local industry, regional employers, and national associations to provide workforce-aligned curricula and credit-bearing options.
The School traces its roots to postsecondary extension efforts influenced by institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University, and University of Pennsylvania that developed continuing education models in the 20th century. Early programs mirrored formats used by University of Chicago and New York University Division of Professional Studies, expanding in response to workforce shifts marked by events like the Dot-com bubble and policies such as the Higher Education Act of 1965. Regional collaborations echoed initiatives by Providence College, Rhode Island School of Design, Salve Regina University, and University of Rhode Island. The School adapted pedagogies informed by studies from Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and accreditation frameworks from the New England Commission of Higher Education and professional bodies like the Project Management Institute and Society for Human Resource Management.
Programs include undergraduate degree completion pathways in fields comparable to offerings at Suffolk University, Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Pace University, along with certificates similar to those at Massachusetts Institute of Technology professional education and Georgetown University continuing studies. Areas of study reflect regional demand—business administration, management, project management, legal studies, cybersecurity, and healthcare administration—aligning with competencies promoted by American Management Association, Institute for Supply Management, CompTIA, American Health Information Management Association, and Association of American Medical Colleges. Curriculum development referenced standards from American Bar Association-informed prelegal tracks and guidelines used by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Courses are offered in hybrid formats inspired by delivery innovations at Arizona State University, Southern New Hampshire University, and University of Phoenix.
Admissions practices resemble adult learner-focused models used by Wake Forest University, Syracuse University, and Drexel University with rolling admissions, prior learning assessment policies, and credit for experiential learning akin to frameworks from Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and military transfer practices coordinated with the Department of Defense. Enrollment management applies strategies employed by Bates College and Babson College for retention and completion, including outreach modeled on programs at Community College of Rhode Island and state workforce boards. Financial aid counseling aligns with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and scholarship coordination similar to Rhode Island Foundation initiatives.
Faculty comprise practitioner-scholars and adjuncts drawn from regional organizations such as Brown University, Lifespan healthcare networks, United Technologies Corporation, CVS Health, Hasbro, Raytheon Technologies, and legal practitioners from firms affiliated with American Bar Association sections. Administrative oversight follows governance norms observed at Council of Independent Colleges institutions, with leadership engaging trustees and academic senates similar to those at Wesleyan University and Colby College. Professional development for instructors references resources from Educause, American Council on Education, and Inside Higher Ed.
Primary facilities include classroom and hybrid learning spaces on the Bristol campus, with satellite sites patterned after the outreach centers of Boston University, University of Massachusetts Boston, and Roger Williams University-adjacent properties in Providence inspired by partnerships like those between Brown University and local institutions. Technology infrastructure supports learning management systems comparable to Canvas (learning management system), video conferencing technologies used by Zoom Video Communications, and library access modeled on resource sharing seen with OCLC networks and interlibrary loan consortia including Rhode Island Library systems.
Student supports include academic advising, career services, tutoring, and veteran services following best practices from National Academic Advising Association, National Association of Colleges and Employers, Veterans Affairs, and AmeriCorps transition programs. Services for nontraditional students parallel offerings at University of Maryland Global Campus, including flexible scheduling, competency-based assessment, and workforce credentialing pathways linked to certifications from Project Management Institute, CompTIA, and Society for Human Resource Management.
The School maintains partnerships with regional employers and civic organizations such as Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Chamber of Commerce of Rhode Island, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Corporation of Bristol, and workforce training consortia modeled after collaborations seen with MassHire Career Centers. Collaborative initiatives have included continuing education contracts with healthcare systems like Lifespan and Care New England, joint programs with community colleges such as Community College of Rhode Island and articulation agreements reflecting models from Massachusetts Community Colleges networks, and public-private partnerships akin to those formed by Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and National Science Foundation workforce development grants.
Category:Roger Williams University Category:Continuing education institutions