Rankings, Flexibility, and Affordability: My Chat with Univision about CUNY SPS
I was very pleased to sit down recently with Damaris Diaz from the weekly television show Amigos de Univision. During our chat, we discussed CUNY SPS’s latest top rankings in U.S. News & World Report, and the benefits that CUNY SPS’s online programs offer students, particularly for busy working adults.
Watch the Spanish-language interview here, or read the English-language transcript below:
Damaris Diaz: Have you always wanted to go to college but were too busy? A local school in New York City, the CUNY School of Professional Studies, has been named in the top ten of U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 list of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs nationwide.
And here to share more information about CUNY SPS is Interim Dean Jorge Silva-Puras. Jorge, welcome to Amigos de Univision. It’s an honor to have you.
Jorge: Thanks Damaris. Happy to be here. And thanks for the opportunity to talk about this grand accomplishment for CUNY SPS.
Damaris: Congrats to CUNY SPS on the national ranking. It’s an achievement not just for the school, but for New York State.
Jorge: We already have several years climbing in the rankings. And for the second consecutive year, we have placed among the top ten online schools in all of the United States. We are very proud. And it’s a great program for all of the residents of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and other local areas.
Damaris: An honor for the school. And an honor for the students who look for a better future and an opportunity to enroll in online classes, especially now when we’re getting accustomed to doing all things virtual.
Jorge: One of the great advantages of the programs we offer is the flexibility. All of the courses can be taken on a schedule most convenient for the student. We all have obligations, some have families or work. In CUNY SPS, we already have 15 years developing high-quality programs — equivalent to being in a classroom but in a virtual setting and your own schedule.
Damaris: And there’s two programs that you offer that were highly ranked. What are those programs?
Jorge: Absolutely. Those are the Psychology and Business programs — they’ve been named among best in the nation. Psychology in particular is the #2 in all of the U.S. So for viewers interested in studying Psychology, here you have a fabulous option in CUNY SPS with the flexibility I mentioned earlier. And the second program which is very important is Business. For those interested in launching a business or strengthen your career, you can earn your Bachelor’s online on your own schedule and location.
Damaris: Very good. I know each day people want to become more independent and become their own bosses. So that’s a great program for all the entrepreneurs in our area. Let’s talk about the benefits of an online education. I know there are many, so let’s name a few.
Jorge: Well, the first one like I mentioned is the flexibility. You can take the classes on the day and time that is most convenient to you. Second, and also very important, is affordability/accessibility in terms of cost. Not many people know this. For all students, whether they are a resident of New York State or New Jersey or Connecticut or any other state in the United States, the cost of the classes you enroll in are equivalent to the in-state costs of New York State residents. In other words, it’s one of the most accessible programs in terms of tuition. It doesn’t matter where you live, I invite you to take a look into our programs because it’s really an exceptional value when it comes to flexibility and accessibility.
Damaris: And we love to know there’s a Boricua (Puerto Rican) there as interim dean at CUNY SPS. It’s a great pride for our community. Jorge, talk to us. What’s next for our Latino community and CUNY SPS?
Jorge: Thanks, Damaris and I’m so glad you asked because of one my priorities is to evaluate which programs that we currently offer in English, can we also offer in Spanish — or in a bilingual program. Overall in areas which serve great needs like our nursing program — it’s a well-developed, robust program. And I’ll like to see in what ways we can extend it to the Hispanic community. Think of all the Hispanic patients or people who require medical attention who do not speak English. So it’s natural that a city that’s so multicultural — like New York City — should have bilingual programs. In English and Spanish, so that nurses can be educated and tend to patients in a more effective manner. That’s one of the plans we have — to develop some of the bilingual programs at CUNY SPS.
Learn more about our school at SPS.CUNY.EDU. There you can see information on our programs, financial aid, and scholarships.
