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What You Should Know About SoPA

Our name, Tulane School of Professional Advancement, reflects our commitment to helping working adults reach their full potential in their educations and their careers. Browse our site to learn more about our campuses and degree programs.

 

History of the Tulane School of Professional Advancement

 

We offered our very first continuing education classes more than 130 years ago. Tulane offered freehand and mechanical drawing to men, as well as courses for teachers in 1886. A little over 50 years later, in 1942, Tulane's Division for Teachers merged with the College of Commerce and Business Administration’s Night Division to create University College.

In 1998, the school opened a campus in the Elmwood area of Jefferson Parish, followed by other campuses in Mississippi. In 2006, as part of the university-wide Renewal Plan in response to Hurricane Katrina, University College was renamed the School of Continuing Studies. We relaunched as the School of Professional Advancement, or SoPA, in April 2017 to better reflect our focus on helping adults access knowledge, credentials, and networks to achieve professional success.

Programs of Study

We currently provide two convenient locations. Our main one is at the Tulane University campus in Uptown New Orleans. We also have a campus in Elmwood, Louisiana. Most of our programs are available at both locations, with many programs and courses offered online.

Our areas of study include Digital Design, Information Technology, General Legal Studies, Emergency and Security Studies, Humanities, Applied Business, Kinesiology, and Social Sciences.

Along with our bachelor’s and master’s degree options, students who have already obtained their degrees may further build skills through one of our post-baccalaureate certificate programs.

Start Your Application Online

At the Tulane School of Professional Advancement, our faculty and staff are devoted to your future success. Start your application process today and learn about financial support available to many students.

Faculty member instructing student during lecture at Tulane School of Professional Advancement in New Orleans, LA