About

Where to find Cps

College of Professional Studies, Room 110
1901 Fourth Avenue
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-346-3169
cps@uwsp.edu

The College of Professional Studies is building 11 on the UWSP Campus Map

Our Values

Our college attracts and builds bonds with individuals who care about the well-being of people.
We promote personal and organizational growth through deep understanding, inventive solutions and focused action.

Our Mission

We prepare undergraduate and graduate students for successful professional careers, while we emphasize critical thinking, leadership skills, ethics and lifelong learning.
We stress research and analytic practice among faculty and students to transform our professions, communities and the world.
We collaborate with our professional colleagues to sharpen best practices and to enhance student performance in the fields.

Our Vision

To expand opportunities for bachelor’s and advanced degrees and for research/development that contributes to a vibrant economy and flourishing communities.
To infuse college programs with the commitment to individual, family and community wellness.
To support international experiences, incorporating our knowledge of the peoples of the world in new ways.
To explore new, and deepen existing, mutually beneficial partnerships.

CPS Vision for Inclusive Excellence

The College of Professional Studies will sustain a teaching, learning and working environment that is welcoming, safe and accepting. As a teaching and learning community, we appreciate, honor and celebrate our individual uniqueness and the common humanity that we share. CPS faculty and students will strive to remove barriers to success, eliminate bias, understand cultures other than our own; and hold genuine concern for each other.

“What makes this program different from many others is we are constantly having fun and improving. We make sure this is a welcoming and safe environment for all.”

Jalena Sprague — Military Science

Quick Facts

About CPS Students

CPS has about 2,860 undergraduate and 485 graduate and continuing students enrolled.
Of new CPS freshmen, 34% were in the top 10% of their high school class.
The average GPA of incoming CPS freshmen is 3.44; the average ACT score is 22.1.
In 2008, 165 CPS students received academic scholarships totaling $148,000. Our Military Science department awarded an additional $106,500 in scholarships to student-cadets; $80,000 in monthly stipends to 38 cadets; and $22,800 for books and supplies.
Most CPS students are from Wisconsin, Minnesota and other Midwestern states. However, we have students currently enrolled from states as far away as Washington, Georgia and Florida. We also have students who have come quite a distance to learn with us, including from countries such as British Honduras, Chile, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Peru and Saudi Arabia.
Many of our students learn about other cultures through UWSP study abroad opportunities. During the 2008-09 school year 84 CPS students traveled abroad. One in five CPS students will study abroad at sometime during their college careers.
CPS students pass national qualifying exams for their professions at scores well above the national average. Clinical Lab Science students are passing at 95% compared to 70% nationally, including one student who scored highest in the nation. Communication Sciences and Disorders students are at 95-100% vs. 75% nationally, and dietetics students pass at 98% vs. 84%. Athletic training students passed at 90% last year.
Ninety-four percent of the graduates in the class of 2008 were either hired in positions within their field or went on to graduate or professional schools. Fifteen percent pursued graduate or other advanced degrees immediately upon graduation.
CPS has 17 student professional organizations with over 800 active members.

About Academic Programs in CPS

CPS consists of four academic units, which house 19 different undergraduate majors, 9 minors, 16 graduate programs and a number of additional options.
- Sentry School of Business and Economics offers bachelor’s degrees in accounting, business administration, business economics, data analytics, finance, management, marketing as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Applied Leadership and Decision-Making.
- School of Education offers bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education, elementary education, physical education and special education. SOE also offers minors in early childhood special education and exceptional educational needs as wells as a master’s degrees in education and an Ed.D. in Educational Sustainability. SOE also provides the required education coursework for all UWSP teacher certification programs.
- School of Health Sciences and Wellness offers bachelor’s degrees in clinical laboratory science; communication sciences and disorders; dietetics; family and consumer sciences; health information management and technology; health science and wellness; nursing; and sustainable food and nutrition. This super school also offers master’s degrees in athletic training; community and organizational leadership; health and wellness management; healthcare administration; speech and language pathology; and sustainable and resilient food systems. Finally, SHSW houses the clinical Doctorate in Audiology and Doctor of Physical Therapy programs.
- Department of Military Science offers a minor in military science.
The clinical doctorate in audiology (Au.D.) is offered in collaboration with UW-Madison and is the first doctoral degree offered by a Wisconsin state university college.
Most CPS programs are accredited by national accrediting bodies, including the American Dietetics Association, the American Speech Language and Hearing Association, the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science.
CPS has been recognized as well above the national norm in the areas of active and collaborative learning by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).
Students in CPS gain professional competence through active and collaborative learning experiences in one or more of our teaching-learning laboratories, fieldwork, or service learning courses. Last year CPS students participated in more than 100 community-based practical experiences.

About CPS Staff

Currently, CPS employs 72 faculty, 57 academic staff and 17 classified staff. In addition, CPS employs 15 graduate students through graduate assistantships and another 195 undergraduate students who hold part-time positions within the college.
Of CPS faculty, 100% hold a Ph.D. or terminal degree.
CPS faculty presented or posted 190 papers at professional conferences in 2008.
CPS faculty are heavily involved in their professions and hold active membership in 173 professional organizations and leadership positions within 29 of those.

CPS Values

CPS is committed to shared opportunities, continuous improvement, a focus on teaching, and the practice of sound ethics/values within its respective professional fields.
Both students and faculty alike are enriched by collaborative professional efforts. We develop and foster valuable practicum opportunities and internship sites for our students and our faculty work with their professional colleagues in reflective practice.
We view change as a productive means for growth and stay attuned to new needs both within our fields of study and community.
CPS focuses attention on the teaching process by making a conscious effort to wisely spend time and resources in order to highlight and ensure its meaningful practice. We also support the value of scholarship and service.

CPS of Note

The College of Professional Studies was established in 1970.
The College of Professional Studies Building was built in 1971.
CPS has had only three deans. The first was Art Fritschel, the second was Joan North, and the third is current dean, Marty Loy.
CPS has 28 classrooms that can seat 1050 students at any given time. The largest classroom is CPS 116, which has 120 seats. All classrooms are updated with the latest in technology, digital document projectors and SMARTBoards.
More than 250 computers are available in CPS, and all of the CPS has wireless internet capabilities.
Many CPS students learn “at a distance” through Internet and ETV courses. This year, 25 different instructors will teach more than 170 courses in this way.
CPS houses the two oldest UWSP academic programs. The School of Education has its origins in the early education degrees that were awarded in 1894 during the founding days of UWSP (then called Stevens Point Normal School). Current degrees in dietetics, family and consumer sciences and interior architecture had their roots in the domestic sciences program, which started back in 1902. The domestic science program also has the distinction of being the first in Wisconsin and among the first in the U.S.

Distinguished Alumni

Arnold L. Gesell (Elementary Education ’00) Psychologist, pediatrician, author and pioneer in the field of child development.
Edward J. Okray (Elementary Education ’32) An officer in the Okray Produce Co., and a pioneer of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association.
Frank L. Klement (Elementary Education ’35) Civil War historian, author and professor emeritus at Marquette University.
Herbert J. Grover (Elementary Education ’67) Former state school superintendent; also a former University of Wisconsin System regent.
Kathleen J. Hempel (Business Administration ’72) Former Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, Fort Howard Paper.
Shawn Granger-McBride (Communicative Disorders – BS ’72, MS ’73) President and CEO, Magic Seasoning Blends, Inc.
Benjamin W. Wong (Business Administration ’73) Chairman and President, New Asia Bank, Chicago.
Wendy M. Kohrt, Ph.D. (Health Education/Physical Education ’77) Professor of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine at University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center.
Michael W. Sullivan, M.D. (Medical Technology ’78) Obstetrics and Gynecology, Associate Medical Consultant, Nebraska.
Jeffrey M. Wrase (Business Administration/Economics ’79) Chief Economist, Senate Republicans.
Laura M. Nelson, M.D. (Medical Technology ’87) Medical Director, Marshfield Clinic Northern Division.
Jeffrey T. Polzer, Ph.D. (Business Administration ’88) Professor of Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School.
John A. List, Ph.D. (Economics ’92) Professor of Economics, University of Chicago, and Senior Economist for the President’s Council of Economic Advisors.
William J. Lyons (Interior Architecture ’95) Associate Principal, Perkins & Will design firm.
Jeff Justman (Health Promotion/Wellness ’96) leads expeditions to many of the world’s tallest peaks, including Mount Everest.
Jim Lombardo (Communicative Disorders – BS ’70, MS ’71) creator of the NFL player-coach communication system and appointed Audiological Consultant to the NFL.

*Data was taken from the following sources: UWSP Records and Registration, UWSP Admissions, UWSP Career Services, UWSP International Programs, UWSP News Services, UWSP Sports Information Office, CPS Dean’s Office, CPS Annual Reports, and the UWSP Academic Affairs Office.