A multi-tiered stone fountain surrounded by a large, circular bed of red, white, and purple flowers on a brick courtyard. In the background, a large brick university building sits behind a green lawn with tall trees.

SPCS establishes Interdisciplinary & Professional Studies (IPS) department based on recent academic portfolio changes

July 1, 2026

Following up on recent changes to its academic program portfolio, the School of Professional and Continuing Studies has updated its academic departmental structures to better reflect and support our new academic program offerings. Effective July 1, 2026, SPCS academic programs are organized internally into two departments: Interdisciplinary & Professional Studies (IPS) and Graduate Education.

Interdisciplinary & Professional Studies includes academic programs in data analytics, human resource management, information systems and cybersecurity, liberal arts, nonprofit studies, and organizational studies and effectiveness. The IPS full-time faculty includes Gretchen Flynn Morris; Lionel Mew, Information Systems program chair; Tracy Nicholson, Human Resource Management program chair; and Erik Nielson, Liberal Arts program chair. Grant Rissler will serve as IPS department chair and maintain his role as Nonprofit Studies program chair until the program concludes its teach out.

There are no changes to Graduate Education, which includes academic programs in teacher licensure preparation, curriculum and instruction, and educational leadership and policy studies as well as a variety of professional learning and training programs for classroom teachers and education administrators.