Hello, as the Dean of the College of Applied Social Sciences, I am excited to welcome you to Dominican University. If you are reading this letter, you must be interested in returning to College to complete a degree, pursuing a degree in a non-traditional manner, or simply looking for a high quality education that is accessible for your needs. CASS is the proud home of two undergraduate programs that are specifically designed to meet the needs of students who are balancing a range of work, family, and “life” responsibilities.

Through either our Bachelor of Professional Studies in Human Services degree or our Bachelor Professional Studies in Legal Studies degree, you will receive exactly that—a high quality education delivered in an accessible way. Our accelerated programming allows you to take one class at a time and still make good progress towards your degree since the classes are shorter in length (accelerated) but not in content or quality. Our excellent faculty are active researchers, active contributors to policy development, and have a rich and diverse experience in their fields. Our programs typically have face-to-face and online opportunities as well as direct exposure to the populations, materials, and environments where you can apply learning and develop experience.

Our goal is not only to prepare you for a successful career after graduation, but to have an impact on your career and your communities after each class. As many of you are working, you will find opportunities to apply what you’re learning in your daily work, which will lead to more career opportunities. We provide you with relevant knowledge and abilities and provide employers with appropriately trained and motivated individuals. We have an extensive employer network that values the type of education you receive here in the College. Our strategic location in the suburbs of Chicago (within 10 miles of downtown) allows us to leverage our close connections with the surrounding communities to expose our students to experiential education and to career development opportunities.

If you’ve gotten this far, I encourage you to explore the website further and learn more about the Bachelor of Professional Studies in legal studies and human services.  Also, continuing your education is all about finding a good fit, so I would suggest planning a visit to campus for one of our information sessions or an individual visit. I think you’ll find that Dominican University is a unique and special place and that these programs are well suited to support you as you work towards a degree. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly if I can answer any questions or help talk through your ideas and concerns about pursuing a degree.

Sincerely,

Jake Bucher, PhD
Founding Dean, College of Applied Social Sciences
Dominican University