The College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPaCE) offers a diverse range of degrees, professional development certificates, and international education opportunities to enrich the lives of CSULB students. Working closely with our campus, business, community, and international partners, CPaCE serves California’s workforce and economy by offering new and innovative pathways for students to achieve success.
We believe in the transformational power of education, and that we are measured by the success our students achieve.
Leadership
Dr. Christopher Swarat
Dean, College of Professional and Continuing Education
Chris.Swarat@csulb.edu
Tom O'Brien, Ph.D
Executive Director, Center for International Trade & Transportation
Message from the Dean
I’m proud to present our newly designed online Annual Report for the academic year 2022-2023. This is a great opportunity to reflect on the state of the College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPaCE), our ongoing commitment to the university’s BEACH 2030 strategic plan, and our shared mission to do public good. Our college’s unique abilities to provide access, innovation, partnerships, and flexibility are instrumental in supporting the entire CSULB community.
Expanding access to higher education is one priority that CPaCE is particularly well-positioned to address. This Fall, we’re helping the campus to launch Beach XP, or Beach Experience, a new free program that offers first-time, first-year students a chance to be part of a cohort-based learning community. Many Beach XP classes will be held in the CPaCE building, while students enrolled in other CPaCE programs will have access to Beach XP extracurricular activities. This enhanced college experience benefits all types of students as they forge lasting connections with peers and grow into lifelong learners.
CPaCE itself is growing into a hub for lifelong learning at The Beach. There are different educational needs at every step of a person’s career—from young adults entering the workforce, to experienced professionals upskilling for career transitions, to retirees seeking personal enrichment. To serve this wide range of learners, our college will continue working with our campus partners to offer a range of degree and degree completion programs, non-degree microcredentials, and modular courses. In addition to specialized training, our programs provide students with durable skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Since skills that are in demand today may no longer be relevant tomorrow, it’s our responsibility to adapt to the trends and technologies like artificial intelligence, remote work, and climate change. We must also support the university’s ability to reach more diverse learners from all backgrounds and maintain strong partnerships with industry groups to accurately meet workforce needs.
Our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners are all part of The Beach Experience. I hope you’ll enjoy reading several of their success stories collected here. You can stay updated on the latest highlights from our community members by subscribing to our CPaCE News blog.
CPaCE is evolving with rapid changes in higher education and workforce development. As we embark on a new academic year, we look forward to building our campus community and cultivating resilience for years to come.
Go Beach!
Dr. Christopher Swarat
Dean, College of Professional and Continuing Education
California State University, Long Beach
Misson, Vision, Values
CPaCE transforms lives by providing multiple educational pathways to personal and professional success via campus-based, online, and transnational educational programs
CPaCE will serve as the center of a dynamic knowledge ecosystem that embraces technology to respond to the evolving educational demands of our diverse local and global learners.
- Access - We provide programs and services that are open to all who are seeking personal and professional growth.
- Innovation - We remain on the leading edge of higher education programs, customer service, and technology.
- Quality - We deliver the highest quality in all that we do.
- Integrity - We act ethically and honestly toward our students, colleagues, and global community.
- Equity - We make decisions and take actions that are fair-minded, impartial, and free from bias.
- Community - We recognize our role in an interconnected global community, and we integrate that perspective into everything that we do.
- Empathy - We respect others and strive to understand and be sensitive to their experiences.
CPaCE Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Contact Us
Email: cpace-info@csulb.edu
Phone: (562) 985-5561
Dean's Message
WELCOME TO THE COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION (CPaCE) AT CSULB. As an interdisciplinary college, we work closely with our university, business, community, and international partners to serve California’s workforce and economy.
Our college provides programs and services that are open to all who are seeking personal and professional growth. Many of our programs serve professionals in the workforce, and we are also the central unit to promote internationalization at the university. We recognize our role in an interconnected global community, and we integrate that perspective into everything that we do.
I would like to invite you to view our blog CPaCE News. You will see many posts about the recent accomplishments of our students, alumni, faculty, and community partners. It is a wonderful way to gain an understanding of who we are and what we do. I hope you enjoy reading it.