Whether you’re serving on active duty, transitioning as a veteran, or supporting a loved one in uniform, Syracuse University’s College of Professional Studies is your pathway to a brighter future. We don’t just welcome military-connected students; we design degrees around your success.
Let’s break down how we support each part of the military-connected community:
Active-Duty Service Members: Flexible, Affordable, Mission-Ready Link
Your schedule is demanding. Your goals are ambitious. We’ve built programs that work with your life, not against it.
100% Tuition Coverage: Syracuse matches the Tuition Assistance (TA) rate for active duty, Reserve, and National Guard students in part-time undergraduate programs.
Credit for Military Training: Your Joint Services Transcript (JST) and Professional Military Education (PME) can count toward your degree—saving you time and money.
Transitioning to civilian life is a journey. At Syracuse, you’ll find a university that honors your service and empowers your next chapter.
Maximize Your Benefits: Syracuse University participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program to help you make the most of your Post 9/11 GI Bill®.
Veteran-Dedicated Support: The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs offers personalized guidance, financial aid help, and a community that understands your experience.
Top-Ranked University for Veterans: Syracuse University ranks No. 3 in Best for Veterans for Online Bachelor’s Programs of private universities for three consecutive years, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Online Programs rankings.
Spouses, Dependents & Military-Connected Students: Education That Moves with You Link
Military families face unique challenges. We make sure your education isn’t one of them. Wherever military life takes you, Syracuse goes with you.
Monthly Info Sessions: Explore programs, ask questions, and get expert advice—virtually and conveniently.
Online Student Success: Online military-connected students also receive personalized support from advisors who are specially trained to navigate their unique challenges and experiences through the Office of Online Student Success.
Military Family Support: Veteran and military-connected student support is critical to academic and personal success. Whatever your student issue is, Syracuse University has a solution.
For three consecutive years, the College of Professional Studies is leading Syracuse University’s support for veterans and military-connected students.
As of fall 2025, 19% of all currently serving military students attending Syracuse University are enrolled in College of Professional Studies degree programs. Currently serving military students are service members on active duty, National Guard or reserve status. This leadership is driven by the College of Professional Studies’ innovative and progressive work to standardize the University’s Military Credit Evaluation, which evaluates military technical training and professional military education for academic credit.
“Bachelor of Professional Studies degrees are designed specifically for individuals like currently serving members of the armed forces juggling service obligations and life responsibilities with their educational goals,” says Michael Frasciello, Dean of the College of Professional Studies. “We offer an accessible combination of flexibility, applied and focused career preparation, progressive credit transfer [up to 90 credits], and recognition of military experience and training.”
Currently serving military students admitted to the College of Professional Studies’ BPS programs are being recommended and awarded an average of 30 equivalency credits for their military technical training and professional military education.
Diverse Support for Military-Connected Students: Link
The College of Professional Studies supports 33% of all military-connected students at Syracuse University, including active duty, veterans, and military dependents.
Under our nationally recognized Military Advising Model, the College of Professional Studies has achieved skyrocketing persistence and graduation rates.
“Our ability to successfully support one-third of the University’s military-connected students is only possible because of our advisors who are specifically trained to understand the unique challenges military-connected students face,” says Liz Green, executive director of the student experience for Online Student Success. “This success starts with a recognition that military-connected students are non-traditional, adult learners with distinct needs.”
The College provides holistic support that proactively addresses academic, administrative, and military service-related challenges, such as deployment interruptions, VA benefits navigation, credit transfer from military training, and work-life-study balance, in an integrated way.
In today’s fast-changing job market, staying competitive means continuously learning and evolving. Syracuse University’s College of Professional Studies offers stackable learning, a flexible way to advance your career on your terms.
Stackable credentials are designed to break down traditional education into manageable, career-focused learning. With stackable credentials, you can build a personalized path into a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree. Unlike traditional programs, BPS degrees offer the flexibility to tailor your curriculum to fit your goals, schedule, and experience.
Whether you’re looking to switch careers or build new skills, the College of Professional Studies makes it possible and meets you where you are.
Instead of committing to a full degree from the start, students can start small and earn credentials that later stack into a complete degree if it meets the criteria.
Flexibility for Working Professionals: Whether you’re balancing a full-time job, family, or other commitments, Syracuse University’s online learning options allow you to study when and where it works best for you.
Customized and Personalized Learning Paths: Stackable programs let learners tailor their education to match their goals, interests, or job requirements. You can combine credentials across disciplines, like pairing a project management certificate with a cybersecurity administration BPS degree, to create unique skill sets. This personalization makes your profile stand out in competitive job markets.
Career Advancement with In-Demand Skills: Each credential is designed to provide immediate, real-world value. From AI in Business Process Automation to Full Stack Development, these programs focus on high-growth industries, helping you stay competitive in the job market.
With a deep commitment to inclusive, student-centered learning, Holl plays a pivotal role in shaping engaging and accessible online courses that meet the needs of a diverse, global student body. Her work exemplifies the College of Professional Studies’ mission to provide flexible, high-quality education that meets students where they are and helps them thrive.
What is your current role and what does it involve?
I am an instructional designer. I work with faculty (SME – Subject Matter Experts) and a team of colleagues to design and develop courses for online delivery across academic programs at Syracuse University.
In one sentence, how would you describe your department’s mission?
Our mission is to develop student-centered, engaging, rigorous, and inclusive learning opportunities for a diverse and global community of learners.
Why is instructional design an important part of the course development process?
Instructional design organizes course content and brings the course to life for the students.
Instructional designers use frameworks and ideas from learning theories like constructivism, andragogy, and experiential learning to design activities that help students connect concepts, ask questions, and build knowledge in ways that stay with them. When a course is thoughtfully designed, it’s easier for students to stay engaged, know what’s expected, and feel like the learning really matters.
Instructional design plays a vital role in creating meaningful learning environments that support how students learn most effectively.
In what ways does your team go above and beyond to serve online students?
Intentional, inclusive, and supportive course design is how our team goes above and beyond for online students. Students benefit from clear expectations, easy navigation, and engaging content that keeps them connected to their learning.
Every course is built with care, drawing on the deep expertise and creativity of our team to deliver high-quality learning opportunities with multimedia that supports student success. By focusing on best practices and listening and adapting, we make sure each student feels valued and equipped to succeed. We also prioritize authentic and inclusive pedagogy by designing for diverse learning preferences and encouraging adaptive strategies that help students meet complex learning goals.
How do you collaborate with faculty or subject matter experts during the instructional design process?
Planning Together: We meet with faculty throughout the process to talk through course goals, delivery format, timelines, aligning learning objectives with activities and student needs. This helps faculty think through how their content can be structured to support different learning preferences and students from varied backgrounds.
Rethinking Assignments: In collaboration with faculty, we redesign assignments to be more inclusive and flexible, allowing students to create materials that are relevant to their professional goals. We design course content that is relevant, engaging, and structured to support online and non-traditional learners in accessing and understanding material with ease. Our approach emphasizes authentic learning and supports the development of adaptive strategies that help students navigate complex tasks, build confidence, and apply their knowledge in real-world contexts.
Targeting Student Needs: We work closely with faculty to identify assignments and activities that meet the objectives for the course and also the needs of diverse online learners, including adult students, working professionals, caregivers, military-affiliated learners, and others balancing education with competing responsibilities. Our team offers flexible alternatives to traditional assessments and delivery formats that still meet learning outcomes while providing more choice and accessibility. For example, instead of a timed exam, we might suggest students create a podcast, video, or infographic that demonstrates their mastery of course content in a way that aligns with their professional goals and lived experiences.
Left to right: Amy Holl and Rochele Royster at the Center for Online and Digital Learning Spotlight 2025.
How do you approach designing online courses to ensure they’re accessible to all learners?
When designing online courses, I prioritize inclusive pedagogy to ensure all learners feel welcomed and supported. This approach is grounded in key principles such as equity, accessibility, representation, flexibility, and empowerment, which guide every aspect of course development, from content creation to interaction and assessment design.
In our courses we ensure we use alt text for images, captioning and transcripts for media, clear and consistent navigation, high-contrast colors and readable fonts, keyboard-accessible interactions, chunked content with clear headings, flexible assignment formats, and accessible documents that work seamlessly with assistive technologies. Using inclusive pedagogy, we actively seek to create learning environments where all students feel valued, respected, and supported, regardless of their backgrounds, identities, or abilities.
As I work on courses, I want the materials to be thoughtful, artful, and impactful. Additionally, I want students to see themselves reflected in the content and feel that their personal perspectives and contributions are acknowledged and valued.
What makes the College of Professional Studies stand out as a leading environment for teaching and learning?
We have the finest committed, caring and passionate team members that are student-centered. The College of Professional Studies stands out as a leading environment for teaching and learning because of its strong commitment to access, inclusion, and innovation.
Under the leadership of Dean Michael Frasciello, the College empowers diverse learners, including part-time and nontraditional students, through flexible, future-focused programs that combine academic excellence with real-world relevance. The College’s student-centered approach includes personalized support, interdisciplinary degrees, and high-quality online and on-campus options designed to meet learners where they are and help them succeed on their own terms.
My Personal Commitment: As a first-generation college graduate and passionate instructional designer, I am deeply committed to creating inclusive, student-centered online learning environments that support the educational needs and aspirations of diverse learners. I look forward to continuing this work in ways that have a meaningful impact on our students.
The rise of online learning allows students to earn their degree from anywhere. At the College of Professional Studies, our online programs empower students with the tools, technology, and support to succeed in a virtual environment.
Here are our top tips for making the most of online learning at Syracuse University.
Even without a fixed class schedule, online courses require commitment and organization. Consider the following strategies to optimize your study routine:
Use a calendar to block out study times, deadlines, and live sessions.
Set weekly goals to stay on track.
Avoid multitasking and focus on one subject or module at a time for deeper learning and better retention.
Remember: Remote students are full members of the Syracuse community. Don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it.
With Syracuse University’s resources and support, there’s no better place to take charge of your online learning journey. Start today and succeed from anywhere.
