With programs from the undergraduate to doctoral level, Lower Manhattan colleges and universities are preparing students for careers in a variety of fields -- business, art, law, science, technology, and more -- as well as enabling adults to advance further in their respective professions. To accommodate working students, these institutions of higher learning offer flexible schedules, including evening and weekend classes, and many also have online courses and continuing education programs.

The following are snapshots of the programs offered by the many colleges and universities south Houston Street.

Adelphi University Manhattan Center

75 Varick Street, 2nd floor
(212) 965-8340 or (800) ADELPHI
http://www.adelphi.edu/manhattan/

Complementing its main campus in Garden City, Long Island, Adelphi’s Manhattan Center offers undergraduate programs conferring associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in social work and nursing. Graduate programs are offered in education, communication sciences (including speech pathology), and social work. The center also features an Adult Baccalaureate Learning Experience (ABLE) program, which offers adults the opportunity to pursue a career-advancing undergraduate degree through evening and weekend classes. In addition, up to 30 credits of job experience, known as “life credits,” can be applied toward a liberal arts, social sciences, humanistic studies, management, or communications degree or toward a certificate in healthcare management. Currently, more than 500 students are enrolled in the ABLE program. Since 1973, more than 6,500 adults have earned a degree -- and many have continued their studies at graduate and professional schools. Adelphi also operates centers in Hauppauge and Poughkeepsie.

Berkeley College Lower Manhattan Extension Center

130 William Street, 2nd floor
(212) 372-4446
http://www.berkeleycollege.edu/Campuses/LMCenter.htm

Berkeley College’s Lower Manhattan Extension Center, which opened in September 2004, offers associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in general business, international business, accounting, management, marketing, and office systems management. Online courses are also available. A new addition to the downtown community, the center accommodates up to 375 students and help to alleviate space limitation issues resulting from a growing population at the college's midtown campus. Students may also take classes for up to 80 percent of the credits needed for a bachelor's or associate's degree, and then transfer to the Berkeley College’s midtown campus or one of its other campuses in White Plains, Paramus, West Paterson, and Woodbridge, New Jersey. The center’s location, within easy walking distance of the Financial District, makes it easy for students to take advantage of excellent internship opportunities. Since its inception in 1931, Berkeley College has come to be recognized as a leader in preparing men and women for careers in business.

Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC)

199 Chambers Street
(212) 220-8000
http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/

BMCC offers associate’s degree in arts, science, and applied science in more than 20 fields, including accounting, business management, computer science, mathematics, nursing, theater, writing and literature, and more. Continuing education and online classes are also available.The only City University of New York (CUNY) campus in Lower Manhattan, BMCC was founded in 1963 and opened a year later as a small, business-oriented community college. Currently, BMCC enrolls approximately 18,000 students in degree programs and 6,000 more in continuing education programs. In addition to its main campus in Tribeca, the college also offers courses at 135th Street and Convent Avenue, on the City College campus.

Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY)

75 Varick Street
(800) 33 THINK or (212) 343-1234
http://www.metropolitan.edu/index.php

At MCNY, students can work toward associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in general business. Within the college, the Audrey Cohen School for Human Services and Education offers undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs for work in public, private, and not-for-profit organizations. The School for Public Affairs and Administration offers 12-month graduate degree programs designed for working professionals with some related experience in a public agency or not-for-profit. Several courses are offered online. Formerly known as Audrey Cohen College, after its founder, the institute changed its name in 2002. Metropolitan College of New York celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2004. In addition to the Manhattan Campus, MCNY has extension centers in Queens.

New York Law School

57 Worth Street
(212) 431-2100
http://www.nyls.edu/pages/1.asp

Students at New York Law School can work toward a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree through full-time day, part-time day, and evening classes. The school also offers a joint degree program, the J.D./M.B.A., with Baruch College, City University of New York, and joint Bachelor's /J.D. programs with Stevens Institute of Technology and Adelphi University. The school's curriculum is distinguished by its effort to integrate the study of theory and practice and to include the perspectives of legal practitioners. To that end, New York Law School established five academic centers which provide specialized study: the Center for New York City Law, the Center for International Law, the Center for Professional Values and Practice, the Institute for Information Law and Policy, and the Justice Action Center. The five academic centers engage many students in advanced research through the newly established John Marshall Harlan Scholars Program. Approximately 1,500 students, most of them entering right after college, study at the law school. New York Law School, one of the oldest independent law schools in the country, was founded in 1891 by the faculty, students, and alumni of Columbia College Law School.

New York University

15 Barkley Street
(212) 998-7200
http://www.scps.nyu.edu/

At NYU’s Center for Global Affairs, students can work toward a Master of Science in global studies or professional certificate programs in non-governmental organizations and international affairs. In addition, the public is invited to participate in a diverse events program, similar in scope to those hosted by the Lillian Vernon Center for International Affairs. Though New York University is located in Greenwich Village, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies established a Center for Global Affairs at the Woolworth Building in September 2004. The center houses the school's burgeoning international affairs programs, which include a newly launched Master of Science in global studies. The Woolworth Building's 125-seat conference center and numerous large classrooms provide a large venue for the center's daytime and evening public events, convenient for residents of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey.

Pace University

1 Pace Plaza (opposite City Hall Park)
(212) 346-1200
http://www.pace.edu

Pace offers more than 80 undergraduate majors, 58 master’s programs, four doctoral programs, online learning, and continuing education courses. For nearly 100 years, Pace University's motto has been “ Opportunitas,” meaning opportunity for all. The university’s enrollment for 2004-2005 includes nearly 14,000 students from 73 countries. Students seeking a comprehensive liberal arts education will find a wide variety of majors at the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, while those wishing to enter the business world can explore the options available at the Lubin School of Business or the World Trade Institute (WTI), a primary training resource for the international business and financial community. The School of Education prepares students to become teachers and educational leaders, while the Lienhard School of Nursing educates future nurses in all areas of health care. The School of Computer Science and Information Systems (CSIS) provides training in information technology, and the School of Law is nationally recognized for its excellent programs, particularly its environmental law program. Pace also maintains a midtown center as well as a Pleasantville/Briarcliff campus in mid-Westchester County and a Hudson Valley campus in New Windsor.

St. John’s University

101 Murray Street
(212) 962-4111
http://www.stjohns.edu/

St. John's Lower Manhattan campus offers various programs and opportunities for individuals and businesses and is home to the School of Risk Management -- an academic division within the Peter J. Tobin College of Business. Formed from the 2001 merger of St. John’s University with the former College of Insurance, the School of Risk Management is the only New York City school to offer comprehensive undergraduate and graduate degrees in actuarial science, management of risk, and insurance financial management. The School of Risk Management also offers a wide array of professional education programs, including actuarial exam preparation courses and leadership development. For 135 years, St. John’s University has empowered students from around the nation and the world to achieve personal and professional success. Students can choose from bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in five acclaimed colleges and a School of Law. St. John’s students enjoy the flexibility of being able to take classes at a range of campus locations, including a state-of-the-art Lower Manhattan facility.