Catalog Description

Program description

The Master of Professional Studies (MPS) is a cross-disciplinary program which promotes the enhancement of practical skills in one of the following options:

The program is designed to meet the needs of individuals who are seeking professional growth and advancement within their vocations. The 33-hour program allows participants to expand their knowledge base and refine skills necessary to keep up with the ever-changing marketplace.

A MPS may be taken online. All of the core and option area courses in Applied Communication, Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Hospitality Administration, Project Management and Sports Management are available online. Currently, the Environmental Management option is only available on campus. Online access for the Individualized option depends on the selection of courses chosen.

Degree requirements (minimum of 33 credit hours)

For core courses, select 7 of the courses listed below. Note that some courses may have prerequisites and/or require "permission" from the instructor; not all courses are accessible in both online and seated formats and, thus not every class is available to all MPS students. Your advisor will help you navigate the available options to generate a program of study. When a program of study is generated, including core and option courses, students need to be aware that the following two limitations for the degree must be observed:

No more than 9 credit hours (generally 3 courses) from the College of Business can be counted toward the degree.
Eighteen (18) credits (generally 6 classes) must be taken at the 700-level

1. Core requirements (21 credit hours) - Select 7 of the following 8 areas of study.

Program Objectives	Suggested Courses	Approved Alternative Courses
Finance/Budgeting/Economics. Students will be introduced to one or more of the following skills and concepts: 1. Budgeting and accounting. 2. Financial statements, economic statements, and investments. 3. Economic development for domestic and international organizations.	ACC 600	PLS 756 PLS 721 ECO 600 MED 762
Law/Ethics/Regulatory Functions. Students will be introduced to one or more of the following skills and concepts: 1. Understanding legal and/or regulatory issues in the workplace. 2. Understanding ethical issues encountered by business managers in the work environment. 3. Gaining knowledge of the court system and legal dispute resolution mechanisms.	PLS 651	LAW 600 PLS 778 COM 619 HSP 710 MED 681
Personnel Selection/Leadership/Management. Students will be introduced to one or more of the following skills and concepts: 1. Developing the techniques in matching of individual needs, preferences, and skills with the needs of organizations. 2. Understanding the role of a leaders in the creation of corporate climates and building a workforce through selection, supervising and evaluating employees. 3. Reviewing ethical issues in regards to leadership roles in either public or private organizations.	PSY 776	PSY 718 PLS 752
Research Design/Project Development/Data Analysis. Students will be introduced to one or more of the following skills and concepts: 1. Understanding the nature of research/project development, design, evaluation, and analysis of data. 2. Exploring appropriate literature appropriate to the field. 3. Gaining practical experience in design, evaluation, and analysis.	COM 718	SFR 780 HSP 730
Communication/Relations/Environment. Students will be introduced to one or more of the following skills and concepts: 1. Learning methods of identifying and employing effective communication appropriate to the work environment. 2. Learning techniques of negotiation and mediation in the workplace. 3. Learning techniques of arbitration as an alternative to litigation.	COM 736	COM 621 PLS 732 PLS 715
Technology/Networking/Security. Students will be introduced to one or more of the following skills and concepts: 1. Understanding the basics of software and hardware used in the workplace. 2. Understanding concepts, design, and implementation of management information systems for the workplace. 3. Learning principles and techniques of web-based security.	EDT 770	ITC 681 EDT 765
Structure/Diversity/Development. Students will be introduced to one or more of the following skills and concepts: 1. Understanding the organizational structure and policy in order to identify and resolve issues within the work place. 2. Understanding the cultural, behavioral, and diverse needs within organizations. 3. Developing managerial skills by way of strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation.	PLS 759	PLS 753 COM 617 HSP 720
Professional/Grant/Technical Writing. Students will be introduced to one or more of the following skills and concepts: 1. Writing persuasive proposals that can impact existing organizations in their decision-making process. 2. Writing for the purpose of conveying information in the individuals selected option area. Can be a mixture of the following: to instruct, to persuade, to share goals, to encourage action. 3. Writing in a broad range of genres including producing informational materials for the web.	ENG 771	ENG 679 ENG 684 ENG 672

2. Research or Capstone Experience (3 credit hours)

MPS students are expected to demonstrate competency in methods of inquiry, problem solving, and writing for their career path and program emphasis. Students will complete a research project, an internship, or a capstone experience representative of their option area. Successful completion of research or capstone experience will serve as the student's comprehensive examination.

Students in the Individualized option area will work with the Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs (GIP) program director to decide their capstone course and submit a 3-minute video presentation describing their capstone experience.

3. Comprehensive examination

Successful completion of research or capstone experience will serve as the student's comprehensive examinations.

4. Option areas (12 credit hours)

Eight formal options exist for the Master of Professional Studies. Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in an option area. Option areas include Applied Communication, Criminal Justice, Environmental Management, Homeland Security, Hospitality Administration, Producing and Screenwriting, Project Management and Sports Management. Under close supervision of the Program Director, students may be allowed to develop an individualized course of study as an option area.

Applied Communication option

Choose any four of the following courses:

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
COM 611	Conflict and Communication	3 hrs
COM 617	Communication and Diversity in the Workplace	3 hrs
COM 619	Ethical Issues in Communication	3 hrs
COM 732	Theories and Concepts of Small Group Communication	3 hrs
COM 713	Public Relations Campaigns	3 hrs

Criminal Justice option

Complete the following four courses:

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
CRM 701	Criminal Justice Policy	3 hrs
CRM 740	Foundations of Homeland Defense and Security	3 hrs
CRM 750	Contemporary Issues in Policing	3 hrs
CRM 770	Correctional Theory and Practice	3 hrs

Environmental Management option

Required two courses:

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
GRY 731	Environmental Assessment	3 hrs
ECO 640	Economics of the Environment	3 hrs

Elective 2 courses (chosen in consultation with advisor):

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
BIO 632	Principles of Fisheries Management	3 hrs
BIO 662	Limnology	3 hrs
BIO 689	Game Management	3 hrs
BIO 726	Advanced Limnology Methods	3 hrs
CHM 660	Chemistry of Environmental Systems: Water & Land	3 hrs
PLN 671	Land Use Planning	3 hrs
PLN 674	Open Space Planning	3 hrs
GRY 748	Physiography and Resource Planning	3 hrs
PLN 670	Planning Law	3 hrs

Homeland Security option

Complete the following four courses:

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
CRM 740	Foundations of Homeland Defense and Security	3 hrs
CRM 745	Topics in Homeland Defense and Security	3 hrs
PLS 717	Multidisciplinary Approaches to Homeland Security	3 hrs
PLS 719	Strategic Planning and Organizational Imperatives in Homeland Security	3 hrs

Producing and Screenwriting option

With the help of the advisor, select four (4) of the following courses (12 hours):

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
MED 660	Beginning Screenwriting	3 hrs
MED 667	Intermediate Screenwriting	3 hrs
MED 668	Writing for Television	3 hrs
MED 669	Rewriting Film and Television Scripts	3 hrs
MED 671	Writing the Web Series	3 hrs
MED 672	Advanced Screenwriting	3 hrs
MED 762	TV/Film Producing and Marketing	3 hrs
MED 792	Independent Study (with permission of Director & Coordinator)	3 hrs

Project Management option

Required two courses:

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
TCM 701	Project Management	3 hrs
TCM 645	Project Control Systems	3 hrs

Electives: Choose 2 courses:

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
TCM 611	Project Design and Development	3 hrs
TCM 651	Cost Analysis for Project Management	3 hrs
TCM 710	Project Leadership	3 hrs
TCM 740	Management of Innovation and Technology Seminar	3 hrs

Sports Management option

The Sports Management Option is a 15 hour option that includes three 3 credit hour courses and one 6 hour field experience course. KIN 733 covers the research requirement for the MPS program.

Required Courses (15 hours):

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
KIN 739	Principles of Sports Management	3 hrs
KIN 780	Legal Aspects in Sports, Physical Education, Recreation, and Wellness Programs	3 hrs
KIN 733	Current Problems in Sports Administration	3 hrs
KIN 798	Field Experience in Sports Management	6 hrs

Individualized option

Developed under the close supervision of the Program Director.