Professional Studies MS

Major: Professional Studies
Degree Awarded: Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 30.0000
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-9199

About the Program

Please note: This program is no longer accepting new students.

The MS in Professional Studies degree provides students with the highly valued interpersonal skills needed to collaborate, negotiate, and lead effectively in today's workplace by offering a blend of quantitative and qualitative courses. The interdisciplinary Workplace Competencies concentration allows students to apply their knowledge and learned skills across multiple industries. Our professors are career professionals who bring real-world workplace situations into our virtual classrooms to better prepare students to apply learned skills in the following industries: communications, human resources, finance, insurance, marketing, utilities, and pharmaceuticals, among many others. This degree allows students to leverage themselves into various levels of middle and upper management with continued possibilities to climb the corporate ladder.

The MS in Professional Studies program aims to equip students with the following demonstrable skills:

• Communication - enhancing oral, written, and non-verbal communication skills to allow students to easily relate to, collaborate with, and lead others in the workplace both in person and virtually
• Leadership - providing students with the necessary tool to lead people and organizations through the acts of negotiation, attracting and sustaining talent, and thinking and acting strategically to achieve results
• Critical Inquiry - training students to conduct research and collect data using proven scientific methods and then evaluate and analyze that data to make profitable decisions in the workplace
• Ethics - developing a moral and ethical framework from which organizational decisions can be made

This program is designed for the professional who has at least three years of working experience, and who is looking to launch, change, or advance their career.

Program Delivery

The master's in Professional Studies is a part-time graduate degree program that is offered entirely online. Drexel University operates on a quarter schedule (four 10-week terms per academic year). Students will take two courses per quarter.

Additional Information

For more information, please visit the Goodwin College MS in Professional Studies webpage.

Admission Requirements

Acceptance to the program requires:

• Completed online application form
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (graduate degree GPAs will be considered along with the undergraduate GPA)
  • Applicants with a cumulative GPA below 3.0 may be considered.
• Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions (including trade schools) attended
  • Instead of hard copy transcripts, you may supply official electronic transcripts issued by a post-secondary institution directly to Drexel University Online.
  • You must supply transcripts regardless of the number of credits earned or the type of school you attended.
  • If you do not list all post-secondary institutions on your application and these are listed on transcripts received from other institutions, processing of your application will be delayed until you have submitted the remaining transcripts.
  • Please use our Transcript Look-up Tool to assist you in contacting your previous institutions.
• Two letters of recommendation (three preferred)
  • Drexel University Online now accepts electronic letters of recommendation.
  • Submission instructions are available at: http://www.drexel.edu/apply/recommend
  • If a recommender prefers to submit an original, hard copy letter of recommendation, please remind the recommender that it must be signed and submitted in a sealed envelope signed across the flap by the recommender.
• Personal Statement: 500-750 words describing your interest in the program. Specifically, please discuss the following:
  • Your current line of work and career path until this point
  • How the program will help you facilitate your future career goals
  • Your role in building community in an online degree program
• Resume
• Optional: Students may elect to submit any of the following:
  • GRE/GMAT scores
  • Example of a work project that demonstrates a specific skill or area of expertise
• International students must submit a TOEFL score of 550 or higher. Please view additional international students requirements.
• Interviews are not required, but may be requested.

Degree Requirements

Portfolio Requirement

All students will be required to maintain a portfolio as they progress through the program. Access to the portfolio platform is provided by the University at no charge to the student.

Over the course of their studies, students will add written assignments, projects, presentations, links to videos, and any other specimens to showcase learned skills, knowledge, or growth in one of eight areas:

• Communication
• Creative and/or critical thinking & information literacy
• Ethical reasoning & responsible citizenship
• Global competence
• Leadership
• Personal reflections
• Capstone
• Professional documentation

Students will submit their portfolios as part of their capstone experience. When students complete the program, they may choose to maintain their portfolios for a small annual fee.

Sample Plan of Study

Program Level Outcomes