http://www.rit.edu/cms/grad/masters.html

Program overview

The professional studies program is specifically designed to enable the mature learner to create a customized plan of graduate study tailored to their personal and professional goals. This degree offers students the opportunity to draw on more than 50 graduate programs in order to gain the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to respond successfully to new and emerging career opportunities. The degree also includes a capstone project. The capstone is a practical, hands-on project directly related to the student’s individualized plan of study. With certain concentrations, the MS degree in professional studies may be pursued through online learning.

The program requires the completion of 48 credit hours and can be completed full-time or part-time. Students begin their program of study with Contexts and Trends (3099-705), the program’s foundation course. Throughout this course students explore their own career objectives and research RIT’s many graduate programs to identify courses that best match their professional and personal goals. Students create concentrations that make up their course work for the degree program. Each concentration is a selection of courses drawn from existing RIT graduate programs and can range between 12 to 24 credit hours. Graduate credits earned in other programs may be used in completing a concentration, upon approval. A number of concentrations may be completed online. These include applied statistics, computer graphics, environmental health and safety management, facility management, general management, health systems administration, human resources, imaging science, information technology, microelectronics manufacturing engineering, project management, security technology management, strategic training, technical information design, and telecommunications engineering technology.

Credit hours not required in a student’s concentration areas may be used for electives. All elective and transferred graduate courses need to be integrated into the proposed plan of study.

Curriculum

The program includes two required courses, the choice of two or three concentrations designed by the student and their adviser based on the student's career objectives, and the completion of a capstone project.

Required courses

3099-705 Context and Trends (4 credits)

This course introduces students to interdisciplinary thinking, personal self-assessment, problem solving, goal setting, and research techniques using electronic information resources. Students work toward selecting concentrations and finalizing a plan of study for their graduate program.

3099-775 The Capstone Project (4 credits)

This course is a supervised, hands-on experience in which students apply the skills and knowledge developed through their individualized plans of study, concluding with oral and written presentations.

Admission requirements

To be considered for the MS program in professional studies, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

• Hold a baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited college or university,
• Have a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0, or superior endorsements,
• Submit letters of reference from two individuals who have served recently as either the applicant’s supervisor or instructor,
• Submit a statement of career objectives and description of the skills and knowledge sought through graduate study,
• Submit official transcipts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work,
• Submit a current resume, and
• Complete a graduate appliction.
• International applicants, whose native language is not English, must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Minimum scores of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (Internet-based) are required. Scores from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam are accepted in place of the TOEFL exam. Minimum acceptable scores will vary; however, the absolute minimum score for an unconditional acceptance is 6.5. The TOEFL requirement is waived for native speakers of English or those submitting educational transcripts and diplomas from American colleges and universities.

All applicants are urged to discuss their plans with the professional studies program adviser before submitting a formal application.