Professional Studies Master of Science Degree
RIT’s master’s in professional studies provides you with flexibility and independence to craft an individualized graduate program unique to your interests and career aspirations.
Overview for Professional Studies MS
An individualized studies degree that combines multiple areas of professional interest to create a customized graduate program tailored to your personal professional aspirations.
Design two or three concentration areas from graduate courses in more than 50+ master's degrees.
RIT's MS in professional studies is a flexible, customizable graduate degree that allows you to combine expertise from multiple disciplines into one personalized program of study. By selecting two or three concentration areas from more than 50 graduate programs, you'll create a master's degree tailored to your professional interests, career aspirations, and emerging workforce opportunities.
Who Is the MS in Professional Studies Designed For?
The MS in professional studies is ideal for professionals whose goals extend beyond a single academic discipline. Whether you're advancing your career, preparing for leadership opportunities, changing industries, or developing expertise at the intersection of multiple fields, the professional studies MS provides the flexibility to customize your graduate education around your objectives.
This degree may be a good fit if you are:
- A working professional seeking career advancement
- An emerging leader preparing for management roles
- A professional changing careers or industries
- Someone with interests spanning multiple disciplines
- Looking for a master's degree that aligns with unique professional goals
How does a customizable master's degree actually work?
The MS in professional studies is a customizable master's degree that allows you to design a graduate program around your career goals instead of following a single academic discipline. You’ll create an individualized plan of study by selecting two to three concentration areas from graduate-level coursework offered across any of RIT’s graduate programs and course offerings. The result is a master's degree that combines expertise from multiple fields while meeting the same academic standards as a traditional graduate program. The program has two required courses: (1) Context and Trends and (2) the Capstone Project. Your concentrations make up the rest of the courses you’ll study.
-
Context and Trends: This foundation course helps you identify your professional objectives and determine which areas of study best support those goals. Working with an academic advisor, you will build a customized curriculum by choosing concentrations composed of courses from existing RIT graduate programs. You can select graduate courses offered across more than 50 RIT master's degree programs.
-
Capstone Project: The capstone project is an applied learning experience that allows you to integrate knowledge from your concentration areas and apply it to a real-world professional challenge, opportunity, or research question. Working closely with faculty, you will develop a project that reflects your individualized program of study and professional goals. The capstone serves as a culminating experience that demonstrates both subject matter expertise and the ability to apply graduate-level learning in practice.
Why Choose a Customizable Master's Degree Instead of a Traditional Master's Program?
Traditional master's programs provide deep expertise within a single discipline. A customizable master's degree offers the flexibility to combine knowledge and skills from multiple fields into one graduate program.
RIT's MS in professional studies is designed for students whose professional goals require expertise that crosses disciplinary boundaries. Instead of choosing a single area of study, you can combine two to three concentration areas to create a degree aligned with your career aspirations.
For example, a student interested in leading technology initiatives may combine business analytics, project management, and cybersecurity. Another may pair marketing, user experience design, and communication to support a career in customer experience and digital strategy. This interdisciplinary approach allows students to develop specialized expertise while preparing for increasingly complex and evolving workplace demands.
Benefits of Getting a Tailored MS Degree
A tailored master's degree allows you to customize your graduate education around your career goals, professional interests, and evolving workforce needs. Instead of following a fixed curriculum, you can combine expertise from multiple disciplines to build knowledge and skills that align with the career path you want to pursue. RIT's MS in professional studies enables students to create an individualized program of study by selecting two to three concentration areas from a wide range of graduate disciplines.
Key benefits include:
- Greater career relevance: Customize your coursework around the skills, knowledge, and credentials most valuable to your current role or future career goals.
- Interdisciplinary expertise: Develop proficiency across multiple fields rather than limiting your studies to a single discipline, helping you address complex workplace challenges.
- Adaptability in a changing job market: Build a broader skill set that can prepare you for emerging roles, career transitions, and evolving industry demands.
- Personalized learning experience: Create a graduate program that reflects your interests, professional background, and long-term aspirations.
- Access to diverse areas of study: Choose concentrations from graduate courses across more than 50 RIT master's programs, allowing you to explore unique combinations that support your goals.
- Applied, career-focused outcomes: Integrate your learning through a capstone project that connects your coursework to a real-world professional challenge.
Create a Degree Built Around Your Career Goals
Every student's plan of study will be unique. Here are some examples of how concentrations can be combined to support different career goals:
Technology Leadership
Business Analytics + Project Management + Cybersecurity
Develop the technical, analytical, and leadership skills needed to manage complex technology initiatives.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Applied Statistics + Data Analytics + Business Management
Build expertise in analyzing data, identifying trends, and supporting strategic organizational decisions.
Customer Experience and Digital Strategy
Marketing + User Experience Design + Communication and Digital Media
Learn how to create compelling customer experiences, digital products, and marketing strategies.
Healthcare Innovation
Health Informatics + Health Systems Administration + Project Management
Prepare to improve healthcare operations, systems, and patient outcomes through data-informed decision making.
Human-Centered Technology
Human Computer Interaction + Information Sciences and Technology + Product Development
Combine technology, design, and innovation to create user-focused products and services.
Careers and Experiential Learning
Typical Job Titles
| Alumni Relations Social Media Coordinator | Executive Director | Formulative Chemist |
| Lecturer - Software Engineering | Regional Sales Manager | Senior Quality Engineer |
| Software Engineer | Substitute Teacher | Supervisor Sponsored Programs Accounting |
Cooperative Education and Internships
What makes an RIT education exceptional? It’s the ability to complete relevant, hands-on career experience. At the graduate level, and paired with an advanced degree, cooperative education and internships give you the unparalleled credentials that truly set you apart. Learn more about graduate co-op and how it provides you with the career experience employers look for in their next top hires.
Co-op is optional but strongly encouraged for graduate students in the MS in professional studies.
Curriculum for 2026-2027 for Professional Studies MS
Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements
Note for online students
The frequency of required and elective course offerings in the online program will vary, semester by semester, and will not always match the information presented here. Online students are advised to seek guidance from the listed program contact when developing their individual program course schedule.
Admissions and Financial Aid
This program is available on-campus or online.
On Campus
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM-OPT Visa Eligible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time | Fall or Spring | Rolling | No |
| Part-time | Fall or Spring | Rolling | No |
Online
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM-OPT Visa Eligible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time | Fall or Spring | Rolling | No |
| Part-time | Fall or Spring | Rolling | No |
Full-time study is 9+ semester credit hours. Part-time study is 1‑8 semester credit hours. International students requiring a visa to study at the RIT Rochester campus must study full‑time.
Application Details
To be considered for admission to the Professional Studies MS program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete an online graduate application.
- Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
- Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent) is recommended.
- Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Submit a personal statement of educational objectives.
- Submit one letter of recommendation.
- Entrance exam requirements: None
- Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, etc.), if required. Details are below.
English Language Test Scores
International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.
Duolingo (DET): 120
IELTS: 6.5
LanguageCert Academic: 70
PTE Academic: 56
TOEFL: 79/4.5
International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Deaf and hard-of-hearing test takers with significant hearing loss do not need to take the listening and speaking sections for the TOEFL and IELTS. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.
How to Apply Start or Manage Your Application
Cost and Financial Aid
An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Graduate tuition varies by degree, the number of credits taken per semester, and delivery method. View the general cost of attendance or estimate the cost of your graduate degree.
A combination of sources can help fund your graduate degree. Learn how to fund your degree
Additional Information
Using edX MicroMasters Credit
Applicants interested in leveraging their edx MicroMasters for credit, should send their edX MicroMasters program record to RIT using these instructions and we will add the credential to their application for review.
Online Degree Information
The online Professional Studies MS includes courses that are a blend of synchronous and asynchronous classes. Full-time students can take 3 to 4 courses each semester, allowing them to graduate in 1.5 years. Part-time students usually take one or two courses each semester and can graduate in 2.5 years. Students typically spend 10-12 hours per week per class, depending on the content and their background knowledge. For specific details about available concentration areas, delivery format and learning experience, or edX MicroMasters credit, contact the Program Contact listed on this page. The program culminates with a capstone project. RIT does not offer student visas for online study.
Online Tuition
The online Professional Studies MS is a designated online degree program that is billed at a per-credit rate. View the current online tuition rate.
Online Study Restrictions for Some International Students
Certain countries are subject to comprehensive embargoes under US Export Controls, which prohibit virtually ALL exports, imports, and other transactions without a license or other US Government authorization. Learners from the Crimea region of the Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria may not register for RIT online courses. Nor may individuals on the United States Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the United States Commerce Department’s table of Deny Orders. By registering for RIT online courses, you represent and warrant that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country or on any such list.
