Professional Studies, BPS

Complete Your Degree

The Bachelor of Professional Studies program allows students the option of selecting coursework from a variety of university courses to create a path leading to a bachelor's degree.

This program should not be confused with the Interdisciplinary Studies program. The Bachelor of Professional Studies program allows students to complete a degree who may not have been able to do so otherwise.

In addition to the Professional Studies Core, university courses are divided into fourteen focus groups. Students select courses from two focus groups and develop their personalized programs.

The BPS program includes a capstone course where students explore career opportunities, design a plan to become employed using their degree, and develop a competitive resume and letter of application.

The Bachelor of Professional Studies program is ideal for those who need a great deal of flexibility in pursuing their degree.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What do I need to do to become a Professional Studies major?

• The first thing to do is to schedule an appointment with a BPS advisor by calling the College of Business & Professional Studies at (662) 329-7152 or emailing Dr. Marty Brock, at mabrock@muw.edu.

2. What will happen when I meet with a BPS advisor?

• Your advisor will talk to you about your interests and evaluate your transcripts. The evaluation will reveal what courses you have already taken that will meet the BPS program requirements. This will give you an idea of how long completing the degree will take.

3. Is there an application process for the BPS program?

• No. If you decide you want to pursue a BPS degree, you complete a “change of major” form in Banner Web.  It is recommended that you first speak with a BPS advisor before completing the change of major request.

4. What can I do with a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree?

• The BPS degree does not prepare you for any specific job. Your job opportunities will depend greatly on your efforts to secure employment. PRO 490 Professional Studies Seminar will help with your employment seeking preparation. By completing your degree, however, you will become one of only approximately 15% of Mississippians who have a Bachelor's degree. This alone greatly enhances your employment opportunities.

5. What are some good things about the BPS program?

• Probably the most appealing characteristic of the program is the flexibility it provides the student. BPS students may select courses from across campus based upon their interest or the availability (e.g., evening or day courses) and delivery (e.g., online or traditional classes) of the courses. The other appealing aspect is that the BPS program allows students to complete a degree who may not have been able to do so otherwise.

Professional Studies, BPS Curriculum

This information is presented for informational purposes. In the event of a discrepancy between this page and the Undergraduate Bulletin, the Bulletin should always be used.

Students are required to meet with their faculty advisor to schedule classes and discuss degree requirements.

General Education Curriculum

In keeping with The W's Mission, the General Education Program provides students with the skills, knowledge, and values they need to become independent, productive members of society in our continually changing world.

The W's General Education Program provides a foundation in the liberal arts that includes knowledge in the historical, literary, aesthetic, scientific, and cultural traditions that shape the world, and fosters skills that allow students to become civically responsible life-long learners ready to adapt to new challenges.

All students who complete the Mississippi University for Women general education program will demonstrate:

• Critical Thinking
• Effective Communication
• Cultural Literacy
• Quantitative & Technology Skills
• Understanding of Self, Global Societies, & the Natural World
• Life-Long Learning

View General Education Requirements

Professional Studies

The Bachelor of Professional Studies degree program is a 42-hour individualized program designed to provide a broader freedom of course choices than is available in traditional majors. Collectively, the creative and critical thinking skills embedded throughout the institution's general education curriculum , the content knowledge learned in the focused study areas, and the ability to plan, make decisions, and lead taught throughout the Professional Studies core lead to well-rounded graduates ready to make a difference across a number of professions.

Upon completing the program requirements, students will:

• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of two focused study areas
• Develop connections between otherwise disparate concepts across two focused study areas
• Perform critical analysis of arguments/problems and craft thoughtful responses and/or develop creative solutions
• Craft written documents common to the modern workplace and appropriate for professional environments
• Make decisions based on evidence and explain the rationale for those decisions
• Plan a significant final project/paper that synthesizes key elements of the student's learning experience within the program (e.g. general education, focused study areas, professional studies core

Note: Students should strongly consider a more specialized major before enrolling in the Professional Studies program. Some employment opportunities may prefer bachelor's degrees from more specific fields that require a larger number of credits in a discipline than is afforded through this program's broader generalized approach.

Note: Students considering graduate study should research the admissions standards of the programs/institutions in which they are interested and consider aligning focused study area course selections to prerequisite courses for those programs of interest.

Professional Studies Core (12 Semester Hours)

• MGT 333 - Organizational Communication
• MGT 381 - Principles of Management
• BU 383 - Leadership
• PRO 490 - Senior Seminar in Professional Studies

Focus Groups (30 Semester Hours)

Fifteen (15) semester hours must be completed from two focus groups listed below with at least nine (9) semester hours from each area completed at the 300- or 400-level and nine (9) semester hours from each area must be completed at MUW.

Focus Group: Business Administration

Accounting, Business, Business Quantitative Analysis, Economics, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing

Focus Group: Food and Nutrition

Culinary Arts, Nutrition

Focus Group: Health Related Professions

Health and Kinesiology

Focus Group: Humanities I

English, Foreign Languages, Philosophy, Communication, Religion

Focus Group: Humanities II

History, Political Science, Geography

Focus Group: Human Sciences

Family Studies, Psychology, Sociology

Focus Group: Information Technology

Management Information Systems (excluding MIS 157), Computer programming course(s)

Focus Group: Legal Administration

Legal Studies

Focus Group: Management

Management

Focus Group: Marketing

Marketing

Focus Group: Mathematics/Programming

Mathematics, Fortran, Programming in C++

Focus Group: Natural Science

Biology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Physics

Focus Group: Pre-Professional Programs

*Education, *Baccalaureate Nursing, *Speech-Language Pathology

* Credit in Education, Baccalaureate Nursing, and Speech-Language Pathology must be earned prior to application to Professional Studies major.

Total Hours Required for Professional Studies, BPS: 120 Semester Hours