Master of Professional Studies
UNA's Master of Professional Studies (MPrS) degree program is designed to meet the educational and career-oriented objectives of today's working professionals. The MPrS degree appeals to students interested in building organizational leadership skills in the areas of Community Development, Higher Education Administration, Information Technology, or Security and Safety Leadership. Students customize their area studies while enhancing their knowledge base specific to work and leadership within formal organizations.
Through this program students will demonstrate:
- an understanding of the nature and impact of major social, economic, and political forces, including population diversity, technological change, and globalization
- the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences
- the ability to conduct research and utilize research findings as a foundation for decision making
- the ability to lead, negotiate, and resolve conflicts
Credentials
Master of Professional Studies
Mode
100% online
Time to Complete
About 2 years depending on course load
Why UNA?
Degree Requirements
The Master of Professional Studies degree is a 33-36 credit hour program. The following six courses, called the "core" component, are required of all students seeking this degree:
| Course | Title | Number of Credit Hours |
| PRS 601 | Applied Research for Professionals | 3 credits |
| PRS 603 | Professional Communications | 3 credits |
| PRS 607 | Leadership, Negotiation, and Conflict Resolution | 3 credits |
| PRS 609 | Organizations, Institutions, and Change | 3 credits |
| PRS 611 | Globalization and Society | 3 credits |
| PRS 695 | Capstone/Thesis | 3-6 credits |
Click the following link to view course descriptions: PRS Courses of Instruction.
As students complete the core component, they will also be completing 15 credit hours of coursework (5 graduate-level courses) in their area of specialization (i.e., Community Development, Higher Education Administration, Information Technology, and Security and Safety Leadership). Students are expected to communicate with their academic advisor regarding the selection and scheduling of their specialization coursework within the completion of 12 graduate credit hours. Advising appointments will be arranged around the student's schedule.
Areas of Specialization
This specialization is designed for students whose career path puts them squarely within two or four-year systems of higher education. Courses have been developed focusing on student development and student affairs, enrollment management and institutional marketing, NCAA athletics, contemporary and legal issues, administrative organization, budgetary planning, institutional evaluation, and the Community College system. All courses are taught online by seasoned higher education professionals. The concentration is ideal for those currently employed in higher education and undergraduate students who derived satisfaction and purpose from their involvement in campus life.
Students in this concentration usually take 15 hours from the following courses:
| Introduction to Higher Education Administration | ||
| Organizational and Administrative Structure of Higher Education | ||
| Student Development Theory | ||
| Budgetary Management in Higher Education | ||
| Enrollment Management and Institutional Marketing | ||
| The Legal Environment of Higher Education | ||
| Student Affairs Practices, Theory and Policy | ||
| Contemporary Issues and Trends in Higher Education | ||
| The Community College System | ||
| Cultural Diversity in Higher Education | ||
| Empirical Assessment in HEA | ||
| University Advancement and Fundraising | ||
| Internship in Higher Education |
This is a unique specialization as students are free to approach their studies in terms of macro-level economic development issues or more micro-level issues focused on unique population needs or human/social capital development. Students can acquire the ability to work with citizens and community leaders to establish and help maintain viable and sustainable communities, improve human and social capital and help individuals and communities to reach their full potential. The concentration will be appropriate for students planning careers in both the private and public sectors.
Students in this concentration can take a wide variety of courses. Course choices are tailored to the student's needs. Previous students have received approval to take courses in Counseling (CHD 602), Criminal Justice (CJ 650), Communication (COM 502, COM 575), Geography (GE 503, GE 504, GE 597, GE 697), Grant Writing (PRS 540), Family Studies (FS 501, FS 502, FS 510, FS 602, FS 604, FS 605, FS 606), Management (MG 545, MG 585, MG 602, MG 670, MG 685), Marketing (MK 630, MK 662, MK 687), Security and Emergency Management (SEM 506), and Social Work (SWE 540, SW 541, SW 561, SW 610, SW 670, SW 680).
This specialization is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of current and evolving technologies in the applied Information Technology (IT) field. Students will gain knowledge and skills enabling them to understand the principles underlying IT, understand technical and regulatory issues related to IT, apply IT best practices to enhance competitiveness and increase productivity, integrate IT into organizations, enhance IT awareness and literacy in organizations, and manage software and hardware cycles. This concentration will prepare students for careers in database systems management, informatics, information security, project management, software engineering, telecommunications management, and e-business development.
Students in this concentration area usually take all Computer Information Systems (CIS) courses. Previous students have received permission to take Geographic Information Science (GIS), Master of Business Administration (MBA), and Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) courses. Typical courses students within this concentration take are:
| Software Engineering for the Enterprise | |
| Info Systems Design and Project Management | |
| Information Systems Management | |
| Business Process Integration with ERP Systems | |
| Special Topics | |
| Electronic Commerce | |
| Independent study/research |
This specialization is designed to meet the professional development needs of students involved in the public or private safety sector. It is specially designed for students with experience or interest in law enforcement, the military, emergency management, disaster relief, corporate security, transportation security, public safety, hazards management, public health preparedness, and fire security. Students will gain familiarity with a wide range of homeland security issues, practices, and policies, including homeland security management, emergency response and disaster relief, inter-agency cooperation, leadership and performance management, the management of organizational change, and intelligence and strategic analysis. Students will graduate from the program with the ability to enhance the quality of life at community, regional, and national levels.
Students in this concentration area usually take Security and Management (SEM) courses. Previous students have also received approval to take graduate courses in Criminal Justice, Communication, Management, and Geoscience. Typical courses students within this concentration take are:
| SEM 500 | Foundations of Homeland Security and Emergency Management |
| Terrorism and Terrorist Operations | |
| Disaster Response and Recovery | |
| Homeland Security & Emergency Management Seminar/Exercise | |
| Internship/Practicum in Security and Emergency Management | |
| Special Topics In Security and Emergency Management |
Testimonials
Erin Letson, MPrS in Community Development
Vice President of Sales, WordCom, Inc.
"The MPrS program provided me with the resources, knowledge, and skills to grow within the corporate and private foundation space. The professors at UNA supported my passion in establishing a career that focuses on building relationships and cultivating partnerships. In my position as Vice President of Sales, I am a problem solver for our current and potential customers. From identifying potential leads to nurturing current customer relationships and closing deals, I play an integral role in helping our line of products and our clients be successful.”
Dominic Summerhill, MPrS in Higher Education Administration
Assistant Director of Greek Life, Auburn University
"Thanks to the MPrS program, I was able to gain the knowledge base of higher education to help me be the best student affairs practitioner that I could be. I’ve been fortunate to work at 3 different institutions (University of North Alabama, Middle Tennessee State University, and now Auburn University) doing what I love helping students have the best experience in Greek Life."
Paul Michael, MPrS in Information Technology
Mapping GIS Professional, Sheffield Utilities
"After graduating from UNA with a BS in Geography (GIS) in 2005, I knew I wanted to eventually go back and get a master’s degree. In late 2018 I started taking graduate classes in other disciplines. I found out that as a professional already working in my desired field, some of the required classes were not the best fit for me. After a few talks about my career path with Dr. Robertson in the Interdisciplinary & Professional Studies program, we both agreed that the MPrS degree with a specialization in Information Technology (IT) was the perfect route for me. This path still allowed me to take advanced classes that provided me with a broad understanding of current and evolving technologies in the applied IT field."
Admissions Requirements
Unconditional Admission:
- Earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. The baccalaureate degree must bear a strong substantive and conceptual relationship to the applicant's area of specialization within the MPrS degree.
- Overall undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.7 minimum on a 4.0 scale or 3.0 GPA in last 60 hrs. of undergraduate study.
- The GRE/MAT is NOT required.
Conditional Admission:
Applicants who do not meet the cumulative GPA standard but who demonstrate a minimum of three years of successful full-time work experience in a professional field may be admitted conditionally. Such applicants must have current and/or prior employers complete the Job Verification form. Employers will send this fillable form directly to Dr. Rebecca Linam (mps@una.edu).
Transfer Admission:
Students may transfer into the MPrS program up to 12 credit hours of graduate credit (grade of B or higher) with the approval of the MPrS Program Director. Contact the Interdisciplinary and Professional Studies program with any questions you may have concerning the transfer of graduate credits hours.
Additional Requirements:
- Along with the graduate application, students must submit a letter of intent (application essay) for evaluation. The letter of intent is an important element in defining the applicant's suitability for acceptance. It should introduce the applicant, address their reasons for applying, clearly identify the choice of concentration, and convey how the degree program will affect their future career plans. It should convey how the applicant's baccalaureate education and/or work experience has prepared them for graduate studies within their MPrS area of specialization, and identify possible graduate-level courses offered at UNA or other schools that may become part of the applicant's area of specialization (see Graduate Courses of Instruction).
- Three professional references must complete a fillable form for each applicant. Applicants input the email addresses of their references as part of the online application process.
- Transcripts from all prior undergraduate and graduate institutions must be requested and sent directly through an electronic transcript service to the UNA Office of Admissions at graduate@una.edu or mailed to Office of Graduate Admissions, UNA Box 5078, Florence, AL 35632.
Admissions Deadline
UNA is flexible when it comes to accepting and processing applications. Applications are considered upon receipt, and admissions decisions are made within a few weeks. Naturally, we encourage prospective students to apply for admission as early as possible. We are committed to reviewing applications efficiently and providing our prospective students with equally efficient feedback.