Professional Studies, Human Resources Leadership Concentration, M.P.S.

Pamela D. Morris, Program Director
(615) 898-5920
Pamela.Morris@mtsu.edu

Mike Boyle, Academic Program Coordinator
(615) 898-2177
Mike.Boyle@mtsu.edu

The University College offers the Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) with concentrations in Human Resource Leadership, Strategic Leadership, and Training and Development in conjunction with all six of the Tennessee Board of Regents universities. Courses are offered online each semester through the Regents Online Degree Program (RODP). For more information contact mps@mtsu.edu, call (615) 898-5611 or visit www.mtsu.edu/universitycollege/distance/mps.php.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Master of Science in Professional Studies program requires

an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college;
an acceptable grade point average (GPA) in all college work taken (at least 2.75 for unconditional admission);
completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with acceptable scores OR a portfolio of works for those with a 2.75 GPA or higher and five (5) years of professional full-time work experience;
competency in word processing, library retrieval systems, presentation graphics, spreadsheets, and databases. Students must be computer literate (using email, posting discussions, using chat, web page navigation, uploading attachments, etc.) as well as have excellent time management skills in order to be successful in the online course environment;
regular access to a computer and reliable Internet connection. To view hardware and software requirements please go to www.rodp.org/current-students/technical-support.

NOTE: Candidates for the Master of Professional Studies may enroll for one semester before being fully admitted to the program.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Applicant must

submit application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php);
submit official transcripts from all collegiate institutions attended;
submit three letters of reference;
submit official scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). A composite GRE score of 291 (current scale) or 900 (former scale) is expected for consideration of unconditional admission. applicants with a 2.75 GPA or higher and five (5) years of professional full-time work experience may submit a portfolio of works in place of a GRE score. Applicants who meet this requirement may inquire about the portfolio requirements by e-mailing mps@mtsu.edu or going to www.mtsu.edu/universitycollege/distance/mps.php.

Degree Requirements

Candidate must

complete a minimum of 33 semester hours of graduate credit (See Curriculum section below for specifics.);
complete a professional project during the final semester of the program.

Curriculum: Professional Studies, Human Resources Leadership

Candidate must complete 33 hours in the following course of study:

Core Courses (9 hours)

PRST 6100 - Professional Environment: Issues and Ethics 3 credit hours
PRST 6200 - Globalization and the Professions 3 credit hours
PRST 6300 - Research Methods 3 credit hours

Concentration Requirements (12 hours required)

PRST 6040 - Human Resources Management 3 credit hours
PRST 6600 - Statistical Analysis 3 credit hours
PRST 6910 - Employment and Human Resources Law 3 credit hours
PRST 6920 - Diversity in the Workplace 3 credit hours

Students will select 1 of the following:

PRST 6310 - Leadership in Organization 3 credit hours
PRST 6500 - Foundations of Leadership 3 credit hours

Students will select 2 of the following:

PRST 6700 - Conflict Management and Negotiations 3 credit hours
PRST 6930 - Compensation and Benefits 3 credit hours
PRST 6940 - Recruitment , Selection, and Retention 3 credit hours
PRST 6400 - Instructional Design Training and Development 3 credit hours

Professional Project

PRST 6998 - Professional Project 3 credit hours
PRST 6998 must be taken during the final semester of the program. Students should begin planning their projects when they enter the M.P.S. program. They should consult their advisors about appropriate topics and submit their proposals for approval prior to entering this course.

NOTE: The 5000 and 6000 levels numbering of courses for APSU/ETSU/TSU will be crosslisted with the 6000 levels used by MTSU and TTU and the 7000 levels numbering of courses used at UOM.

Program Notes

Candidate must

file a degree plan in the College of Graduate Studies prior to the completion of 21 credit hours;
file a Notice of Intent to Graduate form with the College of Graduate Studies within the first two weeks of the term in which candidate intends to graduate.

NOTE: Students with full-time employment are limited to two (2) online courses per semester.