Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Master of Science in Professional Studies
Rochester Institute of Technology, USA
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
USD 41,424 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus, Distance Learning
* $41,424 - $54,974 | based on credits taken
Key Summary
About: The Master of Science in Professional Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology lets you create an individualized plan drawing on over 50 graduate programs. You can combine areas—sustainability with facility management or school psychology with secondary education for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The degree includes an applied capstone and is available on-campus or online.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can enter Advertising, PR and Marketing, Higher Education, Internet and Software, Government, Automotive, Electronic and Computer Hardware, Hotels and Accommodation, Tourism. Roles may include program or facilities manager, accessibility coordinator, product manager, or higher-education administrator depending on concentration.
The professional studies master's program enables students to create an individualized plan of study tailored to their personal and professional goals. The degree offers students the opportunity to draw on more than 50 of RIT's graduate programs to gain the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to respond successfully to new and emerging career opportunities.
For example, students interested in integrating sustainability into their career as a facilities manager might combine courses from the sustainability and facility management programs. Educators may be interested in combining courses from the school psychology and secondary education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing programs to improve their knowledge of special learning populations and the social issues students face in today's educational environments. There is a wide range of concentrations that can be created based on each student's professional career aspirations.
The degree also includes a capstone project. This applied, hands-on project is directly related to the student’s individualized plan of study.
The professional studies degree can be completed on-campus or online.
Concentration areas
Students create two or three concentrations with courses selected from a wide range of graduate programs at RIT. Some common concentration areas include:
Plan of study
The program requires the completion of 33 credit hours and can be completed through full- or part-time study. Students begin their studies with Contexts and Trends (PROF-705), the program’s foundation course. Throughout this course, students explore their personal career objectives and research RIT’s portfolio of graduate programs to identify courses that best match their professional and personal goals.
Students create two or three concentrations that make up their required coursework for the degree program. Each concentration is a selection of courses drawn from existing RIT graduate programs and can range from 9 to 15 credit hours. Graduate credits earned in other programs may be used in completing a concentration, upon approval.
Credit hours not required to fulfill a concentration area may be used as electives. All elective and transferred graduate courses need to be integrated into the proposed plan of study. With certain concentrations, the degree may be completed entirely through online learning.
Curriculum
Professional Studies, MS degree, typical course sequence
First Year
- PROF-705 Context and Trends
- Concentration A courses
- Concentration B courses
Second Year
- PROF-770 Capstone Proposal Seminar
- PROF-775 Capstone Project
- Concentration A or elective course
- Concentration B course
- Concentration B or elective course
RIT awards more than $37 million in merit scholarships and assistantships to graduate students each year. Scholarship awards range from 5% of tuition all the way up to full tuition. Awards are based on an applicant's academic excellence. Many things are considered when awarding scholarships - undergraduate grades, graduate placement test scores, and your research and work experience all factor in.
Graduate assistantships are offered to full-time matriculated graduate students to serve as teaching, research, or administrative assistants. Graduate Assistants receive wages (determined by the department making the appointment) in exchange for work performed. Many graduate assistants also receive tuition remission (i.e., tuition support) in addition to receiving wages for assistantship duties.
Graduate students can be awarded both scholarships and assistantships. These funding opportunities are the same for both US and international applicants.
RIT awards more than $30 million in merit scholarships and assistantships to graduate students each year. Scholarship awards range from 10% - 40% of tuition. Our median scholarship amount is around 30% of tuition or $13,000. Awards are based on an applicant's academic excellence. Many things are considered when awarding scholarships - undergraduate grades, graduate placement test scores, and your research and work experience all factor in.
Graduate assistantships are offered to full-time matriculated graduate students to serve as teaching, research, or administrative assistants. Graduate Assistants receive wages (determined by the department making the appointment) in exchange for work performed. Many graduate assistants also receive tuition remission (i.e., tuition support) in addition to receiving wages for assistantship duties.
Graduate students can be awarded both scholarships and assistantships. These funding opportunities are the same for both US and international applicants.
Optional Co-Op
Cooperative education is paid work assignments with corporations and organizations around the U.S. and abroad. Co-op allows students to spend one or more semesters employed in a full-time, paid position related to their academic program before they graduate. Many students use co-op earnings to help finance their education.
Work-Study
Graduate students studying full-time may apply to work part-time on campus. RIT has more than 9,000 jobs available yearly, and students typically work 10 – 20 hours per week. International students studying on an F-1 or J-1 visa may work up to 20 hours per week on campus and 40 hours during break periods.
Industries
- Advertising, PR, and Marketing
- Higher Education
- Internet and Software
- Government (Local, State, Federal)
- Automotive
- Electronic and Computer Hardware
- Hotels and Accommodation
- Tourism
Most of our programs offer "rolling" application review - there is no specific deadline for applications; applications will be accepted and reviewed throughout the year.