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Program Description

Cedar Crest College’s Master of Professional Studies degree is an innovative program that provides working professionals with targeted choices that fill a need for in-demand credentials desired by employers and prepares graduates for life and work in a cutting-edge marketplace and an ever-changing world.  The Master of Professional Studies – a 30-credit hour, fully online program – allows learners to select two graduate certificates and create their own customized curriculum relevant to today’s market and their interests and career goals. This stackable certificate approach is geared toward today’s busy professional who may be looking for a more convenient, flexible, and specialized alternative to a traditional MBA or other graduate program. 

Learners pursue two focused 12-credit graduate certificates in the content areas of their choice. The remaining 6 credits to complete the master’s degree consist of two core courses: a 3-credit Managerial and Leadership Skills course and a 3-credit Integrated Practicum capstone course. The entire master’s degree can be completed in as few as 12 months on a full-time basis, on a 24-month aid-compatible schedules, or at the student’s own pace on a part-time basis.  There are five certificate options currently available to students interested in completing the Master of Professional Studies degree, with more certificates to be offered soon.

Upon completion of the two certificates and the two three-credit MPS core courses, students will graduate with a master’s degree that combines their two chosen content areas. 

For example:

  • Strategic Leadership Certificate +
  • Human Resource Management Certificate +
  • 2 Master of Professional Studies core courses =

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Master of Professional Studies degree.

Certificates Available:

  • Dietetic Internship (Available through Department of Nutrition)
  • Diversity and Women’s Leadership (under MBA, above)
  • Health Care Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Management Information Systems (Directed Study Only)
  • Strategic Leadership (under MBA, above)
  • Additional Future Offerings to Be Determined

Graduates will develop and demonstrate the skills and competencies needed to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to integrate and synthesize knowledge across two distinct fields of study and developed skills needed to conduct professional work.
  • Create an integrative career plan: share and integrate knowledge, present a formal project proposal, and create a strategic plan for his/her career future.
  • Cooperate and collaborate with professionals in each of the fields of study to build a professional network.

Program Mission Statement

The Master of Professional Studies degree program at Cedar Crest College prepares students to be innovative and interdisciplinary thinkers across existing knowledge domains.  Through a concentrated focus on two distinct academic areas and the connections between them, students learn to think across departmental silos toward creative solutions.  Through dual mastery of in-demand areas, our graduates forge unique interdisciplinary career pathways that meet emerging organizational needs.

Program Requirements

To complete the MPS degree, a student in the program must take a minimum of 30 credits, complete two graduate certificates the required core courses, and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0.

General Admissions Requirements

Students are admitted to graduate programs at Cedar Crest College on the basis of individual qualifications. Requests for application materials and all correspondence relating to admission should be addressed to:

Cedar Crest College

School for Adult and Graduate Education

100 College Drive

Allentown, PA 18104-6196

Phone: 610-740-3770

Email: 

Fax: 610-740-3786

Online Application Materials: www.cedarcrest.edu/apply

On campus, the main office for the School for Adult and Graduate Education is located in Blaney Hall, Room 105 and is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to – 4:30 p.m.

The general admissions requirements for the Master of Professional Studies program are as follows:

  • An applicant must possess a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Complete an application form.
  • Send official transcripts to the School of Adult and Graduate Education.
  • Submit one letter of recommendation.
  • Submit flex requirement: one additional letter of recommendation, GRE or GMAT score, or have two years’ professional work experience.
  • Submit a copy of your resume.

Submit a statement of your goals (approximately 500 words).

It is recommended that the applicant have completed the following coursework at the undergraduate level:

  • One semester of economics.
  • One semester of management or leadership.
  • One semester of statistics.

*GMAT or GRE test may be required if the applicant does not meet criteria established by the program.

Admissions Decisions

Each applicant will be considered from a holistic perspective. The Program Director reserves the right to ask the prospective candidate for additional information.

Matriculation

Matriculation is required for any student who plans to receive financial aid and obtain a graduate degree. A student applies for matriculation by submitting a completed application for admission to the School of Adult and Graduate Education. After submitting a complete application, students receive a letter from the College informing them of the decision concerning their acceptance as a degree candidate. Students are matriculated into the program once they have registered for classes during their first term of academic study. The date of matriculation is the first day of classes in the term in which the student is enrolled after having satisfied all matriculation requirements. Graduate programs may permit non-matriculated and visiting students to enroll in graduate courses on a case-by-case basis. In the event a graduate course reaches its enrollment maximum, matriculated students are given preference over non-matriculated students.

If students do not maintain matriculation, they must request a leave of absence (see below).

Transfer Credit Policy

Students entering the program may transfer up to 6 credits of coursework. The transferred coursework, however, must be equivalent to courses listed in the curriculum and must have been completed within ten years of the date of enrollment in the program (the first day of classes of a student’s first academic year). Once matriculated in the program, students must take all remaining coursework at Cedar Crest, except for external consortium courses taken with advisor approval.

Degree Program Retention Policy

Students must maintain a B or 3.0 average.  Students who receive a C or withdraw from a course are only allowed to repeat the class one time.  If students do not maintain a 3.0, they will be dropped from the program.  Students receiving three or more grades of C or below will be dropped from the program.  Students receiving a grade of F in a course taken for the first time will be put on probation and can be dropped from the program.  Students committing a substantial and documented academic integrity violation may be dropped from the program.

Leaves of Absence and Course Withdrawals

Students wishing to take a leave of absence from the program may request to do so in writing to the Director of the program. The granting of the requested leave is at the discretion of the Program Director.

Completion of the Graduate Program and Graduation

To successfully complete the MPS, a student must adhere to the following:

  • Complete all required coursework with a 3.0 average.
  • Apply to the Registrar for graduation by the published application deadline.
  • Fulfill all financial responsibilities to the College.

Graduate 2024-2025 Tuition and Fees

Tuition, per credit $8882.00

Student Activity Fee, per semester $20.00

Full-Time Technology Fee, per semester $125.00
Part-Time Technology Fee, per semester $75.00

Note: The College reserves the right to change fees and charges as necessary. Books, supplies, lab materials and other program costs are not included in the tuition.

Courses Required

BUA 500 Managerial and Leadership Skills (3 credits)
BUA 650 Integrated Practicum (3 credits)
Completion of any two 12-credit graduate certificates offered at Cedar Crest (24 credits)

Graduate Program Handbook

Each student will be given a copy of the Graduate Program Handbook prepared specifically for the Master of Professional Studies program. The purpose of the handbook is to provide students with information pertaining to the curricular requirements, policies, and procedures associated with the program. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and understanding the information presented in the Graduate Program Handbook. MPS students are also bound by policies established by Cedar Crest College for graduate students, as indicated in the Graduate Catalog, Faculty Handbook, or other official college publications. Questions regarding the content of the handbook or other graduate student policies should be directed to the MPS Program Director.

MPS Program Course Registration

Course registration is available to graduate students in good financial standing with the College. If a student is not financially eligible to register, the student may not register online or with a completed registration form in the Registrar’s Office until that hold is removed. A copy of the registration will be kept in the Registrar’s Office until notification of a change in the student’s status is received from Student Financial Services. Policies pertaining to online course registration vary across programs.