Master of Professional Studies
School of Professional Studies
Thomas A. Michaud, Ph.D., Dean
The School of Professional Studies (SPS) is located at the Highlands Center, just outside Wheeling, West Virginia. Through the SPS, WLU offers the Master of Professional Studies graduate program with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership. This degree is for students seeking career advancement and personal and professional enrichment. The degree consists of a core plus an area of emphasis in Organizational Leadership.
Mission Statement
The School of Professional Studies (SoPS ) is dedicated to serving adults, both undergraduate and graduate learners. All of the SoPS’ degree programs emphasize applied learning, learning which is practically relevant to professional work. SoPS faculty are broadly experienced in the fields which they teach and develop their courses with the working knowledge they have acquired. The faculty, moreover, respect the experiences of their adult students and aim to facilitate student learning by relating to and drawing on the work-based learning the students already possess.
Admission Requirements
For admission to the MPS Program, the following requirements must be met:
- Completed admissions application.
- Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework to verify a bachelor’s degree, in any field, from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 2.5 overall undergraduate grade point average.
International Student Requirements
In addition to the requirements listed above, please submit:
- Proof of English Proficiency: Please submit one of the following test results that has been completed within the past three years: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Minimum acceptable scores 595 (paper test), 195 (computer based test) or 70 (internet test) for graduate study or Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) – The minimum acceptable score is 82% for graduate study or a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for graduate study.
- Credit Certification: Have all your coursework and credits from institutions outside of the United States evaluated by a credential evaluation service provider [e.g., World Education Services (WES), Global Credential Evaluators (GCE), Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE), American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), etc.]
- Proof of Financial Support: Submit adequate documentation of financial support for one academic year (nine months). [e.g., official bank statement, sponsorship award letters, scholarship awards, Affidavit of Support (DHS Form I-134), etc.]
- Copy of your ID page in your passport
- Immunization shot records
Graduation Requirements
The 30 credit hour Master of Professional Studies (MPS) requires:
- 9 credit hours in the Master of Professional Studies core
- 21 credit hours in a concentration area
- With at least a B in each course
Required MPS Core Courses (9 hours):
Choose One Concentration (21 hours)
Organizational Leadership Emphasis
The structure and curricular design of this Emphasis will emphasize learning directly relevant to leadership in professional employment, namely management and supervision in for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Required:
| MPS 503 | Methods of Applied Research | 3 |
| MPS 504 | History of Modern Leadership | 3 |
| MPS 505 | Essen of Leadership Operations | 3 |
| MPS 506 | Legal Environ of Org Leadershp | 3 |
| MPS 507 | Applied Research Proj Proposal | 3 |
Choose 6 hours from the following:
| MPS 508 | Lead Org Chg, Creat & Divrs | 3 |
| MPS 509 | Org Risk Assess & Decis-Making | 3 |
| MPS 510 | Understand Ldrship Thru Biog | 3 |
| MPS 511 | Current Issues in Leadership | 3 |
| MPS 578 | Special Topics in Prof Studies | 3 |