The Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies (BPS) with the University of Cincinnati Online is a fully online program where students can use their existing work experience toward a degree. This program emphasizes a breadth of study to teach students applicable skills that will make them more appealing in a job market that continues to grow more competitive. This program is ideal for adult learners with existing work experience as well as high school graduates interested in broad fields of study.
With more than half of the jobs in career paths related to this program requiring a bachelor’s degree in addition to work experience, Professional Studies will help students hone their interests toward new applicable skills. The professional studies curriculum is designed to flex according to each student’s aspirations and their unique situations.
UC Online is giving students the opportunity to let their life experience help them reach higher career milestones. There are many opportunities to fast-track the course load depending on how prior work experience applies for each student. This means students can spend more time studying their areas of interest.
The University of Cincinnati Online believes that the voices of students deserve to be heard. This is especially true of the BPS Program Director, Dr. Brittany Arthur. The professional studies degree program proves this by allowing students to build their own education track to focus on courses that they are most passionate about.
Not every student wants the same thing from college, so it makes sense that not every student’s journey will be the same in this program. While there are required courses, a Bachelor’s in Professional Studies is your best opportunity to take control of your professional growth. From your very first course, you’ll be working with our world-class faculty to assess your previous work and education experience to determine an education track fits your goals.
One of the top priorities at the University of Cincinnati is “Next Lives Here”, which is fully represented by this online bachelor of arts degree. UC Online invites you to use your past to forge your future in the Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies program. Take advantage of the work you have done already to finish a bachelor’s degree you’ll be proud of!
The BAPS degree is designed to be highly applicable to many areas of the growing job market! This means that a professional studies degree is worth the time and investment today and will continue to be. Graduates of this program stand out much more to potential employers thanks to the unique experience provided through UC Online!
Visit our professional studies careers page to see examples of the jobs a bachelor of professional studies graduate can qualify for!
The Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies is a degree completion program, like others at UC Online. It is built for anyone who has completed high school level education or some college and have life experience ranging from professional work history to volunteer work emphasizing leadership and organization skills.
There are three common goals students have when applying for this program:
If you are striving for at least one of these goals, this is the program for you! Your past life experience will be used in your favor to ensure you achieve your professional goals.
Jacob has been working full-time for a non-profit for many years. Recently, he realized he reached a point where he was “stuck” in his current position. Despite years of experience, the positions he is most interested in all require a bachelor’s degree. He has some college credit from years ago that he’d like to use to his advantage to finish his bachelor’s degree quickly. He is prepared to use his technical experience he gained while working to earn a degree online and qualify for more opportunities in a wide range of fields.
William has always been passionate about academics and learning. He completed a year of college, but decided to join the workforce working in retail and is currently working in a management position. He has been interested in changing his career path to work in human resources at a local company. He is determined to use the experience he has in management and technical experience using Microsoft and Google on a regular basis to help him finish a bachelor’s degree and change his career field to what he’s most passionate about.
Tabitha is a busy mother of three who has worked in call center and sales environments for years to support her spouse and family. Finishing a college degree has always been a “bucket list” item for her that she never had the time to pursue until recently. With her children all living on their own, she now has the time to commit to going to school while still working. Despite not having prior college experience, she is confident that her years of work experience will serve her well in going back to school to fulfill her goal of earning a degree.
Whether you have existing college credits or work experience, UC Online is committed to help you achieve your personal and professional goals and help you use your existing experience to your advantage.
UC Online partners with hundreds of companies and organizations to offer tuition scholarships to employees, spouses and dependents.
“Like most students at UC Online, I have a busy schedule. I manage my design business, clients, and our family’s schedule, and I was concerned about coming back to college after being away from school for many years. Being in my 50’s, school online was intimidating at first, but I am glad that I made it a priority because you are never too old to get your degree! If this program seems too good to be true, it’s not! I always knew there was someone I could reach out to with questions and get a prompt response, and collaborating with my peers in discussion boards helped me never feel isolated. If you are on the fence about returning to finish your bachelor’s degree like I was, please take the leap and do it, because you will not regret it!”
“As I weighed my options to reentering university as an adult learner, I wanted my schooling to be purposeful, interesting, and fast-tracked. The BPS Foundations course requires you to reflect on and evaluate your past experiences, while simultaneously exposing you to a growth mindset. The subjects discussed during the first semester were so captivating and stimulating, that since the semester ended, I have pursued further independent learning. For professionals looking to go back and finish their degree, I cannot recommend this program enough! ”
Depending on each student’s life experience and prior college experience, the Bachelor’s in Professional Studies (BAPS) can be completed in as few as 4-6 semesters. Your unique education track will be determined during the foundations course in the first semester.
The Bachelor’s in Professional Studies is designed around the Industry Recognized Credentials that employers are looking for. This means that your unique education experience will be built around your goals and will be tailored to help you succeed in your industry.
Popular Career Paths Include:
Here are some average annual salaries for popular career paths with a Bachelor’s in Professional Studies. All data is from the U.S. Department of Labor – See the BAPS Careers Page for more details!
Additional resources to support you from start to finish.
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