KU announces online professional studies undergraduate programs for fall 2022
OVERLAND PARK — The University of Kansas is launching a new online bachelor’s degree program in professional studies for the 2022-2023 academic year, giving students with an associate degree or equivalent hours the chance to enter a growing and in-demand field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in management occupations is projected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030 and is expected to result in about 906,800 new jobs in a wide variety of sectors. Offered through KU’s School of Professional Studies, the online Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) program is designed with transfer students in mind and focuses on preparing students with professional and workforce-ready skills to ensure employment immediately following completion of the program.
Stuart Day, dean of KU Edwards Campus and School of Professional Studies, said this new program addresses a growing need in the Kansas City area and beyond.
“There are no other in-state options for students to pursue a BPS degree,” Day said. “The KU program is distinguished by its close connections with Lawrence and Edwards Campus academic programs, as well as community college partners like Johnson County Community College and Kansas City Kansas Community College. This bachelor’s program was designed with attention to the transfer students entering the program, and the preparation of students to acquire professional and workforce-ready skills leading to employment immediately following completion of the bachelor’s degree.”
The goal of a professional studies program is to prepare students with valued and relevant skills to help them achieve their desired career objectives. The curricular flexibility allows students to pursue a variety of professional paths and management opportunities after graduation. Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to succeed in courses relevant to their anticipated professions including project management, health care management and more.
“The curriculum for KU’s BPS program sets itself apart by giving students the opportunity to maximize the use of credit earned at other higher education institutions and offers a customizable, interdisciplinary and transfer-friendly curriculum that focuses on the professional management skills required across a wide range of career paths,” Day said.
The new online professional studies degree program, supported by the Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT), aims to graduate professionals ready to fill in-demand jobs in the Kansas City area and beyond.
