academic news
LEC Launches MPS Program
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ake Erie College (LEC) announces the approval and launch of a new and unique online Masters in Professional Studies (MPS) degree whic is the first of its kind in Ohio. Designed to support a wide variety of professionals at various levels in their careers, this program will help students develop sought-after and marketable skills in areas such as organizational dynamics, leadership, negotiation and problem-solving. Open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree of any type, the MPS program will be particularly appealing to working adults who seek to build specific skills to support and grow within their organization. The MPS degree will also appeal to those not currently in the workforce (e.g., those with graduate degrees looking for employment, individuals who are laid off, etc.) and to those who seek to broaden or develop their skills to support reentry or position transitions. Of the new degree, Dr. Bryan DePoy, LEC’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, says “the program is designed to be highly relevant to the skills needed in a broad range of companies and organizations, and the fact that it’s online means that it is accessible to a wide range of learners who seek to grow professionally.” With skills development and outcomes related to communication, leadership, critical inquiry and ethics, the Lake Erie College’s MPS degree has three available
concentrations: Professional Communication, Organizational Behavior Management and an interdisciplinary track that allows students to customize a degree that aligns with their career goals and professional aspirations. As the only degree of its type with a unique array of courses and concentrations, the Master of Professional Studies Degree combines Lake Erie College’s experienced faculty, partnerships with a wide range of companies and organizations, and emphasis on individualized learning to meet the needs of career-oriented students seeking a skillsbased graduate program. The program is situated in the College’s School of Business, home of Lake Erie College’s successful MBA program, business dean Dr. Jenni Kinnaird states, “the Masters of Professional Studies is a wonderful new addition to the graduate degree options available at Lake Erie College. The degree provides both the opportunity to develop specific skills that employers are looking for and the flexibility for students to tailor and complete a degree that meets their specific needs and interests.” For more information about applying for the program, visit lec.edu/mps. Questions about the MPS degree may be directed to Dr. Jenni Kinnaird, dean of the school of business, at jkinnaird@lec.edujkinnaird@lec.edu.
Lake erie | winter 2021 | 15
