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U.S. Master of Professional Studies: 3 Facts for International Students

By U.S. News & World Report

Indonesian national Shantini Purnamasari describes her studies as an undergrad as “memorizing a lot of concepts from textbooks.” So when she searched for graduate schools in the U.S., she sought a program that provided more hands-on experience.

She landed on the New York University School of Professional Studies, where she is pursuing a Master of Science in hospitality industry studies. Purnamasari, who graduated this spring, says that through the program she learned how to apply concepts from the classroom in the workplace.

Prospective international students may be unaware of Master of Professional Studies — or MPS — degrees, which are geared toward students who want a more specific skillset to directly apply in their careers. The degree differs from traditional master’s degrees, which tend to focus on theory and research. These degrees are usually offered in the U.S. and Canada.

[Read about three critical graduate school considerations for international students.]

Here are three important facts prospective international students looking to study at U.S. graduate schools should know about these degrees as they consider their options.

1. They take less time and money: MPS programs are a minimum of one year long and, depending on the program, can prove cost-effective for prospective international students.

Indian national Manjari Sahu is enrolled in Carnegie Mellon University‘s one-year Master of Professional Studies in Design for Interactions. She says after working in the strategy and service design realm for three years in India, she sought the MPS degree because she “wanted a push” in the service and interaction design field, which she says Carnegie was reputable in.

Bruce M. Hanington, associate professor and director of graduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University School of Design, says the school’s MPS is a course-intensive variant of its Master of Design program, “ideally suited to working professionals who may prefer a shorter program to infuse new design expertise into their practice or to pivot their design careers.”

Tuition for the 2017-2018 academic year for both international and domestic students is $40,000, according to the website. Hanington says the MPS is one year of tuition compared to two for the Master of Design.

Cornell University also offers many MPS programs that students can complete in one year, says Janet D. Anderson, Cornell’s director of professional programs and extended learning for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She says 2017-2018 tuition for the primary MPS program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is $34,444, while the research master’s degree tuition is typically $20,800 per year.

“Some MS students receive grants/stipends and continue in research fields, whereas professional master’s students launch into careers in industry to achieve the return on their educational investment,” says Anderson.

[Discover how graduate schools are adding professional focus to programs.]

2. Students learn from industry professionals: Prospective international students can gain work experience, network and explore job opportunities through their MPS instructors.

Adele Ashkar, associate dean for academic excellence at George Washington University, says the school’s programs “give students the chance to engage with instructors that are active practitioners and who are often at the top of their profession.”

Students gain “knowledge and skill sets that are focused in very specific professional areas of expertise,” says Dennis Di Lorenzo, dean of NYU’s School of Professional Studies. The university’s MPS grads have found employment abroad at PwC, CitiGroup, Microsoft and Marriott International.

Carnegie Mellon student Sahu says her professors have great field experience and bring in guests currently working in the industry for talks and workshops. She and her classmates have collaborated with Dutch technology company Philips on two separate projects and with Microsoft for their main grad studio project, which challenged students to design a product, service or solution that combined the virtual and physical worlds. She says both collaborations have proven vital for her.

“I now have a summer design internship with Philips in Pittsburgh, and my team was selected by Microsoft to showcase our project at the Microsoft Design Expo in July at Seattle,” says Sahu. “Both of these opportunities were possible through the CMU faculty and resources.”

[Find out more about paying for graduate school.]

3. Many require an internship or work-study: MPS programs often require an internship or work-study, which means prospective international students get hands-on experience to apply back in their home country.

Chapman Rackaway, interim dean for the graduate school at Fort Hays State University in Kansas, says “internships are excellent ways for students to showcase their ability to apply theoretical learning into the working environment.”

Chinese national Zhexing Li, a 2015 graduate of the two-year MPS in sustainable urban planning at George Washington University, had an internship with World Resources Institute on a road safety program as well as a fellowship with Smart Growth America on walkable city studies.

Li, whose undergrad degree is in urban planning, says his MPS program showed him the field’s relationship with sustainability and gave him a stronger career direction.

He’s now working in Beijing for the China Fortune Land Development Company, a real estate development firm, but has plans to transition into a nonprofit organization, nongovernmental organization or consulting firm.

NYU student Purnamasari interned as a data analyst for hotel booking platform Stay Wanderful. She says it has allowed her to get familiar with the tools and technology used in the hospitality industry.

Purnamasari says that real-world experience from her degree program is preparing her well to achieve her goal of opening a resort in Bali, Indonesia.

Searching for a graduate school? Get our complete rankings of Best Graduate Schools.

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Plan for Study Abroad as International Student in the U.S.

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U.S. Master of Professional Studies: 3 Facts for International Students originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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