Bellevue's Individualized, Transfer-Friendly MPS

[Jonathan Whatley]

Bellevue University offers a Master of Professional Studies (MPS), 30 semester hours, highly individualized and with a welcoming position on transfer and prior learning credit.

The MPS is "designed to meet emerging workforce development needs and to develop advanced professional skill sets in various subject areas not currently represented in other Bellevue degree programs."

3 sh comes from an "individualized learning portfolio course which extends throughout a student’s entire enrollment period."

27 sh comes from "individually selected course credits which meet student declared goals documented in the student’s Individualized Plan of Study (IP). Course selection may include certificate of completions."

Of the 27 sh, up to 12 sh can come from "Prior Learning Assessment (e.g. graduate transfer credit, ELA, corporate articulations)." ELA stands for Experiential Learning Assessment, Bellevue's main program for personal learning portfolios for credit. This is distinct from that 3 sh of portfolio-based learning integrally required in every MPS.

Bellevue's graduate certificates of completion that could optionally be stacked toward an MPS, at this writing: Advanced Accounting, Analytics, Cybersecurity, Executive Coaching, Healthcare Finance, Information Security Management, IT Project Management, Management and Marketing, Quantitative & Financial Analysis, Strategic Deterrence, Tax.

Bellevue's graduate tuition is 585 per sh. For a student transferring in the maximum 12 sh, total Bellevue tuition would be 10 530. For a student completing the whole 30 sh through Bellevue courses, tuition would be 17 550. I haven't found costs for Bellevue's ELA process.

Bellevue University is a secular brick and mortar university in Bellevue, Nebraska founded in 1966 with a focus on working adults. It's offered online degree programs since 1996, an early mover.

Master of Professional Studies

Course Listing (Full university course listing, so includes undergrad courses and others that might not work toward an MPS.)
Assessment and Acceptance of Non In-residence Learning 
Academic Catalog and Student Handbook
Tuition and Fees

[videogamesrock]

Thank you for this.

[kevinmane]

That's a pretty good deal, but you'd still have to find cheaper and transferable 12 grad credits from elsewhere to transfer over. 
Even if they took education credits from VESIs, that still would make the total tuition about $12grand.

Granted, 12ish grand aint a bad deal, but it seems like there's more options advertised on here that are all less than $10k for this type of master's.

[videogamesrock]

I think the appeal is not having to take the he courses the university dictates you need to take. It seems like every masters has 3-4 courses I have no interest in.

[MNomadic]

Might be good to inquire if they take edx micromasters.

[dfrecore]

I'm not sure why anyone would want an MPS degree? I don't see the appeal to the marketplace. I always think that if I'm going to spend the time and money on a MA degree, that it better be something that will be extremely useful to me; be it deepening my knowledge into a particular space that I need for a job, or getting a promotion, or something like that. I'm not certain what the equivalent of a BALS degree would do for someone?

[videogamesrock]

My experience is that we over analyze degrees on this forum, I tried to explain to a friend of mine the difference between NA and RA -- they were so confused at the end. I would list the Masters of Professional Studies: Studies in XX XX. Plus most hiring folks really don't care what your major is in, in fact, education is worth less than the experience itself.

[sanantone]

My experience is that we over analyze degrees on this forum, I tried to explain to a friend of mine the difference between NA and RA -- they were so confused at the end.  I would list the Masters of Professional Studies: Studies in XX XX.  Plus most hiring folks really don't care what your major is in, in fact, education is worth less than the experience itself.

Why would you bother with the master's degree if it doesn't lead to a specific job other than for personal enrichment purposes? I can understand checking the box with a bachelor's degree, but not for a master's degree since there aren't a lot of jobs that just want a generic master's degree. I guess this could be helpful in the education field.

If I'm going to get a degree in nothing, it better be dirt cheap. This one costs too much.

[Jonathan Whatley]

Imagine you have 12 graduate credits in Subject A from a graduate certificate you completed, or courses you took individually for continuing ed, or a degree program you washed out of.

But now, you're done with Subject A. Taking even more courses in Subject A for a full master's in A isn't right for you.

But there's a good rationale to combine what you have in Subject A with new work in Subject B, and maybe Subject C.

Perhaps you could shop around and find a entire master's in Subject B that cost less than an interdisciplinary program. But starting from scratch without those 12 transfer credits, which would be out of subject in a degree devoted to B, would extend your time until completion. Note here too that the Bellevue MPS is 30 sh total, less than some master's you might compare. There's also the broader point that Bellevue might take credits from a nontraditional source like ELA portfolio that another comparison school would not.

And ultimately, you might want to be able to reflect your achievement across subjects with a line like videogamesrock suggests. Maybe "Master of Professional Studies, including studies in Subject A (12 semester hours), B (9), C (6), and professional integration (3)."

[videogamesrock]

My experience is that we over analyze degrees on this forum, I tried to explain to a friend of mine the difference between NA and RA -- they were so confused at the end.  I would list the Masters of Professional Studies: Studies in XX XX.  Plus most hiring folks really don't care what your major is in, in fact, education is worth less than the experience itself.

Why would you bother with the master's degree if it doesn't lead to a specific job other than for personal enrichment purposes? I can understand checking the box with a bachelor's degree, but not for a master's degree since there aren't a lot of jobs that just want a generic master's degree. I guess this could be helpful in the education field.

If I'm going to get a degree in nothing, it better be dirt cheap. This one costs too much.

I have 12 graduate credits available but I'm struggling with taking coursework in subjects that bore me.  So this degree sounds appealing as the PS courses all interest me without a restriction.  I don't need it for a job, but I'd love to take out another student loan to purchase another property.  I could move out of the place I live in now and rent that one out, it would yield double the loan and mortgage payment.  

In fact, by the end of the summer, I should have a total of 18 grad credits.  Once the masters is done I could focus more on accumulating certificates -- I've been looking at the University of Florida or even add a few offered by Bellevue.