Online B.P.S. Curriculum

The online Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S.) major curriculum consists of 60 credits delivered in a subscription model. You'll pay a flat fee to access coursework in 14-week sessions. Take fully online courses and complete competencies at your pace, studying part-time or full-time. You can take the time you need to study while maintaining work and other commitments.

Transfer eligible credits for up to 75% of the B.P.S. degree and finish your program faster.

The B.P.S. degree includes 120 total credits. General education coursework makes up 60 credits of the program. Because this is a degree completion program, you must transfer to Winthrop University with a minimum of 30 credits. Your advisors will help you schedule and complete your General Education requirements before you can begin the B.P.S.

The professional studies major coursework is 60 credits, consisting of core courses, concentration courses, a capstone course and electives.

 

General Education (22-46 Credits)

Writing and Critical Thinking

  • WRIT 101: Composition (3 credits)
  • HMXP 102: Requirement satisfied with major courses PFST 301 and 302 (0 credits)
  • CRTW 201: Requirement satisfied with major courses PFST 303 (0 credits)
  • Oral Communication: See approved list; may be met in major (0-3 credits)
  • Technology: See approved list; may be met in major (0-3 credits)
  • Intensive Writing: See approved list; may be met in major (0-3 credits)
  • Constitution Requirement: See approved list; may be met with another requirement (0-3 credits)
  • Physical Activity: See approved list (1 credit)

Thinking Critically Across Disciplines*

  • Global Perspectives: See approved list; may be met in major (0-3 credits)
  • Historical Perspectives: See approved list (3 credits)

Introducing Students to Broad Disciplinary Perspectives

  • Social Science: See approved list; must include 2 designators; may be partially met in major (3-6 credits)
  • Humanities and Arts: See approved list; must include 2 designators (6 credits)
  • Quantitative Skills and Natural Science: 3 courses; may be partially met in major (6-12 credits)
  • Quantitative Skills: See approved list; may be met in major (0-8 credits)
  • Natural Science: See approved list; must include one lab science. If two courses are taken, they must be in two different groups: Life, Physical, Earth; may be met in major (3-8 credits)

* A maximum of 18 credits in courses with designators in the College of Business Administration may be applied to a PFST concentration (ACCT, BADM, CSCI, ECON, ENTR, HCMT, MGMT, MKTG and QMTH).

B.P.S. Required Courses (18 Credits)

MGMT 321: Management and Organizational Behavior (3 credits)

Comprehensive survey of the principles of management and organizational behavior in all forms of business.

PFST 301: Introduction to Professional Studies (3 credits)

This course introduces the adult student to the B.P.S. degree program and helps them link prior learning and/or experience with future career goals. The course also provides a broad and analytical perspective on the principles of learning as a working adult.

PFST 302: Diversity and Collaboration in the Workplace (3 credits)

Students learn principles and best practices governing human interaction in professional settings. Ethical principles are integrated with practical principles and practices, as these together foster strong professional organizations and positive community relationships.

PFST 303: Applied Critical Thinking (3 credits)

Students build their critical thinking skills for application in academic and professional settings. Students learn a practical method of critical thought and analysis and develop written and spoken application of the method to understand and resolve practical real-world challenges and issues.

PFST 401: Professional Identity and Leadership Development (3 credits)

Students in this course establish and develop a professional identity and refine professional skills for application in specific professional settings. Students will encounter complex and challenging professional problems and apply ethical principles and critical thinking strategies to resolve them.

PFST 402: Global Environments and Economies (3 credits)

This course introduces the student to the systems and complexities of the global economy and to the issues that these create for the working professional. The course reveals principles for critically understanding and evaluating the global dimensions of the given professional setting. Faculty-led study of professional settings abroad is an integral component of the course; other global experiences may be considered pending approval from the program.

Core A: Managing & Leading the Organization

MATH 241: Finite Probability and Statistics (3 credits)

Elementary topics in probability and statistics, including descriptive statistics, binomial and normal distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing (including Chi-square tests), simple linear regression and correlation and the examination of published research.

MKTG 380: Principles of Marketing (3 credits)

Survey of principles organizations use in marketing goods, services, ideas, and people. A variety of projects and assignments using marketing concepts to help students see the interrelation and interdependence of various business functions and the importance of ethical decision-making.

PFST 450: Project Management w CRISP-DM (3 credits)

Students in this course will appraise the fundamentals of project management, resource management, calculating return on investment, budgeting and personnel management. Attention will also be paid to the Cross-industry standard process for data mining (CRISP-DM) analytics model as it applies to projects in the discipline of organizational operations and health informatics. Students will develop skills to effectively manage a project by having a solid grasp on project lifecycles, standards and methodologies developed by Project Management Institute (PMI).

Community and Health Services Concentration (18 credits)

HCMT 200: Introduction to Health Care Management (3 credits)

Review of the current and historical social, political and scientific factors that influence the U.S. healthcare system. Students are introduced to the structure, organization, financing, utilization and history of health and medical care services in the United States. International and U.S. health trends are reviewed. Course meets social science requirement for General Education Requirements.

HCMT 300: The Healthcare Manager (3 credits)

Introduction to and analysis of managerial roles and practices in healthcare organizations. This course develops basic managerial competencies appropriate for future managers in the healthcare industry.

HLTH 300: Personal & Community Health (3 credits)

A study of health issues and problems as they relate to the individual.

MCOM 304: Intercultural Communication (3 credits)

Examination of the similarities and differences of cultures throughout the world. Helps develop an appreciation of cultural diversity and how differences in cultures affect communication.

NUTR 221: Human Nutrition (3 credits)

Basic nutrition concepts applied to the needs of individuals, families and communities.

PHIL 319: Diverse Moral Thinking Styles (3 credits)

This course explores many different styles of moral thinking with a focus on identifying, describing or defining the key thinkers, core concepts and moral dimensions of each. The course requires students to integrate results from diverse moral thinking styles to address a situational moral problem.

Health Informatics Concentration (18 credits)

ACCT 278: Introduction to Accounting Concepts for Managers (3 credits)

This course introduces financial and managerial accounting, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, interpret and use accounting information effectively. The course covers the fundamental concepts and principles of accounting, including the financial accounting process, reporting requirements, financial statement analysis, cost accounting systems, cost-volume-profit analysis and incremental analysis. Students will gain a thorough understanding of how accounting information is used to make informed business decisions and assess the financial performance of organizations.

BADM 361: Introduction to Analytics and Digital Visualization (3 credits)

This course introduces data visualization and modeling techniques in a data-rich business setting. It covers the process of formulating business objectives, data preparation and study design, followed by implementation and evaluation of predictive models for a variety of practical business applications. The course takes a learning-by-doing approach with the use of industry best practice technology.

DSCI 352: Programming and Databases for Health Informatics (3 credits)

This course covers fundamental topics in programming and database systems for health informatics. Students are introduced to general programming principles using the Python language and core concepts of database processing and systems. Several database models are explored with emphasis on the relational model. Students will develop software applications to manipulate large sets to solve a variety of health informatics problems. Additionally, students will create, load and access a database using an existing database management system. Restricted to students enrolled in competency-based education program only.

DSCI 355: Problem Solving Methods in Health Informatics (3 credits)

This course will provide a broad overview of data science and statistics concepts, methodologies, implementation techniques and programming. Topics will include supervised and unsupervised learning models, quality control and optimization via linear programming. Applications to organizational operations are emphasized.

ECON 214: Foundations of Economic Analysis (3 credits)

This course introduces microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, interpret and use economic information effectively. The course covers the fundamentals of production and market analysis and introduces students to macroeconomic models and policy. Students will be able to characterize production and trade utilizing concepts of opportunity costs and comparative advantage, analyze the effect of changing economic conditions on market outcomes and interpret macroeconomic models to analyze economic policy.

HLTH 310: Introduction to Health Informatics (3 credits)

This course introduces fundamental terminologies and components in health informatics. Through case studies, students are exposed to important and current topics, including electronic medical records (EMR), Electronic Health Records (EHR), health data and ethics, standards and sourcing in administrative, clinical and financial aspects of healthcare.

Organizational Leadership Concentration (18 credits)

HLTH 300: Personal & Community Health (3 credits)

A study of health issues and problems as they relate to the individual.

MCOM 304: Intercultural Communication (3 credits)

Examination of the similarities and differences of cultures throughout the world. Helps develop an appreciation of cultural diversity and how differences in cultures affect communication.

MGMT 322: Introduction to Talent Management (3 credits)

Contemporary theory and practice of human resource and talent management with emphasis on the behavioral sciences approach.

MGMT 475: Leadership in Organizations (3 credits)

Broad overview of leadership theories, decision-making, personal leadership styles, and current leadership issues.

MGMT 485: Organizational Development, Innovation and Change (3 credits)

This course explores strategies for fostering organizational growth and adaptability in a dynamic business environment. Students learn innovation methodologies, change management principles and personal skills to drive positive transformations across the diverse organizational landscape.

PHIL 319: Diverse Moral Thinking Styles (3 credits)

This course explores many different styles of moral thinking with a focus on identifying, describing or defining the key thinkers, core concepts and moral dimensions of each. The course requires students to integrate results from diverse moral thinking styles to address a situational moral problem.

Organizational Operations Concentration (18 credits)

ACCT 278: Introduction to Accounting Concepts for Managers (3 credits)

This course introduces financial and managerial accounting, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, interpret and use accounting information effectively. The course covers the fundamental concepts and principles of accounting, including the financial accounting process, reporting requirements, financial statement analysis, cost accounting systems, cost-volume-profit analysis and incremental analysis. Students will gain a thorough understanding of how accounting information is used to make informed business decisions and assess the financial performance of organizations.

BADM 361: Introduction to Analytics and Digital Visualization (3 credits)

This course introduces data visualization and modeling techniques in a data-rich business setting. It covers the process of formulating business objectives, data preparation and study design, followed by implementation and evaluation of predictive models for a variety of practical business applications. The course takes a learning-by-doing approach with the use of industry best practice technology.

DSCI 412: Data Science and Statistics for Organizational Operations (3 credits)

TBD

ECON 214: Foundations of Economic Analysis (3 credits)

This course introduces microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, interpret and use economic information effectively. The course covers the fundamentals of production and market analysis and introduces students to macroeconomic models and policy. Students will be able to characterize production and trade utilizing concepts of opportunity costs and comparative advantage, analyze the effect of changing economic conditions on market outcomes and interpret macroeconomic models to analyze economic policy.

PFST 410: Introduction to Operations Processes (3 credits)

Students in this course will explore and interpret the strategic role and importance that operations processes play in an organization. Topics include process design principles, cycle time, bottleneck analysis, work in progress (WIP), process variability, and quality and basic queuing models. Special emphasis will be placed on gauging how technology tools, data analysis and methods such as Statistical Process Control and CRISP-DM can be leveraged by an organization to ensure that its products and services are of high quality.

PFST 415: Logistics and Supply Chain Management (3 credits)

Students in this course will examine and appraise the basic and intermediate concepts in supply chain and logistics management. Students will explore the specifics of sourcing, supplier assessment, contract management, purchase order management, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), provision of service, data collections and logistics management (i.e., the warehousing, distribution and transportation of materials, supplies and products). Other items to be addressed in the course are management of inventory, Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) and how effective management of supply chain can create value for the company and enable it to meet its strategic objectives. Students will use critical thinking skills to gauge how to use performance metrics, tools and techniques to examine a company’s supply chain operations. The course will conclude with an evaluation of how customer-centric supply chain can deliver higher revenue, profit and overall value for a company.

Practicum Course (3 Credits)

PFST 495: Professional Studies Capstone Seminar (3 credits)

Students draw upon the resources of their core and concentration coursework to conduct an independent research project or practical field study at their place of employment, at a community organization or Winthrop University on a contemporary work-related issue. The research or practical field study will allow students to work on a question or problem of their choice. Students will apply ethical, critical and professional principles to research, understand and resolve their chosen issue. Students will produce a formal academic paper that reflects a deep understanding of the topic selected and includes correctly formatted borrowed material and will make a formal presentation of their work to an audience of students and faculty members.

Elective Courses (26-50 credits)

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An online B.P.S. from Winthrop University helps prepare you with the adaptable expertise and skills you need to progress toward your career goals.

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