College of Education and Human Services
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
www.kent.edu/ehhs/tlcs

About This Program

Earn your B.S. in Professional Studies and advance your career in education, health or human services. This flexible, completer program builds skills in program planning, technology and multicultural communication, preparing you for roles in youth centers, social agencies, museums and more or for graduate study in a related field. Read more...

Contact Information

• Jennifer Ray-Tomasek | jtomasek@kent.edu | 330-672-0216
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • Mostly online
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers

Graduates have pursued careers in many human services, business and education-related services, including human resource offices, social service agencies. This program can also prepare students for graduate work. Recent graduates have pursued advanced degrees in Higher Education Administration, law, library service, instructional technology, and counseling.

The Professional Studies program can be designed to meet many different career goals. Employers often look for employees who have strength in communications, the ability to work well on teams, who are well-rounded in their education, demonstrate leadership skills, and possess excellent computer skills.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

Students wishing to declare the Professional Studies major must meet with either the program's coordinator or academic advisor to discuss their future academic and career goals and to develop an approved program of study. Ideally, students should begin the process for evaluation and program review at or near the time they have a minimum of 60 earned credit hours.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

This degree program may not be earned as a double major or dual degree with another major and cannot be earned as an additional degree after another degree at the same or higher level has been earned previously.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Students who have successfully completed a designated writing-intensive course may be waived from PROS 44004 with approval by the Professional Studies program coordinator. A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

²

State/Federal background checks may be required for practicum experiences. Students with prior work, internship, practicum, student teaching and/or field experience may be waived from PROS 44092 with approval by the Professional Studies program coordinator. However, the experiential learning requirement will still need to be met by a course or non-course activity. A maximum of 12 credit hours of PROS 44092 may apply toward graduation requirements.

³

If students complete the American Civic Literacy requirement by taking HIST 12061, the course will apply to the Kent Core Humanities category. If they complete it with POL 10101, the course will apply to the Kent Core Social Sciences category.

Graduation Requirements

• No dual degree/major may be earned with the Professional Studies major.

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of leadership, interpersonal communication, professional conduct and research skills.
2. Apply skills and competencies required in desired career paths.

Admission GPA for Undergraduate Students

For admissions, the College of Education and Human Services considers a student to have established a Kent State University GPA after the student has successfully completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours.

New Students and Transfer Students: Undergraduate students who have not completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours will be evaluated for admission into an academic program, advanced study and the professional phase based on their high school GPA for new students or transfer GPA for transfer students. Once a student has successfully completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours, only the student’s Kent State overall GPA will be considered for admission into a program, advanced study and professional phase. Transfer applicants who have completed fewer than 12 semester credit hours of college-level coursework will be evaluated on both collegiate and high school records.

Current Students: Students who have completed 12 or more credit hours of previous college-level coursework — either at Kent State University or at another accredited institution — need an overall GPA of 2.00 or higher to declare a College of Education and Human Services major, minor or certificate unless a higher minimum GPA is specified by the program.

The following degree programs require a minimum 2.750 overall GPA for current students who have an established GPA to declare a major:

• American Sign Language/English Interpreting
• Early Childhood Education
• Integrated Language Arts
• Integrated Mathematics
• Integrated Science
• Integrated Social Studies
• Middle Childhood Education
• Physical Education, Health and Sport Exploration (only Health and Physical Education concentration or Physical Education Licensure concentration)
• Special Education

Undergraduate Graduation Requirements

• Students declared in a teacher licensure major or certificate must earn a minimum C grade in all major/certificate and professional coursework.
• Students declared in the Education certificate must earn minimum 2.500 content GPA.
• Students may apply a maximum 4 credit hours of Physical Activity, Wellness and Sport (PWS) courses toward their degree.
• Students may apply a maximum of 4 credit hours of variable-titled workshop (xxx93) toward an undergraduate degree. Identical workshop topics that are repeated for credit will not count towards graduation requirements. All workshops are graded S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory). Some program areas may be more restrictive. Students are advised to consult their program regarding application of workshop credit toward degree requirements.

To see graduation requirements for a specific program, please select a major from the undergraduate program listing.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Studies is a completer program designed for those who wish to work in a multitude of professional settings, such as business, health care, education or human services, or to continue their studies in a related graduate program. The program reflects a consideration for the nature of the setting in which individuals will work (e.g., youth center, social agency, museum, park, business), the particular skills and competencies required in such career (e.g., program planning, technology utilization, research, interpersonal and multicultural facilitation) and the nature of the particular function which characterizes the option (e.g., program design, instruction, service delivery).