Catalog Announcements - 2010-2011

CUA's Metropolitan School of Professional Studies (MSPS) was established as University College in 1979 by the Board of Trustees to extend the educational resources and programs of the university to adult students wanting to pursue academic and professional credentials. MSPS has a long history of serving adults with programs that integrate a values-based, liberal arts foundation with majors that are applied and focused on professional career tracks. The school offers master's degrees, bachelor's degrees, certificates, and noncredit preparation for professional certification in high-demand career tracks.

MSPS regards its service to nontraditional students as a special part of The Catholic University of America's overall educational mission. The master's degree programs offered by MSPS are designed primarily for working professionals. Courses are offered on weekday evenings and provide a strong academic foundation while emphasizing practical, "real world" applications of skills and knowledge.

MSPS offers the following graduate degrees:

• Master of Arts (M.A.) in Human Resource Management, with the following "tracks":
  • Federal Human Resource Management
  • Human Resource Generalist
• Master of Science in Management (M.S.M.), with the following "tracks":
  • Federal Acquisition and Contract Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Leadership
  • Professional Communication

In order to be considered for admission into one of the graduate degree programs offered by MSPS, applicants must submit the following:

• Evidence of English language proficiency, as documented by either:
  • an official TOEFL score report, with a minimum score of 237 on the "older" TOEFL, or 92 - 93 on the reformatted TOEFL.
  • an official IELTS score report, with a minimum score of 7.
• Confirmation of financial support. Visit http://admissions.cua.edu/international/process.html for more information.

Student Accounts

Students are considered officially enrolled and responsible for any associated financial obligations once they have completed course registration via Cardinal Station (https://cardinalstation.cua.edu). Billing statements are issued online through the CardinalPAY e-commerce system; no paper bills are issued. For more information on CardinalPAY, please visit http://enrollmentservices.cua.edu/Student-Financial-Information/CardinalPAY.cfm.

Satisfactory payment includes paying the total charges, being current with payments on the tuition payment plan, and/or completing all financial aid forms and waiting for accepted financial aid to be credited. Incomplete financial aid awards are considered to be late payments. Additional charges will be assessed to the student's account for checks returned by the bank for insufficient funds or stop payments. All charges due to the university must be paid in full by the payment due date published each semester. For more information on payment due dates, please visit http://enrollmentservices.cua.edu/Student-Financial-Information/BillingandDueDates.cfm. Students who do not honor the financial arrangements agreed upon will not be permitted to register the following semester unless payment is made or new arrangements are negotiated.

Costs

A general accounting of university tuition, fees, and other expenses may be found at the Office of Student Accounts' web site: http://enrollmentservices.cua.edu/Student-Financial-Information/Costs.cfm.

Graduate degree programs offered through MSPS place special emphasis on advanced learning that links theory and professional practice. The programs require successful completion of 36 semester credit hours; a minimum of 30 credits must be taken at The Catholic University of America. Students are allowed a maximum of 7 years from their initial enrollment to meet all degree requirements.

Transfer of Credit

With approval from the dean of MSPS, matriculated students may take courses at other regionally-accredited institutions of higher learning on a limited basis. Students may transfer in no more than a total of 6 credits, which includes all transfer credits pre- and post-matriculation. Transferability of credit is determined at the discretion of the program based on course equivalence, date of completion (typically, no more than 5 years prior to entry into program), and grade (minimum 'B'/3.0).  Students from Metropolitan's HR3 and MSM3 programs may apply a total of 9 credits earned from 500-level courses taken as an undergraduate and/or pre-approved, graduate-level transfers from other regionally-accredited institutions, with a maximum of 6 credits of the latter.

Students planning to take courses at another regionally-accredited institution (during any academic semester or summer session) must obtain approval from the dean of MSPS before the end of the semester prior to the semester in which they plan to take the transfer course(s). Approval is granted on a case-by-case basis depending on the student's need for the course(s), degree requirements, etc. Without prior approval, transfer of credit is not guaranteed. Students hoping to take courses at another institution should also contact the Office of Financial Aid at (202) 319-5307 to determine how funding may be impacted.

Probation and Dismissal Policies

Any student who falls below a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is on academic probation for the following regular semester (i.e., a student whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 at the end of the spring semester is on probation through the end of the following fall semester, even if the student takes summer courses to raise his/her cumulative GPA. Also, a student whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 at the end of the fall semester is on probation through the end of the following spring semester.). A student placed on academic probation by the academic dean may be required to take a reduced course load during the time of probation. See below (i.e., Requirements for Graduation) for additional policies relevant to probation and dismissal.

Requirements for Graduation

All students are responsible for knowing academic and university policies. Policies specific to MSPS's graduate programs include the following:

1. to graduate, students must earn an overall grade point average of at least a 'B' (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) on course work applied toward a master's degree, which may include no more than one course completed with a grade of 'C.' Students are permitted to retake, no more than one time each, up to two courses for which they earn less than a 'B.' The grade from the second enrollment in the course will replace the original grade for the purpose of calculating the grade point average. Any student who earns less than a 'B-' in more than three courses, or whose grade point average falls below a 'B' for two consecutive semesters, may be subject to dismissal from the program.

2. students must complete the program's capstone course (MBU 673 or MBU 674) with a grade of 'B' or better.

There are numerous academic policies that apply to students enrolled in MSPS. These policies may be found in various Catholic University and MSPS documents, including these Announcements and the university's web-based policies page (http://policies.cua.edu). Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with these policies and will find the information very helpful in understanding academic regulations, responsibilities, and expectations. Students are also encouraged to contact their MSPS academic adviser at (202) 319-5256 for additional information.

Degree Program Curricula

Master of Arts in Human Resource Management

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Human Resource Management is primarily offered as a part-time, evening program that enables HR professionals to pursue their academic goals while balancing personal and professional demands. The emphasis of the program is on developing an academic foundation that provides current and aspiring HR professionals with the skills and knowledge both to perform their jobs more effectively and to understand better the organizational context within which they operate.

While the program incorporates theoretical concepts, the focus is squarely on providing a practical, applications-oriented education. Course work incorporates a range of pedagogical styles - including traditional lectures, team work and group projects, field research, experiential activities, and the like - to provide a rich, diverse educational experience. The program offers two "tracks": federal human resource management and human resource generalist.

Federal Human Resource Management Track

The Master of Science in Management (M.S.M.) is primarily offered as a part-time, evening program that focuses on the concepts, principles, and issues experienced by managers in all types of organizations - commercial, governmental, educational, community, and nonprofit. The program combines a strong academic foundation with practical knowledge and skills in management to help students enhance their ability to manage organizational resources more effectively. The degree is of potential relevance to anyone who maintains, or is assuming, managerial responsibilities. Four tracks are available within the M.S.M. program: Federal Acquisition and Contract Management, Human Resource Management, Leadership, and Professional Communication.

Federal Acquisition and Contract Management Track

Professional Communication Track

Courses

Business

Please consult the Cardinal Station web site https://cardinalstation.cua.edu for descriptions of courses offered in the current semester.