Lake Erie College proudly introduces a new graduate program and the first of its kind in Ohio, the Master of Professional Studies. The program enables graduates to expand their horizons and assume progressively more responsibility in their organization.

With three primary components: skills-based concentration courses, an interdisciplinary set of core courses, and choice electives, MPS graduates will demonstrate proficiency in the professional skills needed to participate and lead within their organizations.

Classes are small and are taught fully online by qualified faculty with substantial business and life experience and advanced academic credentials.

All students must complete 11 courses: seven core courses and four electives for a total of 33 credit hours.

Lake Erie College Website – Master of Professional Studies

Jobs and Salary

First Class Free for LCCC Employees

LCCC employees are eligible to take one master’s level course at no cost from Lake Erie College’s School of Business, a $2,190 value.  This allows employees to experience firsthand the quality of a Lake Erie College advanced business education without risk or cost.

Employees can choose to take a course in Leadership or Organizational Behavior, both taught online, earning three credits that can be applied to either a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree. 

Questions?  Contact Bridget Conway (440) 375-7144 or bconway@lec.edu.

Online Master of Professional Students

Online MPS students will follow a determined curriculum path, utilize our easy-to-use online platform, and take up to two courses per term (fall, spring, summer) with a completion time of only two years.

Program Curriculum

Course selection/order may vary. All pathways are subject to change. Always review with your UP Lake Erie College (LEC) advisor.

Disclaimer: The fluidity of these pathways is acknowledged. At each level changes are possible as requirements, courses, course numbers, etc. may change. All efforts have been made to confirm the accuracy of the pathway by each institution. Always be aware of the date of review on the document. Always seek the assistance of an Academic Advisor or Counselor.   

The Lake Erie College Master of Professional Studies (MPS) program is designed for career-focused students who are seeking to embrace interdisciplinary learning and also refine and develop skills in key areas related to organizational success. The program enables graduates to expand their horizons and assume progressively more responsibility in their organization with three primary academic components: skills-based concentration courses, an interdisciplinary set of core courses, and choice electives. Student must complete 11 courses: seven (7) core courses and four (4) elective courses for a total of 33 credit/semester hours (semester hours). This program is offered with rolling admission, which allows student to begin the program at the beginning of any semester: August (fall), January (spring), or May (summer). This UP partnership allows students to obtain their MPS fully online. Student may choose to complete one to three courses per term, including summer semesters. Students should work with the LEC UP advisor regarding course sequence and flexibility needed for degree completion. All coursework must be completed within seven years of matriculation at Lake Erie College.

MPS Core Coursework

Lake Erie College Course Semester Hours
MBA 530: Executive Leadership3
MBA 532: Quantitative Business Analysis3
MBA 534: Organizational Behavior3
MPS 501: Conflict Resolution & Negotiation @ Work3
MPS 502: Business Ethics, Diversity, and Social Issues3
MPS 565: Research Methods3
588 MPS: Capstone Course
(final degree program course)		3
Total Semester Hours 21

Required Concentration Coursework*

Lake Erie College Course Semester Hours
Concentration Courses12
Total Semester Hours 12

Lake Erie College Degree Attainment – Cumulative Total Credit Hours Earned: 33

Student will have earned the Lake Erie College Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree at the conclusion of the above curriculum pathway.

Notes:

  • The MPS program includes a required concentration consisting of four courses for a total of 12 semester hours. Current concentration options and the courses to complete those concentrations include:

Communication Concentration: Lake Erie College

CourseSemester Hours
MPSC 510: Active Listening in the Digital Age3
MPSC 511: Communication and Diversity in the Workforce3
MPSC 512: Communication Campaign Development3
MPSC 513: Presentation Techniques3

Conflict Negotiation Concentration: Lake Erie College

CourseSemester Hours
MPSR 530: Genesis & Theories of Conflict3
MPSR 531: Negotiation & Bargaining @ Work3
MPSR 532: Labor & Employment Mediation3
MPSR 534: Labor & Employment Arbitration3

Organizational Behavior Concentration: Lake Erie College

CourseSemester Hours
MPSO 520: Understanding the Individual @ Work3
MPSO 521: Managing Groups & Teams3
MPSO 522: Managing the Organizational System3
MPSO 523: Leading Across Culture3

Sports Administration Concentration: Lake Erie College

CourseSemester Hours
EMC 524: Safety Training for Coaches3
EMC 525: Admin. & Eval. of Sports Programs3
EMC Course*3
EMC Course*3
  • Courses with the (*) notation require student selection of an EMC coaching course of their choosing from the current LEC Catalog with the assistance of the UP LEC MPS advisor.
  • Individually Designed/Interdisciplinary Concentration
    • The interdisciplinary concentration allows students the flexibility to create a degree plan with courses from any of the MPS curricular offerings. Student is able to study in more than one area and select specific subjects and topics that are of interest to them. Student would complete four courses, selected by student with the assistance of the UP LEC MPS advisor to suit the student’s career needs and focus.

Transfer pathway updated 8/22/2023

Career Support

All graduates of the Lake Erie College MPS program can utilize the full services of the Lake Erie College Office of Career Development.

  • Access to the Lake Erie College alumni networking group, the Tiberius Network
  • Resume and career search assistance
  • Alumni Networking Events

Concentrations

Organizational Behavior Management Concentration

Students will increase their team-building abilities by developing a keen understanding of organizational behavior and improving their ability to build teams and manage conflict. Students will learn to create and shape inclusive organizational culture by learning how to focus on employees and work outcomes. Students will better understand the virtual workplace because they will learn that organizational behavior proposes that incentives are motivational factors that are crucial for employees to perform well. Organizational behavior changes the way people make decisions. Businesses that encourage risks in decision-making within the company culture can enhance innovation, creativity and output. In the MPS program, students will understand the psychology and sociology of an organization, the study of business administration, and empirical research on organizational phenomena.

The Communication Concentration

Students will acquire specific communication skills. They will gain expertise in interpersonal communication and relationship building, negotiation strategy, integrated marketing communication and crisis communication. Students will enhance their research and presentation skills. Students will understand consumer analysis, psychographic and demographic segmentation.  Students will learn to build their brand in a virtual environment and hone their virtual networking and presentation skills. Students will improve their writing and presenting effectiveness across multiple audiences.  They will be able to gain a social media following as an influencer in their industry, facilitate and lead professional seminars, publish articles or op-ed pieces in major industry publications and gain an ability to write for both professional and lay audiences effectively.

Individually Designed Concentration

Students can build their own concentration by taking the seven core courses and choosing electives to round out their career focus.

Lifelong Learning

An individual’s development does not end when they earn an MPS.

  • All Lake Erie College MPS program graduates are automatically eligible to take additional courses for the rest of their lives.
  • There is no cost to the graduate or their employer.
  • Registration is on a non-credit basis and is subject to space availability in scheduled courses.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MPS program is determined based on demonstrated professionalism, intellectual capability for completing the program and the leadership potential. Students may be admitted and begin the MPS program during the summer, fall or spring semester.

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater.
  • Submission of official undergraduate transcripts and graduate work completed (sent directly to admissions from degree-granting institutions).
  • Complete MPS application.
  • Submission of current resume outlining work experience and education that has prepared the candidate to begin the MPS program.
  • A personal statement of up to 500 words (topics found online with application).

Application Procedure

To apply to the Lake Erie College MBA Partnership, follow the steps below:

  • Complete an online graduate application.
  • Request all colleges and universities which conferred your bachelor’s degree and any graduate work to date to send an official transcript directly to Lake Erie College.
  • Submit a copy of your resume and personal statement
  • The GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) may be required at the discretion of the Dean of the School of Business.  Students who have taken the GMAT should have all scores forwarded to the Admissions Office.
  • Once all documents are received, Lake Erie College Admissions will process your application, and you will receive an acceptance decision within two weeks.

Submit all college-level transcripts to:
Lake Erie College
Attn:  Registrar’s Office
391 West Washington Street
Painesville, OH 44077

Tuition and Fees

Lake Erie College graduate tuition rates for each academic year are available at Lake Erie College Graduate Studies.

Financial Aid

Financial assistance is available in the form of federal direct student loans. Contact the Lake Erie College Office of Financial Aid at finaid@lec.edu or the Lake Erie College Financial Aid website.

Contact Lake Erie College

Bridget Conway, MBA & MPS Program Associate
(440) 375-7144
bconway@lec.edu

See the Lake Erie College Academic Calendar for important academic dates and deadlines.