2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog
Professional Studies, B.A.
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The Professional Studies program provides students an opportunity to combine the breadth of general education with a professional pathway focused around the learning they need to achieve their professional goals.
Total Major Requirements 30-43 Credits
NOTE: Of the at least 30 credits required for this major, at least 3 must be at 200 level or higher and at least 9 credits must be at the 300 level or higher.
Students in this major may complete any one of the Professional Studies pathways.
Professional Studies Pathways
Individualized Pathway 30 Credits
Students pursuing this pathway get the support and guidance they need to build upon what they already know and can do while gaining the new learning they need to achieve personal and professional goals.
Teacher Certification Pathway 30-42 Credits
Students pursuing teacher certification via the Maine Department of Education’s Endorsement Eligibility Pathway 2 may focus their major around the courses required for this pathway.
Nursing Pathway 43 Credits
Students enrolled in UMF-UMA’s dual degree program in Nursing will meet the focus area requirements by successful completion of the nursing courses required for their UMA degree.
Professional Studies electives allow learners to develop and demonstrate their strengths in six of the most frequently sought areas of professional knowledge and skills: communication, collaboration, creative-problem solving, critical thinking, leadership, and reflection.
These electives are available for, but not required for, those in the already highly-defined, high-credit professional pathways of Teacher Certification and Nursing.
Students fill their Professional Studies electives in the areas and through the methods most relevant for achieving their goals as identified in PSP 101 Professional Studies and in consultation with their advisor.
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Communication:
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Courses that develop the capacity to use communication concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. These may include, but are not limited to, public speaking; languages (including sign language); communication; professional, technical, public, or business writing; grant writing; rhetoric; counseling; graphic design; negotiation; advocacy; lobbying.
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Portfolios demonstrating learning of communication concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Possible competencies include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Uses one or more modes of communication (linguistic, aural, visual, gestural, spatial) to explain, analyze, motivate, persuade, advocate, critique, and/or reflect in a professional, organizational, and/or community setting.
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Uses analysis of audience, purpose, and context to shape communication.
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Demonstrates the flexible use of multiple strategies for interpreting, generating, developing, revising, collaborating on, and refining communications.
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Uses negotiation, mediation, interpersonal, intercultural, and/or cross-cultural communication skills to collaborate, solve problems, create, or otherwise act in the world.
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Facilitates cross-cultural communication between individuals from different language/cultural/regional backgrounds in professional, organizational, and/or community settings.
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Demonstrates linguistic agility by navigating between languages in professional, organizational, and/or community settings.
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Demonstrates cultural agility by navigating between cultures in professional, organizational, and/or community settings.
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Listens actively and attentively to learn, collaborate, problem-solve and/or create in professional, organizational, and/or community settings.
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Education Design Lab microcredentials in Oral Communication, Intercultural Fluency, and/or Empathy
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Collaboration:
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Courses that develop the capacity to use collaboration concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Courses may include, but are not limited to, those which include project-based learning; chorus, band, and other music ensemble classes; and theater or dance performance classes.
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Portfolios demonstrating learning of collaboration concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Possible competencies include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Holds self responsible for commitments to the group.
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Creates opportunities for others.
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Asks constructive questions.
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Objectively listens to dissent and alternate points of view, engaging in dialogue rather than debate.
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Assumes positive intent.
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Prioritizes the success of the group.
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Negotiates and manages conflict.
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Requests, receives, and gives constructive feedback.
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Education Design Lab microcredential in Collaboration
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Creative Problem-Solving:
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Courses that develop the capacity to use creativity and problem-solving concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Courses may include, but are not limited to, art, design, project-based, and problem-based classes.
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Portfolios demonstrating learning of creativity and problem-solving concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Possible competencies include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Defines a problem, identifies and evaluates strategies for solving the problem, identifies and evaluates potential solutions, implements and assesses a solution or solutions.
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Uses creativity and problem-solving to navigate complex systems to achieve desired goals.
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Takes risks, experiments, and plays without knowing where it will lead .
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Demonstrates curiosity and willingness to question assumptions.
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Demonstrates fluency and flexibility in brainstorming.
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Avoids driving to a solution prematurely
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Embraces contradictions.
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Iterates, learning from failures as well as successes
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Engages in, describes, analyzes, and reflects upon a creative and/or problem-solving process.
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Education Design Lab microcredential in Creative Problem-Solving
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Critical Thinking:
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Courses that develop the capacity to use critical thinking concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Courses may include, but are not limited to, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning; appreciative inquiry; logic; research, research methods, inquiry, and/or analysis in any discipline.
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Portfolios demonstrating learning of critical thinking concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Possible competencies include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Accesses, analyzes, and connects information, considering its relationship to context and evidence.
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Identifies and considers the influence of bias and others’ assumptions.
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Develops an informed and effective position based on relevant criteria.
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Reconstructs one’s beliefs on the basis of wider experience.
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Poses questions and uses methods of formal inquiry to answer questions and solve problems.
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Uses the inquiry process to reframe old questions, frame new questions, and open new lines of inquiry.
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Uses mathematical symbols, concepts, and methods to describe and solve problems.
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Education Design Lab microcredential in Critical Thinking
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Leadership:
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Courses that develop the capacity to use leadership concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Courses may include, but are not limited to, leadership, management, project management, change management, strategic thinking, directing (theater, film, dance), conducting (music), and coaching.
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Portfolios demonstrating learning of leadership concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Possible competencies include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Uses concepts, methods and/or skills of leadership studies, organizational leadership, management, community organizing, change management, and/or change studies to lead
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Reflects upon experiences of being led and leading to develop and refine approach to leadership
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Articulates and demonstrates leadership style and actions are grounded in professional ethics and/or personal values
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Takes initiative to achieve results valued by self and others
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Sets goals and develops and implements plans collaboratively.
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Works within and learns from interacting with diverse communities and cultures.
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Adjusts initiatives and the means to achieve them with respect to contextual impact and accountable results.
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Education Design Lab microcredentials in Initiative
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Reflection:
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Can use reflection concepts, methods, and/or skills for learning and development. Courses may include, but are not limited to:
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Portfolios demonstrating learning of reflection concepts, methods, and/or skills to achieve goals. Possible competencies include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Identifies, documents, and evaluates learning from life experiences
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Plans for, analyzes, and learns from failure
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Maps resources, opportunities, and challenges in desired profession; cultivates professional network and mentors; develops professional presence; and creates and launches short and long-term plans for advancement.
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Uses concepts and methods of reflection on practice for personal and/or professional development
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Reflects on and evaluates the learning process and methods used in an experiential project.
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Engages in an intentional process of continuous learning, analyzing personal decision-making and actions as well as the reactions they prompt in themselves and others
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Education Design Lab microcredentials in Self-Directed Learning and/or Resilience
Other Requirements
General Education Requirements
For specific information about general education requirements and expectations, see the General Education Requirements in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.
Graduation Requirements
Completion of at least 120 credits and all requirements for this specific program, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000.
Minimum Total Credits for The Degree: 120
Learning Goals
Professional Studies graduates will be able to:
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Reflect on their evolving professional identity, articulate prior learning, assess strengths and growth opportunities, and plan future learning.
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Identify goals and define and demonstrate a focused area of learning that supports the pursuit of these goals.
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Use communication, collaboration, creative problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, and/or reflection to achieve goals.
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