Central Penn College to offer first graduate degree

SUMMERDALE, Pa. - July 8, 2013 - PRLog -- Central Penn College recently received approval from the U.S. and Pennsylvania Departments of Education and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to offer a Master of Professional Studies degree (http://www.centralpenn.edu/academics/academic-programs/master%27s-organizational-leadership/) in organizational leadership, the college’s first graduate degree-level program. The advanced degree will give working adults the opportunity to advance in their chosen professions as ethical leaders of change, further developing foundations in communication, research and management. Students will complete the degree on a part-time basis, through a combination of on-site and online coursework, and will specialize in one of two concentrations: organizational development or information systems management.

“This is a defining moment in Central Penn College’s long-standing history,” says Interim President and CAO Melissa Vayda. “Ethics and leadership are already common themes in Central Penn’s career-focused and professional undergraduate degree offerings. An advanced degree in organizational leadership is a natural next step for the college, and an increasingly necessary degree for those seeking advancement in their chosen field.”

Growing out of its downtown Harrisburg location, the college moved to its current 35-acre campus in Summerdale in 1970, offering two-year programs to commuter and residential students. Now, Central Penn offers associate and bachelor’s degrees to more than 1,200 students, operates offsite bachelor’s degree completion centers in Lancaster and Lehigh Valley and offers fully-online and hybrid degree programs.

“As a career-focused college, we were intent on offering a very specific type of graduate degree—one that is grounded in applied, practical learning,” says Vayda. “The Master of Professional Studies not only focuses on theoretical and research coursework, but also employs a collaborative, real-world approach to learning.”

Central Penn’s graduate degrees will build upon existing undergraduate offerings. The college also offers a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership, with concentrations in emergency operations, government and nonprofit organizations.

Economic outlook

The Job Outlook 2013 survey report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) showed that the top attribute that employers seek on a candidate’s resume is leadership, with 80.6 percent of respondents selecting this attribute.

“Central Penn continues to adapt its academic degree offerings to the needs of the workforce, the local community and, most importantly, our students,” explains Vayda.

The majority of Central Penn College graduates surveyed were interested in continuing their education through graduate studies, with 72 percent indicating they would consider attending a Central Penn graduate program. According to the report, The Path Forward: The Future of Graduate Education in the United States, by 2018, 2.5 million new jobs are estimated to need advanced degrees. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook projects occupations requiring master’s degrees will grow 20 percent from 2010-2020, the fastest of any postsecondary education category.

Based on program student learning outcomes, graduates of the program will be prepared to obtain positions such as: upper-level managers; management analysts; organizational development specialists; and computer and information systems managers.  

According to the PA Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of management analysts will increase as companies seek ways to reduce costs, streamline operations and develop new marketing strategies. Employment of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow 18 percent from 2010 to 2020. This growth will be driven by organizations upgrading their information technology systems and switching to newer, faster and more mobile networks; thus necessitating employees with advanced degrees.

“Possessing industry skills and knowledge are standard tools that any manager needs,” says Dean of Graduate Studies Barbara Maroney. “But to succeed as an effective leader, these managers need to demonstrate a clear understanding of leadership skills and competencies, employee empowerment and real-world problem solving.”

Organizational leadership master’s degree program

In the program, students will learn to:

- Demonstrate knowledge of leadership and management theories
- Identify and evaluate relevant professional, social and ethical influences, and potential challenges; in conjunction with professional values, standards, and internal and external policies
- Analyze and negotiate the interrelationship between individual leadership characteristics and the management needs of the organizational community  
- Conduct field-specific research, and use it to analytically construct strategic and operational plans

The concentration in organizational development enables the graduate to understand organizational dynamics and culture to practice effective, strategic leadership. The concentration in information systems management is designed to enable information technology professionals to advance to management roles in the industry.

The curriculum includes 33 credits, or 11 courses, and culminates in a capstone in professional studies. Students must design, execute, and present a personal project; which synthesizes and applies selected knowledge, skills and experiences appropriate to the students’ personal and professional goals and/or their chosen area of specialization.

Central Penn’s academic calendar operates on accelerated, 11-week terms, offering students four start dates per year. The college is currently enrolling students in the organizational leadership master’s degree, with the organizational development concentration scheduled to begin in October 2013 and the information systems management concentration to begin in January 2014. If students take two classes per term, they can complete the degree in as little as six, 11-week terms.

Visit www.centralpenn.edu/masters or call 1-800-759-2727 to learn more about the organizational leadership master’s degree program.