Professional Studies Major, B.S. (Organizational Leadership Concentration)

Box 70659
Phone: (423) 439-4223
916 W. Maple St.

The web-based Bachelor of Science with a major in Professional Studies is especially designed to meet the needs of those with limited access to higher education; typically, adult students whose work, place of residence, family obligations, or other confinements have made attendance difficult in traditional on-campus courses. This program is most suitable for adults who have completed an associate degree, or, at minimum, some college credit. Students must complete a concentration in either information technology or organizational leadership. The information technology concentration provides students with knowledge of the management information systems field and prepares them to work in most information systems departments in business, industry, or government. The organizational leadership concentration provides students with the opportunity to learn and develop management and communication skills applicable to work in management areas. Students may obtain the degree entirely through online courses or through a combination of traditional classroom and online courses. Students who have previously earned a four-year degree are not eligible to enroll in the Professional Studies program. Due to the unique nature of this degree, students may not double major.

Admission Requirements

1. Students apply to ETSU and must meet ETSU general admission requirements.
2. Upon acceptance to ETSU, students complete an admissions interview with a Professional Studies advisor. The interview may be completed over the telephone or through some other electronic means. The purpose of the interview is to determine whether the Professional Studies major is the best program for the student, or if the student would be better served by another degree program.
3. Students must complete the Cross-Disciplinary Studies application.
4. The Professional Studies advisor recommends admission or denial to the department chair, Division of Cross-Disciplinary Studies.
5. The department chair accepts or denies admission.

To earn a degree from ETSU, there are specific course requirements put forth by ETSU, by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), by each college, and by each department. All students must meet the degree requirements at each of these levels. Please follow the format below:

University-level Degree and Graduation Requirements

• Degree and Graduation Requirements 
• Completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours is required.
• CSCI 1100 or the proficiency exam
• Proficiency Intensive Course Requirements
• Senior Exit Exam
• Additional Requirements for Transfer Students
• Second Bachelor Degrees
• Double Majors/Double Degrees

Below you will see the categories and courses specified under TBR General Education Requirements. Note that certain courses are required for this degree, specific to this major. Thus, these courses will satisfy both a TBR General Education requirement AND a requirement of this major. (Other majors may require different General Education courses.) Where specific courses are required for this major, we only list those courses under the category. If there are no specific major requirements for a category, all course options appear.
 

9 credits, consisting of 6 credits of written composition and 3 credits of oral communication.

Complete both of the following: 

Complete one of the following:

9 credits, consisting of 3 credits of literature, 3 credits of fine arts, and 3 credits of humanities electives.

Complete one of the following: 

Complete one of the following:

Complete one of the following:

6 credits, consisting of two of the following: 

6 credits, consisting of both of the following:

8 credits, consisting of two of the following (some require labs which are listed directly after the lecture):

(Note: Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in the College of Arts and Sciences must select 8 credit hours in a SINGLE laboratory science. Please see listing in College of Arts and Sciences B.S. Degree Requirements for options.)

3 - 4 credits, consisting of one of the following:

Proficiency intensives

The maximum total of electives is 37 hours.

The prior learning portfolio is an option available only to students in the Bachelor of General Studies and Bachelor of Science with majors in Interdisicplinary Studies or Professional Studies that allows them the opportunity to earn credit for their college-level learning that has taken place outside the traditional college classroom. In consultation with the advisor, students prepare a prior learning portfolio. The finished portfolio is submitted to the advisor to appraise form and content. Final approval is made by the appropriate departmental faculty. Credit may only be awarded for prior learning that directly equates to specific ETSU courses.

If a student transfers from the majors listed above to another major, hours earned through the prior-learning portfolio cannot be applied to the new major. No more than 25 percent of the degree may be earned through the prior learning portfolio process. In a 120-semester-hour program, this limit is 30 credit hours. Credit earned through the prior learning portfolio is ungraded and does not affect the student’s grade point average. Portfolio credit does count as ETSU residence credit.