Master of Professional Studies (MPS, or MProfStuds, or MProfStudies) is a recognized masters degree concentrated in an applied field of study. The MPS is usually a terminal degree and is often interdisciplinary, frequently offered in substantive areas that do not readily fit into any of the traditional fields in university curricula. MPS degrees are distinguished from Master of Arts (MA) degrees in that the latter tend to be more heavily focused on research and theory-building -- in short more academic than practical -- and often serve as a way station on route to a PhD. By contrast, MPS degree programs emphasize learning directly relevant to professional employment, and often require some amount of fieldwork or an internship to complement the classroom learning.

A growing number of universities in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 offer the MPS including Cornell University

Cornell University

Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...

, Tulane University

Tulane University

Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...

, City University of New York

City University of New York

The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...

, George Washington University

George Washington University

The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...

, Georgetown

Georgetown University

Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...

, Hofstra

Hofstra University

Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...

, NYU

New York University

New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...

, Northeastern University, St. John's University, State University of New York at New Paltz

State University of New York at New Paltz

The State University of New York at New Paltz, known as SUNY New Paltz for short, is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It was founded in 1828 as the School for teaching of classics. In 1885, the New Paltz Normal and Training School was established as a school to prepare teachers for the...

, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Hodges University

Hodges University

Founded in 1990, Hodges University is a comprehensive degree granting institution located in Naples, Florida. The University offers Associate in Science, Bachelor of Science and master's degree programs in career-related disciplines...

, University of Maryland

University of Maryland

When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...

, Penn State

Pennsylvania State University

The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...

, Pratt Institute, University of Denver

University of Denver

The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....

, the University of Connecticut

University of Connecticut

The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...

, and Nyack College

Nyack College

Nyack College is a private, evangelical, liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and home to the Alliance Theological Seminary, one of the denomination's seminaries. The main campus is located in Nyack, New York...

. The University of Memphis, and many others. The MPS is also offered in Canada at the University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...

. MPS degrees are also offered in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

. and New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

.

MPS degrees provide specialized, experiential learning in a range of professional careers including digital media

Digital media

Digital media is a form of electronic media where data is stored in digital form. It can refer to the technical aspect of storage and transmission Digital media is a form of electronic media where data is stored in digital (as opposed to analog) form. It can refer to the technical aspect of...

, education, historic preservation, design management http://www.pratt.edu/academics/art_and_design/design_management/, human relations, homeland security leadership http://continuingstudies.uconn.edu/mps/programs/hsl.html, humanitarian services administrationhttp://continuingstudies.uconn.edu/mps/programs/hsa.html, human resource management http://continuingstudies.uconn.edu/mps/programs/hrm.html, landscape design, paralegal studies, political managementhttp://www.gwu.edu/~gspm, public relationshttp://www.gwu.edu/~gspm/academics/pr/pr.shtml, interactive telecommunicationshttp://itp.nyu.edu/, real estate, sports management, statistical scienceshttp://stat.cornell.edu/mps/, and strategic leadership.