Delivery
Online
If you are a current UNC Charlotte student looking to switch to a Professional Studies major, please email pros-advising@charlotte.edu for your next steps.
Professional Studies, B.S. – Online
Program Overview
Are you ready to boost your professional knowledge and skills to advance in your organization or begin a new career? Would obtaining your bachelor’s degree open up so many more opportunities for you?
If so, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s online Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies degree program may be ideal for you, as it is designed to maximize your prior college credits and place your career goals within reach.
Our bachelor’s program helps you gain knowledge, skills and insights in areas such as leadership, management, communication and more. Enhancing these professional skills will position you to achieve success in a business, organization or government leadership career.
Program Contact
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Project Management Concentration
Taught by experts in the field with PMP/CAPM credentials
Develop in-demand skills for planning, coordinating, and delivering projects across industries. Aligned with the Project Management Institute’s PMBOK® Guide, you’ll gain practical experience managing timelines, teams, and stakeholders in real-world contexts.
Learning & Development Concentration
Design eLearning content with Articulate 360 (included in tuition)
Get ready to succeed in instructional design roles in both industry and educational environments. Throughout the four courses, you’ll learn to analyze learner needs, apply current theories, design and develop eLearning products using tools such as Articulate 360, and align training solutions with organizational goals.
Courses
Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours
- General Education Courses (31-32 credit hours)
For details on required courses, refer to the General Education Program. - Credit for Prior Learning (optional)
Up to 23 credit hours (see policy for transfer credit).
Major Core Courses (21 credit hours)
Sociology (9 credit hours)
Courses may not be double counted as focus area courses.
- SOCY 1101: Introduction to Sociology (3)
- or SOCY 1501: Global Social Science: Sociological Approaches to Global Issues (3)
- or SOCY 1511: Local Social Science: Sociological Approaches to Local Issues (3)
- SOCY 2115: Introduction to Organizations (3)
- SOCY 4111: Social Inequality (3)
- or SOCY 4112: Sociology of Work (3)
- or SOCY 4114: Professionalism in Sociology (3)
- or SOCY 4115: Organizational Sociology (3)
Professional Studies (12 credit hours)
Professional Studies Core (9 credit hours)
Nine credit hours must be completed across any courses within the Professional Studies core. Students are not restricted to one competency series. No more than 6 credit hours of special topics (PROS 3000) may be used to satisfy this requirement and may not be double counted as an elective.
- PROS 3000: Topics in Professional Studies (1 to 3)
Project Management Series
- PROS 2101: Project Management: Foundations (3)
- PROS 2102: Project Management: Practitioner (3)
- PROS 2103: Project Management: Specialist (3)
Leadership Essentials Series
- PROS 2201: Leadership Essentials: Foundations (1)
- PROS 2202: Leadership Essentials: Practitioner (1)
- PROS 2203: Leadership Essentials: Specialist (1)
Human Resource Management Series
- PROS 2301: Human Resource Management: Foundations (3)
- PROS 2302: Human Resource Management: Practitioner (3)
- PROS 2303: Human Resource Management: Specialist (3)
Capstone Course (3 credit hours)
- PROS 4600: Professional Studies Capstone (1 to 3)
Professional Studies Practice or Optional Minor (12 credit hours)
Complete at least twelve credit hours of various PROS courses to meet this requirement. Courses may not be counted toward both the Professional Studies Core and this requirement.
Alternatively, students may substitute an optional minor to meet this requirement. Select any minor approved in consultation with advisor.
Unrestricted Elective Courses, Double Major and/or Minor
Students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours to graduate. This requirement can be fulfilled through a combination of elective courses, a minor, or a double major. The 120-credit minimum must be satisfied regardless of the specific academic path chosen (e.g., a minor combined with electives).
Admissions & Requirements
Prospective students for the Professional Studies degree will need to have at least 24 transferable credit hours. This also includes students with a transferable associate degree. Successful Professional Studies students come from a variety of academic and employment backgrounds.
Applicants should have an overall grade point average of at least 2.0.
Application Deadlines
Application Deadlines for New Students:
| Term | Application Deadline | Transcripts and Documents Deadline | Term Begins |
| Fall | July 1 | July 15 | August |
| Spring | December 1 | December 1 | January |
| Summer | May 1 | May 1 | May |
Application Deadlines for Returning Students:
- July 29 (fall)
- December 1 (spring)
- May 1 (summer)
Application
New Student to UNC Charlotte
- Prospective students with an approved NC community college associate degree can apply directly to the online program through the transfer student portal.
- Provide all post-secondary transcripts.
- Submit the application fee.
Returning Student to UNC Charlotte
- Students returning to UNC Charlotte after a 12 month absence can apply for readmission.
How will your courses transfer to UNC Charlotte?
- Transferable courses must be college-level and have a grade of C or higher.
- Please utilize the Transfer Credit Advisor for a list of courses that have previously transferred from your institution.
- Course equivalency lists are not exhaustive for any school except North Carolina community colleges.
Why Earn Your Online Degree in Professional Studies From UNC Charlotte?
Choosing UNC Charlotte’s bachelor’s in professional studies degree program offers you a number of advantages, including:
Earn your online degree in as little as 12 months. Our professional studies classes are asynchronous, meaning there are no set times to meet for class. Complete your coursework on your time so you can learn around your busy schedule and your busy life.
Learn from experienced faculty experts. Our accomplished faculty includes instructors with extensive experience leading and managing organizations. They bring their experience and insights into the classroom to help you better understand the realities of twenty-first century workplaces.
Stand out with a respected, top-tier degree. UNC Charlotte is ranked #4 in the nation for online bachelor’s degrees by U.S. News & World Report. You will earn a highly regarded online degree that employers respect.
Tuition
NC Resident: $194.90 per credit hour
Non-Resident: $864.73 per credit hour
Please note: Rates are subject to change.
What Our Graduates Say
Applying What You Learn to Real Work Situations
UNC Charlotte graduate Danielle Hendrix juggled family and work while earning her Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies.
“I always regretted not completing my degree, so I’ve always had it in the back of my mind as something I wanted to finish. I found the professional studies program at UNC Charlotte and saw that it was completely online and self-paced. As I dug in a little more, I was intrigued by the classes that were offered.
It’s really eye-opening to see how much the leadership-based classes apply to my real-life work situations. Everything is relatable. The capstone is focused on design thinking — thinking outside the box — and one of the issues we’re currently working on in my department is putting more effort into recruitment and retention: why people leave, why they stay, and what we can do to encourage retention versus just continued recruiting.”
Liz Hale ’23, Charleston (SC) School District
5 Reasons why the Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies is a smart fit for adult learners with existing college credits
For those with 24 college credits or more, a degree-completion program like the Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies might be the perfect path toward graduation. Professional Studies programs are designed to provide students with the skills employers are looking for in the twenty-first century workplace.
PROS Faculty
Meet the faculty of our online Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies program and learn more about their academic background and experience they bring.
Related Programs
Early Entry Options
Want to double-count your courses towards the Graduate Certificate or M.Ed. in Learning, Design, and Technology? Students must apply and be accepted to the Early Entry program.
Explore Official University Catalog
Check out the official catalog for information on specific degree requirements, course progressions, curriculum and more.