"Professional studies" is a term used to classify academic programs which are applied or interdisciplinary in focus. The term can also be used for non-academic training for a specific

profession A profession is a field of work that has been successfully ''professionalized''. It can be defined as a disciplined group of individuals, '' professionals'', who adhere to ethical standards and who hold themselves out as, and are accepted by ...

. Research on professionals can be seen as a multidisciplinary field of research with a multiple of perspectives in theory and by methods. Professional studies usually combine theory and

practice-based professional learning Practice-based professional learning (PBPL) is understood in contrast to classroom- or theory-based learning. It is kindred to terms such as work-based learning, workplace or work-centred learning. Distinctive, though, are a concern for professiona ...

, focusing on a body of knowledge that is more strictly delineated and canonical than non-professional studies. Students are trained to ensure expected standards and adequate service delivery in the

best practice A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to other known alternatives because it often produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing ...

of a profession. One aspect of professional action that has been widely studied in professional studies is tacit knowledge (cf. Polyani 1967), including professional judgment, discretion or fronesis, a term from the Greek philosopher

Aristotle Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of ph ...

, also called practical intelligence or knowledge (see Dunne 1997; McGuirk 2013). Professional studies may lead to

academic degrees An academic degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at various levels, usually including unde ...

such as the Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS),

Master of Professional Studies Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans * Grandmaster (chess), National Maste ...

(MPS), or

Doctor of Professional Studies The Doctor of Professional Studies (or sometimes awarded as Doctorate in Professional Practice) (most commonly DProf, but also available as DProfSt, ProfD and DPS) is a doctoral degree for experienced professionals who wish to undertake a program ...

(DPS). A BPS is similar to a

Bachelor of General Studies A Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) is a highly interdisciplinary undergraduate academic degree offered by colleges and universities that "allows students to combine and explore multiple subjects." The concept of general studies derives from the ...

with a greater emphasis on practical and technical training (and a corresponding lower emphasis on

liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term '' art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically th ...

), and therefore of greater interest to mid-career students. MPS degrees are usually course-based with a report or project component rather than a research

thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...

. The

US National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...

considers a DPS to be equivalent to a PhD.

Professional Studies Certificate

Some music schools like Curtis Institute of Music offer postgraduate programs that result in a ''Professional Studies Certificate''. Other schools, like the Manhattan School of Music require a master's degree or postgraduate diploma in order to attend the program.

External links

Bachelor of Professional Studies

References

Vocational education {{Edu-stub

Professional Studies Certificate

See also

External links

Further reading

References