Bachelor of Professional Studies
The Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) program is designed to equip participating
students with applicable skills and competencies while preparing them to understand,
serve, and lead their organizations. This degree-completion program provides graduates
with both theoretical and practical educational experiences that are designed to
enhance their current professional capabilities as well as prepare them for new career
opportunities.
The BPS program is designed for individuals possessing a minimum of 30 credits. To
fulfill degree requirements, students must earn a minimum of 120 credits, 30 of which
must be earned at UMW; these 30 credits are called resident credits.
Due to the nature of the BPS program and changing technology, only transfer course
work that has been completed within ten years of BPS program matriculation can be
counted toward concentration requirements. Transfer course work that is older than 10
years will count toward general education or elective credit only.
Current BPS concentrations include accounting, computer information systems,
interdisciplinary studies, leadership and management, and network security.
General Education Requirements
Students who have earned, as of fall 1993, a Virginia Community College System (VCCS) transfer degree approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) prior to enrolling at CGPS, have fulfilled BPS lower division general education requirements. The SCHEV-approved transfer degrees are generally Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), and Associate in Arts and Sciences (AA&S); not all General Studies degrees are approved by SCHEV for transfer. For more information, students should contact the Office of Admissions. The VCCS degrees do not fulfill across-the-curriculum requirements. Students who have not earned a VCCS, SCHEV-approved transfer degree must meet the following lower division general education requirements. All students must meet upper division general education requirements.
Lower Division General Education Requirements
Requirement 1 – English Competency (3 semester credits) The ability to write
logically, clearly, and precisely; the ability to acquire, organize, present, and
document ideas and information; these skills must be demonstrated by completing a
college-level course in English composition or the equivalent.
Requirement 2 – Sciences and Mathematics (6 semester credits including at least
3 credits of science and 3 credits of either college-level mathematics or science) An
understanding of mathematical thought and the ability to conceptualize and apply
mathematical logic to problem solving; an appreciation of the major contributions
of science to an understanding of the natural world and to the possible solution of
contemporary problems.
Requirement 3 – Humanities (6 semester credits) An understanding of human
culture as expressed in disciplines such as art appreciation, art history, classics,
creative writing, drama performance, foreign language, history of drama, history of
film, literature, music appreciation, music history, philosophy, and religion.
Requirement 4 – Social Sciences (6 semester credits) An understanding of the
history and development of the forces shaping human behavior, social structures,
and institutions; disciplines include anthropology, economics, geography, history,
political science, psychology, and sociology.
Upper Division General Education Requirements
Requirement 5 – Communication (6 semester credits) Two courses that focus on
written and oral professional communication:
BPST 311 Critical Thinking, Research, and Presentation
BPST 312 Technical and Business Communication
Requirement 6 – Statistics (3 semester credits) One course that focuses on
statistical methods employed in the collection and analysis of data to assist
management decision-making:
BPST 316 Statistics for Managers, or equivalent
Across-the-Curriculum Requirements
In addition to fulfilling the general education requirements, students must also fulfill
the following BPS Across-the-Curriculum (ATC) requirements:
Writing Intensive Requirement: Students will complete two designated courses
that provide instruction appropriate to the subject or discipline and to the writing
tasks assigned. This requirement may be fulfilled in conjunction with designated
program course offerings: BPST 311, BPST 312, and BPST 314.
Speaking Intensive Requirement: Students will complete two designated courses
in which oral assignments represent a significant portion of their graded work.
This requirement may be fulfilled in conjunction with designated program course
offerings: BPST 311, BPST 312, and BPST 314.
Portfolio (Credit for Life/Work Experience)
The portfolio system is designed to award college credit for applicable college-level
learning acquired through nonacademic experiences. Learning documented in the
portfolio must be equivalent in scope and complexity to what students learn in college
classrooms. Hence, the portfolio system is a way of recognizing experiential learning,
which is generally equivalent to college classroom learning. All credit earned through
portfolio assessment must be measurable or verifiable by a qualified, formally appointed
assessor; such credit is considered transfer credit.
While a great deal is learned from life’s experiences, e.g., marriage and parenthood,
these experiences do not automatically translate into college credit; a portfolio must
present what a student has learned in such a way that the assessor can identify and
measure it. While most adults can do a great many complex things—such as complete
income tax forms, balance checkbooks, and vote for presidential candidates—the
University will not award college credit for typical adult competencies.
Individuals who wish to present a portfolio must be enrolled at the University as
degree-seeking students. In addition, they are required to enroll in and satisfactorily
complete PORT 101 Portfolio Development prior to presenting the portfolio for
assessment. This course carries one pass/fail credit and is offered on an as-needed basis.
The course defines the kind of learning a portfolio can present successfully, provides a
detailed outline of the portfolio format, and offers each student specific instruction in
the assembly of the initial stages of his/her portfolio. It also outlines additional methods,
other than the portfolio, for providing documentation of experiential learning for college
credit. Further information about the course can be obtained from the Office of Advising
Services.
The usual ceiling for portfolio credit awards is 15 credits; in exceptional cases the
award can be as high as 30 credits. Thirty is the maximum number of credits that can be
awarded through the portfolio, and applied toward the degree. Due to the nature of the
program and changing technologies, students enrolled in the BPS program should not include knowledge and experiences older than ten years; exceptions will be considered
on an individual basis. Students may submit as many portfolios as they like, and each
one is not to exceed 250 typewritten pages. The assessment fee for each portfolio is $100.
Portfolios must be submitted prior to accumulating 90 semester hours of transfer
credit. The transfer credit total — including a combination of credits from other accredited
institutions, standardized tests, portfolio, military, CLEP and ACE—for the BPS cannot
exceed 90 semester credits.
Portfolios must be submitted to the Office of Advising Services within 12 months of
completion of the portfolio course, and must be submitted prior to the student’s final
term in the degree program. Credits awarded may be used to satisfy general education
requirements, elective credit requirements, and selected major credit requirements. The
student’s advisor and the Office of Advising Services must approve all concentration credit.
Because there is a significant amount of work involved in preparing a portfolio, with
no guarantee of a successful outcome, students should discuss the project at some length
with their faculty advisors and with an advisor in the Office of Advising Services. If the
decision is made to pursue credit awards through the portfolio process, permission to
enroll in PORT 101 must be secured from the Office of Advising Services.
Transfer Credit
Undergraduate students may transfer a maximum of 90 semester credits toward fulfilling their CGPS degree requirements. Contingent on an evaluation of course content, transfer credit may be used to satisfy general education, concentration, or elective credit requirements. No more than one half of the BPS concentration credits may be transfer credit.
Course Completion Options
Students may fulfill prerequisite, general education, and elective course requirements by:
- Taking previously-approved courses at the University’s Fredericksburg campus, at
regional community colleges, or any regionally accredited college or university in
the United States;
- Completing CGPS courses through credit-by-examination (limited availability);
- Completing distance-learning courses offered through the Southern Regional
Education Board’s Electronic Campus (www.sreb.org) and other previously approved
distance-learning programs;
- Receiving credit through the College Board’s CLEP (www.collegeboard.com/
student/testing/clep/about.html) available at CGPS;
- Receiving credit through DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, which is available
on military installations; and,
Receiving credit through CGPS’s Portfolio (credit for life/work experience) option.
Note: Once admitted to the BPS program, the student must request approval to take courses through any of the options listed above.
BPS Concentrations
Accounting (45 credits)
Prepares individuals for a variety of public, management, government, and internal
accounting positions.
Required Courses (39 credits)
ACCT 201 Accounting for Managers (3 credits)
ACCT 301 Intermediate Accounting I (3 credits)
ACCT 302 Intermediate Accounting II (3 credits)
ACCT 303 Business Law for Accountants (3 credits)
ACCT 304 Cost Accounting (3 credits)
ACCT 305 Intermediate Accounting III (3 credits)
ACCT 460 Auditing (3 credits)
ACCT 461 Advanced Accounting (3 credits)
BPST 313 Professional Assessment and Business Ethics (3 credits)
LRSP 306 Economics for Business (3 credits)
LRSP 331 Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
LRSP 412 Marketing for Managers (3 credits)
LRSP 460 Leadership Strategy and Policy (3 credits)
Elective Courses (6 credits to be selected)
ACCT 450 Forensic Accounting (3 credits)
ACCT 465 Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting (3 credits)
ACCT 499 Internship (1-6 credits)
CIST elective (3 credits)
COMM 315 Communication and Technology (3 credits)
COMM 316 Strategic Communication (3 credits)
COMM 317 Corporate Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
LRSP 305 Public Sector Management (3 credits)
LRSP 311 The Management Process (3 credits)
LRSP 343 Leadership Theory and Practice (3 credits)
LRSP 344 Financial Management (3 credits)
LRSP 406 Human Resource Management (3 credits)
LRSP 434 International Management (3 credits)
LRSP 435 Leadership, Innovation, and Creativity (3 credits)
Computer Information Systems (42 credits)
Prepares individuals for professional computer and technology management positions in public and private organizations.
Required Courses (30 credits)
BPST 313 Professional Assessment and Business Ethics (3 credits)
BPST 314 Business Legal Environment (3 credits)
CIST 299 Introduction to Computer Information Systems (3 credits)
CIST 301 Business Information Systems (3 credits)
CIST 302 Visual Programming (3 credits)
or CIST 303 Object Oriented Applications in Business (3 credits)
CIST 325 Information Security (3 credits)
CIST 404 Business Data Communications (3 credits)
CIST 425 Systems Analysis (3 credits)
CIST 461 Project Management for IT (3 credits)
CIST 490 IT Research Project (3 credits)
Elective Courses (12 credits to be selected, with minimum of 6 from CIST)
ACCT and/or LRSP electives (maximum of 6 credits)
CIST 401 Database Systems (3 credits)
CIST 405 Computer Networking (3 credits)
CIST 426 Managing Emerging Technologies (3 credits)
CIST 471 Special Topics (3-6 credits)
CIST 491 Directed Study (1-6 credits)
CIST 499 Internship (1-6 credits)
COMM 315 Communication and Technology (3 credits)
COMM 316 Strategic Communication (3 credits)
COMM 317 Corporate Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
Interdisciplinary Studies (42 credits)
Allows individuals to pursue a concentration based on professional goals, and to design the program using a multidisciplinary approach.
Required Courses (12 credits)
BPST 313 Professional Assessment and Business Ethics (3 credits)
BPST 314 Business Legal Environment (3 credits)
INDS 490 Interdisciplinary Research Project (3 credits)
INDS 499 Interdisciplinary Externship (3 credits)
Additional Course Work (30 credits)
No more than 18 credits may be from the same course area (e.g., ACCT, COMM,
CIST/CTEC, LRSP). Courses that transfer as equivalent to BPS courses will only be accepted into the proposed concentration by obtaining permission from the faculty
advisor and the BPS program codirectors. Transfer courses at the 300 and 400 levels, or
their equivalents, may be used as part of the concentration proposal. The total number
of transfer credits, equivalent and non-equivalent, applied toward the interdisciplinary
concentration requirements may not exceed 15.
Students should meet with their faculty advisor for further information regarding
documentation required in this concentration.
Leadership and Management (42 credits)
Prepares individuals for leadership and managerial positions in public and private organizations.
Required Courses (30 credits)
ACCT 201 Accounting for Managers (3 credits)
BPST 313 Professional Assessment and Business Ethics (3 credits)
BPST 314 Business Legal Environment (3 credits)
LRSP 306 Economics for Business (3 credits)
LRSP 311 The Management Process (3 credits)
LRSP 331 Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
LRSP 343 Leadership Theory and Practice (3 credits)
LRSP 412 Marketing for Managers (3 credits)
LRSP 433 Production/Operations Management (3 credits)
LRSP 460 Leadership Strategy and Policy (3 credits)
Elective Courses (12 credits to be selected)
ACCT 465 Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting (3 credits)
CIST Electives (maximum of 6 credits)
COMM 315 Communication and Technology (3 credits)
COMM 316 Strategic Communication (3 credits)
COMM 317 Corporate Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
LRSP 305 Public Sector Management (3 credits)
LRSP 344 Financial Management (3 credits)
LRSP 406 Human Resource Management (3 credits)
LRSP 407 Employment Law (3 credits)
LRSP 434 International Management (3 credits)
LRSP 435 Leadership, Innovation, and Creativity (3 credits)
LRSP 499 Internship (1-6 credits)
Network Security (42 credits)
Prepares individuals for a variety of managerial and technical positions in private and public sectors in which developing and maintaining a secure network is essential.
Required Courses (24 credits)
BPST 313 Professional Assessment and Business Ethics (3 credits)
BPST 314 Business Legal Environment (3 credits)
CIST 404 Business Data Communications (3 credits)
CIST 405 Computer Networking (3 credits)
CIST 425 Systems Analysis (3 credits)
CIST 426 Managing Emerging Technologies (3 credits)
CIST 461 Project Management for IT (3 credits)
CIST 490 IT Research Project (3 credits)
Required Network Security Courses from Northern Virginia Community College, Woodbridge Campus (18 credits)
BPS students who complete, with a C or higher, the following 24 credits in Network Security from the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), Woodbridge Campus and transfer these credits to CGPS will receive 18 credits required for the concentration in Network Security and 6 elective credits. Students must register through NVCC and provide an official transcript to CGPS upon completion of the courses. For more information, students should contact the BPS program codirector.
NVCC Network Security Courses
ITN 260 Network Security Basics (3 credits)
ITN 261 Network Attacks, Computer Crime, and Hacking (4 credits)
ITN 262 Network Communication, Security, and Authentication (4 credits)
ITN 263 Internet-Intranet Firewalls and E-Commerce Security (4 credits)
ITN 266 Network Security Layers (3 credits)
ITN 267 Cyberlaw (3 credits)
ITN 293 Studies in Network: Capstone Course (3 credits)