FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Laura Hart, 401-456-8977, lhart@ric.edu
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE HOSTS GRADUATE STUDIES OPEN HOUSE
PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Rhode Island College will host a Graduate Studies Open House on Tuesday, Jan. 6, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence. All open house attendees will have their $50 graduate application fee waived for master’s degree programs and certificates of graduate studies. Visit www.ric.edu/graduatestudies to register for this free, informational event.
RIC faculty will be available to discuss admission requirements, learning objectives and professional opportunities associated with more than three dozen master’s degree programs and 15 certificates of graduate study. Current graduate students will also be on hand to share their perspectives and experiences with attendees.
At 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30 p.m., the RIC Career Development Center will hold help sessions on writing successful essays for a graduate school application. Representatives from financial aid and the Veterans Resource Center will also be available to answer questions.
Dean of Graduate Studies Leslie Schuster said, “The open house is an ideal opportunity to investigate advanced education options that can help you move forward in your career.” Schuster added that RIC graduate school classes often follow non-traditional scheduling to accommodate the working adult.
Lastly, Schuster advised those considering graduate school but concerned about a multi-year commitment to enroll in a Certificate of Graduate Studies program. “Certificates of Graduate Studies offer professionals stackable credentials,” she said. “Most C.G.S. programs require in the neighborhood of 15 credits – one-half to one-third of what most graduate programs require.” She added that upon acceptance to a master’s program, most students would be able to transfer their C.G.S. credits.
RIC is comprised of five separate schools, all of which offer graduate programs. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences offers Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees in art with concentrations in art education and media studies; biology; English with an optional concentration in creative writing; history; mathematics and psychology. It offers Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degrees in art education, English, French, history, mathematics, music education and Spanish, as well as a Master of Music Education (M.M.Ed.) degree, in conjunction with the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences also offers Certificates of Graduate Studies (C.G.S.) in creative writing, literature, health psychology, modern biological sciences and public history.
The Feinstein School of Education and Human Development offers an M.A. in school counseling; a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in clinical mental health counseling; Master of Education (M.Ed.) degrees in advanced studies in teaching and learning, early childhood (special education), early childhood education, educational leadership, elementary education, exceptional learning needs, health education, reading education, severe/profound disabilities, special education certification, teaching English as a second language and urban/multicultural education; and an M.A.T degree in elementary education (see Arts and Sciences for other M.A.T. degrees). The Feinstein School also offers C.G.S programs in advanced counseling, autism education, mathematics content specialist (elementary), middle-level education, middle-secondary level special education, physical education and severe intellectual disabilities, as well as a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (C.A.G.S.) in school psychology. RIC also offers a joint Ph.D. in Education in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island.
The School of Management offers a Master of Professional Accountancy (M.P.Ac.) with an optional concentration in personal financial planning and it offers a C.G.S. in financial planning. The School of Nursing offers Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degrees with concentrations in adult/gerontology, nurse anesthesia and population/public health, as well as a C.G.S. in nursing care management. The School of Social Work offers a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) degree and a C.G.S. in nonprofit studies
At the Open House, students may get a jumpstart on the fall semester by enrolling in spring courses on site.
Out-of-state applicants who live within 50 miles of Providence qualify for a 40-percent tuition discount through RIC’s Metropolitan Tuition Policy.
Established in 1854, Rhode Island College serves approximately 9,000 graduate and undergraduate students through its five schools: the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the School of Social Work, the School of Management and the School of Nursing. For more information, visit www.ric.edu.
