Master’s Degree
Explore blog posts highlighting Kent State University’s online master’s degree programs, covering fields such as Music Education, Public Administration, Geographic Information Science, and User Experience. Learn about program rankings, faculty insights, and specialized courses designed to help professionals advance their careers. Discover opportunities for growth and expertise in a variety of disciplines.
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Kent State University’s College of Nursing is one of the nation’s largest and most respected nursing schools, with more than 12,000 alumni worldwide. Designated as a National League for Nursing (NLN) Center of Excellence in Nursing Education in 2013, we partner with over 350 hospitals, clinics, and extended-care facilities to give our students valuable clinical experience and prepare them as future nurse leaders.1 Kent State’s online master’s in nursing program is ranked in the top 100 in the country by U.S. News.
Before COVID-19 the hospitality management industry experienced a period of large growth. As we begin our post-COVID-19 recovery, the industry will return to growth.
Now, more than ever, the U.S. justice system needs skilled law enforcement officers to assist in protecting the innocent, keeping the peace and achieving the ends of justice. From lawyers and secret agents to forensic analysts and probation officers, there are many high-paying jobs within law enforcement. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median criminal justice degree salary in 2019 was around $81,820.1
Professional nurses are in great demand!
Kent State University College of Nursing Interim Dean Denice Sheehan knows that healthcare is more in demand than ever.
You’re tech-savvy and fascinated by geography, but is there a career in that? Consider this, from the geographic information system company Esri:
Alison Hayne’s first app design project had 6,000 users.
Whether you thrive in the sunshine or the snow, near water or mountains, in big cities or under big sky, we have good news for you: there are geographic information science jobs all over the country.
Exciting news from Kent State University’s School of Music!
At first glance, Chello Elmi might seem like an unusual fit for a UXD program. She studied psychology as an undergraduate, but when it came time to earn her master’s, all she knew was she didn’t want to continue in a therapeutic or mental health field.
Geography Professor Scott Sheridan has been named a recipient of the 2020 Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award (ORSA). Sponsored by the University Research Council and the Division of Research and Economic Development, this award honors Kent State’s exceptional researchers and scholars. Recipients are selected based on the quality of their research and scholarship, and its impact on society.
Educational psychology involves both teaching and learning. But how does that work?
Many companies hire MPA graduates knowing that the skills they’ve acquired are as valuable in the for-profit sector as they are in the government and not-for-profit worlds. Among the many companies likely to hire MPA graduates, these 10 stand out.
Kent State University has announced the recipients of the New Faculty Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award (New ORSA). These awards recognize the hard work and dedication of faculty who have been at Kent State for 10 years or less and are sponsored by the University Research Council.
User experience design (UXD) is a strategic undertaking. At minimum, it requires a fundamental understanding of digital sociology and the principles of storytelling and website design. While UX designers are often exceptionally intelligent people, there are always ways in which they can improve their overall output.
Responsive Web Design (RWD) is the approach that suggests that website design and development should enable each site to respond automatically to a user’s behavior and environment—that is, whether that person is using a laptop, iPad, Android phone or other device, viewing in portrait or landscape mode, and so on.1 In the case of public displays, recent work also considers the viewer’s distance from the screen within the context of RWD.2
User Experience (UX) designers are highly sought after in a wide array of industries, from computer and software companies such as Apple, Microsoft and Adobe to popular websites such as LinkedIn, Google and Amazon. You can enjoy a highly paid career with an investment company, major retailer or entertainment firm.
Technology has changed almost every aspect of the way we live and work, including our approach to healthcare. Medical providers, clinical facilities and payers are increasingly adopting technology that can help them achieve the goals of higher-quality care at lower cost. Health informatics is a rapidly growing field, fusing the knowledge of technology with the desire to improve patient care. As the field grows, a competitive health informatics salary can be part of a fulfilling career.
Today’s criminal justice system faces unique challenges that demand highly trained, dedicated professionals. In the area of criminal justice policy, there are exciting careers in community policing and enforcement, the treatment and rights of victims in the criminal justice process, and current issues and practices in homeland security and cybersecurity. These specializations offer many opportunities for rewarding, well-compensated careers that are in high demand. For example, job opportunities for private detectives and investigators are projected to grow by eight percent by 2029, while those for information security analysts will grow by 31 percent.1,2
Intrigued by thoughts of international security jobs? Many people have built top-level, lucrative careers with government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private contractors, foundations and think tanks.1
When you think of “public administration,” you may envision managing budgets for a city transportation department or improving the efficiency of a town’s public health division. But for graduates with a master’s degree in public administration, there are many career possibilities that might not come to mind right away. A public administrator plans, organizes, directs, coordinates and controls operations in a government office, private company or nonprofit organization. This can be in positions as diverse as that of a community health director or the budget director at an environmental justice nonprofit. An MPA opens a world of opportunities.
Intelligence-led policing (ILP) is a system of law enforcement that was first developed in the 1990s and grew in popularity in the U.S. after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.1,2 This policing model relies on advanced data analytics, community involvement, and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies and organizations. Through shared intelligence and firsthand observation, police can be proactive rather than reactive in assessing risk, which has been shown to be an effective method for preventing crime.2
When we ask what organization has the goal of maintaining international peace and security, an answer that quickly comes to mind is the United Nations (UN). Founded in 1945, in the aftermath of World War II, its central mission is “the maintenance of international peace and security.”1 However, with today’s interconnected world and challenging cross-border issues, there are many peacekeeping groups that work together to help maintain stability around the world. In addition to the UN and its different bodies, including the General Assembly and Security Council, there are strategic partners, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and a vast array of independent nonprofit research facilities and advocacy organizations, all focused on global peace and security.
Respond to the need for change in your community. The NASPAA-accredited Kent State Master of Public Administration program will prepare you to focus on ethical leadership, budgeting and financial management in the private and nonprofit sectors, while you learn to comprehend and utilize complex nonprofit and public sector laws and strategic planning.
This year, discussions of criminal justice reform in this country have changed a great deal. In our presidential primaries, a record number of Democratic candidates’ platforms included the importance of reform.1 The COVID-19 pandemic and recent social justice protests have brought to light ways in which our entire system, including criminal justice and law enforcement, disproportionately affects poor communities and minorities.2
Careers in government and public administration often attracts idealistic people who want to make a difference in our democracy and in the lives of their fellow citizens. But what does it actually take to become a leader in bureaucratic structures at the municipal, state and federal levels?
We have all heard the term ‘social justice,’ but its importance and history remain unclear to many of us.
When you tune in to a local weather forecast or reach your destination with the help of a GPS device, you’re reaping the benefits of geographic information system (GIS) remote sensing technology. GIS was first applied in the 1960s to collect and analyze data regarding land usage. Today, there are a myriad of GIS applications ranging from urban planning to predicting the environmental effects of climate change. GIS technology continues to develop, creating an ever-increasing need for skilled professionals.1
Kent State User Experience Design (UXD) Instructor Kelsey Pytlik has an undergraduate degree from Miami University of Ohio and a master’s degree in User Experience Design from Kent State University. After her early career with creative agencies and e-commerce retailers, she became the sole UX designer for luxury furniture retailer Frontgate. She is now the CEO of Gild Collective, which is dedicated to empowering women through inclusion and leadership.
User experience design (UXD) lets you use your creativity, research skills and technological expertise to shape how others view the world. If you want to excel at building your UX resume, be prepared to impress employers with new ways to solve problems. You also need a skill set that’s grounded in UX fundamentals, yet shows synergistic capability.