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The Division of Professional Studies (DPS) is a partnership-based organization within UMBC’s Division of Academic Affairs. Through creative collaboration, the DPS staff team-up with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders to generate future-focused responses to the evolving needs of our community.

Our goal is impact. DPS is committed to our role as stewards of partnerships that center on enhancing access for students with nontraditional needs. We are dedicated to creating access to opportunity and are guided by the goals of enhancing economic prosperity, social mobility, and social justice.

We offer professionally focused master’s degrees, graduate certificates, undergraduate programs, individual course, and non-degree training programs. Our programs engage a broad array of UMBC faculty, industry experts, distinguished professionals, and thought leaders to teach courses, mentor students, and advance the state-of-the-practice at UMBC.

Whether it is an alternative location, an alternative learning modality, an alternative time of day, week, or year – DPS partnerships bring UMBC’s community, extended, and professional program to the region and state in affordable, accessible, and impactful ways.