Degrees geared toward working professionals who need specialized skills
In a bid to diversify revenue and cater to workers who increasingly need specialized training to succeed in their careers, the University of Colorado is encouraging academic departments to create new professional master's degrees.
These degrees, which differ from traditional master's programs, provide practical training for people who already have a bachelor's degree and have spent a few years in the workforce.
While someone pursuing a traditional master's degree might work in a research lab or write a thesis, a student enrolled in a professional master's program might complete a capstone project that's relevant to their current job.
"There's a focus on applied knowledge versus trying to push the envelope of knowledge," said Steve Lawrence, a CU business professor and the director of Be Boulder Anywhere, the umbrella unit for all online education offerings on the Boulder campus.