Program Overview

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Northwestern University Academic Catalog

School of Professional Studies

The School of Professional Studies offers various undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as certificates, to cater to the diverse needs of students.

Undergraduate Programs

• Biological Sciences: BSGS
• Communication Studies: BPhil Com
• Economics: BPhil, BSGS
• English: Writing: BPhil, BSGS
• Enterprise Leadership: BS
• Health Sciences: BS
• Humanities: BPhil, BSGS
• Information Systems: BPhil, BS, BSGS
• Organization Behavior: BPhil, BSGS
• Psychology: BPhil, BSGS
• Social Sciences: BPhil, BS, BSGS
• Strategic Communication: BS

Graduate Programs

• Data Science: MS, MS Analytics and Modeling Specialization, MS Analytics Management Specialization, MS Artificial Intelligence Specialization, MS Data Engineering Specialization, MS Technology Entrepreneurship Specialization
• Global Health: MS
• Health Analytics: MS
• Healthcare Administration: MS
• Health Informatics: MS, MS Clinical Informatics Specialization, MS Health Administration Informatics Specialization, MS Health Technology Informatics Specialization
• Information Design and Strategy: MS, MS Communication with Data Specialization, MS Content Strategy Specialization, MS Learning Design Specialization, MS UX/UI Specialization
• Information Systems: MS, MS Artificial Intelligence Specialization, MS Data Science Specialization, MS Database and Internet Technologies Specialization, MS Digital Transformation Specialization, MS Health Informatics Specialization, MS Information Systems Management Specialization, MS Information Systems Security Specialization, MS Project Management Specialization
• Liberal Studies: MA, MA Interdisciplinary Studies Specialization
• Literature: MA, MA American Literature Specialization, MA British Literature Specialization, MA Comparative and World Literature Specialization, MA Film, Literature, and Visual Culture Specialization, MA Interdisciplinary Studies Specialization
• Prose and Poetry: MFA, MFA Dual-Genre Specialization, MFA Fiction Specialization, MFA Nonfiction Specialization, MFA Poetry Specialization, MFA Publishing and Professional Development Specialization
• Public Policy and Administration: MA, MA Data Analytics for Public Policy Specialization, MA Global Health Specialization, MA Global Policy Specialization, MA Public Administration Specialization, MA Public Policy Specialization
• Regulatory Compliance: MS, MS Clinical Research Specialization, MS Quality Systems Specialization
• Sports Administration: MA, MA College Sports Management Specialization, MA Sports Analytics Specialization
• Writing: MA, MA Dual-Genre Specialization, MA Fiction Specialization, MA Nonfiction Specialization, MA Poetry Specialization, MA Publishing and Professional Development Specialization

Certificates

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

• Advanced Accounting: Certificate
• Advanced Studies in Biology for Health Professions: Certificate
• Advanced Studies in Psychology: Certificate
• Artificial Intelligence: Certificate
• Biology for Health Sciences: Certificate
• Business Essentials: Certificate
• Business Writing/Communication: Certificate
• Change Management: Certificate
• Corporate Communication and Branding: Certificate
• CPA Accounting: Certificate
• Creative Writing: Certificate
• Data Science: Certificate
• Digital Content Management: Certificate
• Fundamentals of Accounting: Certificate
• Health, Science and Society: Certificate
• Human Resources: Certificate
• Law and Policy: Certificate
• Leadership: Certificate
• Math for Data Science: Certificate
• Pre-Clinical Psychology: Certificate
• Pre-Graduate Business Administration: Certificate
• Pre-Medicine: Certificate
• Pre-Physical Therapy: Certificate
• Pre-Physician Assistant: Certificate
• Programming: Certificate
• Public Health: Certificate
• Research and Analytics: Certificate
• Social Justice: Certificate
• Specialized Studies: Certificates
• Strategic Communication: Certificate
• Strategic Management: Certificate
• Strategic Marketing: Certificate
• Writing for Print and Digital Media: Certificate

Graduate Certificates

• Data Science: Analytics and Modeling, Graduate Certificate, Analytics Management, Graduate Certificate, Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Data Engineering, Graduate Certificate, Technology Entrepreneurship, Graduate Certificate
• Global Health: Global Health Leadership, Graduate Certificate
• Health Analytics: Health Analytics, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Health Data Science, Graduate Certificate
• Health Informatics: Health Informatics Graduate Certificate, Interdisciplinary Studies in Health Informatics, Advanced Graduate Certificate
• Healthcare Industry: Healthcare Industry, Graduate Certificate
• Information Design and Strategy: Communication with Data, Graduate Certificate, Content Strategy, Graduate Certificate, Interdisciplinary Studies in Information Design and Strategy, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Learning Design, Graduate Certificate
• Information Systems: Database & Internet Technologies, Graduate Certificate, Information Systems Management, Graduate Certificate, Information Systems Security, Graduate Certificate, Interdisciplinary Studies in Information Systems, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Project Management, Graduate Certificate
• Liberal Studies: Interdisciplinary Studies, Advanced Graduate Certificate
• Literature: Interdisciplinary Studies, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Literature, Graduate Certificate
• Predictive Analytics: Data Science, Advanced Graduate Certificate
• Public Policy and Administration: Climate Change Communication, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Global Policy, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Policy Analysis, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Public Administration, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Public Policy and Administration, Graduate Certificate, Public Policy, Advanced Graduate Certificate
• Regulatory Compliance: Interdisciplinary Studies in Regulatory Compliance, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Regulatory Compliance Graduate Certificate
• Regulatory Policy & Health Systems: Regulatory Policy and Health Systems, Graduate Certificate
• Sports Administration: College Sports Management, Graduate Certificate, Esports, Graduate Certificate, Interdisciplinary Studies in Sports Administration, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Sports Analytics, Graduate Certificate, Sports Communication, Graduate Certificate, Sports Management, Graduate Certificate
• Writing: Creative Writing, Graduate Certificate, Interdisciplinary Studies in Writing, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Publishing and Professional Development in Writing, Advanced Graduate Certificate

Courses A-Z

Undergraduate Courses

• Accounting (ACCOUNT)
• Advertising (ADVT)
• African Studies (AFST)
• Anthropology (ANTHRO)
• Art History (ART_HIST)
• Art Theory & Practice (ART)
• Asian Languages and Cultures (ASIAN_LC)
• Astronomy (ASTRON)
• Biological Sciences (BIOL_SCI)
• Business Law (BUS_LAW)
• Chemistry (CHEM)
• Chinese (CHINESE)
• Classics - Readings in English (CLASSICS)
• Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD)
• Communication Studies (COMM_ST)
• Comparative Literary Studies (COMP_LIT)
• Computer Information Systems (CIS)
• Earth and Planetary Sciences (EARTH)
• Economics (ECON)
• English (ENGLISH)
• Finance (FINANCE)
• French (FRENCH)
• Gender Studies (GNDR_ST)
• Global Health (GBL_HLTH)
• Health Sciences (HLTH_SCI)
• Humanities (HUM)
• History (HISTORY)
• International Studies (INTL_ST)
• Journalistic Writing (JRN_WRIT)
• Kinesiology (KINS)
• Legal Studies (LEGAL_ST)
• Marketing (MKTG)
• Mathematics (MATH)
• Music History & Literature (MUS_HIST)
• Organizational Behavior (ORG_BEH)
• Performance Studies (PERF_ST)
• Philosophy (PHIL)
• Physics (PHYSICS)
• Political Science (POLI_SCI)
• Professional Health (PRO_HLTH)
• Psychology (PSYCH)
• Radio/Television/Film (RTVF)
• Religion (RELIGION)
• Social Sciences (SOC_SCI)
• Sociology (SOCIOL)
• Spanish (SPANISH)
• Statistics (STAT)
• Theatre (THEATRE)

Graduate Courses

• Clinical Research & Regulatory Administration (CLIN_RES)
• Computer Information Systems (CIS)
• Healthcare Administration (HCA)
• Healthcare Compliance (HC_COM)
• Leadership (LEADERS)
• Liberal Studies (IPLS)
• Literature (LIT)
• Master of Arts in Sports Administration (MSA)
• Master of Creative Writing (MCW)
• Master of Data Science (MSDS)
• Master of Public Policy & Administration (MPPA)
• Master of Regulatory Compliance (MSRC)
• Master of Science Global Health (MSGH)
• Master of Science Information Design & Strategy (MS_IDS)
• MS in Health Analytics (MSHA)
• MS in Health Informatics (MHI)
• Quality Assurance & Regulatory Science (QARS)
• School of Professional Studies (SPS)

The Graduate School

Academic Policies and Procedures

• Academic Calendar
• Academic Integrity
• Ad Hoc Combined Degrees
• Certificate Requirements
• General Registration Policies
• Graduation and Diploma Mailing
• Leaves of Absence
• Master's Degree Requirements
• Minor Requirements
• Nondiscrimination Statement
• Patent and Invention Policy
• PhD Degree Requirements
• Readmission
• Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Student Funding Policies
• Student Handbook and Code of Conduct
• Teaching
• Withdrawal

Undergraduate

Admission

• Financial Aid Application
• Financial Aid Eligibility

Tuition & Payment

• Tuition Benefit
• Withdrawal Refunds

Requirements and Policies

• Courses and Credit
• Enrollment
  • Exams and Attendance
  • Withdrawal
• Grades
• Graduation & Degrees
  • Graduation Honors
• In-Person Arrival and Course Engagement
• Student Status
  • Academic Standing
  • Disciplinary Actions
  • Returning to the University
• Transcripts
• Transfer Credit
  • Test Credit
  • Transfer Types
• Undergraduate Registration Requirement

Additional Baccalaureate Options

• Accelerated Bachelors
• Certificates
  • Kellogg Certificates
    • Financial Economics Certificate
    • Managerial Analytics Certificate
  • McCormick Certificates
  • Medill Certificates
  • Programs & Centers Certificates
    • Leadership
    • Sustainability and Energy
  • SESP Certificates
  • SoC Certificates
• Minors
  • Bienen Minors
  • Programs & Centers Minors
    • Transportation and Logistics Minor
  • SoC Minors
  • McCormick Minors
  • WCAS Minors
• Second Majors
  • Bienen Second Majors
  • WCAS Second Majors

Dual Graduate & Undergraduate Degrees

• Honors Program in Medical Education
• Premedical Scholars Program

Dual Bachelor's Degrees

• BA/BS in Liberal Arts and Engineering
• BA/BMus in Liberal Arts and Music
• BA/BS or BS/BS in Communication and Engineering
• BA/BMus, BS/BMus, BA/BAMus, or BS/BAMus in Communication and Music
• BSED/BMus or BSED/BAMus in Education and Social Policy and in Music
• BS/BMus or BS/BAMus in Engineering and Music
• BSJ/BMus in Journalism and Music
• BSED/BSJ in Education and Social Policy and in Journalism

Study Outside Northwestern

Undergraduate Research

Special Programs & Courses

• College Transition Programs
• Innovation in News and Storytelling
• Military Programs
  • Naval Science

Academic Calendar

Academic Integrity

Academic Support

Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music

Composition and Music Technology

• Composition Major
• Composition Minor
• Music Technology Minor

Conducting and Ensembles

Jazz

• Jazz Studies Major

Music Cognition

Music Core

Music Education

• Music Education Major
• Music Education Minor

Music Studies for Nonmajors

Music Technology

Music Theory and Cognition

• Music Cognition Major
• Music Cognition Minor
• Music Theory Major
• Music Theory Minor

Musicology

• Musicology Major
• Musicology Minor

Piano

• Piano Major

String Instruments

• String Instruments Major

Voice and Opera

• Voice and Opera Major

Winds and Percussion Instruments

• Winds and Percussion Instruments Major

School of Communication

Communication Sciences and Disorders

• Human Communication Sciences Major
• Human Communication Sciences Minor

Communication Studies

• Communication Studies Major
• Management of Creative Industries Certificate

Dance

Human Communication Sciences

Interdepartmental Communication Options

Performance Studies

• Performance Studies Major
• Performance Studies Minor

Radio/Television/Film

• Film and Media Studies Minor
• Game Design + Media Arts + Animation Minor
• Radio/Television/Film Major
• Sound Design Minor

Theatre

• Dance Major
• Dance Minor
• Music Theatre Certificate
• Theatre Major
• Theatre Minor

School of Education and Social Policy

Elementary Teaching

• Elementary Teaching Major

Human Development in Context

• Human Development in Context Major

Learning and Organizational Change

• Learning and Organizational Change Major

Learning Sciences

• Learning Sciences Major

Secondary Teaching

Social Policy

• Social Policy Major

Experiential Learning

Civic Engagement Certificate

Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

Applied Mathematics

Architectural Engineering and Design

Artificial Intelligence

• Artificial Intelligence Minor

Biomedical Engineering

• Biomedical Engineering Degree

Chemical Engineering

• Chemical Engineering Degree
• Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering Minor

Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Civil Engineering Degree
• Environmental Engineering Degree
• Architectural Engineering and Design
• Environmental Engineering Minor

Computer Engineering

Computer Science

• Computer Science Degree
• Computer Science Minor (McCormick School of Engineering)
• Computer Science Second Major for ISP Students

Curious Life Certificate

• Curious Life Certificate

Design Engineering (Engineering Design)

Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Computer Engineering Degree
• Electrical Engineering Degree

Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics

• Applied Mathematics Degree

Environmental Engineering

Farley Center for Entrepreneurship

• Entrepreneurship Minor

General Engineering

Human Computer Interaction

• Human Computer Interaction Certificate

Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences

• Industrial Engineering Degree

Machine Learning and Data Science

• Machine Learning and Data Science Minor

Materials Science and Engineering

• Materials Science and Engineering Degree

Mechanical Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering Degree

Segal Design Institute

• Manufacturing and Design Engineering Degree
• Segal Design Certificate

Robotics

Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications

Integrated Marketing Communications

• Integrated Marketing Communications Certificate

Journalism

• Journalism Degree

Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

Advanced Expression

African Studies

• African Studies Adjunct Major
• African Studies Minor

American Studies

• American Studies Major

Anthropology

• Anthropology Major
• Anthropology Minor

Arabic

Art History

• Art History Major
• Art History Minor

Art Theory and Practice

• Art Theory and Practice Major
• Art Theory and Practice Minor

Asian American Studies

• Asian American Studies Major
• Asian American Studies Minor

Asian Languages and Cultures

• Asian Languages and Cultures Major
• Asian Humanities Minor
• Advanced Asian Languages Minor

Astronomy

Biological Sciences

• Biological Sciences Major
• Biological Sciences Second Major for ISP Students

Black Studies

• Black Studies Major
• Black Studies Minor

Business Institutions

• Business Institutions Minor

Catholic Studies

Chemistry

• Chemistry Major
• Chemistry Minor
• Chemistry Second Major for ISP Students
• Chemistry BA/MS

Chicago Field Studies

Chinese

Classics

• Classics Major
• Classics Minor Concentrations

Cognitive Science

• Cognitive Science Major
• Cognitive Science Minor

Comparative Literary Studies

• Comparative Literary Studies Major
• World Literature Minor
• Comparative Literary Studies BA/MA

Computer Science

• Computer Science Major
• Computer Science Minor (Weinberg College)
• Computer Science Second Major for ISP Students
• Computer Science BA/MS

Critical Theory

• Critical Theory Minor

Data Science

Earth and Planetary Sciences

• Earth and Planetary Sciences Major
• Earth and Planetary Sciences Minor
• Earth and Planetary Sciences Second Major for ISP Students

Economics

• Economics Major
• Economics Minor
• Economics BA/MA

Empirical and Deductive Reasoning

English

• English Major
• Creative Writing Major
• English Minor
• Creative Writing Minor

Environmental Policy and Culture

• Environmental Policy and Culture Adjunct Major
• Environmental Policy and Culture Minor

Environmental Sciences

• Environmental Sciences Major
• Environmental Sciences Second Major for ISP Students

Ethical and Evaluative Thinking

Ethics and Civic Life

• Brady Scholars Program

French and Italian

• French Major
• French Minor
• Italian Literature and Culture Major
• Italian Minor
• French BA/MA

Gender and Sexuality Studies

• Gender and Sexuality Studies Major
• Gender and Sexuality Studies Minor

General Liberal Arts

German

• German Major
• German Minor
• German Studies Minor
• Business German Minor

Global Health Studies

• Global Health Studies Adjunct Major
• Global Health Studies Minor

Greek

Hebrew

Hindi

Historical Studies

History

• History Major
• History Minor

Humanities

• Kaplan Humanities Scholars Program

Integrated Science

• Integrated Science Major

International Studies

• International Studies Adjunct Major
• International Studies Minor

Italian

Japanese

Jewish Studies

• Jewish Studies Major
• Hebrew Studies Minor
• Jewish Studies Minor

Korean

Latin

Latin American and Caribbean Studies

• Latin American and Caribbean Studies Minor

Latina and Latino Studies

• Latina and Latino Studies Major
• Latina and Latino Studies Minor

Legal Studies

• Legal Studies Major
• Legal Studies Minor

Linguistics

• Linguistics Major
• Linguistics Minor
• Linguistics BA/MA

Literature and Arts

Materials Science

• Materials Science Minor

Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences

• MMSS Adjunct Major

Mathematics

• Mathematics Major
• Mathematics Minor
• Mathematics Second Major for ISP Students
• Mathematics Second Major or Minor for MMSS Students

Middle East and North African Languages

• Arabic Minor

Middle East and North African Studies

• Middle East and North African Studies Major
• Middle East and North African Studies Minor

Molecular Biosciences

Native American and Indigenous Studies

• Native American and Indigenous Studies Minor

Natural Sciences

Neurobiology

• Neuroscience Major
• Neuroscience Second Major for ISP Students

Neuroscience

Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

Philosophy

• Philosophy Major
• Philosophy Minor

Physics and Astronomy

• Physics Major
• Physics Minor
• Physics Second Major for ISP Students

Political Science

• Political Science Major
• Political Science Minor

Portuguese

Psychology

• Psychology Major
• Psychology Minor

Religious Studies

• Religious Studies Major
• Religious Studies Minor
• Catholic Studies Minor

Russian

Science in Human Culture

• Science in Human Culture Adjunct Major
• Science in Human Culture Minor

Slavic Languages and Literatures

• Slavic Languages and Literatures Major
• Russian and East European Studies Minor

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Sociology

• Sociology Major
• Sociological Research Minor
• Sociological Studies Minor

Spanish & Portuguese

• Spanish Major
• Spanish Minor
• Portuguese Language and Lusophone Cultures Minor

Statistics and Data Science

• Data Science Major
• Data Science Minor
• Statistics Major
• Statistics Minor

Swahili

Turkish

Urdu

Writing Program

Regulatory Compliance Graduate Certificate

Curriculum

To earn this certificate, students must complete the following four courses:

• MSRC 401-DL: Quality Systems
• Any three of the following courses:
  • MSRC 405-DL: Applied Research and Writing
  • MSRC 435-DL: Risk and Decision Management
  • MSRC 481-DL: Leadership in the Regulatory Environment
  • CLIN_RES 400-DL: Essentials of Initiating Clinical Research
  • CLIN_RES 401-DL: Responsible Conduct of Research
  • CLIN_RES 403-DL: Clinical Research Design & Methodology
  • QARS 420-DL: Practical Quality Management
  • QARS 421-DL: Applied Quality & Regulatory Practices
  • QARS 425-DL: Quality Assurance Project Management
  • QARS 450-DL: Medical Device Regulations
  • QARS 460-DL: Drug and Biologics Regulations