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The offers eligible employees the opportunity to have tuition charges covered for undergraduate and graduate classes at the University. If you’re thinking about using remitted tuition, consider enrolling in one of the in-demand programs offered through the .

Ranked No. 5 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs of private universities, the College of Professional Studies programs are designed to be career-focused and boost professional competencies and skills.

Deanna Grannis, project director in the Division of Marketing, is utilizing the remitted tuition benefit to participate in the online program. Grannis discovered the project management M.P.S. degree when she received a postcard introducing the program.

“I took a copy of it, and I just stuck it in my pocket,” Grannis says. “Every time I wore my coat, it was just there as a reminder to do this.”

Networking and Real-World Application

The M.P.S. in project management has been a path for Grannis to refine her skills. Additionally, it has functioned as a networking opportunity to connect with the University community. Through her classes, Grannis has been able to connect with faculty and staff that she wouldn’t be able to connect with on a daily basis.

“There’s always breakout sessions within each one of the classes, and you really get to know what people are doing across the University,” says Grannis.

Born from industry, the College of Professional Studies programs are designed to meet the needs of budding and evolving professionals looking to take the next step in their career. Grannis is already seeing professional growth in herself halfway through the graduate program and is putting the knowledge she has gained to use as a project director. One of the most recent projects she has managed was the re-imagination of the flagship website.

“The skills that I have been learning through each and every one of the classes, I have immediately applied to my role,” Grannis says. “I believe that they helped clarify different things that were going on and how I should approach them.”

Staff and faculty looking to level up their careers can do so through a variety of degree and certificate options. For Grannis, the M.P.S. in project management fit within her professional goals, allowing her to draw parallels with her course work and professional work. Grannis even had the opportunity to organize an event with her professor to conduct an exclusive professional development workshop for her colleagues.

“From developing skills for the next chapter in your work life to having greater success in your personal life, the M.P.S. in project management is a difference-maker for all students,” says John Stinnett, College of Professional Studies instructor. “I tell the students that life is a project, and this program delivers by helping them treat all of the activities in their lives as a project, and they are more successful as a result.”

A Role Model for Lifelong Learning

As a mother working full-time, Grannis was unsure how she would juggle school on top of her busy schedule. However, Grannis has been able to strike a balance and easily fit her classes into her schedule thanks to the eight-week online course format. Taking one class at a time, Grannis has selected to take only evening classes and completes the weekly live while her children are asleep. When Grannis isn’t in class, she’s studying alongside her children.

“When they have their reading time, I also have my reading time,” Grannis says. “I think that it’s really great for them to see that learning and education don’t stop.”

Learn more about the College of Professional Studies today. Find out more about using remitted tuition by  or the .