Center for Professional Development

The University of Mary Washington currently offers two nontraditional degree programs – the Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree, and the Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) degree. The BLS program description begins on page 185 of this Catalog and the BPS program information is provided below. The enrollment procedures for non-traditional degree programs are published by the Office of Admissions and are summarized in the “Admission and Enrollment” section of this Catalog.

Management and Professional Development Programs

The Center offers several training and certification programs on an open enrollment basis throughout the year. Current offerings include the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certification Prep Course, the SHRM Essentials of Human Resource Management course, and the Project Management Institute’s (PMP) Certification Prep course. These programs also can be conducted on site and tailored to unique organizational needs. The Center has conducted on-site programs for clients that include Booz Allen Hamilton, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County Government, Northrop Grumman – Mission Systems, QinetiQ North America, Mary Washington Healthcare System, BAE Systems, L3-Com, and Spotsylvania County Information Services Department.

Organizational Improvement Services

The Center, through its network of faculty members and experienced consultants, can provide an array of contracted training and consulting services, e.g., strategic planning, management development, management coaching, project management training, team building, and organizational assessment. Center clients include GEICO, Pratt Medical Center, Collegiate Funding Services, LLC (now JPMorgan Chase & Company), Capital One, Spotsylvania County Information Services department, the Office of the Spotsylvania County Administrator, and the Stafford County Department of Economic Development.

Technology Training

Professional staff members within the Center anticipate changes in the technology industry and provide high quality noncredit technical training by offering seminars, workshops, and courses to meet the needs of individuals, business, and government. Current IT certification programs include the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), the Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional (MCITP), the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS), the industry-recognized Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) A+, Network+, and Security+ certification programs. and the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). The Center also designs and delivers custom technology training solutions for both IT and business professionals. Clients include GEICO, CVS Distribution Center, Northrop Grumman, MTCSC, Stafford County Information Technology Department, Spotsylvania County Information Services Department, and Collegiate Funding Services, LLC (now JPMorgan Chase & Company). Customized courses include SQL 2003, SQL 2007, Crystal Reports, Microsoft Project 2007, and Microsoft Office 2007.

Meeting and Conference Planning and Management

The Center staff has the capability to plan and manage business, educational, and professional meetings and conferences ranging from half-day planning sessions to weeklong events. The Stafford campus features contemporary buildings with wireless capabilities and state-of-the-art classroom technologies. There are 23 classrooms, six computer labs and a network security lab, a 28-seat videoconferencing theater with IP-based VTC equipment, and two executive conference rooms. Additionally, the campus facilities include University Hall, a flexible meeting space with presentation capabilities and adjoining atrium, designed to accommodate groups ranging in size from 50 to 350.