Graduate Degree Programs

Earn certification as a financial planner or become a certified public accountant. The Master of Professional Accountancy degree provides advanced study in the field of financial planning. At RIC, you gain knowledge in all aspects of financial planning, including income tax and estate planning, retirement planning, investment allocation and risk management.

Expand your teaching skills. Take the next step in your career as an educator. The MED in Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning advances the knowledge base and practices of current professional educators. This program serves a number of specific career goals, including middle level certification, preparation for Teach for America programs, or development as a teacher-leader.

Become a leader in art education. Bring your artistic practice to the classroom. Students with a bachelor’s degree in art studio or art history can expand and deepen their understanding of art education, theory and curriculum development in the Master of Arts in Teaching program. Upon successful completion of this program, students will be eligible for full certification to teach art in all grades (pre-K-12) in Rhode Island.

Take the next step in your art education. Build on your career and increase your capacity to be a leader in your field. The Master of Arts in art, with a concentration in art education, offers a rich professional development opportunity to further grow as a visual artist or art educator. We offer studio, history and education courses taught by educators who are leaders in their disciplines.

Take the next step in your life science career. Enhance your capacity to be a leader in your field or prepare for a terminal degree. The Master of Arts in biology program enables students to broaden and deepen their knowledge of biology and engage in independent research and data analysis. Students in this program will design and execute an original field-based or laboratory-based research project.

Take your career to the next level. Become a licensed mental health counselor. If you already work in mental health or a related field and wish to become a clinical mental health counselor, our Master of Science program is your pathway to licensure. This program is fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, which means our courses meet the rigorous training standards set by the counseling profession. We also stand apart in offering extensive practicum and field experiences highly valued by employers.

Become a leader in early childhood education. Gain a deeper understanding of learning as a developmental process and prepare for leadership positions. Students in our Master of Education program learn how children (from birth to age eight) grow and develop. They then use that knowledge to create learning environments and experiences that benefit children for life. In our program, you will explore curriculum development, infant-toddler development, program administration, early literacy and early intervention.

Are you hearing the call to teach? Find your purpose in the classroom. With a Master of Arts in Teaching, you could be eligible for certification in one year. In our program, you will learn educational theories and become skilled in best practices, guided by our expert faculty and enhanced by real-life classroom experiences.

Enhance your education and expand your horizons. A graduate degree in English will develop your research, writing and analytical skills. In our Master of Arts program, you will expand your knowledge of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as theory and criticism. An optional concentration in creative writing is a pathway for those who want to go further in their writing practice.

Promote better health through education. Give students tools for life. In our Master of Education program, you will learn how to design, implement and evaluate health education and promotion initiatives; address local, state, national and global health needs; and support healthy outcomes, with emphasis on health equity. Upon successful completion of this program, you will be prepared to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist exam.

Become a leader in Rhode Island’s top industry. Learn to transform and innovate within the healthcare system. Our Master of Science program focuses on the management of organizations and the delivery of services. Our program prepares students to work in both the private and public sectors and educates those seeking positions in health policy.

Journey further into history. Learn to research and analyze the past at an advanced level. Our Master of Arts program develops advanced skills for deeper study or career achievement. Our students choose from a thesis or seminar plan, both of which involve independent research from a variety of theoretical, investigative and pedagogical approaches and the widest possible range of historical writing.

Working toward systemic change. Advance your career while working for the greater good. Our Master of Arts in justice studies program will show you how to make a difference in the development and evaluation of policies and services in the criminal justice field and related agencies, while applying research findings to problems within the justice system and social service agencies.

Career advancement by the numbers. Take a deeper dive into one of the world’s oldest and most important academic disciplines. The Master of Arts in mathematical studies provides a solid foundation in some of the major areas of mathematics, an appreciation for the structures and theories of advanced mathematics and a deeper understanding of the role of mathematics in the world.

You’re already a musician and performer – bring out the musical talents of others. This is your path to becoming a teacher or advancing your music education career. At RIC, we offer degrees in both the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and the Master of Music Education (MMEd). Both majors take courses in K-12 teaching methods; assessment; classroom research; and the history, philosophy and psychology of music education. MAT students gain clinical experiences in public school classrooms. Their program culminates in a semester of full-time student teaching. The MMEd program culminates in either a thesis involving original research in the field or a solo recital in the student’s applied area or in conducting a recital (choral or instrumental).

Become a leader in the field of nursing. Prepare for the highest level of career attainment and specialization in nursing. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is the terminal degree for practicing nurses, as opposed to a PhD in nursing, which is more research/education-based. DNP graduates emerge prepared for the highest level of practice and ready to serve in advanced clinical and leadership positions. They are skilled in translating evidence into practice and in achieving optimal outcomes at the patient, population and system levels.

Advance your career in R.I.’s top industry. Enrich the health and well-being of individuals with an advanced nursing degree. Nurses with advanced degrees are in high demand throughout the healthcare industry. This program prepares working nurses to take the next step in their careers. Students choose from three concentrations in high-need specialties: adult/gerontology acute care clinical nurse specialist (CNS), adult/gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (NP), and population/public health nursing.

Take the next step. Dive deep into the study of the mind with this research-focused degree. Our program consists of a range of small, seminar-style classes, mentored research experiences and an individualized thesis project to give you a better understanding of psychological theory and principles.