Backed by more than 50 years of academic rigor and an outstanding reputation as one of the area’s top universities, Roger Williams University offers more than a dozen master’s degree and certificate programs in a variety of disciplines, including Architecture, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics, Forensic Mental Health Counseling, Leadership, Preservation Practices, Public Administration, Special Education, Public Management, and Urban & Regional Planning.
Applied learning with a wealth of internship, study abroad, and research opportunities is at the heart of a Roger Williams education. You can expect individual attention, personalized advising, coursework tailored to your interests, and access to all the resources the University has to offer, including the new Graduate Student Association and program-based funding for conference travel and other activities. In addition, RWU offers a number of graduate assistantships and scholarship opportunities, along with flexible scheduling to accommodate students who wish to study full-time, part-time, or online.
Built on ideals
The principles and philosophies carried throughout the University date back to our namesake: Roger Williams, founder of the state of Rhode Island. RWU is dedicated to the ideals advocated by Williams himself—education, freedom, and tolerance. We honor his legacy by modeling a community in which diverse people and ideas are valued, intellectual achievement is celebrated, and civic responsibility is expected.
Our students
Our graduate students come from across the US and around the world to study alongside faculty who are equally as geographically and culturally diverse. Take advantage of the opportunity to interact with students outside of your discipline and gain insight into other cultures and viewpoints—both are critical parts of the graduate student experience at RWU. Our students come with a variety of personal and professional experience; recent undergraduates, young professionals, and mid-career students all call RWU home. We’re also proud to have a strong active-duty military and veteran population.
Degree Programs
All Roger Williams University graduate programs share a few common traits: They prepare graduate students to serve others with purpose and vision and provide learning experiences that stretch far beyond a traditional classroom.
Master of Business Administration: Students with undergraduate Business degrees from AACSB-accredited schools can save time and money with our innovative one-year program. You’ll not only earn your MBA in just one year but also take part in an internship and study abroad experience while you’re with us. The program is offered at our Metro Campus in Providence, offering convenient access to top corporations like CVS, Hasbro, Fidelity Investments, and more.
MS in Construction Management: Want to take advantage of the construction and real estate boom? Earn your degree in as little as one year with our full-time, on-campus hybrid program format. Learn the critical management, financial, and supervisory skills to effectively lead teams and oversee critical projects in residential, commercial, and industrial construction.
MS in Criminal Justice and MA/MS in Cybersecurity: Want to serve and protect our businesses, communities, and governments? While our Criminal Justice program has a dynamic, on-campus hybrid option, both programs are also offered fully online. What makes these programs stand out? Take a look at police units across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find one without a law enforcement professional from one of our cutting-edge programs. You’ll also find our Cybersecurity graduates in top cybersecurity and defense organizations like Secureworks and Raytheon. A special open 4+1 option is available, allowing Criminal Justice students to complete the program in just one year by taking two online courses with RWU during their undergraduate senior year at their home institutions.
Master of Architecture: Have an eye for design or an appreciation for preserving the past? Look no further than our School of Architecture, Art, and Historic Preservation (SAAHP). The NAAB-accredited Architecture program has produced award-winning and world-renowned architects who work around the globe.
MS in Preservation Practices: While our Architecture students focus on creating, students in this program look to preserve and restore structures, monuments, and parks that are lasting symbols of our past. Want more good reasons to study in the SAAHP? The School offers competitive scholarship opportunities; guaranteed paid internship and project placements as part of the Career Investment Program; practicing “firms in residence” teaching graduate studio courses; study abroad experiences; a women’s leadership network; and more.
MA in Forensic & Legal Psychology or Forensic Mental Health Counseling: Interested in studying human behavior and analyzing it in a justice system setting? Among our most competitive and academically challenging offerings, these programs have an extremely high job placement rates—nearly 100% within six months of graduation—and place students in a wide range of internships and practica as well as nationally competitive PhD programs. Study alongside nationally recognized researchers and practitioners who’ll prepare you for both future doctoral study in our 45-credit thesis program and licensure as a mental health counselor or professional counselor in the 60-credit licensure track program.
MS in Leadership or Master of Public Administration: Do you have a passion for shaping government policy or leading organizations to effective change? Offered in a hybrid format, these programs are offered online and in the evenings on our Providence campus or can be undertaken fully online, making them ideal for professionals juggling personal and work commitments. Courses are taught by faculty who are both academically and professionally qualified, bringing a wealth of experience to the classroom.
MA in Special Education: Ready to make a deeper impact in the classroom? For students who already possess initial teaching certification or are eligible for initial certification, this program offers advanced coursework to earn a master’s-level credential and obtain Special Education certification in Rhode Island and in member states of the Interstate Certification Compact (ICC). The hybrid-format program can be completed in as little as one year through an innovative, full-time “Bachelor’s Plus” program which allows students to take two classes online during their undergraduate senior year at their home institution. In-class study is complemented by extensive field experiences to provide optimal applied student learning opportunities.
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