Terrier Volume 75, Number 1 - Spring 2011 | Page 6

Taking the Next Step:
St. Francis College Sees Big Expansion in
Graduate Programs
“If you like working as part of a team and really want to learn to lead one effectively, the graduate
certificate program in Project Management is for you,” says Dr. Barbara Edington, professor of
Management and Information Technology, who heads the new Center of Excellence in Project
Management at St. Francis College. “There is a desperate need for quality, highly educated project
managers and in just six months, we can bring students to that level.”
The Project Management certificate is
the newest graduate program to be offered
at St. Francis College. Several more are in
the pipeline, including a combined B.S./M.S.
in Psychology, which is scheduled to begin
this fall.
“More and more, employers are looking
for job candidates with graduate degrees,
even for many entry-level positions,” said
Dr. Timothy J. Houlihan, vice president
for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean.
“By offering more graduate level programs,
we give people the opportunity to meet
those requirements and add a valuable asset
to their resumes.”
A recent study by the U.S. Census Bureau
indicates that while, on average, a college
graduate will earn much more over the course
of a career than someone who has only a high
school diploma, a person with a master’s
degree can earn an additional $400,000 over
the course of his or her working life than
someone with just a bachelor’s degree.

Demand is High for Project
Managers
A combination of industry-wide retirements
and growing demand for project managers
has created a perfect opportunity for the
next wave of professionals. The Anderson
Economic Group forecasts an average of
1.2 million project-oriented job openings
each year through 2016, while an Economist
Intelligence Unit survey named project
management the single most important
management skill.

Project Management Professors Barbara Edington &
Sandra Westcott

“In segments of the economy that are
growing faster than others, qualified
people are in high demand,” said Dr. Allen
Burdowski, associate dean, who has been
instrumental in designing and gaining
approval for new and forthcoming graduate
programs. “Having these programs here
in Brooklyn provides a service not only
to our students but society in general by
making sure the best of the best are able
to fill these positions.”
The initial offering of the Project
Management certificate program will be
Fundamentals of Project Management,
offered in July and taught by Information
Technology Profession Sandra Westcott.
In the fall, three additional courses, Project
Risk Management, Finance for Project
Managers, and Optimizing Project
Management Teams, will be available on
Friday evenings and all-day on Saturdays,
allowing students to maintain their current
jobs and earn the certificate in one semester.

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Plans are being developed to offer
specialized workshops within the Project
Management certificate program for specific
concentrations such as law, theater and
arts, marketing, and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Edington is also planning to offer prep
courses for students who take the PMP
certification exam, a qualification that is
essential for those who hope to rise through
the project management ranks.
“The graduate certificate is just the
beginning for the Center for Excellence in
Project Management,” said Dr. Edington.
“Our goal is to offer a stand-alone master’s
degree program in Project Management,
which is currently scheduled to be approved
for fall 2012.”

Psychology Graduate Program
Under Review
With an impressive track record in preparing
Psychology majors for master’s and doctoral
programs—and an indication from students
that they would be interested in remaining
at St. Francis College for graduate level
coursework, the College is ready to add a
combined five-year B.S./M.S. degree in
Applied Psychology, which, pending approval
from the State Education Department, will
begin this fall.
“Psychology is an incredibly competitive
field and this program will give our students
an edge as they begin their careers,” said
Dr. Michele Hirsch, chair of the Department
of Psychology. “Providing the combined
degree program allows us to build on our