School of Lifelong Learning
College of Education and Human Development
The Professional Interdisciplinary Studies and University Studies programs offer adult learners flexible pathways to degree completion through fully online, hybrid, and face-to-face instruction. Our programs provide opportunities to engage in relevant coursework and training designed to build 21st century professional competencies such as lifelong learning, research skills, strategic problem solving, teamwork, communication, and habits of leadership.
Elevate Your Education. Advance Your Career.
The School of Lifelong Learning was established by the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in November 2002 with the expressed purpose of providing access to higher education for nontraditional adult learners. The School of Lifelong Learning (SLL) meets the academic and talent development (professional development) needs of adults 25 years of age and older. The School comprises the following units: the academic unit (Professional Interdisciplinary Studies and University Studies Programs), the Center for Professional Development, and the Continuing Education Learning Center. Whether your goal is to enhance your professional skills through completion of an undergraduate degree, prepare for admission to graduate school, position yourself for a promotion or career transition through professional training, or simply reach a personal academic goal, the School of Lifelong Learning is here to help you elevate your learning to the next level.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PROFESSIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
The Bachelor of Science in Professional Interdisciplinary Studies is designed for the adult learner seeking a dynamic and relevant education for the modern world. This program moves beyond traditional majors by integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines, empowering students to solve complex problems in academic, professional, and civic contexts. Students master in-demand 21st-century skills and are uniquely equipped for entry into emerging, innovative industries.
The curriculum cultivates a mindset of lifelong learning, ensuring our students are not just prepared for their next career advancement or graduate school opportunity but are also adaptable learners capable of continuous growth throughout their professional lives. Ultimately, we graduate proactive professionals ready to leverage interdisciplinary thinking to drive innovation and achieve success across all sectors of the economy.
Choose between two tracks: General Interdisciplinary Studies or Professional Interdisciplinary Studies with a specialized concentration in Human Resource Development.
GENERAL INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
The General Interdisciplinary Studies will prepare you for a broad range of careers by allowing you to design a course of study across disciplines such as Education, Behavioral and Social Science, Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, and more!
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Human Resource Development (HRD) is a dynamic interdisciplinary profession that combines training and development, organization development, and career development efforts for the purpose of improving individual, team and organizational performance.
BACHELOR OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES
The Bachelor of University Studies is a degree completion program that provides adult learners with a flexible path to a bachelor’s degree. The program is an option for returning students to earn a degree through the Complete 2 Compete (C2C) Initiative. The C2C initiative is a statewide program that was developed to encourage Mississippi adults with some college credit, but no degree, to return to college and finish what they started. The Bachelor of University Studies is appropriate for adult learners who have at least 90 credit hours earned and have not attended a postsecondary institution in the past twenty-four months.
GENERAL INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
The General Interdisciplinary Studies will prepare you for a broad range of careers by allowing you to design a course of study across disciplines such as Education, Behavioral and Social Science, Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, and more!
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Human Resource Development (HRD) is a dynamic interdisciplinary profession that combines training and development, organization development, and career development efforts for the purpose of improving individual, team and organizational performance.
Human Resource Development Concentration is a professional concentration area that prepares learners to engage in the work of training and developing the workforce within an organization. Professional Interdisciplinary Studies students have the option of elevating their undergraduate degree program by selecting to complete 27 hours of HRD coursework to earn the Human Resource Development Concentration. Employment opportunities for human resource managers are expected to grow 7% over the next 10 years. The JSU HR concentration is industry-driven and includes courses that address issues that are relevant in the 21st-century workforce:
- Design, Delivery, and Facilitation of Training
- Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
- Ethical Procedures in the Workforce
- Assessing and Analyzing Training Needs
- Management and Administration of the Training Function
The program is offered in both a traditional (16-week course) format as well as the fully online (8-week course delivery) format.
Continue Your Educational Journey
The mission of the School of Lifelong Learning is to prepare nontraditional adult learners for employment, promotion, and “lifelong learning” in various career fields. We equip students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to pursue graduate study or positions in their chosen profession by providing learners with coursework and learning opportunities which build 21st professional competencies – collaboration/teamwork, leadership, organizational management, critical analysis, problem solving, communication, research-based inquiry and decision making.
The School of Lifelong Learning provides a flexible, transfer-friendly, interdisciplinary program of study that affords students the opportunity to apply previously earned credits to accelerate their time to degree completion and also design a program of study that can be tailored to students’ academic, personal, and professional goals.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Professional Interdisciplinary Studies Program
Students who complete the General Professional Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration are prepared to enter graduate school, apply for entry level positions in their 27-hour professional emphasis area, pursue a career transition or promotion in an existing career. Recent graduates have launched careers and/or pursued graduate studies in:
| Business Administration | Entrepreneurship | Social Media Marketing | Education |
| Counseling | Communications | Non-Profit Organization Program Director | Sports Management |
Human Resource Development Concentration
| Training and Development Specialist | Human Resource Specialist | Leadership Development Program Coordinator | Program Evaluator |
| Performance Consultant (or Coach) | E-Learning Consultant | Individual Development and Career Counselor | HR Program Designer |
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The School of Lifelong Learning also provides a robust set of professional development opportunities for educators and administrators, and we service our local community of learners by offering adult basic education services. The Center for Professional Development offers training and professional development through the following non-academic credit programs:
Institute for Educational Renewal (INFER)
Southwest Mississippi Education Consortium (SMEC)
Southwest Mississippi World-Class Teaching Initiative (SMWCTI)
Online Workshops via Ed2Go
https://www.ed2go.com/jsums/about_us.html
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For more information, please contact us at (601) 979-8778. We look forward to meeting with you and seeing how our program can help you achieve your goals.
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