Graduate Programs

Philosophy  The graduate programs of Brenau are constructed to provide educational experiences that are suited for the unique abilities and interest of each student. Important factors in designing such a program include the previous educational experiences of the student at the baccalaureate level, licensure requirements (for example: teaching, counseling, etc.) and the ultimate career goal of the student.

Degrees Conferred  Brenau offers degrees with numerous majors at the graduate level. The degrees are: Master of Arts in Education (M.A.T.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Education (M.Ed.), Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Master of Interior Design (M.I.D), Master of Science (M.S.), Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.). The following graduate majors/degrees are offered with the following majors or areas of concentration. The programs are listed by degree level and then in alphabetical order by major.

Doctorate:

• Advanced Practice Nursing (D.N.P.)  
• Leadership and Management (D.N.P.)  
• Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.)  
• Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)  

Fine Arts Terminal Degree:

• Interior Design (M.F.A.)  

Specialist:

• Early Childhood Education (Ed.S.)  §
• Middle Grades Education (Ed.S.)  §

Masters:

• Accounting (M.B.A.)  §
• Applied Gerontology (M.S.)  §
• Business Analytics (M.B.A.)  
• Clinical Counseling Psychology (M.S.)  
• Early Childhood Education (M.A.T.)  
• Early Childhood Education (M.Ed.)  §
• Entrepreneurship (M.B.A.)  
• Family Nurse Practitioner (M.S.N.)  / Family Nurse Practitioner (R.N. to M.S.N.)  / Family Nurse Practitioner (R.N. to M.S.N.) - accelerated  
• Business, general (M.B.A.)  
• Finance (M.B.A.)  §
• Health Care Management (M.B.A.)  §
• Human Resource Management (M.B.A.)  §
• Insurance Management (M.B.A.)  §
• Interior Design (B.F.A. to M.I.D.)  (this is a combined program B.F.A./M.I.D.)
• Management (M.B.A.)  §
• Marketing (M.B.A.)  
• Middle Grades Education (M.A.T.)  
• Middle Grades Education (M.Ed.)  §
• Nursing Education (M.S.N.)  / Nursing Education (R.N. to M.S.N.)  / Nursing Education (R.N. to M.S.N.) - accelerated  
• Nursing Leadership and Management (M.S.N.)  
• Occupational Therapy (M.S.O.T.)  
• Organizational Leadership (M.S.)  §
• Project Management (M.B.A.)  §
• Psychology (M.S.)  
• Secondary Education (M.A.T.)  
• Special Education (M.A.T.)  
• Special Education (M.Ed.)  

Graduate Certificates Available

• Accounting  §
• Business Analytics  
• Applied Gerontology  § 
• Finance Certificate  §
• Health Care Management  §
• Human Resource Management  §
• Marketing  
• Management  §
• Nursing Education  
• Project Management Certificate  §

Education Certification Endorsements

•  Math K-5  
•  Reading  
•  Science K-5  

§  Online program available

Double Majors:

The College of Business permits a double major within its M.B.A. programs. Students receive one degree and must complete both major concentrations before the degree can be awarded.

Organization and Structure  Off-campus locations have site directors who are residents of the area and who report to the Associate Vice President for Non-Residential Studies. Off-campus academic programs are coordinated by specific subject-area coordinators who are members of the Brenau faculty assigned to each location. On-campus academic programs are coordinated by the department chair and dean. Current sites include Gainesville, Augusta, Kings Bay and North Atlanta.

Graduate Council  The graduate council shall be composed of graduate coordinators from all graduate programs, one dean (rotated among schools that have graduate programs), one department chair (rotated among departments that have graduate programs) and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. In addition, the registrar and a representative from graduate admissions will service as ex-officio members. In departments that have multiple graduate coordinators, the chair will designate which graduate coordinator from the department will serve as a member of the graduate council.

Every two years, the graduate council will elect a new chair. In order to be elected chair, the faculty member must have been on the committee for at least one year. Once elected, the chair of graduate council will serve a two-year term. Neither the deans, the registrar, nor the admissions representative may serve as chair.

Graduate Faculty  Faculty teaching in graduate programs must possess appropriate educational credentials and experience, uphold the standards of the graduate program, reflect a commitment to quality and the responsibilities of graduate instruction, comply with the graduate policies and procedures, and demonstrate excellent teaching or research abilities.

Residency Requirement  Brenau has the expectation that its graduate students will successfully complete the prescribed coursework in their program of study at the Gainesville campus or approved Brenau off-campus instructional site.

Preparatory and Prerequisite Courses  Graduate students will be required to prepare for graduate-level work by taking such preparatory courses as may be assigned by the school. In no case shall graduate preparatory courses be counted or intended as part of a graduate program; however, they will be included in determining satisfactory academic progress for graduate programs. In addition, where individual course prerequisites are identified, they will be strictly enforced.

Sequence of Events Leading to a Master’s Degree
Following is the general sequence of events leading to a master’s degree at Brenau.

• The student must complete the process of admission to the graduate program.
• The assignment of an academic advisor will be made at the time of application.
• The student will select and undertake a course of study with the advice and consent of the academic advisor.
• A formal program of study must be approved by the department chair and must have received approval prior to a student’s admission to candidacy for a master’s degree. The program of study shall be composed of those courses leading to the desired mastery of the subject of the degree. No changes in the program of the study are permitted without the prior approval of the student’s academic advisor and department chair.
• The student should make application for graduation. Only regularly admitted graduate students may apply. Application for graduation should be made by December 1 in the academic year in which the student plans to graduate. This application should be made to the Registrar. Measurement for graduation caps and gowns should be submitted at the time the student applies for graduation.
• After applying for a graduate degree, the student should pay the appropriate graduation fee to the Brenau Accounting Office by March 1.
• In the case of the M.A.T. and M.Ed. programs, a comprehensive exam which the student must register for must be completed satisfactorily. A Graduate Examination Committee is appointed; a date will be set for the examination; and the date will be communicated in writing by the department chair. The examination will be conducted as provided in the chapter on the Master of Education program in this Catalog. The comprehensive examination shall cover any aspect of the material to which the student has been exposed during the program of graduate study.

Responsibility for Provision of Services  Brenau assumes no responsibility or liability for any loss suffered by students for failing to complete their programs or for failure to provide educational or related services arising out of or due to causes beyond the reasonable control of the institution. In spite of that fact, Brenau will make every effort to provide such services and to implement the educational program as set forth herein; however, in no case shall any liability be attached to the institution for its failure to satisfy the individual perceptions of graduate students.

Research Papers  Requirements for all research and written papers are specified by each department. Unless specifically instructed to the contrary, graduate students shall follow the standards set forth in the A.P.A. Publication Manual.