The MPS versus the MBA

1/23/2018 Unknown 0 Comments


When considering a graduate program for professional advancement, many seek out a Master of Business Administration or MBA. But BIC provides another another option that’s a bit less known: the Master of Professional Studies or MPS.  Since both focus on business careers, many candidates applying to the BIC program often ask: what’s the difference?

A typical MBA requires 60 credits (600 class hours) of graduate work and prepares graduates for such jobs as business analyst or strategist, management consultant, project manager, and operations analyst. An MPS is also an industry-related degree which is more application than research driven. It requires fewer credits for completion, usually between 30-40 credits, and can take anywhere from one to two years to complete. Like the MBA, an MPS is a terminal degree, often applied to interdisciplinary studies. The MPS equivalent among professional degrees includes the Master of Public Administration (MPA), the Master of Social Work (MSW), the Master of Business Administration (MBA), and the Master of Fine Arts (MFA), among others. Other universities in the New York City area that offer the MPS are Cornell, St. John's, NYU, and the School of Visual Arts. While less common than an MBA, it is a nationally recognized degree.

The only CUNY college to offer an MPS is The City College of New York (CCNY). Its Branding + Integrated Communications (BIC) MPS is 36-credit, portfolio-driven program that combines theory and practice in an interdisciplinary, multi-tracked curriculum. BIC addresses the expanding opportunities and needs of marketing communications industries on behalf of both private and not-for-profit organizations. The program seeks to urgently address and shape the new cross-disciplinary challenges of creating and managing brand identity at a time when global, digital and more immersive -- even tactile -- communications are rapidly evolving and technology is constantly changing.

Making Orphans Belong -- Surabhi Govindarajan Wins the 2018 DezMax Scholarship

1/23/2018 Unknown 0 Comments


Congratulations to Surabhi Govindarajan (BIC '18), this year's winner of the DezMax Scholarship! Her submission beautifully fulfilled the criteria of the award which asks BICsters to develop a project that champions a cause with persuasion, passion, and charisma.

Surabhi's project is based on a simple, yet powerful truth: we all want to know where we come from. But what if you're a refugee who's been orphaned as a result of famine, war, or political upheaval? It is estimated that there are currently 143 million orphans and/or abandoned children in the world -- this number is equivalent to half the population in the United States. So Surabhi created "Belong" which proposes a partnership between UNICEF and MyHeritage to provide DNA testing to these orphaned children.
Her submission included a strategic framework, key stakeholders, a business model, as well as communications material to put the issue in the spotlight and make Belong part of the solution. The proposal demonstrated the type of social impact that would've made Desmond Maxwell proud.


ABOUT the Desmond Maxwell Cause + Charisma Scholarship. As a student in BIC's inaugural Class of 2015, Desmond was a successful media consultant, boastful undergraduate of City College, and proud member of the US Marine Corps, having served with distinction. He often said with great pride that he was “born and buttered in Harlem.” Dez was not just a charismatic man, but a generously supportive and inspiring classmate who championed causes that were close to his heart. Sadly, Dez died just before he was able to graduate. However, through the generosity of classmates, BIC Board Members, and friends (with a special shout out to GroupM), BIC was able to set up the DezMax Scholarship in his honor. Each year, a BIC student is awarded up to $4,000 for a submission that best demonstrates a communications-based solution to a societal problem. 


Interested in donating to the DezMax Scholarship fund? Ask bic@ccny.cuny.edu how...

BIC Sponsors NYC's Most Epic Networking Event

1/23/2018 Unknown 0 Comments


On a Friday night in mid-January, BIC spent some time at the Irving Plaza music venue chatting with ambitious young professionals as a sponsor of the 2018 HustleSummit. The event was hosted by FindSpark, an online and offline community dedicated to setting up every young professional for career success and connecting employers to top, diverse early career talent.

A highly motivated crowd networked with reps from companies such as TEKsystems, Eileen Fisher, Grey, KBS, CB Insights, Droga5, Yelp, BetterCloud, Peace Corps, Brandwatch, Macmillan and IPG Mediabrands. The second floor featured a Mentorship Zone with over 30 mentors where participants could practice their pitch, get resume and portfolio feedback, and hear "war stories" from the trenches. That's where young professionals met BIC Program Specialist Marlene Leo and Program Director Nancy R. Tag who suggested that they turbo-charge their next career move with a Master of Professional Studies from BIC.