The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) offers advanced degrees designed to build professional success in a variety of organizational settings. With programs in Applied Psychology, Business Communication, Cybersecurity, Homeland Security and more, graduate programs in CAS focus on refining essential skillsets for data analysis and its critical application, for career advancement and personal growth. A Master's degree from Rider will connect cutting-edge curricula with real-world learning opportunities resulting in a unique and enriching educational experience.
Graduate Programs in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Graduate Programs in the School of Science, Technology and Mathematics
Graduate Programs in Westminster Choir College
Graduate Programs in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Adult Services and Behavioral Gerontology
This certificate focuses on important issues that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder—as well as their families and the clinicians who work with them—face across the individual's lifespan from the transition to adulthood through retirement. This program is offered in person or online.
Masters in Applied Psychology
The M.A. in Applied Psychology: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) prepares students to excel in professional careers as scientist-practitioners. By challenging students to use a scientific lens when creating and evaluating clinical interventions, and to use an applied lens when designing research, this program will ensure that students are prepared to achieve success in behavior analytic employment, or to pursue further education upon completion of the program. This program is offered in person or online.
Graduate Programs in the School of Science, Technology and Mathematics
Masters in Cybersecurity
The M.S. in Cybersecurity will provide students with the expert knowledge and technologies needed to detect, investigate, and prevent computer-related crimes, and to examine the theory, best practices, and methodologies to conduct computer forensics investigations. Students pursuing this degree will bring to the job a powerful combination of a traditional liberal arts education with foundational knowledge and technical training needed to excel in the cybersecurity field. This program is offered in person or online.
Master of Science and post-master's certificates in Nursing
Rider’s online Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) and post-master’s certificate programs will provide students with the skills, experience, and credentials to excel as nurse practitioners. These programs prepare students to provide equitable, evidence-based, person-centered care to diverse communities. With advanced clinical expertise, students will establish themselves as transformational leaders on teams in integrated healthcare systems. These programs offer three, high-demand, nurse practitioner concentrations: adult-gerontology primary care, family, and psychiatric-mental health.
Graduate Programs in Westminster Choir College
Choral Conducting
The graduate choral conducting program, generally a two-year program, trains conductors to be marketable and effective musicians. Westminster offers a balance of academic and performance opportunities. Graduate conducting majors take a core of research, literature, conducting, pedagogy and ensemble. Applied study and ensemble conducting offer each candidate the opportunity to work with the conducting faculty. Candidates must successfully complete a comprehensive oral exam before a degree is conferred. Graduate Conducting majors are admitted by audition in order to assure quality conducting experiences and contact with the graduate faculty. This program is offered in person or online.
Choral Pedagogy
The Master of Choral Pedagogy curriculum includes courses in voice science, choral rehearsal pedagogy, choral literature, and music education. It emphasizes the process of rehearsing, the psychology of learning, and educational philosophy. This program is offered in person or online.
Music Education
The Master of Music Education program is for music teachers who wish to complete graduate study in three to four summers or in two academic years. Students may also combine summer and academic terms to accelerate completion. The degree is for those who hold an undergraduate degree in music education and a teaching certificate. Students do not earn teacher certification through this degree program. This program is offered in person or online.
Sacred Music or Sacred Music Practical Pedagogy Track
The graduate sacred music program provides advanced training for church musicians from a wide variety of educational, professional, and denominational backgrounds. It is expected that applicants for this program will bring a thorough grounding of musical knowledge and significant experience in full- or part-time music ministry. The curriculum includes general as well as specialized courses in sacred music studies, theology, history, musicology, and applied skills. Sacred Music is offered in person or online; the Practical Pedagogy Track is offered online only.
Voice Pedagogy and Performance
The voice program seeks to develop the musician by establishing a sound vocal technique and a thorough understanding of the singing voice, its literature and pedagogy. These tools are essential for the study and performance of vocal and choral literature and for training students as solo performers, professional teachers or choral conductors. Capitalizing upon undergraduate work, students continue to build and demonstrate healthy vocal technique while deepening their knowledge of voice literature and pedagogy. Students develop a strong understanding of the complex relationships between music and poetry. This program is offered in person.
Voice Pedagogy: Classical Track Online or Musical Theater Track
Westminster's Master of Voice Pedagogy program is offered entirely online and is specifically designed to serve the needs of professional singers, voice teachers, school music teachers, and voice coaches who want advanced training in the art and science of voice teaching. The Classical Track is offered online only; the Musical Theatre Track is offered in person or online.
General Policies
Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Courses
Students who are eligible to take CAS graduate courses during their senior year must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Under most circumstances, up to six credits of graduate courses may be taken as an undergraduate and would be included in the regular, full-time tuition fee. These credits may be applied to the undergraduate degree requirements, including in the calculation of undergraduate GPA. Should the student matriculate into the CAS graduate program, these credits, but not the grades, would be subsequently transferred to the graduate transcript.
Students enrolled in Rider's Accelerated B.A./M.A. in Counseling Services and Accelerated B.A./M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling will be allowed to take up to 15 credits of graduate coursework during their senior year that counts toward both the bachelor's and master's degrees. These credits, but not the grades, would be subsequently transferred to the graduate transcript. For students in the Accelerated B.A./M.A. in Counseling Services and Accelerated B.A./M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs earning a B.A. degree in Psychology a maximum of 6 graduate credits may be applied to their major requirements.
Students admitted to the Bachelor of Music Education / Master of Music Education (BM/MME) 4 + 1 degree program are permitted to take 600-level courses once they attain junior status (60 or more earned credits) and 700-level courses when they reach senior status (90 or more earned credits). Students must maintain an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above in order to take graduate-level courses.