The Professional Science Master's degree (abbreviated as PSM or P.S.M.) is an interdisciplinary
master's degree program which integrates advanced technical training with business and professional leadership skills. In contrast to traditional research-based
Master of Science or
Master of Arts degrees, the Professional Science Master's degree is usually offered by a degree-granting
university in partnership with an industry partner in specific emerging fields such as
forensic science
Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to criminal and civil laws, mainly—on the criminal side—during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standards of admissible evidence and criminal ...
,
computational chemistry
Computational chemistry is a branch of chemistry that uses computer simulation to assist in solving chemical problems. It uses methods of theoretical chemistry, incorporated into computer programs, to calculate the structures and properties of m ...
,
applied mathematics,
bioinformatics
Bioinformatics () is an interdisciplinary field that develops methods and software tools for understanding biological data, in particular when the data sets are large and complex. As an interdisciplinary field of science, bioinformatics combi ...
, and
data science
Data science is an interdisciplinary field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems to extract or extrapolate knowledge and insights from noisy, structured and unstructured data, and apply knowledge from data across a br ...
. Because of this industry partnership, PSM degree holders have high level of
employability after graduation. PSM programs can be completed in sixteen months to two years of full-time or part-time study including a professional
internship or a capstone project.
History
Recognizing that traditional graduate-level science training may not be suitable for non-academic careers, the
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is an American philanthropic nonprofit organization. It was established in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan Jr., then-president and chief executive officer of General Motors.
The Sloan Foundation makes grants to support or ...
, in 1997, began to support master's-level degree programs designed to provide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ("STEM") students with a pathway into science-based careers.
[Alfred P. Sloan Foundation loan 2008] These Professional Science Master's degrees combine a science or mathematics curriculum with a professional component designed to provide graduates with the necessary skills for a career in business, government, or nonprofit agencies.
Originally funding fourteen campuses, the Sloan Foundation expanded its support directly or indirectly to over fifty institutions, collectively offering over 100 different PSM programs.
[ As of 2017, there are 356 PSM programs at over 165 institutions. In 2005, the Foundation funded the Council of Graduate Schools to be an “institutional base for PSM growth, with the goal of making the degree a normal, recognized, widely accepted academic offering”.][ In furtherance of this objective, the Sloan Foundation also provided support to found the National Professional Science Master's Association, a professional organization of PSM directors and alumni intended to “provide a collective voice for PSM degree programs”.
In 2007, Congress passed the ]America COMPETES Act
The America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act of 2007, or America COMPETES Act, which placed special emphasis on improving America's economic competitiveness by strengthening STEM education. The COMPETES Act specifically mentioned the importance of the PSM degree to the nation's overall competitiveness.[CGS, 2007] Additionally, a 2008 report issued by the National Research Council of the National Academies urged the continued expansion of the PSM degree. In 2009, the National Science Foundation, under the auspices of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, facilitated funding of twenty-two different PSM programs by appropriating funds for a Science Master's program.
Philippines
See also
* Degree apprenticeship
In 2015, the UK Government rolled out the degree apprenticeship programme which was developed as part of the higher apprenticeship standard. The programme is the equivalent of a master's or bachelor's degree which offers a level 6 – 7 qualificat ...
, a UK program embedded in an apprenticeship
References
Bibliography
* Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. (2008). Science Education: Professional Science Master's Degree. Retrieved August 3, 2010, from http://www.sloan.org/program/15 .
* ______________________. (2008). Professional Science Master's Degree: History. Retrieved August 3, 2010, from http://www.sloan.org/program/15/page/67 .
* Committee on Enhancing the Master's Degree in Natural Sciences. (2008). Science Professionals: Master's Education for a Competitive World. Washington, D.C.: National Research Council of the National Academies. Retrieved August 3, 2010, from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12064 .
* Council of Graduate Schools. (2007). Statement on the America COMPETES Act. Retrieved August 3, 2010,from http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/GR_AmericaCOMPETES_0307.pdf .
* National Science Foundation. (2009). Program Solicitation: Science Master's Program. Retrieved August 3, 2010, from https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09607/nsf09607.htm .
* National Professional Science Master's Association. (2010). About Us. Retrieved August 3, 2010, from http://www.npsma.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=101812&orgId=npsma .
* Simms, Leslie. (2006). Professional Master's Education: A CGS Guide to Establishing Programs. Washington, D.C.: Council of Graduate Schools.
External links
National Professional Science Master’s Association
Science Masters
National Association of System Heads PSM Project
{{DEFAULTSORT:Professional Science Master's (Psm) Degree Programs
Higher education in the United States
Business qualifications
Professional titles and certifications