What is a Professional Science Master's and Why You May Want to Pursue One

What do you get when you combine a STEM degree with specific workplace skills and professional development? A master's degree that provides you with multiple and invaluable skillsets that employers are eagerly looking for, also known as a Professional Science Master's (PSM).

Originally founded in 1997 by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the PSM was created for science-based students to have a path to advancement if they weren't interested in going into the more traditional fields of academia or laboratory research. In 2006, the Council of Graduate Schools came on board to help establish PSM programs at various institutions. As of 2018, there are currently 345 programs offered at 157 institutions*.

The need for strong STEM-based skills in almost all professions has been consistently on the rise as the world-at-large finds itself in a competitive race for scientific and technological advances. Additionally, the day-to-day running of businesses in general has become much more technologically based. Those skills have now become just as valuable as general business skills, such as sales, marketing, regulatory affairs and human resources. Creating a master's program where science-based students can utilize their skills, while also contributing to the business side of things, is the hallmark of this degree.

The key difference is that the degree is industry specific and focuses on a particular topic. For example, Temple University offers the degree in Bioinformatics; Texas Tech offers one in Environmental Sustainability and Natural Resource Management; Rutgers calls the PSM a Master of Business and Science degree, offering numerous concentrations that combine master's level curriculum in the science and engineering fields that also include coursework in business and policy.

Another reason these programs are unique is that they generally work with industry partners in the specific field they're concentrating in, such as forensic science, computational chemistry, bioinformatics and data science to name a few. Internships in cooperation with business partnerships, as well as industry mentors, provide students with relevant and current skills that lead to high rates of employability.

• Make sure the program is accredited. Institutions developing PSM programs that want to use the trademarked PSM logo affiliation were once coordinated by the Council of Graduate Schools, but that responsibility has been transferred to the Keck Graduate Institute of Life Sciences.
• Because the PSM is highly focused on a particular discipline, your search will be for the specific field of study you're interested in, such as Applied Information Technology, Computational and Data Science, and Environmental Science. Since these programs work in conjunction with industry partners, the specific program concentration will vary greatly from institution to institution.
• Investigate the types of internship programs they offer and with whom. If there is a certain company you want to eventually work for, there may be a PSM program that is already partnered with them.
• Most PSM programs boast high employment rates post-graduation, but it's always good to speak with alumni and current students to get a sense of how they like the program and how much it helped them attain a job.

There are important differences between the PSM and a STEM-designated MBA , even though they may seem similar in ideology.

• The PSM appeals to more domestic students, whereas a STEM MBA appeals to more international students, thanks to its extended work visa allowances.
• The PSM is a more professionally focused degree, offering specific scientific topics of study in conjunction with relevant business skills. The STEM MBA, which focuses more on the business management side of things, has a more scientific concentration.
• You will also find more PSM degrees focused on the institution's region due to their partnerships with local industry.

Bottom line: If you have a background in a STEM field, but your professional goals don't lie in the academia, computer programming or laboratory arenas, the PSM may be just the program for you. With many different concentrations to choose from, there is certainly one that you may find appealing for both your personal and professional goals.

*About | Professional Science Master's (professionalsciencemasters.org)