Quick Facts:
There are over 200 PSM programs at over 100 institutions in 30 states and the District of Columbia.
Students
- The PSM prepares students for immediate placement in leadership positions in the global marketplace by developing skills in administration and management in addition to scientific competencies in their field of interest. The degree takes less time to complete than a doctorate, yet provides more wide-ranging skills than a bachelor’s degree. The close cooperation with local employers guarantees that the skills and subject matter taught are relevant and applicable to the immediate needs of industry.
- Attainable in two years of study, which includes an industry internship, PSM programs emphasize the written and verbal communication skills, leadership, and team-building required in professional settings and leading to high-level careers.
- Relevant fields include all science areas, and popular PSM programs are found in forensic science, healthcare informatics, biotechnology, environmental science, sustainability, simulation, biochemistry, energy, and bioinformatics.
Read what students are saying about the PSM programs at the National PSM site.
Course Sharing
How to share courses with other institutions:
Due to an agreement between the state universitites, students in a PSM program have the ability to take courses from other state institutions in order to meet their curriculum requirement. Please contact your program director if you are interested and follow the instructions below.
PSM Student Transient Form
Instructions:
Parent University = University where student is enrolled in for the majority of classes
Receiving University = University that student is applying to take the class specified on transient form
- Student completes form including advisor’s signature, program directors signature and the International Office’s signature (if applicable) from the student’s Parent University
- Once the student obtains all appropriate signatures, the student will send the form electronically (PDF version) to the program director at the Receiving University for notification
- The student will also need to send the (PDF version) of the form electronically to the Registrar’s Office at the Receiving University
- The student should also make a copy of completed form and take this to their financial aid office at Parent University if student is receiving financial aid.
- The Registrar’s Office will then send to graduate dean of receiving school for approval
- The Registrar’s Office of Receiving University will then send instructions to the student on how to register for the course.
After completion of course:
1. Student requests transcripts from Receiving University to be sent to the Registrar’s Office and the Office of Financial Aid at Parent University
Find where your program is being offered
University Name
Location
PSM Programs offered
Industry Sectors
-
Biotechnology
Florida’s biotechnology industry employs 37,000 people and ranks tenthin the United State in the number of biotechnology companies (50). The biotechnology industry has grown from $8 billion in revenues to $39 billion in revenues in the last decade. Over 800,000 people in the U.S. are employed in the industry this year. In 2015 it is estimated that there will be a five-fold increase in the number of workers employed in this industry. The biotechnology industry spent $18 billion on research and development in 2003, primarily for salaries of scientists trained in biotechnology. The state of Florida has pursued the biotechnology industry aggressively, creating two bioscience-oriented centers of excellence and providing incentives for both Scripps Research and Burnham Institutes to come to Florida. It is expected that the state will develop an additional 40,000 jobs in biotechnology. Recent advertisements for employment as research assistants at the Scripps Research Institute and the Burnham Institute have focused on individuals with experience in molecular biology and protein chemistry. Starting salaries are listed from $42,000 to $60,000. There are eight programs including Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and biotechnology that are planned for this industry sector. View programs.
-
Environmental/Sustainability
The United States spent $200 billion annually on environmental, supporting 2.5 million jobs. Florida is one of the top five states in terms of environmental/conservation employment. The Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation estimates that 336 PhD life scientists are needed in central Florida by 2009 to support adequate labor for solving critical conservation problems in Florida. The U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates that over 15,000 PhD biological scientists are needed nationally by 2010. Due to this overwhelming need, the State University System of Florida plans on offering eight PSM degree programs which will include programs such as Environmental Science, Environmental Sustainability and GIS, and Environmental Science of Construction Management. View programs.
-
Forensics/Homeland Security
Forensic Science is a newly developing field that has become more critical in the last two years with the greater emphasis on Homeland Security. Managers at government laboratories in the U.S. are now required to have a master's degree. As the number of crimes solved using DNA evidence and the number of terrorism incidents increase, forensic scientists who are well educated in the scientific bases of forensic science are in high demand. The four planned PSM programs will produce graduates that will fill this need. These will include programs such as Cyber and Information Security, Digital Forensics, and Forensic Science. View programs.
-
Healthcare
The demand for healthcare information professionals will increase by 40,000 jobs, if current trends are followed (Yeager, 2008). The demand for Health Care Informatics professionals is growing not just in the United States, but also internationally. More than 6,000 health informatics positions are available each year and only 2,600 graduates are entering the field (American Health Information Management Association, 2007). There will also be a demand for people with expertise in health information technology. The six planned PSM degree programs include topics such as Health Informatics, Medical Informatics, and Healthcare Informatics and Cytogenetics/Genetic Counseling. View programs.
-
Simulation/Aviation
Central Florida has long been the nation’s epicenter for Modeling, Simulation and Training (MS&T) activity with all military services represented and significant research and development and academic resources at the University of Central Florida. The Florida High Tech Corridor has the largest cluster of MS&T companies in the entire U.S., with more than 2,500 organizations doing business in the public and private sectors, employing more than 36,000 people and with a total payroll that exceeds $2.1 billion. The average annual salary of simulation employees is about $70,000. View programs.
"The cooperative agreements our university
faculty forge with industry will provide important opportunities for students to learn and practice in real-world settings. PSM programs will help students become highly skilled professionals who benefit our industries with research, development, and early-stage manufacturing skills. Graduates from the programs will be ready to serve as our future innovators and leaders of industry."
Chris Hart
President, Workforce Florida, Inc.
Become a Fan on Partners & Sponsors:
2009 © Professional Science Masters Initiative - State of Florida.