Two Proposed New Programs at Norfolk State University

Two new computer science related programs have been proposed for certification at NSU, which are the Information Assurance System Manager and the Information Assurance Secu [ more ]

UDC Starts Two PSMs

Congratulations to the PSM Team at the University of the District of Columbia on their recognition by the Council of Graduate Schools PSM Team for two PSM programs. The two [ more ]

UMES Receives NSF Award

UMES received an NSF award of $699,998 to fund its new Professional Science Masters Degree in [ more ]

History

The HBCU Professional Science Master’s Alliance of the eight Mid-Atlantic colleges/universities was formed on July 10, 2009, to identify and develop viable PSM degree programs at member HBCU’s with the goal of increasing qualified, workforce-ready professionals who are prepared to fill the diverse needs of the current workforce.

The year-long planning phase was supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which approved a three-year implementation grant to the University of the District of Columbia Foundation in October, 2009.  Consistent with the goal of expanding PSM programs at HBCU’s and appropriately addressing current workforce needs, the Alliance is conducting an extensive market survey of regional employers and prospective students.

We are committed to developing and launching sixteen new PSM degree programs over the next three years.  At least six of these programs will admit students in Fall 2010.  If you are seeking more information about the PSM degree program or would like to become an Alliance Member, please contact us to learn more.

The PSM degree was initiated in 1997 with the support of both the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation on multiple university campuses and the Keck Foundation on the West Coast.  The purposes of this relatively new type of degree are to meet the needs of government, business, and non-profit employers and to provide an alternate to the Ph.D. for individuals with bachelor’s degrees in science or mathematics.

The typical 30 to 36 credit-hour PSM program combines:

  1. Science or mathematics graduate coursework;
  2. Complementary training in business, management, law or other workplace skills; and
  3. An internship or team project experience.

PSM Programs are developed in concert with employers and are designed to dovetail into present and future professional career opportunities.  In a report issued July 11, 2008, the National Research Council strongly endorsed PSM’s and recommended that new PSM programs in the natural sciences be developed speedily, to prepare graduates to “manage science and spur innovation.”

As of mid-2011, 233 PSM programs are currently offered by 110 institutions.  2,600 students are enrolled annually, and 530 PSM degrees are awarded annually.  There are over 2700 PSM graduates now in the workforce, of whom over 1600 are working in industry.