Professional Science Master’s (PSM) programs were created in the mid-1990s to address a specific and growing gap in graduate education in the sciences—one that equally affected students pursuing advanced degrees for STEM-based careers outside academia and industry employers looking for candidates who could effectively combine and apply graduate-level, science-based education with business knowledge.
In 1997, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation—a philanthropic entity that supports broad-based education related to science, technology, and economics—began funding the creation of master’s-level degree programs for students pursuing non-academic science-based careers. Demand for the programs grew rapidly, and, from 1997 to 2010, the Sloan Foundation funded more than 100 PSM programs at more than 50 universities, including Rutgers University.
Through Rutgers PSM, students can earn a Rutgers Master of Business and Science (MBS) degree, which integrates graduate-level, STEM-based instruction with professional education directly relevant to careers in business and industry, and which also offers experiential learning and networking opportunities. One hallmark of the program—and one of the Sloan Foundation’s earliest criteria for funding— is a collaboration between university professors, industry experts, and industry employers.
Rutgers PSM is part of the Professional Science Master's network, which is comprised of more than 150 academic institutions across the country.