Professional Science Master’s
Director: Dr. Kevin Sightler
Office of Professional Science Master’s Programs (OPSM)
Graduate College
226 Coble Hall, 801 South Wright Street
Champaign, Illinois 61820
Email: PSMdegree@illinois.edu
Graduate Concentration: Professional Science Master’s
Graduate Degree Program
The concentration in Professional Science Master’s (PSM) provides masters students with a unique learning experience by combining traditional science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines with an integrated professional curriculum focusing on core business fundamentals. Traditional depth in the disciplinary field coupled with business-related workplace skills and real-world internship experience allows graduates to step into entry-level careers in business, government, and non-profit employment sectors without pursing the doctorate. These programs are full-time and cohort-based with a prescribed curriculum that is normally completed within 18 months.
Professional Science Master’s concentrations are available in the following programs:
M.S. in Agricultural Production
M.S. in Bioenergy
M.S. in Food Science and Human Nutrition
Admission
Candidates for admission to the concentration and the associated M.S. degree must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution equivalent to those from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Minimum requirements include a grade point average of 3.0 or higher (A = 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and for any graduate study is required for admission. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required of all applicants and the minimum acceptable Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is 590 on the paper-based test or 243 on the computer-based test. Admission to one of the eligible degree programs listed above is required, and their admission requirements vary by program and may be more rigorous than the minimums presented here. Transfer credit may not be applied to this program due to the cohort nature of this program.
Degree Requirements – Graduate Concentration
Specific requirements vary by major degree program, but all programs require a minimum total of 42 graduate hours of work in three areas: a scientific discipline (may include related interdisciplinary fields), business and management fundamentals, and an internship.
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Credit within the disciplinary major, as indicated by the specific program | 32 |
| Hours of business and management fundamentals courses | 9 |
| PSM 501, 502 and x | 1 |
| Internship | 0 |
| Total Hours | 42 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Students will not be eligible to transfer graduate credit into this major. See individual program pages for specific details of disciplinary requirements |
The 10 credit hours of business and management fundamentals include mandatory enrollment in:
- Industry Seminar Series during the first two semesters of the program (0 hr)
with presentation in the Industry Seminar Series during the third semester (1 hr); - Corporate Communications (1 hr);
- Bridging Science and Commerce (2 hr);
- Managerial Accounting and Financial Management (2 hr).
In addition, four hours must be selected from the following course list:**
- Human Resource Fundamentals for Scientists and Engineers (2 hr);
- Entrepreneurship and Technology Management (2 hr);
- Marketing and Strategic Decision-Making (2 hr).
** Additional courses may be added
Facilities and Resources
PSM business fundamentals courses are developed and taught by University of Illinois College of Business and School or Labor and Employment Relations faculty. Both of these programs are national leaders in their fields and know what employers need in new graduates. In the disciplinary fields, tenure-system faculty teach and advise students in their PSM programs, and students are housed in academic departments on the Urbana-Champaign campus. In addition, the Office of Professional Science Master’s (OPSM) advises PSM students with regard to PSM business fundamentals courses, coordinates industry internships, and provides Career Services.
Financial Aid
Financial aid in the form of fellowships, teaching and research assistantships, or tuition and fee waivers are not available for graduate students in this program.