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University of North Carolina Receives Grant from Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to Develop and Implement Professional Science Master’s Degrees

CHAPEL HILL – The University of North Carolina has received a $329,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to help in the implementation of professional science master’s degree programs (PSMs) across many of the 16-campuses that make up the university.

Distribution of funds will provide support in the development and implementation of PSMs currently in planning stages. The grant will also support the launch of the UNC PSM website (http://psm.northcarolina.edu/) which will be a portal for prospective and current students, faculty, and interested industry partners to become informed and contact current and future PSM programs within UNC.

Since 1997, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has provided funding to establish professional master’s degrees in the natural sciences and mathematics. These professional science master’s degrees, or PSMs, are two year degree programs that deepen the knowledge of the student in natural sciences or mathematics at the same time integrating training in management, law, information technology, and other professional skills. The rationale of this degree is to provide the student with alternative career pathway in science and mathematics that lead to jobs outside academia while providing knowledge based industries with an interdisciplinary trained workforce.

Currently, UNC has four PSM programs operational.   NC State University has two PSM, Financial Mathematics and Microbial Biotechnology, which received individual grants for implementation from the Sloan Foundation. UNC-Charlotte currently offers a M.S. in Mathematical Finance and UNC-Wilmington offers a M.S. in Computer Sciences and Information Systems.

Presently, several UNC campuses are in the process of planning or implementing other PSMs programs in the future including Applied Physics, Science & Technology Management, and Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University; Software Engineering at East Carolina University; Applied Mathematics at Fayetteville State University; Biopharmaceutical Sciences at North Carolina Central University; and Science & Entrepreneurship at Western Carolina University.   Other campuses are considering programs for the future.

For more information on UNC PSM initiative contact Dr. Scott Jenkins at (919) 962-3881 or email at sjenkins@northcarolina.edu.