The University of Illinois offers a unique type of Master’s program called the Professional Science Master’s (PSM). The program integrates education in a scientific discipline with practical training in business, management, and organizational leadership. Students of the Illinois PSM take the same rigorous graduate level science classes as their colleagues but replace research and thesis writing with hands-on industry experience and introductory MBA level business courses through the university’s College of Business.

The Illinois PSM program is designed for students who seek graduate-level knowledge, but do not wish to work directly with research. Many of their students aspire to be project managers, entrepreneurs and help solve some of the most challenging problems we are facing in feeding, fueling, and conserving resources for our growing population. These students excel at explaining the technical sciences to non-technical audiences both in the company and among the general population.

They offer six programs: Agricultural Production, Bioprocessing & Bioenergy, Food Science & Human Nutrition, Geographic Information Science, and Technical Systems Management.

For more information about the Illinois PSM program, check out their Quick Guide or visit their website.