dated 7-31-09

 

Please Note: This is a New Program in Development. All new programs at Rutgers must go through a horough approval process (http://oirap.rutgers.edu/NewProgramApproval.pdf). We are currently undergoing this process and expect approval hopefully sometime in 2010. This new program has generated a lot of interest from our student population and we have summarized some of the questions asked.

Frequently Asked Questions about the

Professional Science Master's Program

and MBS Degree

This information may change during the ongoing approval process. Feel free to
contact us you have any questions.

• What is a Master of Business and Science (MBS) degree?
Please Note: This is a program in development and has not been formally approved. The expected approval is sometime in 2010.

An MBS degree is a combination of an MS and an MBA degree. The degree on your diploma will state Master of Business and Science with a concentration in ...." The MBS degree comprises 43 credits with up to 24 credits in science and/or engineering and 19 credits in business.

• What concentrations will be offered with the MBS degree?

Currently, there are a number of curriculum tracks that are going through the approval process. The concentrations are Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Food Science, Global Agriculture, Industrial Mathematics, Statistics and Biostatistics, and Sustainability. We anticipate that departments and schools will be adding additional concentrations as the program grows and is institutionalized at Rutgers.

• What is the status of the MBS degree at Rutgers University?

The MBS degree is currently going through the approval process. This process involves approval by the various departments and schools, the various committees of the GraduateSchools in Newark, New Brunswick, and Camden, the Board of Governors, the New Jersey President's Council, and the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education.We anticipate offering the MBS degree in 2010.

• What is the rationale for offering an MBS degree when an MS or an MBA degree are already available?

A number of articles and reports have been written about the value of earning a
professional science master's degree. A recent National Research Council report, Science Professionals - Master's Education for a Competitive World (2008) recommends that four-year research universities need to invest in professional science master's degrees to increase American industrial competitiveness. Today, U.S. businesses need workers who not only possess up-to-date knowledge in their scientific and engineering fields, but also have multidisciplinary entrepreneurial skills that can translate scientific and technical knowledge into profitable products and services. Graduates with a Master of Business and Science degree will know how to lead innovations from idea to commercialization, understand market and customer needs, know how to assess financial decisions, and demonstrate leadership and team-building skills.

• What is the difference between the Professional Science Master's Degree Program and the Master of Business and Science?

The Professional Science Master's (PSM) is a national initiative that began with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation establishing PSM programs at different institutions across the country. The W.M. Keck Foundation also established the Keck Graduate School of Applied Life Sciences. Our MBS is a Professional Science Master's. According to the Council of Graduate Schools, there are currently over 125 PSM Programs at more than 60 universities across the country. The Professional Science Master's Program at Rutgers is a statewide initiative that received funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education (U.S Department of Education), and WIRED Bio-1. The degree that Rutgers will be offering is a Master of Business and Science with a concentration in a specific discipline in science and/or engineering. The PSM Program will also be offering a Certificate in Science and Technology Management.

• What kind of salary can I expect when I graduate with an MBS degree?

Although there are no guarantees, a great deal depends on the concentration you select, workforce demand, and the industry who hires you. In the National Research Council report, Science Professionals - Master's Education for a Competitive World (2008), data collected suggests that there is an increase in demand for master's educated scientists and engineers.

• What kinds of jobs are typically available for MBS graduates?

We expect our students to obtain jobs in biotechnology, industry, agriculture, food sciences, pharmaceutical companies, non-profit companies, environmental agencies, financial companies, and governmental agencies. According to Science Professionals - Master's Education for a Competitive World (National Research Council, 2008), additional fields of employment for a master's education in the natural sciences include the U.S. Department of Defense, homeland security agencies, and other federal and state agencies such as the Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, and the Food and Drug Administration.

• What are the admission requirements to apply for the Master of Business and Science?

The requirements differ depending upon the science/engineering track that you choose. Most likely, we will be requiring a GRE and a science or engineering background. Please check on the PSM web site at http://psm.rutgers.edu for updated information.

• How long will it take for me to complete the MBS degree?

Most students who pursue the MBS degree do so on a part time basis. On the average, it should take approximately two years to complete the degree requirements as a part time student.

• Can I apply as an international student for the Master of Business and Science?

International students can apply for the MBS. TOEFL or IELTS is required of all applicants whose undergraduate education was completed in a non-English speaking country. Even if you hold a master's-level degree from a US or other English-speaking country, you must still take the TOEFL or IELTS test. Scores must be current within 2 years of the applied semester. The only exemptions are for US trained undergraduates and international applicants coming from English-speaking countries. An undergraduate degree from a U.S. 4-year college or university satisfies the requirement. Please visit http://www.gradstudy.rutgers.edu for additional information

• If I am currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program can I also apply for an MBS degree? Can any of my credits be used toward the MBS degree?

If you are interested in the business courses, you may want to consider applying for a Certificate in Science and Technology Management. The Certificate will most likely be available in Fall, 2009. See questions below regarding this certificate.
If you are interested in another science discipline, you may apply for an MBS in that track. Please check with your graduate advisor as you may be able to apply up to 12 credits earned for your doctoral studies toward the MBS degree.

• If I am currently enrolled in a Master's degree program should I also apply for the MBS degree?

Earning a double Master's degree is a personal choice. If you decide to pursue a double Master's degree, with the approval of your MBS curriculum advisor, you can count up to 12 credits of graduate work toward the MBS degree.
If you are already in a Master's degree program, you may want to consider enrolling in the Certificate Program for Science and Technology Management. This program will be available in Fall, 2009. See questions below for additional information about the Certificate Program.

• How will I know what academic concentrations will be offered at what Graduate Schools in Newark, New Brunswick, and Camden?

Once the approval process is completed, we will post the curriculum tracks on our website as well as on the Graduate Schools' websites in Newark, New Brunswick, and Camden. If you aren't already on our psm student list serv, please send us an e-mail at info@psm.rutgers.edu and we will be happy to provide you with updates as the program
goes through the approval process.

• How much will the MBS cost?

Once the program is approved, information will be available about the cost.

• What kind of financial assistance is available if I decide to pursue the MBS degree?

Graduate students who are U.S. students and permanent residents may apply for grants, loans, and part-time employment by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Go to http://gsnb.rutgers.edu/support.php3

• Are there research or teaching assistantships available if I decide to pursue an MBS degree?

Currently, we do not offer any research or teaching assistantships for students pursuing the MBS degree.

• Does the MBS degree require a thesis?

The MBS degree does not require a thesis. There is, however, a required capstone course and an ethics and professionalism course that all students need to take.

• Can I do a part-time MBS?

Yes. You will need to still formally apply to the MBS program even though you will be enrolling as a part-time student.

• I recently enrolled in the Mini-MBA Program through the Rutgers Center for Management Development. Could I apply the hours earned toward the MBS degree?

Certain mini-MBA's are eligible for graduate credit within the MBS program. Please contact the PSM central office for clarification.

 

Please Note: This is a New Program in Development. All new programs at Rutgers must go through a thorough approval process (http://oirap.rutgers.edu/NewProgramApproval.pdf). We are currently undergoing this process and expect to offer the Certificate in Science and Technology Management this Fall. This new program has generated a lot of interest from our student population and we have summarized some of the questions asked.

Frequently Asked Questions about the

Certificate in Science & Technology

Management

This information may change during the ongoing approval process. Feel free to
contact us if you have any questions.

• What is the Certificate in Science & Technology Management?

The Certificate Program in Science & Technology Management is designed to introduce students to the management of science and technology. There are 19 credits required to earn this certificate. Certificate requirements include courses in financial management, marketing, communication and leadership, management of science/technology, ethics and professional colloquium, and a capstone course in entrepreneurship/intrapreneurship.
The Certificate Program is part of the Graduate School New Brunswick and courses are offered through the Rutgers Business School (RBS) and the School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR). This certificate will be available Fall of 2009 and is available to non-matriculated students. More information about this Certificate Program will be posted at http://psm.rutgers.edu.

• What are the admission requirements for the Certificate in Science and Technology Management?

There are no "admission requirements" to the certificate. Graduate students at Rutgers are eligible for the certificate. Please see our website for more information. Students from industry are also eligible for the certificate.

Please see our website for more information, or contact our office.

• If I decide to work toward the Certificate in Science and Technology Management will I automatically be accepted into the Professional Science Master's Program?

No. The Certificate in Science and Technology Management is separate from the Professional Science Master's Program. Like any Master's degree program, you will have to formally apply to the Graduate School to be accepted for the Master of Business and Science degree.

• I am working and am just interested in earning the Certificate in Science and Technology Management. Can I enroll in the certificate?

Yes. Please see our website for more information or contact us at info@psm.rutgers.edu to request being added to our list serv to receive updates about our programs.

 

 

 

 

If you have any questions, please contact our office at (732)445-5117, email us at: info@psm.rutgers.edu, fill out our contact form, or fill out our survey. We would like to hear from you!