Common elements that define a Professional Master’s Degrees:



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PROFESSIONAL MASTER’S

DEGREE PROGRAMS

INITIATIVE | |[pic]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction

II. Definition

III. Possible Benefits

IV. Opportunities for Development

V. Examples of Existing Programs

VI. Startup Checklist

VII. New Program Checklist

I. INTRODUCTION

The UC Irvine Graduate Division has developed the following materials to assist the campus in creating professional master’s degree programs. Such programs generate much-needed revenue that can be used to support the programs themselves, as well as other initiatives, including doctoral education. They promote an educated workforce in an increasingly competitive environment. Additionally, a focused initiative to identify existing and new fields that lend themselves toward professional master’s programs may greatly enhance the campus’ visibility and stature.

Programs may be developed for full-time and part-time students who are working professionals. They may include, for example, weekend residential courses, a combination of residential and online courses, and/or regular day-time courses. Currently, most professional master’s programs developed by other institutions are professional science master’s degree programs (PSMs); all have strong internship components with excellent potential employment opportunities for their graduates.

II.A. COMMON ELEMENTS THAT DEFINE PROFESSIONAL

MASTER’S DEGREES

• Same/similar core as disciplinary (academic) M.S. or M.A.

• Interdisciplinary work in related disciplines

• Professional component (business, public policy, etc.)

• Skills development (writing, communication, ethics)

• Project/team experience and/or BGN (business, government, nonprofit) internship

• Advisory board from employment/other sectors (role: active involvement in curriculum, teaching, advising, internship, placement/evaluation)

• Tracking of graduates

II.B. PROFESSIONAL VS. SELF-SUPPORTING DEGREES

Both professional and self-supporting degrees allow for fees outside of the normal registration and education fees:

• Professional fees are set by the Office of the President and are in addition to the regular registration and education fees that all graduate students pay. Students in professional programs are counted as part of our budgeted enrollment figures. The professional fee portion may be used in support of the academic program — fellowships, extra salary compensation, hiring lecturers, etc. Students in professional fee programs are eligible to use all campus facilities.

• Self-supporting program fees are recommended by the school with agreement from the various offices involved, and taking into account all the constituencies involved (e.g., Graduate Division, Registrar, International Center, etc.). The program fee must be approved by the Office of the President. Students in self-supporting programs are not counted as part of the budgeted enrollment for the campus, which means that those students do not have access to many of the campus’ facilities, are not eligible for GSHIP, nor are they eligible for fellowship support.

III. POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

For Schools

• Professional fees provide an income source, allowing programs to become largely self-supporting.

• Professional fees can be used to support:

- other academic programs

- extra salary for faculty

- faculty research and research programs

- doctoral students

- administrative functions

- other needs of the school/program

For Students

• Professional master’s degrees provide an alternative to doctoral education for those preparing for BGN (business, government, nonprofit) careers.

• From professional degree programs, students gain:

- Research/interdisciplinary experience greater than B.S./B.A.

- Experiential Component (team project typical for new employees)

- Active involvement of employment sector (internships and apprenticeships can help with job placement)

- A program that is more accessible to working students

- Connections for future employment opportunities

• According to a recent report released by the National Research Council, median salaries of master’s degree recipients tend to exceed those of Ph.D. recipients in the first one to five years after the degree is conferred.

• Professional degree programs support students through paid internships and by creating the opportunity for additional TA positions (Ph.D. support).

For UCI and the Community

• Professional degree programs are built around the need for workers within a specific industry in close proximity to the campus. As internships and apprenticeships are a major component of these programs, a symbiotic relationship is created where the university trains professionals for an industry, while that same industry shares in the training — and benefits from internships.

• In the long run, this relationship results in creating and maintaining opportunities for employment within California.

IV. OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMS

|Biological Sciences |ICS |

|Biotechnology with |Computer Sciences |

|Stem Cell Emphasis |games and decision making |

| |virtual reality |

|Education |information management |

|Credential |Statistics |

|MAT | |

|Education Technology |Physical Sciences |

|EdD |Chemistry |

| |Physics |

|Engineering |Mathematics |

|Advanced Power and Energy | |

|Engineering Management |Social Sciences |

| |International Studies |

|Health Sciences and the School of Medicine | |

|Genetic Counseling |Interdisciplinary |

|Audiology |MPP |

|Physical Therapy |DASA |

|Epidemiology |Transportation Sciences |

|Environmental Toxicology |Networked Systems |

|BATS | |

| | |

|Humanities | |

|Summer Master’s in English | |

|Film Studies | |

|Journalism | |

| | |

V. EXAMPLES OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS WITH PROFESSIONAL SCIENCE MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMS:

Michigan State University

• Biomedical Laboratory Operations

• Computational Chemistry

• Food Safety and Toxicology

• Industrial Mathematics

Oregon State University

• Applied Biotechnology

• Applied Systematics in Botany

• Environmental Sciences

• Applied Physics

Penn State University

• Applied Statistics

• Biotechnology

• Forensic Science

• Integrative Pharmacology

Stanford University

• Biomedical Informatics

University of Texas at San Antonio

• Applied Industrial Mathematics

University of Utah

• Science and Technology

VI. PROFESSIONAL MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM STARTUP CHECKLIST

Pre-Planning

Inform the Graduate Dean of plans to establish a professional master’s program. The Graduate Division will advise on how create a proposal that will garner speedy review and approval.

Learn about jobs and labor markets for graduates, including salaries.

Determine an identifiable niche that will generate interest from faculty and students with strong support from business, government and/or nonprofit sectors.

Form advisory board of industry and other likely employers.

Meet employer needs for relevant technical and professional skills.

Define scholarly rationale for the proposed degree program and its content.

The focus area could be interdisciplinary or nontraditional, where there is existing faculty expertise and interest. The degree is named for the focus area, not for the discipline(s).

Assure faculty enthusiasm for the new degree, including commitment by regular department faculty to provide the bulk of instruction.

Win high-level institutional commitment to professional master’s level education, including central coordination of all professional master’s programs at level of dean or above.

Prepare business plan projecting both expenses and revenues, and show how and when each degree program can become self-sustaining based on tuition revenues, corporate support and university support. Contact the Principal Finance Analyst in the Budget Office (Karen Mizumoto,

karen.mizumoto@uci.edu) for details on how to determine professional fees.

continued

Curriculum Development

Design a curriculum that can be evaluated by those in the field.

Develop intense identity-building experience, including a team project for entering students.

Encourage business/industry internships or equivalent.

Design exposure to cutting-edge research issues and equipment, for example, by lab rotations.

Conduct seminar/colloquia jointly for all professional master’s students.

Teach writing/communication/negotiation/consensus-building and other workplace assets.

Include a number of existing courses that may be adopted or adapted for the program.

Require final project, often team experience, in which meeting a schedule really matters.

Degree could be completed in approximately two years.

Apply to the Council of Graduate Schools for recognition as a professional master’s program.

Program Management

Appoint personnel or hire staff coordinator to serve as a liaison to business and industry, and to handle publicity, recruitment, student services and placement.

Win rapid approval of new degree programs by state regents and other gatekeepers.

Create management teams dedicated to recruitment of students and placement of graduates.

Set up systems to keep track of graduates and network them.

Keep contact with other professional master’s programs around the country.

Set up systems for assessment and quality control.

Program Proposal Writing

Visit the following link for the UC Academic Senate’s CCGA program proposal template:



VII. New graduate degree program checklist and flow chart

Pre-Review Process Checklist

Inform the Graduate Dean of plans to establish a professional master’s

program by contacting Frances Leslie at fmleslie@uci.edu and Director of Graduate Academic Planning Rachel Kaufman at rachel.kaufman@rgs.uci.edu.

In order to streamline the proposal review process, it is strongly recommended that the Graduate Dean be involved in early stages of the discussion. Inclusion of the Graduate Division will ensure that all elements of a successful proposal are in place prior to Grad Council review. While the review process, from beginning to end, can take up to 2 years, assistance from the Graduate Division could potentially lower the review time to 1 year.

Inform the Principal Finance Analyst in the Budget Office (Karen Mizumoto,

karen.mizumoto@uci.edu) of plans to create a professional degree in order to determine professional fees.

Inform UCI Extension if the program proposal includes plans to incorporate online courses.

continued

UCI Academic Senate Approval Process for Graduate Programs

Source: Academic Senate 08.10.09

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Council on Educational Policy

(Optional Review)

Council on Planning and Budget

(Review)

Senate Chair Transmits for Review

Graduate Council

(Approval)

Faculty Vote on Proposal

Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost for enrollment and resource analysis

Dean of School

Faculty Develops Proposal

(Five-Year Perspective)

Cabinet Endorsement

If new degree designation or if Cabinet deems controversial, send to Divisional Senate Assembly for Approval

Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost Notifies OP

Systemwide

Review & Approval

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