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Applied Biosciences, PSM

WELCOME to the Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Applied Biosciences (ABS)

The Applied Biosciences (ABS-PSM) program is an interdisciplinary studies program, allowing students to customize their own coursework and research to suit their needs and goals. It is designed to prepare students to enter a competitive, scientific workforce. The program consists of foundational and practical training in various areas of applied biosciences and along with a professional component that includes internships and "cross-training" in workplace skills, such as business, communications, and regulatory affairs. During the two-year course of study, students will gain a strong understanding of the applications of the biological sciences to real world problems, including those faced by public institutions and private industry. We offer six (6) distinct tracks:

  • Controlled Environment Agriculture
  • Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences
  • Industrial Microbial Biotechnology
  • Medical Microbiology Immunology
  • Molecular & Cellular Biology
  • Sustainable Bioeconomy & Bioenergy


What is a Professional Science Master's (PSM)? 

It has been nearly 25 years since the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation funded the first group of Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree programs, hoping to create a new career pathway and fill the need for scientists who are trained to work in a commercial context. Recognizing that traditional graduate-level science training (i.e. Master's of Science) may not be suitable for non-academic careers, in 1997, the Sloan Foundation began to support master's-level degree programs designed to provide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ("STEM") students with a pathway into science-based careers. These PSM degrees combine a science or mathematics curriculum with a professional component designed to provide graduates with the necessary skills for a prominent career in business, government, or nonprofit agencies. Since then, these 2-year graduate programs have proliferated in a wide range of scientific fields, from bioinformatics to nanoscale physics.
 

Have questions? Contact us: 

Jennifer Shim, Program Coordinator
jennifershim@arizona.edu
(520) 626-9111

Dr. Sadhana Ravishankar, Program Chair
sadhravi@arizona.edu
(520) 626-1499

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