{"id":2354,"date":"2016-08-26T11:03:57","date_gmt":"2016-08-26T15:03:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/marine\/?page_id=2354"},"modified":"2025-06-04T15:48:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T19:48:24","slug":"professional-science-master-psm","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/marine\/graduate-programs\/professional-science-master-psm\/","title":{"rendered":"Professional Science Master\u2019s (PSM) Degree in Marine Sciences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Professional Science Masters (PSM) degree is a non-thesis, professional practice degree designed to allow students to advance their scientific knowledge while simultaneously developing or enhancing their abilities to apply scientific knowledge in a variety of professional settings, including but not limited to government or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private industry. This two-year program includes graduate-level coursework and an approved internship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marine Science PSM degree program is open to qualified traditional and non-traditional students.  The prospective student must have a BA or BS from an accredited institution and be able to demonstrate, via transcripts and other means, preparation for graduate-level courses in science and the other requirements of the Marine Science PSM program. For more information, please contact SMS Associate Director William Ellis at william.ellis@maine.edu<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advisor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Students will be first accepted by an advisor prior to their formal acceptance into the PSM Program.  Students generally are not admitted \u201cat large,\u201d but must have identified a major professor (advisor) who agrees to direct and help guide them through the program.  In most cases this advisor will work with the student throughout his or her degree program.  The student should discuss professional development interests with the advisor, and if their interests are misaligned, the student should pursue a change of advisor as early as possible in the program, although such changes are unusual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**Advisor\u2013advisee relationships are unique and different for each student.  Some advisors and advisees get along remarkably well and have a strong friendship as well as a strong sense of mentoring, while some advisors and students have a strictly professional relationship.  Some advisors are \u201chands-on\u201d in their approach to mentoring students, while other advisors take a more distant approach.  Each student will have a different chemistry with the advisor.  The key to having a good relationship is to have open lines of communication.  A lot of frustration and confusion occurs because either the student or advisor miscommunicated.  Sometimes an outside member of the faculty or program coordinator can help to smooth over a difficult relationship. **<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following successful admission through the 91르적 Graduate School, students will be accepted to the PSM program once his\/her advisor has been identified and confirmed. An advisory committee is not required in this program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This advisor must be a member of the SMS Graduate Faculty. In his\/her first semester and in consultation with their advisor, the student will create a plan of study that identifies the skill sets s\/he is seeking to develop and the courses and internship that will enable him\/her to achieve those competencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program of Study<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The PSM in Marine Sciences requires a minimum of 30 semester credit hours, including 5 credit hours in an internship (details below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n