California's shortage of qualified science and technology graduates was well documented by CCST's 2002 report, Critical Path Analysis of California's Science and Technology Education System. One of the many suggestions made in that report was to consider instituting a new type of master's degree program to produce a different class of science and technology experts. The "professional science master's" (PSM) degree suggested by CCST in that report has been implemented on a limited scale at over 45 institutions in 20 states. Now, CCST is responding to a request from California State University Chancellor Charles Reed to explore the feasibility of implementing such degree programs over 17 CSU campuses, making this a potentially major initiative for the CSU.

Left to Right: Carlos Gutiérrez, CCST council member and professor of chemistry, CSU Los Angeles; Milton Gordon, president, CSU Fullerton; James Rosser, CCST council member and fellow, and president, CSU Los Angeles; Winston Doby, vice president of educational outreach, UC Office of the President.

A group of 17 CSU campuses has obtained a planning grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to establish whether and how PSM programs could be established in participating campuses. The Sloan Foundation has long advocated such programs, and has provided partial startup funding for new degree programs at 45 institutions around the country. The CSU proposal would mark the first time that the Sloan Foundation has considered support for a systemwide introduction of the degree.

PSM programs differ from typical science master's degree programs in that they attempt to better prepare students for employment in the business environment, often by incorporating business coursework into a more traditional science curriculum. At least eight institutions in California already offer PSM programs, including the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Southern California, Stanford University, and CSU Fresno. California is considered an attractive venue to consider more widespread implementation of PSM programs because it has, and continues to attract, emerging high-tech industries, as well as established industries in environmental measurment and regulation and water resources and regulation in both the public and private sectors.

CCST, as an independent organization, has been asked to conduct a needs analysis. This project will aim to clarify the needs and perspectives of employers relevant to employees with PSM degrees. In order to gain an effective assessment of industry, public sector, and law enforcement demand, CCST will be conducting a series of meetings with a range of representatives throughout the state.

Through CCST's network of academic institutions and industry contacts, we will undertake a series of meetings with the following goals:

• Ascertain local and state-wide industry demand for PSM degree-holding employees
• Ascertain willingness to support graduate programs
• Ascertain what kind(s) of PSMs would be most in demand