Dilbert’s pointy-haired manager regularly demonstrates his ignorance of science and technology – not to mention good management practices. Modern business doesn’t really want managers like that, and higher education has responded with a new type of degree: the Professional Science Master’s (PSM), combining technical instruction with management training and experience.

The Council of Graduate Schools has approved a PSM designation for two master’s degree programs at Cornell, in the fields of food science and applied statistics, making Cornell the first Ivy League school to offer PSM degrees.

“These students get research and technical skills, but also skills that allow them to go into business, industry and government,” explained Jan Allen, associate dean for academic and student affairs at Cornell’s Graduate School.

After rigorous study in a technical field along with coursework in management, policy or law, as well as writing and communication skills, PSM graduates can move directly into administrative positions. They are prepared to interact comfortably and intelligently with both researchers and business managers. Most programs require a final project or team experience, and sometimes an internship in a business or public sector enterprise.

Students who pursue this pathway may be science majors who want to prepare for management opportunities or managers who want to acquire a solid grounding in a technical field. Other master’s degrees are seen as a first step to a Ph.D., and eventually to an academic career. The development of the new class of degree has been driven by declining employment for Ph.D. graduates in the academic world and by the desire to advance American competitiveness with Europe and Asia, Allen said.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offers a master’s program in Food Science and Technology, with 30 hours of coursework concluding with a problem-solving project. The Department of Statistical Science, a division of Computing and Information Science, has for 10 years offered a master’s program in applied statistics. In 2008 optional courses in computer science were added to prepare students for dealing with “big data.”

These degrees have previously been described at Cornell as a Master of Professional Studies (MPS). Although not yet designated as PSMs, MPS degrees are offered in several other fields.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation provided funding for the Council of Graduate Schools to create and promote the PSM degree program and continues to support its administration. There are 319 PSM programs nationwide at 149 institutions, with about 5,500 students enrolled.