§1862o–13 Professional Science Master’s Degree Programs

Summary

Sets up a central resource where the Director, working with 4‑year colleges, industry, and federal agencies that hire science workers, collects and shares what works in successful professional science master’s (PSM) and similar STEM graduate programs. The Director must make those program ideas available to colleges that are building PSM programs. The Director must also give grants to 4‑year colleges to create or improve PSM programs that focus on practical training for jobs in high‑need fields and may link schools with employers. A college applying for a grant must describe the program, explain how it will prepare students for needed jobs, say how much non‑Federal money (including from industry) will support it, and promise to encourage students to apply for Federal aid and graduate fellowships, including help under Titles IV and VII of the Higher Education Act. Priority goes to colleges in States with low graduate‑degree rates that show partnerships like internships, or to colleges that raise more than two‑thirds of the program funds from non‑Federal sources. Up to 200 colleges may get grants, each for one 3‑year term, renewable once for 2 more years. Before the program starts, the Director must set performance benchmarks with partners, evaluate each funded program every year, stop funding programs that fail the benchmarks, and report evaluation results and recommendations to Congress within 180 days after each evaluation.