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Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction

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Professional Science Master’s Degree Program in Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction

Designed as an alternative to the traditional science Ph.D. track, AFIT’s Professional Science Master’s degree program in Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction prepares graduates for positions in government and industrial organizations. Graduates can expect employment in diverse jobs such as technical advisor, analyst, researcher or program manager. A multi-disciplinary approach, integrated with research, and group projects sponsored by employer organizations, provides students with an innovative learning environment to meet the needs of our challenging world environment.

Students will take a range of courses covering nuclear, chemical and biological weapons technology. These courses provide coverage of the scientific foundations, production, weaponization, effects protection and mitigation. In addition, each student will take specialized courses tracking in either the chemical, Student workingbiological or nuclear areas.

Example courses are:

  • Radiation Health Physics
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Chemical Kinetics
  • Atmospheric Transport
  • Nuclear Instrumentation
  • Biotechnology
  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Nuclear Chemical Engineering

 

A complete guide to the program requirements can be found here.

 

Profession Science Master’s Degrees

Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degrees are recognized by the Council of Graduate Schools. There are nearly 100 PSM degree programs currently offered by institutions such as Stanford, Case Western, Rice, Michigan State and Boston Universities. There is a wide variation with curriculum and structure among PSM programs but some common themes are:

  • Programs are inter- or multi-disciplinary.
  • Many allow multiple areas of “focusing” or “specialization” with the last portion of the program.
  • Many programs use case studies in courses and “teamwork” approaches to projects, often with written/oral presentations to industry clients.
  • ertificates, within or as an addition to the standard PSM, are emerging as a common theme.
  • Some programs are structured so no two students take the same courses.
  • PSM programs expect to place their graduates in traditional industries as opposed to academics.

 

PSM LogoThe American Council of Graduate Schools recognizes AFIT’s Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction program as an official PSM program.

 

Admission Standards and Procedures

The general requirements for admission are:

  • U.S. citizenship
  • A Bachelor’s degree from an ABET accredited engineering program or a B.S. degree in a science related to environmental science, such as physics, biology, chemistry or industrial hygiene or a medical field related to physiology, epidemiology or health sciences.
  • Math courses including calculus up to ordinary differential equations.
  • A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), 1100 GRE combined verbal and quantitative score.
  • Deficiencies in any area may be waived or corrected through additional coursework on a case-by-case basis as approved by the Department of Engineering Physics and the curriculum chair.