The Chemistry Analytics concentration in the Master of Science in Professional Science degree provides managerial skills as well as advanced training in chemistry to allow graduates to advance to more supervisory levels within their companies. Students will be trained in the analysis of data from modern analytical instrumentation, such as gas and liquid chromatography, uv, visible and infrared spectroscopy, flame emission, atomic absorption, and mass spectrometry (CHEM 6230) used in industrial settings with examples drawn from the literature to illustrate application to real-world problems (CHEM 6210).

The Biotechnology concentration in the Master of Science in Professional Science degree offers preparation for careers in the management of bioscience firms and organizations. The program is a combination of business and science to offer training to work in highly skilled and/or leadership roles in scientific companies and agencies.

The Fermentation Science concentration in the Master of Science in Professional Science degree emphasizes the skills and experience that will prepare the next generation of professionals for the broad range of industries that employ fermentation to create end products, including the food, chemical, pharmaceutical, and water treatment industries. Through the curriculum of core business classes, the graduate is better prepared to assume management and leadership roles within any industry utilizing fermentation.

The Engineering Management concentration in the Master of Science in Professional Science degree was created to provide engineers, scientists, and technicians with the business and management tools needed for leadership positions in manufacturing and industry. Designed for working professionals, the program can be completed on a part-time basis over two years; classes are held primarily in the evening, and many are online. The program helps equip students with skills (including project management, Six Sigma, and lean manufacturing) to implement and manage competitive process innovations and product development.

The Community Health concentration in the Master of Public Health program offered by the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences at MTSU offers preparation for a wide range of roles and settings within the public health arena, including non-governmental and governmental agencies at international, national, state, and local levels. The Master of Public Health degree is a two-year program offered through the Department of Health and Human Performance.

The Department of Social Work in the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences at MTSU prepares students to serve as social work practitioners, scholars, and leaders who assist individuals, families, groups, and communities at the local, national, and international levels. Our faculty seeks to develop culturally informed, community-engaged students who promote social justice and respect for diversity and human rights through research, coursework, fieldwork, and public service.

The Biostatistics concentration in the Master of Science in Professional Science degree offers training in the statistical methods applied to medicine, biology, public health, and the development of new tools to study these areas. These methods involve using mathematics to solve real-world problems that influence health decision processes. Biostatisticians utilize their qualitative skills to work with experts in related health and physical science disciplines to analyze, evaluate, and interpret the results to better inform the field and turn complex datasets into scientifically sound, actionable findings.

Actuarial science is a special discipline for training students to apply mathematical skills and statistical techniques to study uncertain future events, especially those of concern to insurance and pension programs. The Actuarial Science concentration in the Master of Science in Professional Science degree offers preparation, basic knowledge, and professional skills to work as an actuary and to pass actuarial professional examinations. The program offers training so that students can make practical use of probability theory and statistical analysis for managing risks and solving practical problems.

The M.A. in Economics program was established in the mid-1960s but has recently made changes to ensure that the program is focused on training students to conduct applied economic research and decision analysis using current methodologies. There is an emphasis on hands-on data analysis, making it possible for graduates to acquire the skills and knowledge for careers as consultants in private business and analysts for the government. The dedicated graduate faculty at MTSU have prepared highly qualified master’s-level economists who have gone on to continue their doctoral studies not only at MTSU but at numerous universities, including Chicago, Virginia, North Carolina State, and Auburn. Others have found employment in local banking, the Federal government, and the State of Tennessee.

Graduates and current students both tout the Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.) program as a challenging academic regimen that offers preparation for the Certified Public Accountant exam, while at the same time incorporating relevant real-world examples that equip them for the workforce. Students praise professors in the department for their approachability. “While they have powerful positions, they remain humble enough to make students a priority,” says Phylicia Coleman, a recent graduate, who works as an auditor in the Nashville office of Deloitte & Touche, LLP. Another recent graduate, Duresha Rice, offers the following about her accounting professors: “They want to see every student succeed and become successful.” After graduating, Rice began her career at Faulkner, Mackie, and Cochran, P.C., as an external auditor. “Thanks to the accounting department at MTSU, I have secured a position with the Tennessee Department of Audit,” says former master’s student Adria Bakke., These powerful testimonies from current and former students illustrate how the M.Acc. the program prepares students for professional jobs in accounting and other related fields.

The MTSU Department of Aerospace offers three Master of Science in Aeronautical Science concentrations. The Aviation Management concentration is a management and operations-oriented degree program designed in cooperation with industry representatives. The study focuses on airport activities and organizational structures, aviation contracts and leases, and aviation systems management. The Aviation Education concentration is designed to serve students interested in the conduct of aviation education, training, or professional development programs, or in the administration of such programs. Students in this concentration take classes in both the Aerospace Department and MTSU College of Education. The Safety and Security Management concentration is designed to provide students the knowledge and expertise necessary to develop and manage aviation safety and security programs. Studies include safety management systems (SMS), aviation security, aviation safety investigation, and human factors in aviation.

Mathematics is the study of quantity, structure, space, and change. Exploring and understanding the world in which we live is increasingly a matter of mathematical inquiry and discovery. Laptops, smartphones, and video game consoles rely on mathematics, as do the techniques engineers and empirical scientists use to probe nature. Consequently, there is growing need for individuals capable of "speaking the language" of mathematics.

MTSU’s Master of Science in Finance program is designed to provide a graduate-level knowledge base and expertise to those who work in the growing field of finance, assisting individuals, companies, and governments in navigating the increasingly complex and essential world of financial analysis. The program is ideal for a prospective student with a business/quantitative background (e.g. finance, economics, accounting, mathematics, or engineering undergraduate degree) who is seeking to advance his/her career in the rewarding world of finance. The 12-month, 33-credit hour program offers a class schedule to accommodate professionals in the work world as well as full-time students. The program aims to impart quantitative, practical knowledge in various areas within the field of finance; deliver hands-on experience applying various financial modeling and valuation concepts, tools, and techniques; and develop communication, critical thinking, analytical ethical decision making, and discipline-specific skills.

A look into any public school classroom across the state or nation would reveal a variety of learners with specific needs. It is a common occurrence for a highly gifted English speaker, a special needs student, and students whose first languages may reflect Arabic, Burmese, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali, Spanish, and Swahili (to name a few) to be working together. The multi-lingual classroom is now typical instead of unique. The challenges posed by the classroom structures and populations require teachers to gain knowledge and understanding while developing expertise in the areas of second language acquisition, appropriate strategies and models for effective instruction, assessment tools and accommodations, and literacy frameworks, practices, and overall language learning. In addition, today’s classrooms require educators to become skillful examiners in order to conduct classroom action research that leads to improved practice and teacher efficacy. The M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction in English as a Second Language is delivered online.

At the graduate level, the Chemistry Department features a research-based Master of Science degree. After completion of core coursework in the major sub-disciplines, students in the Chemistry M.S. program have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of research experiences, including environmental, organic synthesis, natural product isolation, computational and theoretical, analytical, nanomaterials, catalysis, polymers, biochemistry, and chemical education. The research experience is considerably enhanced by MTSU’s new 250,000-square-foot science building and upgraded instrumentation. Talented undergraduates also have the opportunity to participate in a new Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s (ABM) program which enables them to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. Graduates find employment in a wide range of areas as well as continuing their education in high-quality doctoral and/or professional programs. The department also participates in three interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs (Molecular Biosciences, Computational Science, and Math and Science Education).