Endorsements and Testimonials

Here's what industry leaders and students and alumni are saying about the Professional Master's Degree Program...

From Industry...

"Students in the Professional Master's Degree Program in Applied Biosciences should find advancement prospects significantly enhanced in the biotechnology industry, particularly relative to more traditional master's degreed students."

--David Robinson
Chairman, President, and CEO, Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Chairman of the Board and Director, Biotechnology Industry Organization

"The UA Professional Master's Degree Program serves a great and constantly growing need in industry to produce students who are technically savvy and have a high degree of knowledge in the applied sciences, as well as a comprehension of the fundamentals of business and professionalism. Industry needs employees who not only understand the technical nature of their projects, but the business and legal aspects as well, and are able to communicate their mission to broad audiences. Students in this unique program learn just that.

"The Professional Master's Degree Program produces students who understand science and business and the inherent connection between the two disciplines in industry. The success of science professionals is based on individuals who understand these connections, and the UA Professional Master's Degree Program gives its graduates the skills to excel in their careers."

--Lois A. Dimpfel
Vice President, Global Services (Retired)
IBM Corporation

"The Applied Science program at UA prepares students for successful careers in high-technology jobs. Graduates of the program have a solid knowledge base and laboratory experience, as well as strong communication skills."

"There is a high demand in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry for job candidates that have master's degrees. The UA professional masters in addition to graduate science curriculum, also provides students with industrial laboratory experience, an understanding of business, and ability to communicate. As a job candidate in industry, this graduate has a definitive edge over traditional science masters programs."

"Genomics is becoming an essential science for medical discovery. genomics is in its infancy and needs scientists that are eager to explore new, evolving technologies. Graduates of the UA Professional Masters Program have the skills, experience, and knowledge for successful, fulfilling careers in genomics."

--Pamela M. Carroll, Ph.D.
Senior Research Investigator, Applied Genomics
Pharmaceutical Research Institute
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

"At Raytheon, I would prefer my employees with bachelor's degrees in physics and mathematics to get the University of Arizona Professional Master's Degree rather than an MBA. Employees who are looking to compete technically would benefit from this degree program because it gives them the technical expertise with a little edge in business that can push their career toward a growth position in management. They need a master's degree to compete at Raytheon and this program would fulfill their needs in a very unique way."

--Gerald Brown
Director, Missile Systems Engineering
Raytheon Missile Systems

"At first, I was hesitant to employ an intern from the University of Arizona Professional Master's Degree Program. I had had some unsatisfactory experiences with interns from other programs in the past. They had not shown the type of dedication and commitment that is expected at Protein Therapeutics. However, a colleague of mine knew about this unique program, and persuaded me to give it a try. I very quickly discovered the value provided to our company by the intern from the UA Professional Master's Degree Program, and have been very impressed with his abilities and skill level. Our intern has done quite a bit of work for us and has really made a difference in what we have been able to achieve over the last six months. He is currently completing a Phase I clinical protocol for a rare autoimmune disease (dermatomyositis) and recently drafted and won approval for an orphan drug application with the Federal Drug Administration. This student understands science and business and has impacted our bottom-line in a very positive way. I never would have realized that the UA College of Science and Professional Master's Degree Program could strengthen our company if it had not been for this intern. I welcome more opportunities to partner with the UA in the future, and am happy to serve as a reference in the business community to rally support for this program."

--Jim Ostrem, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President
Protein Therapeutics