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of the coursework and its relevance to their current work or career path. Often these students are attending this program while continuing to work and they can do their internship in conjunction with their current job. There are core courses that are required of each student and they can take a number of electives in other topics to cus- tomize their degree. No one PSM student takes all the same courses. There is a lot of ß exibility in the courses one can take and one can also attend classes at the other UMass campuses. The current curriculum is a blend of face-to-face classes with a growing list of online course offerings. How do the students go about locating a place to do an internship? That is a great question. The idea is that a student can do their internship at work or we will help them locate a place to do an internship in a company or organization that is related to their particular course of study. This is a challenge and that is why we are reaching out to our industry partners, non proÞ t colleagues and government agencies to see if we can pair our students with exciting and relevant internships that will give them some valuable experience and exposure to a new course for their career. It sounds as if this is a great opportunity for in- dustry to work with the University to provide in- put on the type of trained employees they need. Yes, that is true. In addition to helping students get ahead in the workplace we also want to work closely with in- dustry, government and non proÞ ts to understand their needs so we can offer courses that will equip existing and future employees to be effective. Do you think there will be a need for a certain type of employee in the work place? We have to recognize that the science and technol- ogy professional workforce is graying and there is a need for new faces. There is not an adequate pipeline with expertise for the future. There is growing pressure on ocean health, marine transportation, Þ sheries, coastal development and degrada- tion, impacts of storm events, environmental disasters such as the BP oil spill, the effects of sea level rise, and so on. Provid- ing a skilled workforce in these areas coupled with a vibrant private sector is really what we are working toward. We understand that SMAST has an ambitious expansion plan that will likely come to fruition in the next 2-5 years. Yes, you are correct; we have $45 million committed from a combination of a UMass Bond and from the State De-partment of Capital Asset Management. The plan is to expand the existing site at Clarks Cove in New Bedford onto the adja- cent retired Navy Reserve Center site. We are nearing the end of a feasibility study to match space needs with what the fund-ing will allow. We are excited about the prospect of bring- ing together our faculty and students who are currently split between our New Bedford site and rented space in Fairhaven. In addition, the new facility will represent a transformation of our current site into a comprehensive marine campus with greatly expanded facilities and infrastructure. COAST PSM UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science & Technology Professional Science Master?s Degree (PSM) Coastal and Ocean Administration, Science and Technology (COAST) A new non-thesis MasterÕs degree that blends science with management, policy or law, with emphasis on writ- ing and communication.Application Requirements: BachelorÕs degree in one of the basic scientiÞ c or engineering disciplines. Degree Requirements: Completion of eleven 3-credit courses plus a one-credit internship.Internships can be done at work. Classes are offered on- line, on campus and throughout the UMASS system.www.umassd.edu/smast/smastforstu- dents/degreeopportunities/professionalsc iencemastersprogram/#d.en.28380 Contact: Louis Goodman, PhD, Associate Dean, Email: [email protected]: 508.999.8193 www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 29MTR #8 (18-33).indd 29MTR #8 (18-33).indd 2910/16/2013 2:06:17 PM10/16/2013 2:06:17 PM