Engineering graduate program requirements and information

The Master of Science in Engineering program at CMU builds upon the existing strengths of the School of Engineering and Technology.  With your MS in Engineering from CMU you will be better prepared: 

• For a higher level job in industry, particularly those in research in development.
• To enter engineering graduate programs at any competitive university.
• For high level doctoral programs by further developing your engineering skills​.
  

About the program

The MS in Engineering degree at CMU has two options: Thesis Plan (Plan A) and the Course Based Plan (Plan B).

Individuals admitted to the MS in Engineering program have the option to pursue the program following different program plans. Please review the brief descriptions of the plan options below and then identify your first choice of how you would like to complete this program. Your selection does not influence your admission decision.

• Plan A/Research – This is the research-focused program plan that requires completion of a thesis. This option is available at the Mt. Pleasant campus and is completed entirely in person.
  • Plan A requires 21 hours of required and 9 hours of elective courses a successfully defended MS thesis. Students pursuing the MS in Engineering degree in Plan A option are required to meet with an engineering advisor during the first semester of attendance at CMU. Registration is not allowed until after this meeting. They are also required to meet with their engineering advisor each semester to ensure students select appropriate courses to facilitate their progress through the program.

• Plan B/Course Based-on Campus– This is the course-based program. This option is available at the Mt. Pleasant campus and is completed entirely in person. (Available to both domestic and international applicants)
  • Plan B requires 9 hours of required and 21 hours of elective courses. Prerequisites are strictly enforced for all engineering classes.
    

Deadline to be admitted for the Fall semester is March 1st.  Late applicants will be​ considered without the guarantee of assistantship.  Graduate assistantships will be provided on a competitive basis.

Accelerated MS in Engineering: Up to 9 credit hours can be double counted from appropriate undergraduate courses for an accelerated MS in Engineering Program at CMU.

Admission requirements, retention and termination standards

Admission requirements

Program quality is emphasized by requiring students to meet the following criteria:

1. Accepting only students with:

• a. 2.7 GPA for minimum admission (GRE is not required)
• b. 563/223/84+ TOEFL for international students
• c. Three reference letters and a statement of purpose

2. Students must have completed an undergraduate ABET-accredited engineering degree. Students who have degrees from a non-ABET accredited school, or have an undergraduate degree in a different discipline, must show an average GPA of 3.3 in the following courses (or equivalent) to be admitted for the MS in Engineering degree:

• Science (13 Cr Hrs): CHM 131, PHY 145QR, PHY 146, PHY 175
• Math (11 Cr Hrs): MTH 132, MTH 133, MTH 232
• Engineering (15 Hrs): EGR 251, EGR 253, EGR 255, EGR 356, and EGR 358; or EGR 190QR, EGR 290, EGR 298, EGR 391 and EGR 396

If needed, the School of Engineering and Technology may require students to pass an entrance exam to show competency in the above subjects.

Additional information

Students who have an undergraduate engineering technology degree/background and wish to apply to the MS-E program must have completed Calculus III with a grade of C- or better.

Students already having a Master’s degree in engineering or a related field from any institution have the same admission criteria as other applicants.

Retention and termination standards

In order to remain in the MS in Engineering program, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Students must select courses in consultation with an engineering advisor (only for Plan A students).
• Students may not take courses required for this degree Credit/No Credit (except the EGR 798 course).
• At least 24 credits must be taken at CMU to graduate with this degree .
• If a student does not continue to meet the retention standards, s/he may be asked to withdraw. The school maintains the right to terminate a student if s/he is not progressing satisfactorily.
• The student who does not meet degree requirements by the end of the 4th year will be terminated.
  

Degree requirements

Within the MSE Program at CMU, you have the option to pursue one of the two tracks for obtaining your degree. There is the Thesis Plan (Plan A), or the Course Based Plan (Plan B). Specific requirements for each of these options can be found below.

Thesis plan (Plan A)

Required Courses (21 hours)

• EGR 600 - Advanced Engineering Analysis 3(3-0)
• EGR 601 - Advanced Engineering Experimentation 3(2-2)
• EGR 685 - Seminar: Current Topics in Engineering 1-3 (Note: must be taken three (3) times).
• EGR 637 - Directed Research in Engineering (Note: must be taken at least two (2) times).
• EGR 798 - Thesis Research (6 hours)
  

Electives (9 hours)

Select graduate level EGR and IET courses approved by the advisor and school director. Students can take up to 6 credits from other departments and colleges approved by the advisor and school director.

Notes:

• Any extra credits not counted here for EGR 637 (1-6 credit hours) may be counted as an elective.
• EGR 798 needs to be taken twice.
  

Course based plan (Plan B)

Required Courses (9 hours)

• EGR 600 - Advanced Engineering Analysis 3(3-0)
• EGR 601 - Advanced Engineering Experimentation 3(2-2)
• EGR 685 - Seminar: Current Topics in Engineering 1-3 (must be taken 3 times).
  

Electives (21 hours)

Select graduate level EGR and IET courses approved by the advisor and school director. Students can take up to 6 credits from other departments and colleges approved by the MS-EGR program coordinator and school director.

Total: 30 semester hours

Accelerated MS degree in engineering

Up to 9 credit hours may be double-counted from appropriate courses in undergraduate degree for an accelerated MS in Engineering Program at CMU. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies for more information regarding admission for accelerated programs.

The Accelerated Master's Degree Programs (AMDP) is intended for a) CMU undergraduate students who possess a strong academic background; b) are maintaining a "B" average in their undergraduate coursework; c) are generally going into their senior year; d) plan to complete their graduate degree at CMU. The program allows specific graduate-level courses that, upon successful completion and graduation, will apply to the student's graduate record at CMU.