Admission Requirements

Although most students admitted to the MSE program hold undergraduate degrees in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or physics, applicants who can clearly demonstrate the ability to perform graduate-level work in software engineering are also considered. Excellence and promise will balance a lack of formal preparation. Programming experience is essential, but applicants who have allowed a zeal for programming to to interfere with other aspects of education are not usually considered qualified.

To enter the CMU MSE program you must have:
1. Two years experience working in a significant software development project (if you do not have at least two years experience, you may qualify for the Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT-SE) degree)
2. Knowledge, at least at the level of an undergraduate course, of discrete mathematics, algorithms and data structures and programming languages
3. Skills in programming-in-the-small, as well as competence in using an imperative block-structured or object-oriented languages such as Java, C++, Pascal, Modula2, Ada or C
4. Practical knowledge of programming methods and computer organization
5. In-depth knowledge of at least two of the following topics:
  • compiling techniques
  • comparative programming languages
  • operating systems
  • database systems
Please see "Prerequisite Knowledge" for more detail about the required background in these areas.

Language Requirements

To be successful in the program, it is essential for each graduate student to be able to understand and effectively communicate in English. The program does not prescribe a minimum TOEFL score as a standard for admission. The MSE program uses the university TOEFL standards as a guideline in its admission review process, but augments this criterion with its own assessment based on candidate interviews and fulfillment of prescribed language enrichment work.

Equipment Requirements

A laptop is required for the Software Engineering program. Each laptop should have an onsite service agreement of no less than two-years. A support contract that covers both accidental damage and component failure is highly recommended.

Following is the recommended configuration:
Recommended laptop manufacturer: Dell
Operating System: Windows XP
Memory: 512 MB RAM, minimum
Disk Space: 30 GB, minimum
DVD/CDRW, for backups and project submissions
Both wired and wireless networking (CMU uses 802.11b forits wireless network)
For Pentium IV, Celeron or AMD CPU: 1.6 Ghz speed, or greater
For Centrinos etc.: 1.4 Ghz, or the equivalent in processing power

For the recommended equipment and configurations for Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science, see: http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~help/purchasing/recommended_pcs.html.
© 2003 Carnegie Mellon
Webmaster		 Home   General Information   Admission   Plans Of Study   Curriculum   People   Facilities   Contacts   Login