Carnegie Mellon University
Software and Societal Systems Department  ›  Master of Software Engineering Programs  ›  For Applicants  ›  MSE for Professionals  ›  Program Eligibility

Program Eligibility

Eligible applicants to the MSE program for professionals have:

  • Completed an undergraduate degree in computer science or an engineering-related discipline that includes coursework in discrete mathematics or statistics, data structures and algorithms.
  • Completed at least two years of software development experience acquired through full-time positions as a junior or senior software engineer, quality analyst, or architect, among other positions.

In 2020, admitted students had an average of 4 years of industry experience in software engineering-related, full-time positions. In addition, admitted students typically have an average 156 GRE verbal score, and 167 GRE quantitative score. Admitted international students typically average a 103 total TOEFL score. That year, the program admitted 39% women and 61% men. 

FAQ

What if my undergraduate degree is not in computer science or engineering?

The admissions committee will look at your background holistically, both education and industry. If you do not have a degree in computer science or other engineering-related field, you may still be eligible for the program but it will be important for you to show the committee that you have knowledge in some of the foundational disciplines such as data structures and algorithms and discrete math. You may want to address this in your Statement of Purpose or Video Essay.

Note: The scores provided are average scores of admitted applicants. GRE scores are optional. An application without GRE scores is not at a disadvantage; however, applicants who have taken the GREs are encouraged to submit their scores.