Incoming MS FAQs
On this page, we hope to provide information for incoming master's students regarding the recent program changes.
I-20 international student FAQs
Can I complete my internship during any semester?
If I opt for a three-semester program, can I extend that program to four semesters?
Research FAQs
Can research units taken during the summer count towards the ECE degree?
Is there a limit on the number of research units that can be taken in one semester?
Do I need to pay for research units?
Can I get paid for a research project?
Can I do research in the Advanced program?
Can I work on a research project with a faculty member outside ECE?
Can I complete the Intensive Project Option in one semester?
Can I start the Intensive Project Option in my first semester on campus?
I am in the Advanced Study program. Can I start the Intensive Project Option in my third semester?
I am an IMB student, am I eligible for the Intensive Project Option?
If I do not get approval to move on to Phase II of the Intensive Project Option, what will happen to my 12 units of research (18-980) I completed in Phase I?
Can I do a project in Phase II of the Intensive Project Option different from the project I proposed to do at the end of Phase I?
Can I take a different amount of units in Phase I or Phase II of the Intensive Project Option besides 12 and 24 units?
Program FAQs
How does adding the Project Option to my program work?
If I complete all of my degree requirements for the Advanced program in three semesters instead of four, can I still do research, an internship, or take courses in my fourth semester?
Is the Advanced program more expensive than the other MS programs?
Does the Advanced program require an internship?
May I complete a co-op instead of an internship?
If I opt into an Applied program requiring an internship, do I have to pay for the internship?
For the Applied/Applied Advanced programs that require an internship, you will not need to pay for the internship. You will be enrolled in a zero-unit internship course to meet the requirement.
In the Standard/Advanced programs, internships are optional. You may apply for CPT in these programs to complete an internship, which will require you to register for a 3-unit internship course and pay tuition accordingly.
Is there a maximum number of units that I can take for my program?
In the three-semester programs, you cannot enter your final semester with 120 or more units. In the Advanced (four-semester) program, you cannot enter your final semester with 156 or more units. It is important to keep in mind that once you complete program requirements, you will be required to graduate and cannot stay to take more classes. If you would like to build extra classes into your program, please work with your academic advisor.
What happens if I cannot get an internship for the Applied program?
Can students convert from a MS to a PhD?
Will these new programs be available to dual degree students?
Will these new programs be available to all incoming Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 students seeking a single degree in ECE or SE?
The department is currently conducting an analysis to determine which new programs will be offered to which current programs. As of now, the Standard and Applied programs are offered to all incoming students at the Pittsburgh, Silicon Valley, and CMU–Africa campuses who are enrolled in the single-degree MS ECE or MS SE program.
The Advanced program is only offered to incoming MS ECE students at the Pittsburgh and CMU–Africa campuses. The Applied Advanced program is only offered to incoming MS ECE students studying at the Pittsburgh campus.