The LTI's degree programs draw from a common set of courses and core skills, but emphasize different types of expertise that prepare you for a wide range of career options. All of our programs provide the hands-on experience and rigorous curriculum that are the hallmark of computer science at Carnegie Mellon.

Ph.D. Programs

Ph.D. in Language and Information Technology

The Ph.D. in LTI focuses on developing the next generation of scientific and entrepreneurial leaders. The first two years of the Ph.D. program are similar to our MLT program. After the second year, you will spend most of your time working closely with your faculty advisor on research that advances the state-of-the-art in computer science.

Ph.D. students are expected to publish papers about original research in the most competitive scientific journals and international conference proceedings, and to present their research at conferences and workshops. Most of our Ph.D. graduates become professors and research scientists, while a few have started their own companies.

In general, students pursuing a Ph.D. in Language and Information Technologies must

  • Pass at least 96 units of graduate-level courses.
  • Satisfy proficiencies in writing, presentation, programming and teaching; and
  • Propose, write and defend a Ph.D. dissertation (thesis).

Students must also attend the LTI Colloquium each semester and satisfy our Research Speaking Requirement.

For a detailed breakdown of the above requirements, download and read the PhD Handbook.

 

 

In order to obtain your Ph.D. in Language and Information Technologies, you need to pass 96 units (generally, eight courses) of graduate courses that fulfill these requirements:

  • At least 72 units of LTI courses: Must include one class in each LTI focus area.
  • At least 24 units of SCS courses.
  • At least two lab courses in two different research areas.

Here's a sample of what your five-year schedule might look like.

 

Fall

Spring

Summer

Year 1

Grammars and Lexicons

Algorithms for NLP

Directed Study

Search Engines or Machine Learning for Text Mining

Machine Translation

Directed Study

Required Research

Year 2

Software Engineering for LT (I)

Speech Understanding

Self-Paced Lab

Directed Study

Software Engineering for LT (II)

Self-Paced Lab

Directed Study

Required Research

Year 3

Directed Research

Directed Research

Directed Research

Year 4

Directed Research

Directed Research

Directed Research

Year 5

Directed Research

Directed Research

Directed Research

Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science has a centralized online application process. Applications and all supporting documentation for fall admission to any of the LTI's graduate programs must be received by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application period for Fall 2024 will open on September 6, 2023.

Final Application Deadline

December 13, 2023 at 3 p.m. EST.

Cost

  • $100 per program and $80 if the applicant applies before November 29, 2023 at 3 p.m. EST (early deadline).

Fee Waivers

Fee waivers may be available in cases of financial hardship. For more information, please refer to the School of Computer Science Fee Waiver page.

Requirements

The School of Computer Science requires the following for all Ph.D. applications.

  • GRE scores: GREs are now optional, but if you want to submit GRE scores:
    These must be less than five years old. The GRE Subject Test is not required, but is recommended. Our Institution Code is 2074; Department Code is 0402.
  • TOEFL scores: Required if English is not your native language. No exceptions. These scores may be more than two years old if you have pursued or are pursuing a bachelor's or graduate degree in the United States. (While the TOEFL is preferred, the IELTS test may also be submitted.) Successful applicants will have a minimum TOEFL score of 100. Our Institution Code is 4256; the Department Code is 78.
  • Official transcripts from each university you have attended, regardless of whether you received your degree there.
  • Current resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Three letters of recommendation.

For more details on these requirements, please see the SCS Doctoral Admissions page.

In addition to the SCS guidelines, the LTI requires:

  • A short (1-3 minute) video of yourself. Tell us about you and why you want to come to CMU. This is not a required part of the application process, but it's strongly suggested.
  • Any outside funding you are receiving must be accompanied by an official award letter.

No incomplete applications will be eligible for consideration.

For specific application/admissions questions, please contact Stacey Young.

For a complete breakdown of the Ph.D. program and its policies, including information about internships, please view the PhD Handbook

For more information about the Ph.D. program, contact Stacey Young.

Dual-Degree Ph.D. in Language and Information Technologies (Portugal Partnership)

The LTI offers a dual-degree Ph.D. in Language and Information Technologies in cooperation with:

Students jointly enrolled in the LTI Ph.D program spend a year in Portugal, then two years at Carnegie Mellon taking classes in linguistics, computer science, statistical learning and task orientation.

After completing the majority of their academic requirements, students return to Portugal for the next two years to conduct extensive research, ultimately leading to a dissertation topic that will be publicly defended. One adviser from each institution co-supervises their student’s progress and helps to define their final thesis topic.

Students participating in the dual-degree program will spend their first year in Portugal, followed by two years in Pittsburgh to complete their coursework. They will complete a maximum of eight courses with a proper balance of focus areas (linguistics, computer science, statistical/learning and task orientation). After that, they will return to Portugal for their last two years, pursuing research and completing their dissertation. For more, see the Carnegie Mellon | Portugal page.

While in the dual Ph.D. program, your schedule may look like this.

 

Fall

Spring

Summer

Year 1
(In Portugal)

Classes and Directed Study

Classes and Directed Study

Required Research

Year 2
(In Pittsburgh)

Grammar and Lexicon

Structured Prediction

Directed Study

Language and Statistics

2 Self-Paced Labs

Directed Study

Required Research

Year 3
(In Pittsburgh)

Directed Research

Directed Research

Directed Research

Year 4
(In Portugal)

Directed Research

Directed Research

Directed Research

Year 5
(In Portugal)

Directed Research

Directed Research

Directed Research

Students applying to the dual degree program must apply through Carnegie Mellon's online application. In addition to the requirements listed below, prospective students must also contact Stacey Young when applying.

Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science has a centralized online application process. Applications and all supporting documentation for fall admission to any of the LTI's graduate programs must be received by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application period for Fall 2024 will open on September 6, 2023.

Final Application Deadline

December 13, 2023 3:00 p.m. EST.

Cost

  • $100 per program, $80 for applications submitted by November 29, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. EST (early deadline).

Fee Waivers

Fee waivers may be available in cases of financial hardship, or for participants in select programs. For more information, please refer to the School of Computer Science Fee Waiver page.

Requirements

The School of Computer Science requires the following for all Ph.D. applications.

  • GRE scores: These must be less than five years old. The GRE Subject Test is not required, but is recommended. Our Institution Code is 2074; Department Code is 0402.
  • TOEFL scores: Required if English is not your native language. No exceptions. These scores may be more than two years old if you have pursued or are pursuing a bachelor's or graduate degree in the United States. (While the TOEFL is preferred, the IELTS test may also be submitted.) Successful applicants will have a minimum TOEFL score of 100. Our Institution Code is 4256; the Department Code is 78.
  • Official transcripts from each university you have attended, regardless of whether you received your degree there.
  • Current resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Three letters of recommendation.

For more details on these requirements, please see the SCS Doctoral Admissions page.

In addition to the SCS guidelines, the LTI requires:

  • A short (1-3 minute) video of yourself. Tell us about you and why you want to come to CMU. This is not a required part of the application process, but it's strongly suggested.
  • Any outside funding you are receiving must be accompanied by an official award letter.

No incomplete applications will be eligible for consideration.

For specific application/admissions questions, please contact Stacey Young.

Master's Programs

Master of Language Technologies

The MLT program prepares students for a research career in academia or industry. In this program, you’ll be immersed in research for two full years. During the academic year, your time will be evenly split between taking courses and doing research with your faculty advisor. Your summer will be devoted entirely to research. Many MLT grads continue on to Ph.D. programs at CMU and other top institutions, while others pursue careers at companies emphasizing research and rapid innovation.

The MLT program lasts two years (24 months), and students must complete two summers of research. Students should usually expect to graduate in August of their second year.

MLT students take 120 or more course units (about 10 courses), at least 72 of which are LTI courses, and 24 of which are School of Computer Science (SCS) courses. Most of these are 12-unit courses, although lab courses are typically 6 units. Our courses generally assume knowledge of programming and data structures. The remaining units may also be taken from the LTI, or with approval from the faculty advisor, any other senior- or graduate-level course offered at CMU or Pitt.

Directed research is another integral part of the MLT program; MLT students carry out directed research during their studies, with guidance from their faculty advisors.

Students may also choose to complete an optional MLT thesis. Guidelines can be found in the MLT Handbook.

Here's an example of how your two years in the MLT program may break down.

 

Fall

Spring

Summer

Year 1

Grammars and Lexicons

Algorithms for NLP

Directed Study

Search Engines or Machine Learning for Text Mining

Machine Translation

Self-Paced Lab

Directed Study

Required Research

 

Year 2

Software Engineering for LT (I)

Speech Understanding

Self-Paced Lab

Directed Study

Software Engineering for LT (II)

Directed Study

Elective

Required Research

 

Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science has a centralized online application process. Applications and all supporting documentation for fall admission to any of the LTI's graduate programs must be received by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application period for Fall 2024 will open on September 6, 2023.

*Please note, we no longer require mailed, hard versions of transcripts or test scores at the time of application. Do not mail anything to the admissions office. If you are accepted to a program, you will be given instruction to then mail your materials.

Final Application Deadline

December 13, 2023 at 3 p.m. EST.

Cost

  • $100 per program, $80 for applications submitted before November 29, 2023 at 3PM EST (early deadline).

Fee Waivers

Fee waivers may be available in cases of financial hardship, or for participants in select "pipeline" programs. For more information, please refer to the School of Computer Science Fee Waiver page.

Requirements

The School of Computer Science requires the following for all graduate program applications:

  • GRE scores: GREs are now optional, but if you want to submit GRE scores:
    These must be less than five years old. A GRE subject test in science, engineering, computer science, math, etc. is not required, but you may complete one and submit the scores if you wish. Our Institution Code is 2074; Department Code is 0402.
  • TOEFL scores: Required if English is not your native language. No exceptions. These scores may be more than two years old if you have pursued or are pursuing a bachelor's or graduate degree in the United States. (While the TOEFL is preferred, the IELTS test may also be submitted.) Successful applicants will have a minimum TOEFL score of 100. Our Institution Code is 4256; the Department Code is 78.
  • Official transcripts from each university you have attended, regardless of whether you received your degree there.
  • Current resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Three letters of recommendation.

For more details on these requirements, please see the SCS Master's Admissions page.

In addition to the SCS guidelines, the LTI requires:

  • A short (1-3 minute) video of yourself. Tell us about you and why you want to come to CMU. This is not a required part of the application process, but it's strongly suggested.
  • Any outside funding you are receiving must be accompanied by an official award letter.

No incomplete applications will be eligible for consideration.

For specific application/admissions questions, please contact Kate Schaich.

Tuition Rates

Tuition is set by the School of Computer Science and can vary by year. Current tuition rates can be found on the Graduate Tuition section of the Student Financial Services website.

Financial Aid Resources

Research Assistant-ships are occasionally offered by research advisors to current MLT students. These are not guaranteed and vary from semester-to-semester. They fluctuate and are dependent on the funding source, research advisor and MLT student.

Student Financial Services has additional information on financial aid and billing / payments. They have a detailed outline of how to apply for financial aid on the Graduate Financial Aid Process page.

Enrollment & Finances has additional resource links to assist with financial aid and tuition payments.

Graduate Education – Financial Assistance provides resources for current students regarding emergency loans and conference travel grants.

For a complete breakdown of the MLT program and its policies, including information about internships, please view the PDF iconMLT Handbook.

For more information about the MLT program, contact Kate Schaich.

Master of Science in Intelligent Information Systems (MIIS)

The Master's in Intelligent Information Systems degree focuses on recognizing and extracting meaning from text, spoken language and video. As an MIIS student, you’ll receive the department’s deepest exposure to content analysis and machine learning. In addition to completing the program’s coursework, you’ll work on directed study projects with your faculty advisor for two semesters; participate in a summer internship; and collaborate with your peers on a semester-long, group-oriented capstone project. This combination of classroom instruction, professional experience, and using new skills in significant projects with world-class colleagues will help prepare you for a successful career in industry or government. Our alumni have gone on to exciting careers at places like Apple, IBM and Google, and most have job offers within six weeks of graduation.

The Intelligent Information Systems degree offers students the flexibility to create their own course of study in consultation with their advisor. 

MIIS students gain three types of practical experience: software development supervised by their advisor (24 units equivalent to two courses); a summer internship (which can be waived for students that have sufficient prior professional experience); and a capstone project executed in a group of peers (42 units equivalent to three 12-unit courses and one 6-unit course). This combination is proven to help IIS students to broaden their skills quickly. The MIIS degree is offered in two options:

Option 1. Standard MIIS degree (MIIS-16) - A 16-month track that is completed in three academic semesters (fall, spring, fall) and a summer internship.  

Option 2. MIIS: Advanced Study degree (MIIS-21) - A 21-month track that is completed in four academic semesters (fall, spring, fall, spring) and a summer internship.

MIIS: Advanced Study track offers indepth degree in one of the following areas of concentration:

  • Human Language for Language Technologies
  • Language Technology Application
  • Machine Learning for Language Technologies

Part-time education option is available in some cases. 

MIIS-16 students must take at least 84 units (typically 7 courses) of qualifying and elective courses that satisfy human language, machine learning, and language technology applications breadth requirements. MIIS-21 students have to take at least two more courses from the selected concentration area to satisfy their degree requirements, making it total of 108 units (typically 9 courses) of qualifying and elective courses, that also satisfy breadth requirements.

For a full list of requirements, read the MIIS Handbook.

Click one of the two options below: 

 

MIIS-16

MIIS-21

 

Here are some example schedules for completing the MIIS-16 program.

Example Course of Study #1

This schedule would satisfy course requirements for a student interested in text mining, text analytics and question-answering systems.

Fall 1

Spring

Summer

Fall 2

Machine Learning

Search Engines

Design and Engineering of Intelligent Systems\ Directed Study

Language and Statistics

Natural Language Processing

Question Answering

Directed Study

MIIS Capstone Planning Seminar

Internship

Machine Learning for Text Mining

MIIS Capstone Project

 

Example Course of Study #2

This schedule would satisfy course requirements for a student interested in voice-based computer applications.

Fall 1

Spring

Summer

Fall 2

Machine Learning

Algorithms for NLP

Speech Recognition and Understanding

Directed Study

Applied Machine Learning

Competitive Engineering

Design and Implementation of Speech Recognition Systems

Directed Study

MIIS Capstone Planning Seminar

Internship

Conversational Interfaces

MIIS Capstone Project

 

Example Course of Study #3

This example would satisfy course requirements for a student interested in text mining, text analytics and question-answering systems who has petitioned to have the summer internship waived.

Fall 1

Spring

Summer

Search Engines

Analysis of Social Media

Design and Engineering of Intelligent Systems

Directed Study

Machine Learning

Natural Language Processing

Question Answering

Directed Study

MIIS Capstone Planning Seminar

Academic Research Practices and Scientific Communities

MIIS Capstone Project

 

Here are some example schedules for completing the MIIS-21 program.

Example Course of Study #1

This schedule would satisfy course requirements for a student interested in deepening their expertise in Machine Learning area of concentration.

Fall 1 Spring 1 Summer Fall 2 Spring 2

Search Engines

Algorithms for NLP

Intro to ML (MLD)

MIIS Directed Study

Question Answering

Intro to Deep Learning

MIIS Capstone Planning Seminar

MIIS Directed Study

Internship

MIIS Capstone Project

Applied ML

ML for Text Mining

ML for Signal Processing

Elective

 

Example Course of Study #2

This schedule would satisfy course requirements for a student interested in deepening their expertise in Language Technology Applications area of concentration.

Fall 1 Spring 1 Summer Fall 2 Spring 2

Search Engines

Algorithms for NLP

Intro to ML (MLD)

MIIS Directed Study

Question Answering

Intro to Deep Learning

MIIS Capstone Planning Seminar

MIIS Directed Study

Internship

MIIS Capstone Project

Machine Translation

Comp Semantics for NLP

Neural Networks for NLP

Elective

 

Example Course of Study #3

This example would satisfy course requirements for a student interested in deepening their expertise in Human Language area of concentration

Fall 1 Spring 1 Summer Fall 2 Spring 2

Natural Language Processing

Algorithms for NLP

Intro to ML (MLD)

MIIS Directed Study

Question Answering

Intro to Deep Learning

MIIS Capstone Planning Seminar

MIIS Directed Study

Internship

MIIS Capstone Project

Language and Statistics

Comp Semantics for NLP

ML for Signal Processing

Elective

Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science has a centralized online application process. Applications and all supporting documentation for fall admission to any of the LTI's graduate programs must be received by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application period for Fall 2024 will open on September 6, 2023.

*Please note, we no longer require mailed, hard versions of transcripts or test scores at the time of application. Do not mail anything to the admissions office. If you are accepted to a program, you will be given instruction to then mail your materials.

Final Application Deadline

December 13, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. EST.

Cost

  • $100 per program, $80 for applications submitted before November 29, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. EST (early deadline).

Fee Waivers

Fee waivers may be available in cases of financial hardship, or for participants in select "pipeline" programs. For more information, please refer to the School of Computer Science Fee Waiver page.

Requirements

The School of Computer Science requires the following for all Master's applications.

  • GRE scores: MIIS applicants must submit their GRE scores. The scores must be less than five years old. The GRE Subject Test is not required, but is recommended. Our Institution Code is 2074; Department Code is 0402.
  • TOEFL scores: Required if English is not your native language. No exceptions. If you are currently working on or have received a bachelor's and/or a master's degree in the U.S. and your native language is not English, you may submit an expired test score up to five years old. TOEFL scores taken before August 20, 2016, will not be accepted. (While the TOEFL is preferred, the IELTS or Duolingo tests may also be submitted.) Successful applicants will have a minimum TOEFL score of 100. Our Institution Code is 4256; the Department Code is 78.
  • Official transcripts from each university you have attended, regardless of whether you received your degree there.
  • Current resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Three letters of recommendation.

For more details on these requirements, please see the SCS Master's Admissions page.

In addition to the SCS guidelines, the MIIS requires:

  • A short (1-3 minute) video of yourself. Tell us about you and why you want to come to CMU. This is not a required part of the application process, but it is strongly suggested.

No incomplete applications will be eligible for consideration.

For specific application/admissions questions, please contact Brianna Freeman.

For a complete breakdown of the MIIS program and its policies, including information about internships, please view the MIIS Handbook.

For more information on the MIIS program, please contact Brianna Freeman.

Master of Computational Data Science (MCDS)

The MCDS degree focuses on engineering and deploying large-scale information systems. Our comprehensive curriculum equips you with the skills and knowledge to develop the layers of technology involved in the next generation of massive information system deployments and analyze the data these systems generate. When you graduate, you’ll have a unified vision of these systems from your core courses; internship experience; and semester-long, group-oriented capstone project. MCDS graduates are sought-after software engineers, data scientists and project managers at leading information technology, software services and social media companies.

The MCDS program offers three majors: Systems, Analytics, and Human-Centered Data Science. All three require the same total number of course credits, split among required core courses, electives, data science seminar and capstone courses specifically defined for each major. The degree can also be earned in two different ways, depending on the length of time you spend working on it. Regardless of the timing option, all MCDS students must complete a minimum of 144 units to graduate.

Here are the options:

  • Standard Timing — a 16-month degree consisting of study for fall and spring semesters, a summer internship, and fall semester of study. Each semester comprises a minimum of 48 units. This timing is typical for most students. Students graduate in December.
  • Extended Timing — a 20-month degree consisting of study for fall and spring semesters, a summer internship, and a second year of fall and spring study. Each semester comprises a minimum of 36 units. Students graduate in May.

For a complete overview of the MCDS requirements, visit the MCDS website or read the MCDS Handbook.

To earn an MCDS degree, student must pass courses in the core curriculum, the MCDS seminar, a concentration area and electives. Students must also complete a capstone project in which they work on a research project at CMU or on an industry-sponsored project.

In total, students must complete 144 eligible units of study, including eight 12-unit courses, two 12-unit seminar courses and one 24-unit capstone course. Students must choose at minimum five core courses. The remainder of the 12-unit courses with course numbers 600 or greater can be electives chosen from the SCS course catalog. Any additional non-prerequisite units taken beyond the 144 units are also considered electives.

MCDS students must also pass the undergraduate course 15-513 Introduction to Computer Systems (6 units), typically in the summer before their program commences. The student must pass with a grade of B- or better. Failure to pass the course means that the student takes 15-213 during either the fall or spring semester. Note that in both cases the units do not count toward the 144 eligible units of study.

Click here to see the MCDS Course Map.

Some example courses of study are included below.

Example 1: Analytics Major, 16 Months

 

Fall

Spring

Summer

Year 1

Data Science Seminar

Machine Learning

Machine Learning for Text Mining

Advanced Machine Learning

Design and Engineering of Intelligent Information Systems

Big Data Analytics

Data Science Seminar

Capstone Planning Seminar

Machine Learning with Big Data Sets

Cloud Computing

Information Systems Project

Search Engines

Multimedia Databases and Data Mining

Large Scale Multimedia Analysis

Summer Internship

Year 2

Data Science Analytics Capstone

 

 

 

Example 2: Systems Major, 16 Months

 

Fall

Spring

Summer

 Year 1

Computational Data Science Seminar

Advanced Storage Systems

Cloud Computing

Distributed Systems

Machine Learning

Computational Data Science Seminar

Parallel Computer Architecture and Programming

Advanced Databases

Search Engines

Summer Internship

 Year 2

Computational Data Science Systems Capstone

 

 

 

Operating Systems or Web Applications

   

Example 3: Human-Centered Data Science Major, 16 Months

Example Schedule

Fall

Spring

Empirical Analysis of Interactive Systems

ML
Econometrics
Social Web
Network Science
Business Analytics

Interactive Data Science
Psych Found for Design Impact
Econometrics
DHCS

 Social Web Analytics & Design

ML
ARM
Social Web
Network Science

Crowd Programming
Data Pipeline
ML for Text Analytics
DHCS

Ubiquitous Computing

DHCS
ML
ARM

Interactive Data Science
Rapid Prototyping
Gadgets
Usable Priv & Security
Advanced ML

Educational Software Design

DHCS
ML
ARM
Learning Analytics and EDS

Learning with Peers
Psych Found for Design Impact
ML with Big Data
ML with Text Analysis

Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science has a centralized online application process. Applications and all supporting documentation for fall admission to any of the LTI's graduate programs must be received by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application period for Fall 2024 will open on September 6, 2023.

*Please note, we no longer require mailed, hard versions of transcripts or test scores at the time of application. Do not mail anything to the admissions office. If you are accepted to a program, you will be given instruction to then mail your materials.

Final Application Deadline

December 13, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. EST.

Cost

  • $100 per program, $80 for applications submitted before November 29,2023 at 3:00 p.m. EST (early deadline).

Fee Waivers

Fee waivers may be available in cases of financial hardship, or for participants in select "pipeline" programs. For more information, please refer to the School of Computer Science Fee Waiver page.

Requirements

The School of Computer Science requires the following for all Ph.D. applications.

  • GRE scores: These must be less than five years old. The GRE Subject Test is not required, but is recommended. Our Institution Code is 2074; Department Code is 0402.
  • TOEFL scores/demonstration of English proficiency: If you are an international applicant and your native language (language spoken from birth) is not English, an official copy of an English proficiency score report is required. The English proficiency requirement cannot be waived for any reason. 
  • We strongly encourage applicants to take either the TOEFL or IELTS.  In cases where these are not available it is acceptable to take the Duolingo test. We discourage the use of the "TOEFL IPT Plus for China", since speaking is not scored. Additional details are provided on the Frequently Asked Questions page.
  • Please send scores via ETS using our SCS/CMU codes: 
    • TOEFL Institution Code: 4256
    • TOEFL Department Code: 78
  • If you are currently working on or have received a bachelor's and/or a master's degree in the U.S. and your native language is not English you may submit an expired test score up to five years old (TOEFL scores taken before August 20, 2015 will not be accepted.)
  • If you have not received a bachelor’s degree in the U.S., you will need to submit a TOEFL no older than two years (TOEFL scores taken before August 20, 2018 will not be accepted).
  • Official transcripts from each university you have attended, regardless of whether you received your degree there.
  • Current resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Three letters of recommendation.

For more details on these requirements, please see the SCS Master's Admissions page.

In addition to the SCS guidelines, the LTI requires:

  • Any outside funding you are receiving must be accompanied by an official award letter.

No incomplete applications will be eligible for consideration.

For specific application/admissions questions, please contact Jennifer Lucas.

For a complete breakdown of the MCDS program and its policies, including information about internships, please view the MCDS Handbook.

Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Innovation (MSAII)

The Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Innovation (MSAII) program is a successor to the M.S. in Biotechnology, Innovation and Computing (MSBIC). It combines a rigorous AI and machine learning curriculum with real-world team experience in identifying an AI market niche and developing a responsive product in cooperation with external stakeholders. The core program, which lasts four semesters and leads to a capstone project, focuses on both intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship, equipping graduates to either begin a startup or develop a new organization within an existing company. Students will also gain critical practical skills, such as making persuasive technical presentations, assembling development teams, and evaluating the potential of new market ideas.

Incoming students generally hold undergraduate degrees in computer science, software engineering, bioinformatics or bioengineering. To earn the MSAII degree, you must pass courses in the Core Curriculum, the Knowledge Requirements and Electives. You must also complete a capstone project in which you work on a development project as part of the Core Curriculum. In total, you will complete 192 eligible units of study, including 84 units of Core Curriculum (including the 36-unit Capstone), 72 units of Knowledge Requirements and at least 36 units of approved Electives.

For full requirements and program details, read the MSAII Handbook.

The MSAII degree generally takes four semesters. Here's an example of how your coursework might break down:

Semester One

Semester Two

Semester Three

Semester Four

Artificial Intelligence and Future Markets

Law of Computer Technology

Coding Bootcamp

Machine Learning

AI Engineering

Machine Learning with Large Datasets

Cloud Computing*

Software Engineering for Startups*

AI Innovation

Natural Language Processing

Applied Machine Learning

Web Application Development*

Deep Learning

Capstone Project
(36 units)

*Elective course

For more information on the MSAII program curriculum and requirements, see the program website.

Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science has a centralized online application process. Applications and all supporting documentation for fall admission to any of the LTI's graduate programs must be received by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application period for Fall 2024 will open on September 6, 2023.

Final Application Deadline

December 13, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. EST.

Cost

  • $100 for one program, $80 if application is submitted before November 29, 2023 at 3PM EST (early deadline).

Fee Waivers

Fee waivers may be available in cases of financial hardship, or for participants in select "pipeline" programs. For more information, please refer to the School of Computer Science Fee Waiver page.

Requirements

The School of Computer Science requires the following for all applications:

  • A GPA of 3.0 or higher. (Students should report raw university GPA scores and NOT converted scores. Please DO NOT convert your international score to a US GPA or weighted GPA or other system).

  • GRE scores: GRE is required. Our Institution Code is 2074; Department Code is 0402. 

  • TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo scores: If you are an international applicant and your native language (language spoken from birth) is not Enlgish, an official copy of English proficiency score report is required.  The English proficiency requirement cannot be waived for any reason. We strongly encourage applicants to take either the TOEFL or IELTS.  In cases where these are not available it is acceptable to take the Duolingo test.  We discourage the use of the TOEFL IPT Plus for China since speaking is not scored.  Successful applicants will have a minimum TOEFL score of 100. Our Institution Code is 4256; the Department Code is 78.  

  • Unofficial transcripts from each university you have attended, regardless of whether you received a degree.

  • Current resume.

  • Statement of Purpose. A Statement of Purpose is not a resume. It should discuss your reasons for choosing the MSAII program and indicate your intended career path. 

  • Three letters of recommendation.

  • A short (1-3 minutes) video of yourself. Tell us about you and why you are interested in the MSAII program. This is not a required part of the application process, but it is STRONGLY suggested.  

For specific application/admissions questions, please contact Amber Vivis

For a complete breakdown of the MSAII program and its policies, including information about internships, please view the MSAII Handbook.

Undergraduate Programs

LT Concentration

Human language technologies have become an increasingly central component of computer science. Information retrieval, machine translation and speech technology are used daily by the general public, while text mining, natural language processing and language-based tutoring are common within more specialized professional or educational environments. The LTI prepares students for this world by offering a minor that gives you the opportunity to not only learn about language technologies, but to also apply that knowledge through a directed project.

Students interested in the language technologies minor must complete our prerequisite courses with an average grade of B (3.0) or better before applying to the program. (Students who do not meet this average must submit a letter of explanation along with their application.) Prerequisites include:

  • Principles of Imperative Computation (15-122)
  • Principles of Functional Programming (15-150)

We also strongly encourage candidates to take

  • Differential and Integral Calculus (21-120) and Integration and Approximation (21-122)
  • Matrices and Linear Transformations (21-241) or Matrix Theory (21-242)
  • Probability and Computing (15-259) or Probability (21-325) or Probability Theory for Computer Scientists (36-218) or Introduction to Probability Theory (36-225)

The Language Technologies Concentration requires that SCS students complete one core course and their choice of three elective courses of at least 9 units each. The electives can be chosen from a specific set of stand-alone courses. In addition to the four courses, students are required to do an undergraduate research project for at least 9 units to complete their concentration.

Course Requirements for Undergraduate Minor

Core Course

Electives (Choose Three)

Project

Human Language for Artificial Intelligence (11-411)

Natural Language Processing (11-411)

Machine Learning for Text and Graph-based Mining (11-441)

Search Engines (11-442)

Speech Processing (11-492)

Machine Learning in Practice (11-344)

Advanced Natural Language Processing (11-711)

Machine Translation and Sequence-to-Sequence Models (11-731)

Multilingual Natural Language Processing (11-737)

Neural Networks for NLP (11-747)

Speech Recognition and Understanding (11-751)

Language and Statistics (11-761)

Multimodal Affective Computing (11-776)

The Nature of Language (80-180)

Students must complete a semester-long directed research project in the context of being registered for an independent study or thesis.  This should provide hands-on experience and an in-depth study of a topic in same area as a chosen elective.

Students interested in earning a minor in language technologies must apply for admission no later than September 30 of their senior year. An admission decision will usually be made within one month. Students may petition the LTI undergraduate program director to be admitted to the minor earlier or later in their undergraduate careers. To apply, contact the program's director, Carolyn Rosé.

For more information on the undergraduate minor, contact Carolyn Rosé.