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Master’s in CSE
The master’s degree in CSE is primarily intended for students desiring to substantially advance their knowledge and skill in a field or fields of CSE. The relatively small investment in time to get a master’s degree will lead to greater professional opportunities and significantly higher salaries (see Michigan Engineering employment data).
Program overview
The master’s degree requires successful completion of 30 credits of coursework. A thesis is optional. Students normally complete the master’s degree in 1-2 years.
The complete master’s requirements can be found in the CSE Graduate Program Guide (Google Doc).
View a list of courses that satisfy the different MS degree requirements (Google Sheet).
Students admitted to the master’s program may apply to the doctoral program. Admission depends on academic qualifications as well as the availability of openings in the doctoral program.
MS vs. MSE degree
The MS (Master’s of Science) and MSE (Master’s of Science in Engineering) degrees differ mainly in name. The degree requirements are the same. Students with a bachelor’s degree in engineering can elect either degree. Students without an engineering bachelor’s degree are eligible only for the MS.
Transferring credits
A limited number of graduate credits earned elsewhere can be transferred to meet the coursework requirements for the master’s degree. In addition, a course taken elsewhere that is equivalent to a course satisfying a degree requirement here can be used to satisfy the requirement, even if course credits are not transferred. However, such equivalancy will not reduce the total number of credit hours required.
Apply to a Master’s program
This page has information about graduate school admissions.
Financial aid information
The CSE Division has limited financial aid to award to master’s students at the time of application. On the other hand, master’s students occasionally receive a research or teaching assistantship after they begin their studies. Master’s students are encouraged to apply for fellowships from sources outside the University. See an overview of financial aid resources.
Graduate programs staff
Contact us with any questions about Computer Science and Engineering graduate programs.