cmu cit honors thesis

Biomedical Engineering

College of engineering, biomechanics (bmec) track.

The BMEC track addresses the application of solid or fluid mechanics to biological and medical systems. It provides quantitative understanding of the mechanical behavior of molecules, cells, tissues, organs, and whole organisms. The field has seen a wide range of applications from the optimization of tissue regeneration to the design of surgical and rehabilitation devices. 

The BMEC track is ideally suited to the combined education of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering or Civil & Environmental Engineering.  Both provide the necessary foundation in the underlying physical principles and their non-Biomedical Engineering applications. This track may also appeal to students of Electrical & Computer Engineering who are interested in biomedical robotics. Education in biomechanics enables students to pursue careers in medical devices or rehabilitation engineering.

Planning Tools

Sample Schedule  for Mechanical Engineering Majors

Sample Schedule  for Civil Engineer Majors

Sample Schedule  for  Environmental Engineering  Majors

Track Requirements

In addition to the  Biomedical Engineering core requirements , students must fulfill the following requirements:

• One (1) Required BMEC Elective
• Two (2) BMEC Electives (either Required or Additional)

Required Electives (must take at least one of the following)

Additional electives.

* The 42-x00 research project ( 42-200 /300/400 Sophomore/Junior/Senior Biomedical Engineering Research Project OR  39-500  CIT Honors Research Project) must be on a BME topic that is aligned to the track, supervised or co-supervised by a BME faculty member, and conducted for 9 or more units of credit. 

Some Special Topics and newly offered or intermittently offered courses may be acceptable as track electives. Students should consult with their BME advisors and petition the BME Undergraduate Affairs Committee for permission to include such courses as track electives. The course petition form can be found  here .

Revised (10/31/2023)

ADMINISTRATION

Machine Learning - CMU

Joint phd program in autonomous & human decision making.

The goal of this joint PhD program is to train students in both the technology of AI and also the human behavior contexts in which AI systems are used, with specific focus on decision making. Students will be trained in fundamentals of AI, AI-enabled decision making, fundamentals of human decision and behavioral science, cognitive models of decision making, and societal impact of AI technologies.  We anticipate that students will find placements in academic Computer Science or Cognitive Science departments and in non-academic organizations who seek AI and behavioral decision science expertise.

Before applying to the joint degree: MLD students must take and pass 5 courses (listed below) prior to joining the joint program. ( MLD students will typically apply in May of their 2nd year) Three required courses: 10715 Advanced Intro to ML (Fall of first year) 36705 Intermediate Statistics (Fall of first year) 10716 Advanced ML: Theory and Methods (Spring of first year).

Plus two out of the following (from the Social & Decision Sciences (SDS) Department at CMU): 88-702 Behavioral Economics (Spring of first year) 88-703 Human Judgment and Decision Making (Fall of second year) 88-718 Large Scale Social Phenomena (note: not offered every year) Students applying to the joint degree must identify two mentors, one from MLD and one from SDS. Students admitted via MLD or SDS must complete three additional courses: ● 10-718 (ML in practice) ● 10-734 Foundation of autonomous decision making under uncertainty (New course) ● 10-XXX/88-XXX Human-AI Complementarity for Decision Making. These courses could be taken before entry to the program as well.

PhD students are required to be a Teaching Assistant (TA) twice, one TA-ship has to be within MLD and one within SDS. Additionally, students must finish speaking and writing skills requirements. Dissertation Proposal: A PhD thesis will be a contribution to the combination of Machine Learning and Social & Decision Sciences. The proposal must be passed by 48 months (mid August, end of the fourth year). The thesis committee should be assembled by the student and their advisor, and approved by the MLD and SDS PhD Program Director(s). The dissertation committee must contain at least five members, including: ● Two co-chairs, one from MLD and one from SDS. ● At least one external member (usually external to CMU) ● At least one additional MLD Core or Affiliated Faculty member ● At least one additional SDS Regular faculty member The proposal must be passed at least 6 months (typically, much earlier) before the dissertation is defended.

For questions send email to: Tom Mitchell or  Diane Stidle

Social and Decision Sciences Joint Program Requirements SDS Requirements

For questions send email to: John Miller

Students interested in this joint PhD degree should apply to the PhD program that best aligns with their research interests (PhD in Machine Learning or Social & Decision Sciences). Machine Learning PhD online Application

Social & Decision Sciences PhD online Application

Engineering Resources: Theses and Dissertations

• Conferences
• Patents and Trademarks
• Technical Reports
• Theses and Dissertations
• Manufacturer Directories
• Standards This link opens in a new window

About Theses and Dissertations

A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.  (International Standard ISO 7144: Documentation — Presentation of theses and similar documents ).

For most universities in the U.S., dissertation is the term for the required submission for the PhD, and thesis refers only to the master's degree requirement.

Other Universities

T he best source to find theses is ProQuest Dissertations & Thesis Global .  Policies regarding theses and dissertation collections largely vary between universities.  So check the library website of the university of interest.

Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon theses are now ONLINE and can be searched through the ProQuest database Dissertations & Theses @ Carnegie Mellon University that enables access to citations and abstracts of all dissertations and theses, as well as the fulltext in PDF format.  Scroll down and select Dissertations & Theses, then do a regular search. Print versions are also available in the libraries collection.

The Carnegie Mellon Library catalog , uses the term THESIS to denote both masters' theses and dissertations.  However, the number of master's theses is limited.  Within the libraries, theses are located in designated areas and are shelved in alphabetical order by the author's last name.  The catalog treats theses and dissertations like books and they can be borrowed as such.  Theses may be in print, microfiche, or microform.

• In the catalog use the Advanced Search :  search by author, title, or keyword limiting to type THESIS.
• For a list of theses from a specific department, use Advanced Search to combine a keyword search for the name of the department with location THESES.  E.g., search for "Dept. of Computer Science" with THESES as the location.
• For a reasonably complete list of theses at Carnegie Mellon, use Advanced Search to search Carnegie Mellon University Dissertations in the Subject line.  

Other Countries

Center for Research Libraries:  Foreign Doctoral Dissertations CRL has more than 800,000 cataloged foreign doctoral dissertations from more than 90 countries and over 1200 institutions.

• << Previous: Technical Reports
• Next: Manufacturer Directories >>
• Last Updated: Jan 9, 2024 3:05 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.cmu.edu/engresources

Educational Objectives

First year for engineering students, cit general education requirements, general education categories, category descriptions, bachelor of engineering studies and arts (besa program), engineering and arts additional major, engineering, design, innovation, and entrepreneurship additional major (edie program), designated minors for engineering students, minors for non-engineering students, academic standards, undergraduate catalog, college of engineering.

William H. Sanders, Dr. William D. and Nancy W. Strecker Dean of the College of Engineering & Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Conrad Zapanta Ph.D, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Teaching Professor in Biomedical Engineering Kurt Larsen, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies Treci Bonime, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies Location: ANSYS Hall, 2nd floor https://engineering.cmu.edu

Carnegie Institute of Technology (CIT), the engineering college of the university, has three main activities - undergraduate education, graduate education, and research.  Its continuing goal has been to maintain excellence in all these activities.  The degree to which this goal has been achieved is attested to by the demand for its graduates, the success of its alumni, the quality of its students and faculty, the adoption elsewhere of its innovations, and the national and international recognition it receives in educational and research activities.

The college offers the degree of bachelor of science in chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and materials science and engineering.  All of these programs are accredited by ABET, www.abet.org .

An engineering student may also choose to pursue a minor in one of the CIT designated minor programs, or a double major in engineering and public policy,  biomedical engineering or engineering design, innovation & entrepreneurship, or to design a minor, additional major or dual-degree programs with other non-engineering departments.

The overarching objective of our engineering curriculum is to provide our students an education that enables them to be productive and fulfilled professionals throughout their careers. Our more specific, measurable objectives for graduates of our engineering curriculum are the following:

• Graduates recognize that they acquired a high quality, rigorous technical education from the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon.
• Graduates, in addition to their technical knowledge, recognize that they have acquired a broader body of knowledge that allows them to understand the larger context of the problems that they must address during their career.
• Graduates use their technical foundation and their broader base of knowledge to be successful in a diverse collection of individual careers inside and outside of the engineering profession.

From its earliest days, Carnegie Institute of Technology (CIT) has considered undergraduate education to be the key element in the development of future leaders.  In this regard, CIT has adopted a plan for education that is designed to equip students with the capacity to learn and to continue the process of self-education throughout their lives. The present curriculum incorporates this philosophy by providing the opportunity for both breadth in a number of engineering, science, humanities and fine arts areas as well as depth in a major area of concentration. To achieve these goals, our flexible curriculum has been designed to allow students to customize their program to suit their needs and to help each student acquire:

• A thorough and integrated understanding of fundamental knowledge in fields of a students’ major interest and the ability to use this knowledge;
• Competence in the orderly way of thinking, which professionals and scientists have always used in reaching sound, creative conclusions, with the goal that after graduation the student can, by such thinking, reach decisions both as a professional and as a citizen;
• An ability to learn independently with scholarly orderliness, so that after graduation the student will be able to grow in wisdom and keep abreast of the changing knowledge and problems of the profession and the society in which he or she participates;
• The philosophical outlook, breadth of knowledge, and sense of values which will increase the student’s understanding and enjoyment of life and enable each student to recognize and deal effectively with the human, economic, ethical and social aspects of professional problems; and
• The ability to communicate ideas to others in a comprehensive and understandable manner.

The curriculum encourages students to confront professional problems, accomplished through team and problem-oriented courses, as well as courses which emphasize design or individual projects. These classes stress creativity and independent thought and require the student to define the problem, propose a solution or a design in the presence of technical and socioeconomic constraints, to make judgments among alternative solutions, and to explore innovative alternatives to more conventional solutions.

The Carnegie Mellon engineering education is based on engineering and science fundamentals that give students the skills to face new and challenging situations.  The first year in engineering provides a broad foundation upon which students build a curriculum in their eventual major.  Since students in CIT do not select a major until the end of the first year, all first year students share a common experience consisting of introductory courses in the engineering majors (one each semester), calculus, physics, other science courses which complements specific introductory engineering courses, and courses in the liberal arts, fine arts, business, and social sciences. This curriculum helps make an informed decision about a final major. Below is an examples of a standard schedule for a first-year engineering student.

• Each semester every CIT department offers its Introductory Engineering Elective. Every first year CIT student must select one such course each semester.  

 All students must complete 33-141 Physics I for Engineering Students by the end of the first year.  Therefore, if a student chooses to take Introduction to Chemical Engineering (with 09-105 as a co-requisite) during one semester and Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering (with 15-110 as a co-requisite), the student must take 33-141 in place of the General Education requirement in the Spring semester of the first year and take the General Education course in a subsequent semester. Alternatively, a student entering the university with AP credit in a required first year course may substitute 33-141 in its place.

CIT students must complete the First-Year Writing requirement in their freshman year.  View more information . 

General Education Programs

The environment in which today's engineering graduates will find themselves working is evolving rapidly. Technical innovation is becoming ever more critical to retaining a competitive edge. This is true for individuals, for firms and for nations. Start-ups, as well as established companies, have significant international opportunities but also face more competition in a global economy. Seizing these opportunities and dealing with the associated challenges requires an understanding of the global context in which engineers work, as well as understanding multi-disciplinary approaches to technological innovation across cultures.

The College of Engineering has developed General Education Requirements designed to ensure that our students are ready to work effectively in the global economy, and become the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.

All undergraduate students must complete the First-Year Writing requirement —  the Department of English  does not accept any Advanced Placement exemptions. This requirement can be completed in two different ways: 

Option 1:  Enroll in one of two full-semester courses (9 units each)     76-101 Interpretation and Argument (Students for whom English is a second language may need to take 76-100 Reading and Writing in an Academic Context first. The English department will contact those students.)     76-102 Advanced First Year Writing: Special Topics : (by invitation only)

Option 2 : Enroll in two of three half-semester “mini” courses* (4.5 units each)     76-106 Writing about Literature, Art and Culture :      76-107 Writing about Data     76-108 Writing about Public Problems

*Minis should be completed back-to-back within a single semester.

General Education Electives (3 total)

At least 27 units from any non-technical academic courses from the Dietrich College, College of Fine Arts, and the Tepper School of Business excluding those listed on the General Education Exclusions page . Courses from this list of non-technical courses outside of the Dietrich College or the College of Fine Arts may also be counted. A maximum of 18 units of these units may be fulfilled via AP/IB/Cambridge exam credit.  

For category course lists reference the CIT General Education website .

Students must complete each of the categories (descriptions of categories follow below).  This is a 9-unit requirement. Any course taken on this list that is below 9 units must be combined with an additional course to total at least 9 units in order to complete this requirement.

Note that the units from one course cannot be split to count for two General Education categories (eg PPC and General Education Elective).

• 9 units from the I&I list of courses (which could be two 4.5 unit courses);  
• 9 units from the PPC list; (Students can receive exemption through an approved study abroad program. These students would have three General Education Electives to complete instead of two.)
• 9 units from the SDM list of courses (which could be two 4.5 unit courses)  
• 9 units from the W&E list of courses (in addition to 76-101 )  

Experiential Learning (EL)

• 2 points sophomore fall semester ( 39-210 )
• 2 points sophomore spring semester ( 39-220 )
• 2 points junior fall semester ( 39-310 )

People, Places and Cultures (PPC)

PPC courses are designed to help you gain better understanding of the diversity of the world in which we live, and the way in which societal factors interact to shape that world.

Social Analysis and Decision Making (SDM)

SDM courses are focused on helping you to gain an understanding of different ways in which individuals and societies approach and make decisions.

Innovation and Internationalization (I&I)

I&I courses are intended to provide a broad perspective regarding the creation of pioneering ideas and their outcomes in a global context.

Being curious and constantly looking for inspiration are critical parts of lifelong learning. To be successful as an engineer and as a citizen, your education must not stop when you graduate from Carnegie Mellon. The EL requirement aims to encourage a habit of lifelong learning about innovation and the growing internationalization in engineering and, indeed of many other aspects of the modern world. The goal of this requirement is to help inspire the habits of being open to new ideas as successful, innovative engineers.

To do that, during both semesters of your sophomore year, and the first semester of your junior year, we require you to choose a few related activities that are not part of your formal course work. Examples could include:

• Attending approved seminars and then submitting a one page write up of your thoughts on what you heard;
• Holding an official leadership position (i.e., President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer) in a Carnegie Mellon sponsored organization

Additional Majors, Dual Degrees & Minors

A major is defined as a program that must be completed for the granting of a degree. Additional majors comprise a single degree with majors in two separate areas; for example, the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and an additional major in English. Although the additional major requires the completion of two designated programs, they may have overlapping requirements that can be met simultaneously.  The general principle used to measure eligibility for a College of Engineering additional major is that the major (core) requirements of both departments must be completed.  Finally, although the student is formally enrolled as an undergraduate in one of the departments (the parent department, which is responsible for scheduling and other administrative actions for the student), the student should apply for the additional major through the second department and coordinate requirements with both departments.

The additional major is to be distinguished from a dual degree program, which results in two separate bachelor’s degrees; for example, Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in English.  The dual degree, though, requires a minimum of 90 units of work in addition to the units required for the first degree. The second degree may be earned in Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree programs.

Requirements for students wishing to complete Additional Majors in CIT

Note: This applies to all students.

The student must satisfactorily pass all requirements of the regular and complete program (with the permissible exceptions) leading to a degree in CIT. The minimum number of units required for the additional major is the number required by the parent department or major.

The student takes and satisfactorily completes the courses specified by a second department, usually using elective space available in the first program.

The second department, on the basis of the specified number of courses plus the courses comprising the parent department’s regular degree requirements, then certifies that the student has completed the requirements for a major in the second department.

Equivalent technical electives may be substituted at the discretion of the departments/colleges.

Non-technical courses in the curricula can be used to meet the requirements of the second major. But if the second major is not a Dietrich College department, the program must include a minimum of 72 units of General Education courses to meet CIT requirements for graduation.

The Bachelor of Engineering Studies and Arts (BESA) intercollege degree program combines the strengths of the College of Fine Arts (CFA) and the College of Engineering (ENG). This degree is tailored for students seeking to apply knowledge from duel fields to advance maker culture in novel and creative ways. Students choose their arts concentration from the following schools in CFA: Architecture, Art, Design, Drama or Music. Students choose their engineering studies concentration established by the College of Engineering. Options within the concentration include: biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil & environmental engineering, electrical & computer engineering, materials science & engineering or mechanical engineering.

The BESA curriculum has three main components: general education requirements, fine arts concentration requirements and engineering studies concentration requirements. Each student's course of study is structured so they can complete this rigorous program in four years.

Students receive extensive advising support. The academic advisors in the BXA Intercollege Degree Programs are the primary advisors and liaisons between CFA and ENG. Each student has two additional academic advisors: an advisor in the admitting school of CFA to guide their focus in the arts and an advisor in ENG to guide their focus in engineering studies. Please reference the Internal Transfer process. 

The Engineering and Arts (EA) additional major is intended for College of Engineering students who also have interest and talent in an arts concentration (architecture, art, drama or music) and goals that can only be accomplished at the intersection of those disciplines.

EA applications are considered every semester, with a deadline of mid-semester break for admission in the following semester. (See below for exceptions.) Along with the application, our additional major committee also considers prior semester grades and mid-semester grades for the semester of application. Decisions are sent out in advance of registration for the following semester. 

The application includes an Essay of Interdisciplinary Intent, in which a student explains why they’re interested in the two areas and why they want to combine them. This essay should be brief—500 words or fewer—and specific about both a student’s background in the concentration areas and what their goals are for bringing them together.

Completing an additional major demands advanced planning and preparation to determine the most appropriate semester to take requirements. All students applying for EA must meet with their current Engineering advisor, the BXA director and an advisor in their target CFA area, as well as take preliminary coursework in their target area before submitting the application .

As humanity grapples with dilemmas of extraordinary complexity throughout the globe, our world needs engineers who are leaders and change makers. Our world needs engineers who seek to push the boundaries in their education, and carry their passion for technological innovation forward.

The Engineering Design, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (EDIE) additional major will provide students the know-how to innovate products around that technology and deliver product solutions to the people who need them.

EDIE students will have expertise in technology and the ability to design, develop, and deliver economically viable solutions to the real-world challenges of today and tomorrow.  

Curriculum Details

The EDIE additional major isn't just for students who want to create a startup—it will help to prepare hands-on, get-it-done leaders who are in demand in all sectors of society and industry, for-profit and not-for-profit. Given the applied focus of our curriculum, courses will equip our students with mindsets, skills, and capabilities to identify and shape opportunities and develop economically sustainable solutions.

Students in the EDIE additional major must also satisfy the core requirements of their primary major typically following the standard schedule of courses each semester. EDIE core requirements are fulfilled in addition to the course requirements of their primary major, mainly using various elective units. The side-by-side curriculum charts for each primary major show how the requirements for the stand-alone majors and the primary major plus EDIE additional major compare.  

Course Requirements

Introductory Course 49-101 Engineering Design, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (12 units)

Engineering Design and Innovation Courses  49-305 Customer Discovery for Tech Innovation (4.5 units) 49-306 Engineering Design Methods & Tools (4.5 units) 49-405 Leading Engineering Innovation Teams (4.5 units)

Engineering Entrepreneurship Courses 49-205 Tech Venture Marketing for Engineers (4.5 units) 49-206 Tech Business Planning (4.5 units) 49-406 Tech Venture Formation (4.5 units)

Foundation Skills Courses  73-102 Principles of Microeconomics (9 units) 70-345 Business Presentations (9 units)

Home Department Engineering Design Capstone (12 units)

Please consult with your home engineering department to confirm the specific Engineering Design Capstone course(s) that apply to your primary engineering degree. 12 units will count towards your EDIE degree requirements.

49-420 EDIE Innovation Capstone Course (9 units) 49-421 EDIE Entrepreneurship Capstone Course (9 units)

Undergraduate students in the College of Engineering can elect to complete an interdisciplinary Designated Minor in addition to their primary major. Designated minors have been added to the curriculum to provide the student with technical elective content in areas related to the research expertise of our faculty. Students may select a designated minor from the following list:

• Audio Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering*
• Colloids, Polymers and Surfaces
• Electronic Materials
• Global Engineering
• Information Security, Privacy, and Policy* 
• Material Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Behavior of Materials

* Also available for non-CIT students

Complete descriptions of the designated minors can be found at  CIT Designated Minors .

To declare a CIT Designated Minor, please contact the director listed for each minor.

Students in a non-engineering discipline can also declare certain CIT minors:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Engineering Studies
• Technology and Policy

A full listing of curriculum for these minors when taken by non-engineering students can be found at  CIT Minors for Non-Engineering Students .

Grading Practices

For undergraduate grading regulations, please see Undergraduate Academic Regulations .

CIT Dean’s Honor List

Each semester, Carnegie Institute of Technology recognizes students who have earned outstanding academic records by naming them on the dean’s honor list. The criterion for such recognition is a semester quality point average of at least 3.75 while completing at least 36 factorable units and earning no incomplete grades.

Transfer into CIT Departments

Undergraduate students admitted to colleges other than CIT who wish to transfer into a CIT department during their first year should consult with an advisor in the Undergraduate Studies Office in the CIT Dean's Office. Students admitted to CIT but excluded from certain departments must also consult with the CIT Dean's Office if they wish to transfer into a restricted CIT department.

First-year students can apply for transfer after mid-semester grades for the spring semester have been posted. At that time, a decision will be based on availability of space and the student’s academic performance.

CIT undergraduate students beyond the first year wishing to transfer into another CIT department may apply if they are in good academic standing and if there is room in the department of their choice. If the demand for any department exceeds the space available, then the department will admit students based on a comparative evaluation of all applicants at the end of each semester, up to the limit of available space.

Undergraduate students not in CIT who wish to transfer into a CIT department beyond the first year will be considered for transfer on a rolling space available/academic performance basis.

Criteria for all applicants include space in the department, good academic standing, and successful completion of or being currently enrolled in at least one introductory to engineering course (minimally the one of the target major), the appropriate science co-requisite, math ( 21-120 , 21-122 ) and Physics 1 ( 33-141 , 33-121 , or 33-151 ).

Procedure for transfer of students from another university into CIT departments: A student first applies through the Office of Admission. If the Office of Admission believes the applicant is acceptable, the student’s record is sent to the CIT Undergraduate Studies Office for evaluation and a decision on acceptance/rejection is made in consultation with the target department.

Academic Actions

In order to maintain good academic standing, CIT students must attain at least minimum quality point averages for each semester (as well as cumulatively) and also maintain adequate progress toward completing graduation requirements. Minimum quality point averages for good academic standing are 1.75 each semester in the freshman year and 2.00 thereafter. “Adequate academic progress towards graduation” generally means that students are successfully completing approximately 45-55 units per semester so that at the end of eight semesters they will have accumulated the minimum units required for graduation, have a cumulative QPA of at least 2.00, and have completed all degree requirements.

When a student fails to meet minimum performance criteria, it normally results in an academic action. Depending on the circumstances, one of the following actions is taken: academic probation, continued probation, suspension, or drop. These academic actions are recommended by the college's departments, based on the guidelines described below, and adjudicated by the CIT Undergraduate Studies Office. However, the sequence of the academic actions is not automatic in all cases. Decisions may be based on unique individual student performance and circumstances, and are not determined solely on the basis of grades and quality point averages.

A student is on academic probation when performance either for the semester or cumulatively fails to meet the minimum standard. The term of academic probation is one semester, and signifies to the student the college's insistence that academic performance return to at least the minimum acceptable level.

Students are removed from probation when adequate academic progress* toward completing graduation requirements is being made, and:

• First year students: if the second semester's QPA and fall/spring combined QPA is 1.75 or above
• Students in the third or subsequent semester of study: if the semester QPA and cumulative QPA (excluding the first year) are 2.00 or above”

A first-year student who earns fewer than 27 units per semester, or who has a semester grade point average below 1.75 for either the first or second semester will be placed on academic probation*.

A student in the third or subsequent semester, who earns fewer than 27 units per semester or fewer than 108 units over three consecutive semesters (excluding summers) or who has a semester grade point average below 2.00 will be placed on academic probation*.

Probation Continued

A student who is currently on probation but whose record indicates that the standards are likely to be met by the end of the next semester may be continued on probation at the discretion of the associate dean.

A first year student on probation, who earns a semester grade point average below 1.75 or completes less than 27 units for that probationary semester will be suspended*.

A student on probation in the third or subsequent semester, who earns a semester grade point average below 2.00, fewer than 27 units per semester for that probationary semester or fewer than 108 units over the last three consecutive semesters (excluding summers) will be suspended*.

The typical period of academic suspension is two semesters, during which a student on academic suspension is expected to reflect on the circumstances leading up to the suspension, identify the issues that prevented achieving academic success, take actions that address these issues, demonstrate sufficient readiness to return to the university and successfully resume his or her studies.

Two months prior to the end of that suspension period, a student may petition to return to school (on probation) by completing the following steps:

• Writing a formal petition, requesting to return and receiving permission in writing from the CIT associate dean for undergraduate studies.
• Completing a Return from Leave of Absence form from Enrollment Services; and
• Providing transcripts and clearance forms if the student has been in a program at another college or university even though academic credit earned may not transfer back to Carnegie Mellon unless prior approval from the Associate/Assistant Dean is given.

The most severe academic action occurs when a student is dropped from the college, and is not permitted to re-enroll. This normally results when a student, already on final academic probation, continues to perform at levels below the minimum set by the college for good academic standing, and does not show indication of being able to reach an acceptable level of performance or maintain adequate academic progress toward completing graduation requirements. It is also an option when, in unusual cases, a student has performed poorly, and has been unresponsive to outreach efforts by college and/or university offices seeking to offer help and support.

*Note: students with accommodations approved by the Office of Disability Resources, the Counseling and Psychological Services Center or the Dean of Student Affairs may petition for an exception to adequate academic progress rules.

Students who are suspended, dropped, take a leave of absence or withdraw are required to vacate the campus (including residence halls and Greek houses) within a maximum of two days after the action and to remain off the campus for the duration of the time specified.  This action includes debarment from part-time or summer courses at the university for the duration of the period of the action.

Graduation Requirements and degree certification 

To be eligible to graduate, undergraduate students must complete all course requirements for their department with a cumulative Quality Point Average of at least 2.0 for all courses taken.  For undergraduate students who enrolled at Carnegie Mellon as freshman and whose freshman grades cause the cumulative QPA to fall below 2.0, this requirement is modified to be a cumulative QPA of at least 2.0 for all courses taken after the freshman year.  Note, however, the cumulative QPA that appears on the student's final transcript will be calculated based on all grades in all courses taken, including freshman year. Some departments may have additional QPA requirements in order to graduate.  Students are encouraged to confirm all graduation requirements with their academic advisor.

1. All mathematics (21-xxx) courses required* for the engineering degree taken at Carnegie Mellon must have a minimum grade of C in order to be counted toward the graduation requirement for the BS engineering degree.

2. A minimum grade of C must be achieved in any required mathematics (21-xxx) course that is a pre-requisite for the next higher level required mathematics (21-xxx) course.

* Elective mathematics courses are not included in this policy

Students must be recommended for a degree by the faculty of CIT.

A candidate must meet the residence requirement of having completed at least 180 units at Carnegie Mellon University.

Students must meet all financial obligations to the university before being awarded a degree.

Modification of Graduation Requirements: A student may seek permission to modify graduation requirements by petition to the CIT College Council.

Please reference the University's Degree Certification policy .  For engineering students: 

All BS students are expected to complete the BS degree within the standard 8-semester timeline. Units cannot be double counted between BS and MS. Courses taken within the first 8 semesters will first be counted toward completing the BS requirements.  

Students who plan to enter an MS program but are unable to complete the BS degree within the 8-semester timeframe can petition to extend their time as an undergraduate. This petition should be addressed to their undergraduate academic advisor and the CIT Undergraduate Dean’s Office.

Print Options

Send Page to Printer

Print this page.

Download Page (PDF)

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science

School of computer science launches cmu techbridge coding bootcamp.

Aaron Aupperlee Tuesday, June 25, 2024 Print this page.

The School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University has launched the CMU TechBridge Coding Bootcamp to provide access to computer science education and career opportunities for high school (or equivalent) graduates.

The bootcamp will extend the reach of CMU's computer science education offerings beyond its traditional undergraduate and graduate programs. CMU has partnered with TalentSprint to implement the program to help aspiring professionals build the skills required for launching and advancing their tech careers.

"CMU is dedicated to making a meaningful impact on society by extending its expertise to those who need it most," said Ram Konduru , director of executive and professional education at SCS. "CMU TechBridge is tailored to meet the increasing demand for high-trust, high-impact coding bootcamps for entry-level tech professionals. We are partnering with leading ed tech firm TalentSprint to offer this program, which will impart skills necessary for participants to secure and succeed in tech jobs."

There are more than 377,000 job openings for software and tech roles annually, and these careers attract premium salaries, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Further, the tech industry is moving toward skill-based hiring in addition to hiring traditional computer science degree holders.

This coding bootcamp will give participants industry-relevant skills for entry-level tech jobs without requiring a traditional computer science degree, removing barriers for people who might not otherwise have the time or resources. The program covers introductory computer science concepts with an emphasis on problem solving. Participants will learn to write code, build front-end interfaces and deploy programs using tools currently used in the industry.

This full-time, hands-on learning program will be delivered over four months. A hybrid program, CMU TechBridge Coding Bootcamp will include online classes led by instructors and mentors and two optional visits to CMU's Pittsburgh campus. The program will be delivered by SCS faculty, TalentSprint and industry practitioners. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certificate from SCS.

"We are delighted to partner with Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science, a global leader in computer science education, to launch this coding bootcamp," said Santanu Paul , co-founder and CEO of TalentSprint. "This program will build on the success of TalentSprint's coding bootcamps around the world. For participants, it will open the doors to highly differentiated skills and premium careers in tech. For employers, it will provide access to a larger pool of software developer talent trained by CMU faculty."

Applications for the CMU TechBridge Coding Bootcamp program are open. To learn more, visit the program page .

About Carnegie Mellon University — School of Computer Science Executive & Professional Education: The Executive and Professional Education program at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science connects organizations and individuals to our computer scientists and educators who are pioneers in their fields. We accomplish this through a combination of custom courses , online courses, certificate programs and bootcamps . Our custom courses are personalized to meet the upskilling needs of an enterprise with one or more of our academic courses serving as the technical underpinning. Our online courses, certificate programs and bootcamps are open enrollment and are suited for individuals desiring to upskill in specific areas.

About TalentSprint: Established in 2010, TalentSprint is a part of the NSE group and a global ed tech company that brings transformational bootcamps and cutting-edge learning programs to modern-day professionals who aspire to future-proof themselves with deep expertise. TalentSprint partners with top-tier academic institutions and big tech global corporations to create futuristic programs and deliver remarkable outcomes. Its patent-pending, AI-powered platform, ipearl.ai , seamlessly blends world-class academic rigor with industry-leading practitioner experience. The company's learner engagement rates and high customer delight scores make it a leading player in the industry. For more information, visit talentsprint.com .