I AM AN UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING STUDENT:
For information on all graduate engineering programs:
- Are you an undergraduate from a non-engineering discipline interested in engineering for graduate school?
- Are you are a prospective student whose undergraduate degree (chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics) couples with a Professional Master's Degree in Engineering that can benefit your career?
- Does your undergraduate degree (e.g. statistics, business, information science, architectural studies...) make you eligible for a graduate degree in engineering?
- Are you a prospective student who entered the workforce with your undergraduate degree and learned that engineering was ‘your thing’ based on your experiences, but you do not have an undergraduate degree in STEM?
The Swanson School of Engineering Compass Program is designed to help guide students into Engineering programs and careers where they can be successful based on their undergraduate degree. Ultimately, these graduate engineering programs provide a continuing path that leverages specific undergraduate backgrounds en route to a Professional MS and a position in the Engineering workforce. We’ve recognized a demand from prospective students ranging from those with majors in business and economics to information sciences, who want to learn more about transitioning to a graduate engineering degree.
The Swanson School of Engineering has several graduate programs that accept students from various academic backgrounds. We’ve organized the programs below to help you learn more and narrow your options. You can even search by common undergraduate majors to guide you to a program. In order to minimize prerequisite coursework, some programs like Chemical Engineering have built tailored Bridging Programs to smooth the transition to graduate study. Learn more below about each program’s eligibility requirements and please note – just because you don’t see it on this list, doesn’t mean you may not qualify for one of our other MS degree options with your current educational and professional background. Department contacts are listed under the "view program details" below and can best address any eligibility questions you may have.
Pitt2Pitt and Scholarship Information
Most of the programs on this page are Pitt2Pitt eligible. To qualify for the Pitt2Pitt Provost scholarship, students must have received their undergraduate degree in an approved major from Pitt. Priority will be given to students who completed their BS degree within the last year. Students should have at least a 3.25 GPA to be considered. Students with a 3.5 GPA and above will be given priority.
For questions please contact Stephanie Opalinski via sto24@pitt.edu.
I HAVE AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN:
MS Chemical Engineering
Recognizing that students with undergraduate degrees outside engineering may be interested in the pursuit of a Professional MS in Chemical Engineering, the department partners with Michigan State University's bridging program. The program prepares undergraduates from science, technology, and mathematics backgrounds to successfully pursue a Professional MS in ChemE via 2 online bridging courses.
MS Nuclear Engineering
The NE program coursework focuses on nuclear operations and safety, nuclear science, and nuclear systems and policy. Pittsburgh's unique industrial resources are the backbone of this program. Our nuclear engineering faculty are nuclear scientists and engineers with decades of experience in the commercial nuclear power industry and naval nuclear programs.
Professional MS in Bioengineering - Neural Engineering Focus
The Neural Engineering program applies engineering techniques to understand, repair, replace, enhance, or otherwise exploit the properties of neural systems. Students will gain a deep understanding of the biology of the nervous system, and how, from an engineering perspective, to treat disorders, build clinical devices, and build computational models.
Professional MS in Bioengineering: Medical Product Engineering
The Professional MS in Bioengineering with a Medical Product Engineering Focus program applies engineering innovation to the identification of and solution to challenges in health care delivery in the medical industry. Students have the opportunity to work with the renowned University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in a city that has been named a U.S. tech hub to watch.
Professional MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering - Construction Management Focus
The program prepares students to manage the rebuilding of public infrastructure and the modernization of private buildings and plants. Graduates of the program will become leaders in the construction industry and generally practice in public agencies, construction companies, consulting firms, and many other national and international positions.
Professional MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering - Environmental Engineering Focus
This program provides opportunities for graduate skills development in the science and engineering of water and wastewater treatment, water quality, solid and hazardous waste management, air quality control and environmental impact assessment. Graduates of the program are in great demand by consulting firms and government agencies and by research organizations and educational institutions.
Professional MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering - Sustainable Engineering Focus
Professional MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Professional MS in Industrial Engineering
The Master of Science in Industrial Engineering is highly flexible and requires a minimum of 30 credits of graduate study. The discipline focuses on improving the design and operation of any system, such as a production or manufacturing system, a distribution and logistics system, a retail system, a financial system, and more! An applicant needs to have strong mathematical, analytical and computational skills, and the ability to work in a team setting to succeed in our IE MS program.
Professional MS in Materials Science
Professional MS in Mechanical Engineering
The program offers education and research at the cutting edge of thermal-fluid science, engineering simulation and computation, solid mechanics, biomechanics, manufacturing, dynamic systems and control. The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Pitt fosters academic innovation, with more than 20 research labs and opportunities to work with a myriad of industries from biomedical to aerospace.
Professional MS in Sustainable Engineering
The MSSE program is an ideal option for students from non-engineering disciplines. The goal of the program is to provide students the ability to identify and solve sustainability issues using systems approaches in the context of the triple bottom line of environmental, societal, and economic problems. Graduates of the program have a distinct advantage in pursuing sustainable solutions in a variety of professional settings ranging from industry and non-profit to government and military.
For more information on the programs you may qualify for, please contact us using this form and note in the comments that you are a non-engineering student seeking graduate programs. If you are interested in completing a thesis option for one of the professional degrees listed below, please contact your department of interest for additional qualifications.