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The Master's Degree Program

The programs of course offerings at the master’s level fulfill three vital current needs:

To provide qualified graduates of accredited undergraduate engineering and computer science programs with an opportunity to continue their professional training at an advanced level.

To allow engineers and computer scientists currently employed in industry to enhance their professional training by bringing to them the latest developments in theory and their applications to industrial practice.

To provide graduate students working toward the doctorate and a career in research with a firm grounding in the theoretical foundations necessary for such work.

Requirements for Admission to the Master's Programs

For matriculation, the undergraduate record shall be in an accredited scholastic curriculum or in one acceptable to the Chair of the department concerned. The applicant’s scholastic record must show a minimum average of B. Applicants are required to complete the Graduate Admissions Application which shall be accompanied by official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, proof of degree, and two letters of recommendations from faculty. The application can be obtained by visiting the City College website at www.ccny.cuny.edu. Applicants to the Chemical Engineering program are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (verbal, quantitative and analytical sections). Official transcripts of graduate work completed at other institutions, if any, are also required and will be evaluated. All international students with baccalaureate degrees from non-English speaking countries must submit a TOEFL score to be considered for admission. At present, a minimum score of 73 (79 for Biomedical Engineering) is required for admission.

Requirements for the Master's Degree

Each candidate for a master’s degree must complete at least 30 credits as approved by the department and the Dean. Some students may be required to complete satisfactorily more than 30 credits because of a lack of specific courses or inadequate preparation in a particular area of study. No course may be credited toward a degree unless specifically approved for that purpose. It is expected that graduate students will maintain a high scholastic standing. Irregularity in attendance or failure to maintain satisfactory scholastic standing will be sufficient grounds for asking a student to withdraw. Satisfactory scholastic standing will be interpreted to mean at least a B average.

The master’s candidate must complete the required course work within a period of five years from the date of admission.

The department Chair will appoint departmental graduate advisors who will make recommendations for the courses to be taken for the degree. These recommendations will be subject to the approval of the department Chair and the Dean of the Grove School of Engineering or their appointed representatives. Students will be required to complete one of the following non-course options within the approved program for the degree:

  1. a master’s thesis carrying six credits;*

  2. a project carrying three credits;**

  3. a report carrying no credit;**

  4. a seminar carrying one credit.**

* generally reserved for Ph.D. preparation

** for Professional Master’s degree

Thesis and project credits will be counted towards the 30-credit degree requirement. The seminar credit may be counted towards the 30-credit degree.

The master’s thesis, project or report must be completed before the scheduled final examination week so that a proper grade may be assigned at the end of the final examination period.

Respective departments may prescribe these options in greater detail as a part of their respective degree requirements.

Any student working toward a master’s degree must be matriculated for the last 12 credits toward the degree.

Effective current academic rules, requirements and procedures governing transfer credits, program adjustments, and course grade corrections will be available from the Grove School of Engineering , Office of Graduate Affairs, ST-209.

In addition, regulations governing certification of full-time status, leaves of absence, readmission, and en-route master’s degrees are described elsewhere in this bulletin.

If a student expects to be graduated at the end of a given term, he/she must file an "Application for Degree" at the Registrar’s office on or before the date set for this purpose during the given term.

Graduate Citation

Master’s graduates who have attained a GPA of 3.90 or better for the required 30 credits (taken at City University) will receive the Grove School of Engineering Graduate Citation.