Note: The GRE requirement is waived for the Fall ’24 application cycle for both the CSE PhD and Dept-CSE PhD programs.
Thank you for considering the academic programs of the MIT Center for Computational Science and Engineering (CCSE) as part of your graduate education options.
CCSE offers a master’s degree and two doctoral programs in computational science and engineering (CSE) – one leading to a standalone doctoral degree in CSE offered entirely by CCSE (CSE PhD) and the other leading to an interdisciplinary doctoral degree offered jointly with participating departments in the School of Engineering and the School of Science (Dept-CSE PhD). Information about the application and admission process for each program is available via the links of the left and summarized below. MIT Registrar’s Office provides graduate tuition and fee rates as set by the MIT Corporation and the Graduate Admissions section of MIT’s Office of Graduate Education (OGE) website contains additional information about costs of attendance and funding.
The standalone CSE PhD program is intended for students who plan to pursue research in cross-cutting methodological aspects of computational science. The resulting doctoral degree in Computational Science and Engineering is awarded by CCSE via the the Schwarzman College of Computing. Applicants to the standalone CSE PhD program are expected to have an undergraduate degree in CSE, applied mathematics, or another field that prepares them for an advanced degree in CSE.
In contrast, the interdisciplinary Dept-CSE PhD program is intended for students who are interested in computation in the context of a specific engineering or science discipline. For this reason, this degree is offered jointly with participating departments across the Institute; the interdisciplinary degree is awarded in a specially crafted thesis field that recognizes the student’s specialization in computation within the chosen engineering or science discipline. Applicants to the Dept-CSE PhD program should have an undergraduate degree in a related core disciplinary area as well as a strong foundation in applied mathematics, physics, or related fields.
When completing the MIT CSE graduate application, students are expected to declare which of the two programs they are interested in. Admissions decisions will take into account these declared interests, along with each applicant’s academic background, preparation, and fit to the program they have selected.
The Master of Science in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE SM) program, which is currently not accepting external applications, is an interdisciplinary program for students interested in the development, analysis, and application of state-of-the-art computational approaches to science and engineering problems. Examples of such approaches include but are not limited to: numerical methods for integral and partial differential equations; molecular and stochastic simulation; model reduction; uncertainty quantification; computational statistics; optimization; high-performance computing; and machine learning applied to science and engineering problems. The curriculum comprises a core set of subjects focused on cross-cutting computational methodologies and an elective component encompassing specific disciplinary topics in science and engineering.
CSE’s graduate offerings require some background in computational science and engineering (CSE) and lead to degrees in CSE. They are not programs in computer science (CS). In particular, they have a different research and education focus from MIT’s computer science programs. Students who are instead interested in a graduate degree in computer science should apply to the graduate program of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS).
MIT Graduate Admissions Statement
March 26, 2020
In response to the challenges of teaching, learning, and assessing academic performance during the global COVID-19 pandemic, MIT has adopted the following principle: MIT’s admissions committees and offices for graduate and professional schools will take the significant disruptions of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 into account when reviewing students’ transcripts and other admissions materials as part of their regular practice of performing individualized, holistic reviews of each applicant.
In particular, as we review applications now and in the future, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Pass/No Record (or Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail) and other grading options during the unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruptions, whether those decisions were made by institutions or by individual students. We also expect that the individual experiences of applicants will richly inform applications and, as such, they will be considered with the entirety of a student’s record.
Ultimately, even in these challenging times, our goal remains to form graduate student cohorts that are collectively excellent and composed of outstanding individuals who will challenge and support one another.