Admissions

Click Here to Watch a CCSE Virtual Info Session for Prospective Students
(Recorded November 9, 2021)

Note: The GRE requirement is waived for the Fall ’23 application cycle for both the CSE PhD and CSE SM programs.

Thank you for considering the academic programs of the MIT Center for Computational Science and Engineering as part of your graduate education options. CCSE currently offers two graduate program opportunities:

The Master of Science in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE SM) 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.

The Computational Science and Engineering doctoral program (CSE PhD) allows students to specialize at the doctoral level in a computation-related field of their choice, through focused coursework and a thesis. The emphasis of thesis research is the development of new computational methods and/or the innovative application of computational techniques to important problems in engineering and science. The CSE PhD program is administered jointly by the Center for Computational Science and Engineering and the following eight host departments:

  •     Aeronautics and Astronautics
  •     Chemical Engineering
  •     Civil and Environmental Engineering
  •     Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
  •     Materials Science and Engineering
  •     Mathematics
  •     Mechanical Engineering
  •     Nuclear Science and Engineering.

Both of these graduate programs 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). Note that EECS accepts external applications only for its doctoral program, with the exception of specialized master’s programs such as the Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) MBA/SM dual degree.

Prospective students should visit the following links for admissions information and application procedures:

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.