Master’s Programs

Shape the future of engineering, industry and commerce. A master’s degree from Penn Engineering prepares you to play a critical role in posing and answering the questions that will improve lives and transform our world.

Interdisciplinary studies is a core feature of graduate programs at Penn Engineering. All master’s and doctoral students are able to individualize their program with graduate course electives that match their engineering field(s) of interest. In this way, students can enroll in courses across the university as approved by their academic advisor.

Bioengineering, MSE

Apply engineering principles to biological and medical innovations.

Bioengineering, MSE

Apply engineering principles to biological and medical innovations.

Program Website

Combine advanced training in engineering with a focus on biological and medical sciences. The flexible curriculum allows students to select their own graduate coursework in order to focus on specific concentrations in biomedical sciences and bioengineering. Students can conduct cutting-edge basic, translational, and computational research with faculty whose labs are in Bioengineering, Penn Vet, Penn Dental, the School of Arts & Sciences, and Penn Medicine.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Bio/Biomedical Engineering or other engineering disciplines
Physical and Natural Sciences
Informational Science

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Biotechnology, MBIOT

Harness the combined power of biology and engineering to fuel the biotechnology revolution.

Biotechnology, MBIOT

Harness the combined power of biology and engineering to fuel the biotechnology revolution.

Program Website

An interdisciplinary program to prepare students for engineering leadership positions in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Students will be exposed to cutting-edge technologies at world-class biomedical research centers pushing the boundaries on topics including CAR-T therapy, CRISPR, RNA vaccines, high throughput screening, microfluidics, bioreactor optimization, diagnostics, and purification technologies. Students will learn from renowned faculty in our engineering and science departments, right at the hub of the largest pharmaceutical/biotechnology corridor in the USA. Flexible curriculum in three tracks: molecular biology, biopharmaceutical/engineering biotechnology, and biomedical technologies.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Biotechnology
Bio/Biomedical Engineering
Biological Sciences/Engineering
Biochemistry and other bio-related sciences

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, MSE

Combining chemistry, biology, and engineering principles to solve modern technological problems.

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, MSE

Combining chemistry, biology, and engineering principles to solve modern technological problems.

Program Website

Provides rigorous and advanced engineering training with specialization in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, control, design, bioengineering, polymer engineering, heat transfer, scientific computing, computing, and more. Students are trained to solve complex engineering problems in sustainability and renewable energy resources at the forefront of addressing our global climate challenges. Students go on to leadership roles in a wide range of industries including oil, chemical, pharmaceutical, and electronics. Some students who complete the master’s degree pursue doctoral studies at top universities.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Molecular and Cell Biology

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Computer & Information Science, MSE

Computational and data-driven innovations to improve our world.

Computer & Information Science, MSE

Computational and data-driven innovations to improve our world.

Program Website

Embrace the rapid pace of technology innovation, in the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer systems, computer networks, computer vision, robotics, databases, graphics, security, programming languages, software engineering, data science, human-computer interaction, CS theory, fairness and data privacy, and more. An interdisciplinary program that places the Computer and Information Science department at its core, with cross-cutting synergies across campus with the Warren Center for Network and Data Science, Penn Center for Health, Devices, and Technology, the Price Lab for Digital Humanities, the Institute for Biomedical informatics, the GRASP robotics lab and more.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Computer science
Computer engineering
Software engineering

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Computer & Information Technology, MCIT

Build technical knowhow and advance your career — without an undergraduate computer science degree.

Computer & Information Technology, MCIT

Build technical knowhow and advance your career — without an undergraduate computer science degree.

Program Website

A rigorous graduate-level program that gives talented students who have no prior experience in computer science an opportunity to embark on a highly successful career in computing and technology, often in coveted interdisciplinary roles or even in purely technical software development positions. The MCIT program stems from a belief that advanced computer science coursework for people with undergraduate degrees in other diverse fields leads to highly successful career paths. Our graduates and their careers today stand as strong proof of this philosophy.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Economics
Business/Commence
Finance/Accounting
Math/Statistics
Wide range of other undergraduate majors (e.g., law, humanities)

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Computer & Information Technology, MCIT Online

Get an Ivy League education, no matter where in the world you live. Online Program

Computer & Information Technology, MCIT Online

Get an Ivy League education, no matter where in the world you live.

Our online graduate degree in computer and information technology (MCIT Online) gives you online access to Penn’s renowned faculty experts and a global community of classmates.

Computer Graphics & Game Technology, MSE

Blending art with computing.

Computer Graphics & Game Technology, MSE

Blending art with computing.

Program Website

Combine art with engineering to train software developers, graphics programs, technical directors, tool developers, and gameplay programmers for work in the computer game, feature animation, virtual reality, and special effects industries. Students complete coursework in computer graphics, computer animation, game design, creative art and design, computer vision, machine learning, product design, entrepreneurship, and more. Graduates go on to work at top entertainment firms, game companies, and big tech companies in need of expertise in computer graphics, game development, and virtual and augmented reality.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Computer Science
Software Engineering
Digital Media Design
Game Design and Production

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Data Science, MSE

Making data-driven decisions in today’s complex world.

Data Science, MSE

Making data-driven decisions in today’s complex world.

Program Website

Prepares students for a wide range of data-centric careers, whether in technology and engineering, consulting, science, policy-making, or understanding patterns in literature, art or communications. Students complete courses in a wide range of topics including machine learning, artificial intelligence, deep learning, database and information systems, natural language processing, big data systems, statistics, distributed systems, and pursue specialization choices in network science, biomedicine, digital humanities, data privacy, public policies, and applications to other engineering disciplines.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Computer Science/Engineering
Engineering (e.g. Electrical or Mechanical)
Quantitative major (e.g. Mathematics, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Economics, Finance)

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Data Science, MSE Online

Get an Ivy League education, no matter where in the world you live.Online Program

Data Science, MSE Online

Get an Ivy League education, no matter where in the world you live.

Our online graduate degree in data science (MSE-DS Online) gives you online access to Penn’s renowned faculty experts and a global community of classmates.

Electrical Engineering, MSE

Interfacing the material world, devices, and humans.

Electrical Engineering, MSE

Interfacing the material world, devices, and humans.

Program Website

Electrical engineers apply systems theory and interdisciplinary skills to design physical, biological and socio-technical products that improve the human condition. At Penn, you’ll customize your education to meet your goals—from electromagnetics, photonics and quantum engineering to sensors, MEMS, embedded systems, VLSI and nanotechnology. You’ll graduate with hands-on experience ready to make your mark in industry, research, government or corporate work.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Electrical Engineering
Electronics Engineering
Computer Engineering
Communications/Transportation/Telecommunications
Automation
Physics

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Integrated Product Design, M:IPD/MSE:IPD

Change the world, one product at a time.

Integrated Product Design, M:IPD/MSE:IPD

Change the world, one product at a time.

Program Website

Human-centered design is at the heart of the program, bringing design, engineering and business perspectives together to create new products and experiences. In IPD, you will learn to design digital and physical products that are innovative, compelling, and sustainable. Our graduates are entrepreneurs, designers, product engineers, product managers, user experience designers and strategists, and innovation leaders. They are changing the world — one product, one service, one business at a time.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Engineering
Bioengineering
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Design
Architecture
Fine Arts
Graphic Design
Industrial Design
Interaction Design
Business
Economics
Marketing
Product Design

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Materials Science and Engineering, MSE

Create new materials for long-lasting societal impact.

Materials Science and Engineering, MSE

Create new materials for long-lasting societal impact.

Program Website

An in-depth, hands-on graduate program, centered around computational materials, electronic, optical and magnetic materials, microscopies and scattering, materials for energy, materials for health science, structural materials, polymers and soft matter. The programs provide education in the fundamentals and applications of technologically-relevant materials that will have long-lasting societal impact, for example, quantum materials and technologies, materials in sustainability and energy, and materials for health. Our graduates go on to engineering roles in electronics, manufacturing, communications, transportation and energy industries, or pursue doctoral studies at top-ranked universities.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Materials Science and Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Polymer Science; Polymer Engineering
Chemistry
Applied Physics
Mechanical Engineering
Bioengineering
Electrical Engineering
Energy Science and Engineering

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics, MSE

Design, create and build the future.

Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics, MSE

Design, create and build the future.

Program Website

Explore mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, dynamical systems and biomechanics. Get deep into design, manufacturing, robotics, thermal sciences or energy conversion. At Penn, you’ll work on hands-on projects across departments, research novel problems and prepare for a leadership role at the forefront of mechanical engineering.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Mechanical Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Energy and Power engineering
Automotive Engineering
Civil Engineering

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Nanotechnology, MSE

Big innovation with the science of the small.

Nanotechnology, MSE

Big innovation with the science of the small.

Program Website

Nanotechnology exists everywhere around us. Innovate semiconductors, energy harvesting devices, displays, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), sensors, actuators, quantum computing and biomedical devices. MSE in Nanotechnology, an interdisciplinary program, provides a rigorous and diverse curriculum to support a range of career paths. Students take hands-on laboratory courses and have the opportunity to be fellows in the Quattrone Nanofabrication Facility at the world-renowned Singh Center for Nanotechnology. Make your devices on your own and characterize them in a world-class cleanroom. Our graduates go on to careers with companies in the advanced chip manufacturers, electronics, defense sectors, global consulting, and startups or pursue Ph.D. studies at top universities.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Electrical Engineering
Materials Science
Applied Physics/Chemistry
Mechanical Engineering
Bioengineering
Nanotechnology

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Robotics, MSE

Advance robotic technologies for the benefit of humanity.

Robotics, MSE

Advance robotic technologies for the benefit of humanity.

Program Website

The modern expert in robotics and intelligent systems must be proficient in artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, control systems, kinematics, and dynamics, as well as the design, programming, and prototyping of robotic systems. Our interdisciplinary program brings together computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Build your skills with our world-renowned faculty in our state-of-the-art facilities at the GRASP Lab, the oldest robotics research lab in the world. And prepare for a career in robotics, aerospace, automotive, industrial automation, defense, and beyond.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Mechanical Engineering
Electrical/Electronics Engineering
Computer Science/Engineering

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Scientific Computing, MSE

Solve science and engineering problems with the power of computational methods.

Scientific Computing, MSE

Solve science and engineering problems with the power of computational methods.

Program Website

Apply state-of-the-art computational tools and platforms to natural science, medicine, and engineering. Learning across departments, you’ll study numerical methods, algorithm development, high-performance computing, data science, and more. Students learn from top faculty affiliated with the Penn Institute of Computational Science (PICS), drawn from faculty across all six departments at Penn Engineering. Graduates go on to industry jobs at big-tech companies, engineering firms, defense industries, global consulting, and national labs.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Mechanical Engineering
Bioengineering
Electrical/Electronic Engineering
Any other quantitative sciences (e.g. Physics, Applied Physics, Geographical Science)

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Systems Engineering, MSE

Design, integrate, and manage complex socio-technological systems.

Systems Engineering, MSE

Design, integrate, and manage complex socio-technological systems.

Program Website

Learn to interpret data and use it to enhance system reliability and performance. Systems engineering is at the heart of everything from smart highways to environmental monitoring with sensor networks and unlocking the global supply chain. Our faculty are pushing the boundaries of knowledge in the propagation and control of epidemics, the coordination of multiple robots, and optimizing the performance of wireless networks. Students combine systems engineering principles with coursework in data science and operations research and pursue data-driven careers in robotics, transportation, health care, finance, and global consulting after graduation.

Sample Undergraduate Majors*

Industrial Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Quantitative major (e.g. Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Applied Mathematics, Finance)

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about whether your major will meet our requirements, please consult the program coordinator.

Special Programs

Finish your degree on an accelerated timeline or earn two degrees at once.

Accelerated Master’s Programs

Get a head start on a world-class Penn Engineering graduate degree. Our accelerated program allows you to begin working toward your master’s degree while completing your bachelor’s.

Explore Accelerated Options

Master’s to Ph.D. Bridge Program

Work toward your master’s degree and your Ph.D. at the same time. Our Bridge program provides individualized mentorship and Ph.D.-level laboratory training.

Explore the Bridge Program

Dual Master’s Programs

Combine your engineering education with an MBA or a law degree. Our cross-disciplinary dual master’s programs prepare you to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex society.

Learn About Dual JD Programs

Timeline

15SepApplication opens
1NovEarly admissions deadline (for CIS, Data Science, and MCIT on-campus programs with two deadlines)
14JanEarly admissions decisions released
1FebRegular admissions deadline
1AprRegular admissions decisions released

Funding Your Education

A master’s degree from Penn Engineering is an excellent investment in your future. Find out more about costs, scholarships and other funding opportunities.

Learn About Funding

Ready to Get Started?

The application process is straightforward, and we’re here to help. Review our Application Checklist before submitting.

Find Out How To Apply

Any Questions?

Interested in learning more about graduate admissions at Penn Engineering? Here are some of the questions we hear most often.

Frequently Asked Questions