M.Eng. FAQs
MAE M.Eng. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Master of Engineering Degree?
A: The M.Eng. is a professional degree that offers advanced technical training or specialization beyond the bachelor's level. The degree is targeted to students interested in more training before going to work in industry. In addition to the advanced technical training, students have the opportunity for professional development in the areas of management and business.
Q: What is the difference between a M.Eng. and a M.S.?
A: The M.Eng. is a one-year professional degree targeted at students that intend to go to work in industry and is often course/skill based. The M.S. degree is typically a research degree that requires a student to complete a thesis of novel research, typically takes 2-3 years to complete, and is frequently the first step on the way to a Ph.D.
Q: Can I complete the M.Eng. degree and transfer into the Ph.D. program?
A: This is rare (less than one per year) but it does happen. The student must still complete the full Ph.D. application process to do so. This typically only occurs if a student has completed a strong M.Eng. degree, with high grades in courses and a good project with a faculty member.
Q: Do you offer the M.S. degree?
A: Yes. https://www.mae.cornell.edu/mae/programs/graduate-programs/master-science-program
Q: What are the funding options for M.Eng. students?
A: The M.Eng. degree is typically self-funded by the student. There are a handful of fellowships at the College level (typically one per field, or one out of ~80 students). There is also partial support as a Graduate Teaching Specialist for a small percentage of students (<10%) that offers a small stipend.
Q: How do students pay for the program?
A: Most students take loans to pay for the program. Information about graduate school loans can be found at: http://gradschool.cornell.edu/costs-and-funding/loans
Q: How much is tuition for the program?
A: Current tuition rates can be found at: http://gradschool.cornell.edu/costs-and-funding/tuition-and-costs/tuition-rates. M.Eng. is a Tier 1 Professional Degree. Other estimated costs of attendance can be found at: http://gradschool.cornell.edu/costs-and-funding/tuition-and-costs/costs-attendance
Q: Do I need to meet the TOEFL required scores for all subsections?
A: Yes. Minimum TOEFL scores for each subsection are a University requirement for admission. Any application that does not contain the minimum scores will not be considered for admission. http://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/english-language-proficiency-requirement
Q: Are the exceptions to the TOEFL requirement?
A: Yes, the TOEFL requirement may be waived if the applicant meets at least one of these criteria:
- is a native citizen of the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Canada (except Quebec). Applicants who are citizens of India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, or Singapore, are not exempt from the TOEFL requirement.
- studied in full-time status for at least two academic years within the last five years in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand, or with English language instruction in Canada or South Africa. You must submit a transcript that shows you have attended college in one of these approved locations.
Q: Do I need to have an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering/Aerospace Engineering to be admitted to the program?
A: No. We admit students from a number of undergraduate engineering backgrounds into our program. Students without a typical Mechanical Engineering background may require additional coursework in order to take graduate courses in the field. We recommend talking to the program coordinator.
Q: Is there a minimum GPA requirement for admission?
A: No, a typical admit to our program has a GPA of 3.6/4.0, while this is not a minimum score for admission to our program, admission is very competitive.
Q: Is a thesis a required for the program?
A: No, our program does not include a thesis. The program is primarily course-based, and students are required to complete a M.Eng. project that lasts either one or two semesters and results in a written report. The report is most often a technical report or can be a scientific paper.
Q: Who long it the program?
A: The program is designed to be completed in two semesters, 9-12 months.
Q: What courses are required for admission?
A: There are not specific course requirements for admission. Students will need to have sufficient background coursework to be able to complete graduate level coursework in their intended M.Eng. focus area. A one-year program does not allow time for remedial coursework for students to get up to speed.
Q: What are the required courses for the program?
A. There are no required courses. Students are free to customize their program to best meet their interests as long as they complete the program requirements. We do offer course recommendations for a number of focus areas. A program of courses is developed during advising.
Q: Do you have rolling admissions?
A: No. Application materials are due by the application deadlines (Fall: February 1, Spring: October 15). Admission decisions are made taking the entire applicant pool into consideration.
Q: How many students are in your program?
A: We typically have approximately 80 students in the program.