EPP GRADUATE EDUCATION
Information and Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction and Welcome
Welcome to the graduate education section of the home
page of the Department of Engineering & Public
Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. On these
pages we hope to provide you with an overview of our
educational programs, research opportunities, academic
requirements and options. We also provide answers
to FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) concerning admission's
criteria, financial support, degree options and requirements,
and the employment of our graduates. Finally
we provide contacts for more information on our programs,
students, and graduates, as well as links to more
general information about Carnegie Mellon University
and the City of Pittsburgh.
The style is open-ended and unofficial,
but informative. For a more formal statement
of our requirements, policies and rules, please see
our official documentation on graduate education in
our EPP Graduate Catalog. Links are provided
to the Catalog where appropriate.
Should I be interested in EPP
for graduate school?
Yes, if . . .
- You are an engineer, scientist or mathematician
interested in working in technical areas that
affect social and policy issues in the environment,
energy, risk, regulation, information technology,
internet commerce and security, telecommunications,
engineering education, national and international
technology development and exchange, or international
peace and economic development.
- You recognize that the technical details matter
in many policy issues, and you wish to obtain
or enhance advanced disciplinary skills in engineering
and science.
- You recognize that the technical details are
not all that matters, and you wish to learn and
apply knowledge and methods in the social and
behavioral sciences, economics, political science
and law.
- You wish to make a real and lasting contribution
to the way we solve, learn and teach about engineering
and public policy issues, and in so doing, improve
yourself and the world (sounds mushy, but we believe
that among world-class competence, employability
and idealism, you should strive for all three).
- You would like to do this along with other
enthusiastic, friendly and collaborative students,
faculty and staff.
If I've decided that I don't like engineering or science or that I
really don't want to work on problems of a technical nature, should I apply to EPP?
No. EPP's goal in the doctoral studies program is to train our students to
become leaders in their respective fields who are able to fully understand
and address technical issues and how they intersect with society. We are
not here to train engineers and scientists to 'do away' with their
traditional roots, but rather to use their technical backgrounds to help
them more fully comprehend the complex problems of engineered systems in
society -- problems such as air pollution, greenhouse gas
emissions, computer privacy and security, communicating risks to the public,
and so on. Other university programs for policy studies that do not require
a rigorous technical preparation and approach are available elsewhere for
those wishing a less technical PhD program.
What if I have little or no background in engineering, science, or math is EPP the right program for me?
No. In applicants' transcripts, we look to see that you have an
undergraduate or master's degree in engineering, science, or math or at a
minimum you have taken courses in the physical or life sciences as well as
courses in math and physics. If we do not see this, most likely our advice
to you will be to take courses of this type and apply later.
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