Carnegie Mellon University

Course Requirements

Candidates for the MS degree must complete a minimum of 96 units (1 unit is roughly 1 hour per week in a semester-long course) as follows.

The program consists of a balance of core courses to equip students with the foundational perspectives and tools for policy and data analysis, quantitative methods courses, social analysis methods including, e.g., qualitative methods,  and free electives so that students can focus on an area of interest.

  • 19-701 Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis

  • 19-702 Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis

  • 19-603 -- Data Science for Technology, Innovation and Policy

  • 19-640 -- Dynamic Network Analysis

  • 19-657 -- Special Topics: Introduction to Venture Finance

  • 19-667 -- Optimization Models for Power System Operation, Planning & Monitoring

  • 19-670 -- Quantitative Entrepreneurship: Analysis for New Technology Commercialization

  • 19-685 -- Engineering Optimization without Project

  • 19-689 -- Finance for Innovation Management

  • 19-690 -- MS Project**
  • 19-691 -- Special Topics: Decision-Making Methods for Innovation Management

  • 19-703 -- Applied Data Analysis 1

  • 19-704 -- Applied Data Analysis 2

  • 19-707 -- Multiple Criteria Decision Making

  • 19-714 -- Environmental Life Cycle Assessment

  • 19-726 -- Mathematical Modeling of Environmental Quality Systems

  • 19-728 -- Special Topics: Market Engineering and Applications
  • 19-785 -- Engineering Optimization

  • 19-786 -- Stochastic Discrete Choice Models: Estimation and Behavioral Theory

  • 19-819 -- A/B Testing, Design, and Analysis

  • 19-867 -- Decision Analytics for Business and Policy

Approved non-EPP courses*

  • 17-950 -- Crafting Software
  • 36-700 -- Probability and Mathematical Statistics

    *Subject to waitlist by the course's home department

    **19-690 research units can count towards quantitative methods, social analysis methods or elective units based on the type of research with faculty approval
  • 19-608 -- Privacy Policy, Law, and Technology

  • 19-627 -- Special Topics: Energy Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  • 19-654 -- Regulation of Internet Edge Platforms

  • 19-659 -- Economic Regulation of Networked Industries

  • 19-666 -- Energy Policy and Economics

  • 19-669 -- Behavior, Decision and Policy

  • 19-670 -- Quantitative Entrepreneurship: Analysis for New Technology Commercialization

  • 19-673 -- Special Topics: Patents, Licensing, and Innovation

  • 19-677 -- Economics of Innovation Strategy
  • 19-678 -- Engineering and Social Justice

  • 19-681 -- Managerial and Engineering Economics

  • 19-682 -- The Strategy and Management of Technological Innovation

  • 19-687 -- Managing Research, Development and Innovation

  • 19-690 -- MS Project**
  • 19-694 -- Leadership and Innovation Management

  • 19-706 -- Microeconomics Analysis

  • 19-711 -- Science and Innovation Leadership for the 21st Century: Firms, Nations, and Tech

  • 19-718 -- Public Policy and Regulations

  • 19-721 -- Special Topics: Seminar on Transportation, Engineering and Economics

  • 19-728 -- Special Topics: Market Engineering and Applications
  • 19-758 -- Special Topics: Organizational Theory for Engineers

  • 19-975 -- Energy Innovation and Entrepreneurship

  • 19-977 -- Management in Electric Power Systems and Electricity Markets

Approved non-EPP courses*

  • 45-978 -- The Sustainable Business

  • 90-743 -- Urban and Regional Economic Development

  • 90-745 -- Methods of Policy Analysis: Future of Work

  • 90-754 -- Elective Politics and Policy-Making

  • 90-765 -- Cities, Technology and the Environment

  • 90-769 -- Critical AI Studies for Public Policy

  • 90-808 -- US Energy and Climate Policy

  • 90-842 -- Programming R for Analytics 94-842

  • 90-860 -- Policy in a Global Economy

  • 95-723 -- Managing Disruptive Technologies

    *Subject to waitlist by the course's home department

    **19-690 research units can count towards quantitative methods, social analysis methods or elective units based on the type of research with faculty approval

The courses listed below can only be used to satisfy the elective requirement for the MS in EPP degree. Additional courses taken from the Quantitative or Social Analysis methods sections will also satisfy the elective requirement.

  • 19-602 -- Current Topics in Privacy Seminar
  • 19-605 -- Engineering Privacy in Software
  • 19-617 -- Infrastructure Management
  • 19-624 -- Emerging Energy Policies
  • 19-625 -- Sustainable Energy for the Developing World
  • 19-629 -- Climate Change Science and Solutions
  • 19-658 -- Special Topics: Corporate Venturing & Innovation
  • 19-663 -- Special topics: ICT Applications for Sustainable Development
  • 19-671 -- Tech Start-up: Market Discovery
  • 19-672 -- Special Topics: Tech Start-up
  • 19-676 -- Special Topics: Product Management Studio
  • 19-684 -- Engineering and Technology Innovation Management in Practice
  • 19-690 -- MS Project
  • 19-697 -- Lean Product Development
  • 19-713 -- Policies of Wireless Systems
  • 19-717 -- Sustainable Engineering Principles 
  • 19-733 -- Cryptocurrencies, Blockchains and Applications
  • 19-734 -- Usable Privacy and Security
  • 19-740 -- Combustion and Air Pollution Control
  • 19-751 -- Air Quality Engineering
  • 19-881 -- Seminar in Electricity Market Restructuring
  • 19-882 -- Seminar in Low-Carbon Electric Power
  • 19-883 -- Special Topics: Seminar in Climate & Energy Decision Making Under Uncertainty

Approved non-EPP courses*

  • 84-605 -- The Future of Warfare
  • 84-687 -- Technology and Policy of Cyber War

    *Subject to waitlist by the course's home department

In addition, applicants must meet the following criteria for graduation:

  • A minimum 3.0 QPA is required for graduation.
  • A grade of C (2.0) or better is required for a course to count toward graduation, but no more than two courses with a grade of C can be used to meet course requirements.
  • At least 84 units must be graduate-level courses (course numbers XX-600 or above).
  • A maximum of 12 units of undergraduate courses can be counted towards the 96 units required for the degree.

Undergraduate courses must be at the 300-level or above to count towards the degree.

  • A minimum of 60 units must be in EPP, 19-xxx courses.
  • No more than 18 units of research, 19-690 MS Project, can be counted toward the degree.
  • Courses used for current or prior Undergraduate or MS degrees may not be used for the EPP MS.