Accelerated Master of Science in Learning Engineering
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Carnegie Mellon University undergraduates in any major and eligible students from the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE) who have completed the appropriate courses may be eligible to enroll in the Accelerated Master of Science in Learning Engineering (A-MSLE) program (formerly known as the Accelerated Master of Educational Technology and Applied Learning Sciences, or A-METALS). This program allows students to complete their master’s degree in as little as two semesters (Fall and Spring) after finishing their undergraduate degree.
Eligibility and Prerequisites
To be eligible for the program, students must complete the following three core courses with a grade of B- or higher:
- 05823: E-Learning Design Principles and Methods
- 05738: Evidence-Based Educational Design
- 05360/05660: Interaction Design Fundamentals
Applicants may optionally complete one MSLE elective at the 400 level or above during their undergraduate residency, but it cannot be double-counted.
Admission Status
The status of an applicant’s offer is contingent upon the completion of the prerequisite coursework listed above:
- Official Offer: Granted to applicants who have already completed all three prerequisite courses with a grade of B- or higher at the time of application.
- Conditional Offer: Granted to applicants currently enrolled in or planning to take these courses. Admission is finalized once all three courses are completed with a grade of B- or higher.
Program Timeline & Course Sequence
The HCII offers a Master of Science in Learning Engineering (MSLE) as a standard four-semester, 12-course program. However, the accelerated pathway (A-MSLE) allows CMU undergraduates to take select MSLE courses during their undergraduate studies and complete the remaining graduate requirements in just two semesters post-graduation. The tables below illustrate both pathways for students transitioning from their undergraduate program into the Master’s degree. While core prerequisites can be completed as early as your sophomore or junior year, students intending to join the accelerated program must apply by October of their senior year. Admission decisions are released in time for Spring registration week, and completing a summer internship under your undergraduate program remains an available option prior to officially entering the graduate program.
| (Undergrad Senior Year or earlier) | (Undergrad Senior Year) | Fall After Graduation | Spring | |
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Key Academic Milestones:
- Senior Spring (Undergraduate): While still undergraduates, students begin the master’s curriculum by taking 05840 (Tools for Online Learning) and 05683 (Capstone Project I).
- Fall (Master’s): After undergraduate graduation, students transition to graduate status and complete the 05684 Capstone Project II.
- Spring (Master’s): Students complete the program by taking their remaining electives. Students who completed optional graduate-level electives as undergraduates must still enroll in at least three electives as master’s students to satisfy residency requirements.
How to Apply
To be considered for the Accelerated MSLE program, you must submit a completed application package. While you may apply as early as February of your junior year, the final deadline is October of your senior year. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis and are typically emailed before spring registration begins in November. A graduate orientation program is held during the week before spring classes begin, and accepted accelerated master’s students are expected to attend.
Application periods for the Accelerated MSLE program are open for applications during the following periods:
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Junior Year (Early Admission Window): Early February – Mid-March
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Senior Year (Final Admission Window): September 9, 2026 – October 26, 2026 (3 p.m. ET)
To apply for admission to the accelerated program, during the early decision application period in the Spring or Fall semesters, please visit the School of Computer Science Admission Page. Please read the instructions carefully and make certain that you have met all requirements when you submit your application. As part of the application you will be required to submit the following:
- Statement of Purpose. Submit a concise statement addressing the following points:
- Your Objectives: Describe your goals in pursuing an MSLE degree, including your long-term career goals and the reasons you wish to pursue further education at Carnegie Mellon.
- Your Background: Detail your experience in learning engineering, educational technology, learning science or other fields relevant to your objectives. Describe how your academic, industrial or commercial experience prepares you for admission to the MSLE program. Please verify that your description here is consistent with your resume. You may also want to outline the areas of education in which you have experience or exposure (other than as a student).
- Additional Details: Share any further information you wish the Admissions Committee to consider, including any projects on which you have worked.
- Resume. Provide a complete, up-to-date resume. Order your relevant work experiences chronologically with the most recent first. Clearly distinguish part-time, co-op or internship work from full-time positions.
- Transcripts. Submit official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions that you have attended.
- Three Recommendations. The Admissions Committee seeks to know about your ability to successfully complete graduate-level coursework at CMU and to work in interdisciplinary teams at a professional level. You should select letter writers who can best speak to these points. Professors who interacted with you extensively in small classes are a good choice. Employers are appropriate if they can speak to your ability to work in a group at a professional level, but letters that are simply character references will not provide strong support for your application.
- Application Fee. There is no application fee.