What is the minimum QPA required in order to graduate?

The College of Engineering requires that the cumulative QPA be 2.00 or higher for all courses taken after the first year. Your department has additional QPA requirements, so check with your advisor.


Click here for more information on Carnegie Mellon grading policy.

Do my first-year grades count towards my QPA?

First year grades are included in the calculation of your cumulative QPA and class ranking, however, CIT’s 2.00 QPA requirement for graduation is based on courses taken after the freshmen year.

What QPA do I need to be awarded Dean's List?

The criterion to make the CIT Dean's List is a QPA of at least 3.75 while completing a minimum of 36 factorable units and earning no incomplete grades during a given semester.

How can I be certain that I am completing all my degree requirements?

Read and understand the requirements for your major(s) and minor(s) as described in the Undergraduate Catalog and create an academic plan that will allow you to graduate on time. The On-Line Academic Audit on the Hub website is a helpful tool, but you should meet with your departmental academic advisor to make sure you are on track.

Where can I find academic tutoring?

The Academic Development Office offers supplemental instruction, academic counseling, peer and walk-in tutoring, along with academic and skill development workshops.

Can I retake a class in order to get a higher grade?

You may repeat a course in which you obtained a passing grade. However, the grades from both enrollments in the course will appear on the transcript; both will be used in calculating your total QPA; and both will be used in determining your class rank. The units will only be counted once. Therefore, if a course is taken more than once, the additional enrollments cannot be used to satisfy another curricular requirement, such as a free elective.

Click here for more information on Carnegie Mellon grading policy.

Where can I find additional academic advice if I need it?

Some courses have space reservation specifications for CIT, but even though the course isn’t completely full, you may not be able to get in. You can contact the department of the course in question to check on the status of the waitlist.

You can drop a course on or before the current semester’s drop deadline, which can be found on the HUB’s Official Calendar. The course will be removed from your record, and it will not appear on your transcript. If you miss the deadline, you may still be able to drop a course but a “W” will appear on your official transcript. Remember if you are a full-time student and you decide to drop a class, you must maintain a course load of at least 36 units in order to maintain full-time student status. A "W" grade will have no affect on your QPA.

Can I retake a class in order to get a higher grade?

You may repeat a course in which you obtained a passing grade. However, the grades from both enrollments in the course will appear on the transcript; both will be used in calculating your total QPA; and both will be used in determining your class rank. The units will only be counted once. Therefore, if a course is taken more than once, the additional enrollments cannot be used to satisfy another curricular requirement, such as a free elective.

Click here for more information on Carnegie Mellon grading policy.

Designated minors within the College of Engineering are described in the Undergraduate Catalog in the section Undergraduate Designated Minors in Carnegie Institute of Technology or go to the majors and minors page on this site. Once you are clear about what's available, talk with your academic advisor about how to move forward. Although students can generally complete a designated minor without increasing the number of units required for graduation, early planning is important.

The majority of colleges at Carnegie Mellon offer minor and/or double major options. You should contact the department in that interests you to inquire about admission, enrollment, and/or degree requirements. Your chosen minor/double major department will have to certify upon graduation that all requirements were completed. Often you will be assigned an additional academic advisor from that department who will work together with your CIT advisor.

Students can opt to do research, starting their second semester of their first year, but most students start in their sophomore or junior year. Research is not required, but can be a rewarding experience. Many students decide to focus on research later in their academic career, when they have more coursework knowledge, allowing them to secure research projects that provide in-depth experience in a subject of interest.

The Undergraduate Research Office (URO) supports student research in every field of study, with SURG grants to cover research expenses, Summer Fellowships for full-time summer research, and Presentation Awards to support students presenting at academic conferences. Students also locate research opportunities by talking and reviewing department faculty web pages regarding their research interests, projects, and/or topics. You should then contact the faculty member directly.

In addition, the Fellowship Resource Advising Center (FRAC) supports first-year students to post-doctoral students from all majors and disciplines.

Honors Research is offered to juniors with a QPA of 3.5 or higher. These students are invited to participate in research projects with faculty, at the same level as graduate students. Each year, faculty advisors post projects that have opportunities for Honors Research students. Students receive college credit for participation and have the opportunity to take an active role in an ongoing research effort.

The Career Center has an entire section on finding internships. A CIT Career Consultant is available to work with you on searching and securing an internship. In addition, the Career Center holds semester workshops regarding internships.

Where can I locate information about study abroad opportunities?

Contact the Study Abroad Office within the Office of International Education. They maintain a listing of institutions with which Carnegie Mellon has experience in placing exchange students. The College of Engineering has formal exchange programs with several technical universities. The Study Abroad Office can provide you with information on those programs, or assist in designing an alternative exchange program, which you can receive academic credit at Carnegie Mellon. In addition, you should contact your academic advisor to construct an academic plan that will allow you to study abroad and still graduate on time.

Who may study abroad?

Any undergraduate, with the exception of first-year students, with approval from their academic department can study abroad during the summer or for academic year. Many study abroad programs have a QPA requirement of at least 3.0.

There is no comprehensive list of qualified universities or courses that CIT will accept for transfer. Each course is evaluated on an individual basis. Engineering courses are typically NOT transferable. Unless taken from an approved program such as ITESM or EPFL, though all such courses must be approved by the CIT engineering department in question.

If you are planning on taking courses at another university to transfer into Carnegie Mellon, you need to complete a Transfer Course Credit Approval Form. You should complete this form PRIOR to taking a course at another institution and will need to complete one form for each class you wish to take. You must also submit a detailed description (preferably an official catalog description) and/or syllabus from the course.

The Office of Undergraduate Studies will determine, upon consultation with the corresponding department at Carnegie Mellon, whether the request is approved. Courses taken during a period of suspension from Carnegie Mellon University cannot be transferred. Upon completion of the course(s) you MUST have an official transcript sent from that institution to:

Carnegie Mellon University
CIT Dean's Office
Attn:: Kurt Larsen
Scaife Hall 110
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

A grade of "TR" will appear for earned transfer credit (similar to AP for Advanced Placement). These credits can work toward degree requirements but do not influence your overall QPA.

What grade will I need to earn in order to have the course transferred?

The grade that you need to achieve in order to transfer the course is determined on a case-by-case basis. The Office of Undergraduate Studies will set a minimum grade requirement for the transfer course depending on whether the school is a two-year or a four-year institution.

How many units will I receive for a transfer course?

The number of units that will be entered on your Carnegie Mellon transcript is determined on a case-by-case basis by the College of Engineering's Office of Undergraduate Studies. While many institutions use credits, we will convert those to units. Typically three (3) units are roughly equivalent to one (1) standard credit hour.

How many courses can I transfer from other schools?

There is currently no restriction on the number of courses that you may transfer from other universities. There is, however, a residency requirement which states that you MUST complete at least 180 units and four semesters of coursework at Carnegie Mellon.

Humanistic Studies = 9 units
Writing/Expression = 9 units
Cognition and Institutions = 9 units
Depth Sequence in Humanities, Social Science, or Fine Arts = 27 units
Non-technical Electives = 18 units

Click here to review General Education requirements and course options for CIT. The requirements are also described in more detail in the Undergraduate Catalog, in the Carnegie Institute of Technology section, under the heading CIT Introduction.

Most students do opt to satisfy this requirement by taking courses offered in the same department, however, student may take “related” courses that are offered through different departments. These courses must address a common theme and it is important to seek prior approval from your academic advisor before you begin the sequence.

Yes, courses from CFA can count towards the 27 unit depth sequence. One course has to be beyond the introductory level and a CFA performance sequence MUST include one course in theory or history of the subject.

Courses from Tepper School of Business, the Heinz School, and/or Statistics department CANNOT be used to satisfy the CIT depth requirement. However, Economics is an acceptable depth sequence.

Non-technical courses from Tepper School of Business and the Heinz School can be used to satisfy the 18 unit non-technical elective requirement. Though accounting, finance, management, production, and/or statistics courses are regarded as technical courses, and they CANNOT be used to satisfy the requirement.

Can I take different languages to fulfill the GE depth sequence?

In order to be awarded credit for your general education depth sequence, a student MUST take three semester of the SAME language. So, for example, two courses in Spanish and one in German would NOT be acceptable.

“The Word” is the undergraduate student handbook published annually by the Division of Student Affairs. It contains rules and regulations as well as in-depth information about campus life. You can also review policies in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Many engineers have successfully participated in varsity sports offered at Carnegie Mellon. As a Division III NCAA program, athletic participation is designed to be compatible with the rigorous academic requirements of CIT. Contact the Athletics Department for more information on how to get involved.

SpaceQuest is an online application that allows you reserve a space on campus up to a year in advance. Your Andrew ID and password is required to use SpaceQuest, and requests for space are subject to review and approval.

Who should I contact with questions regarding tuition billing or financial aid?

Questions regarding billing for tuition, fees and payment information, financial aid, student loans, and scholarships should be directed to:

Enrollment Services (HUB)
Telephone: 412-268-8186
E-Mail: thehub@andrew.cmu.edu

Where can I locate information about campus scheduled holidays and breaks?

Carnegie Mellon’s Academic Calendar located on the HUB web site has all of this information and more.