Master Programme
Master of Science in Computational Finance
Carnegie Mellon's MS in Computational Finance (MSCF) is run jointly by four departments: the Tepper School of Business, Statistics and Data Science, Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science. It starts with an online Summer Launch course and a three-week on-campus orientation covering maths, programming, markets and careers. The first year builds core quantitative finance skills, including stochastic calculus, Python and a five-course financial data science sequence, alongside financial computing courses (the third is in C++) and a course on how financial markets and firms work. After a required summer internship (or a faculty-supervised research project), the final semester mixes required courses with electives such as NLP for finance and factor-based asset management, plus a 14-week data science capstone with a financial firm. Students choose the Pittsburgh or New York location.
University
Carnegie Mellon University
Country
United States
Level
Master
Field
Finance
Duration
Full-time over three academic semesters with a required summer internship (on-campus orientation starts 1 August)
Language
English
Campus
Pittsburgh
Degree
Master of Science in Computational Finance (MSCF)
Intake
Fall (orientation begins 1 August 2027)
Application Deadline
Fall 2027 entry: Round 1 by 1 December 2026 (decisions 26 February 2027, deposit due 25 March 2027) or Round 2 by 1 March 2027 (decisions 30 April 2027, deposit due 16 May 2027). The application fee is US$125, paid by credit card
Tuition Information
2026-27: MSCF tuition is US$71,800 for the academic year (US$35,900 a semester) at both the Pittsburgh and New York locations. Student Financial Services' Pittsburgh budget adds US$14,752 for housing, US$8,664 for food, US$2,212 for books and supplies, US$3,352 for health insurance, US$4,098 for personal costs, US$2,990 for travel and US$1,040 in fees, for a fall and spring cost of attendance of about US$108,900 (our total of the official figures, leaving out federal loan fees). New York has higher housing and food costs. Every admitted student is considered for a merit scholarship, but these are partial and competitive
Admission Requirements
- A four-year bachelor's degree (or foreign equivalent) with Calculus I and II, linear algebra, calculus-based probability and at least one semester of an object-oriented programming language (C++, Java, Python or C#); applicants missing one area can be considered if they fix it before enrolling
- Application materials: resume, transcripts and degree certificates for every institution attended, two short essays and a 90-second video essay, and three letters of recommendation. You must submit either an official GRE or GMAT score (valid for five years) or take the free one-hour MSCF Quantitative Assessment. Interviews are by invitation
- English proficiency: international applicants must take the Duolingo English Test, TOEFL or IELTS, unless their bachelor's degree came from an institution where they studied for two or more years and English was the only language of instruction, or they earned a graduate degree taught entirely in English. Scores must be under two years old. The MSCF admissions page does not publish a minimum score