Frequently Asked Questions

Originally called the School of Urban and Public Affairs, or SUPA, we were renamed the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management in 1992. Pennsylvania Senator H. John Heinz III (heir to the H. J. Heinz Company—yes, the ketchup company, founded right here in Pittsburgh) was an inspiring public servant who sought sensible, bipartisan solutions to problems that affected Americans most in need. He was a member of the SUPA advisory board and an instructor here at Carnegie Mellon, and he was instrumental in CMU’s acquisition of Hamburg Hall—formerly the Bureau of Mines, now the home of Heinz College—from the federal government.

Senator Heinz was tragically killed in an aviation accident in 1991. To honor his contributions to both CMU and SUPA, and to carry forward his legacy of committed public service and thoughtful problem-solving, SUPA was renamed the H. John Heinz III School (in 1992) and now Heinz College (in 2008).

Heinz College emerged from a vision to educate leaders capable of addressing complex public affairs problems. Its roots in public policy education under the leadership of Dean William W. Cooper were grounded in a systems analytic approach, integrating social and decision sciences, operations research, and engineering. The school's expansion over the years, with programs such as the Master of Public Management and our Master of Information Systems Management, reflects its commitment to fostering leaders equipped to tackle diverse challenges.

After the school’s renaming in 1992, the intersection of technology and public policy prompted further evolution, leading to the establishment of the Master of Information Systems Management program in 1996. The school's emphasis on technology, data, creativity, and leadership earned it the #1 ranking for Information and Technology Management from U.S. News and World Report in 2001, and it became the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy in 2008.

For working professionals with at least three years of work experience, we offer two part-time programs: Master of Public Management and a Master of Science in Information Technology. These programs feature evening classes and remote learning options for increased flexibility.

Applications must be submitted through Heinz College’s online application system. You can save your application and work on it at your convenience. Heinz College only accepts applications via its online system.

Full-time students (master’s and Ph.D) at Heinz College must matriculate in the Fall semester.

If you are interested in a degree program with additional starts throughout the year we encourage you to look at our Master of Public Management or Master of Science in Information Technology programs, both of which are part-time programs (both require 3+ years of prior full-time work experience).

Heinz College does not charge an application fee.

We strongly encourage applicants to apply for entry for the year (for full-time) or semester (for part-time) in which they intend to enroll. Deferrals are not common and are considered on a case-by-case basis for one academic year only. Typically, deferrals are granted for military/volunteer public service or opportunities with one of our partner organizations.

These programs are all eligible for the STEM extension of their OPT:

• Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Management Systems
• Master of Information Systems Management
• Master of Information Systems Management: Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
• Master of Science in Information Security Policy Management
• Master of Science in Health Care Analytics and IT
• Master of Science in  Public Policy Management: Data Analytics
• Master of Science in Public Policy Management: Washington, DC
• Master of Science in Public Policy Management: Flagship track

These programs are NOT eligible for the STEM extension:

• Master of Arts Management
• Master of Entertainment Industry Management
• Master of Public Management
• Master of Medical Management
• Master of Science Information Technology

In lieu of a master’s thesis, Heinz College’s full-time master’s students complete a team-based “Capstone Project”, working in close collaboration with a real-world client. These projects fulfill an actual operational need for our clients, giving students an opportunity to have a measurable impact while still in school.

At Carnegie Mellon University, courses are counted in units instead of credits. A 12-unit course is roughly equivalent to a 4-credit-hour course at many of our peer institutions. Virtually all courses in Heinz College are 12 or 6 units. A semester-long course is 12 units (averaging 12 hours per week of work for the student to be successful in the class), while a half-semester class (called a mini) is 6 units (still averaging 12 hours per week of work, but for only half the semester, leading to the student earning half the units compared to a full semester course).

Mini courses are offered for half of a semester and are typically 6 units each. The first mini course in a semester starts on the first day of classes and ends at mid-semester. The second mini course starts at mid-semester and ends on the last day of classes.

Our academic year is broken up into 4 minis (2 minis each semester). Minis 1 and 2 make up the Fall semester, Minis 3 and 4 make up the Spring semester. And for students who take classes over the summer, we have Minis 5 and 6.

We do not accept transfer credits from institutions outside of Carnegie Mellon University toward any of our full-time degree programs (see below for part-time programs).

Students enrolling in Heinz College’s full-time master’s programs who have completed graduate-level coursework in another program or department at Carnegie Mellon will have transfer credit evaluated on a case-by-case basis only after admission is granted. Students enrolled in degree programs at Carnegie Mellon University other than those offered by Heinz College must complete the entire application for admission.

Students currently enrolled in any Heinz College degree program interested in transferring to another degree within Heinz College should contact David Eber for additional information.

For its full-time master’s programs, Heinz College offers exemption exams during new student onboarding (prior to their first semester as Heinz College students). For students who have completed previous coursework overlapping with the Heinz College curriculum, students are provided an opportunity to take an exam for a select number of core courses, with the possibility of being exempt from the required course or placed into a higher-level course. Any courses exempted would be replaced with additional elective units.

For our part-time Master of Public Management and Master of Science in Information Technology (Online) degree programs, enrolling students can request that our faculty evaluate previous, relevant, graduate-level coursework for possible transfer credit of up to 24 units (equal to two full-semester courses). The number of transfer units credited towards the MPM or MSIT degree is determined after a student has accepted an offer of admission and met with their academic advisor. The admissions office does not make determinations regarding transfer credits.