Master of Science in Information Security Policy and Management Application Process
Application Deadlines
Applicants for all three rounds of admission will be given equal consideration for merit-based scholarships, competitive scholarships, and fellowship awards.
What do I need to submit to be considered for admission within a specific round of admission?
Students should submit their application form and the required supporting materials by the listed deadline date: essay, resume, two (2) recommendations, official transcript/ evaluation report for your bachelor's degree, and official test scores (if applicable). Review the application checklist below for more details.
Note for international students: It is STRONGLY recommended that you submit you application and supporting materials in Round 1 or 2 to allow additional time for the completion of the immigration process (applying for the I-20, visa application/ appointment, etc.) if you are admitted and choose to enroll at Heinz College.
All students can refer to the information below for related details about each round of admission.
Why should I apply by this deadline?
This deadline is best for applicants who:
- want the earliest decision (end of January)
- are international students who will require an I-20/ student visa (most international students) and want the option to begin the immigration process as early as possible.
When will I receive my admission decision?
Students who submit their application and supporting materials by December 1 will receive their admission decision by the end of January.
Other than the earlier notification of your admission decision, there is no “advantage” to applying by December 1. This deadline is available for students who want or need to receive their admission decision as early as possible.
Why should I apply by this deadline?
This deadline is best for applicants who:
- have not yet completed their bachelor’s degree and want to include their 7th semester grades on their transcript for the admissions committee’s consideration.
- do not want or need an earlier decision from us.
- are international students who will require an I-20/ student visa (most international students) and want to begin the immigration process by mid- to late-March.
When will I receive my admission decision?
Students who submit their application and supporting materials by January 10 will receive their admission decision by the middle of March.
Why should I apply by this deadline?
This deadline is best for applicants who:
- want to meet the latest possible deadline for consideration for all merit-based scholarships and our competitive scholarship and fellowship awards (applications submitted later than the Round #3 deadline are not eligible for full consideration for competitive awards).
- will require an I-20/ student visa (most international students) and who want the option to begin the immigration process by early April.
When will I receive my admission decision?
Students who submit their application and supporting materials by February 1 will receive their admission decision by the end of March.
We will continue to accept applications after the published deadlines if space remains in the incoming class. Please contact the Office of Admissions if you are interested in submitting an application after February 1.
Many competitive scholarships and fellowships are awarded on a limited basis, and applications received after February 1 may not be included in the selection process. Prospective students who do not apply by the published deadlines will still be considered for merit-based scholarship support from their program.
What do I need to submit to be considered for admission after the final deadline?
Prospective students applying after the deadline should submit their application form and the required supporting materials as soon as possible. The required supporting materials are the essay, resume, two (2) recommendations, official transcript/evaluation report for your bachelor's degree, and official test scores (if applicable). Review the application checklist below for more details.
When will I receive my admission decision?
Students applying after the Round 3 deadline will receive their admission decision approximately four (4) weeks after their application and required supporting materials have been received and processed.
On June 15, 2027, the application system will close for admission to the full-time master’s programs’ incoming cohort for August 2027.
How to Submit Your Application
Regardless of your chosen deadline, you will complete these steps to submit your application:
- Answer required questions within the online application form
- Upload required essay and résumé
- Register each recommender's name and email address
- Enter test date and registration number for any required standardized test(s)
Applications are reviewed after all required materials have been received.
Questions? Contact your Admissions counselor.
Contact Senior Associate Director of Admissions, David Danenberg: davidbd@andrew.cmu.edu.
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Application Checklist
Before you begin the online application process, please carefully review the list of application requirements and admission criteria for the Master of Information Security Policy and Management graduate degree program.
The Admissions Committee takes a holistic approach to reviewing applications, and we will complete the review of your application after we have received all of your application materials.
You must submit a completed application form via our online application system to be considered for admission to Heinz College. Heinz College does not charge an application fee.
All applicants who have completed (or will complete) their Bachelor’s degree in the United States must have an official transcript of their undergraduate studies submitted directly to Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College by their undergraduate university.
All applicants who have completed (or will complete) their Bachelor’s degree outside the United States must have a course-by-course transcript evaluation report submitted directly to Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College via an approved transcript evaluation service.
All applicants must earn a Bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution (or its equivalent) prior to the date they would begin their studies at Heinz College. If you have not completed your Bachelor's degree by the time you submit your application for admission to Heinz College, you may be admitted on the condition that you submit your final, official transcript, including your date of graduation, prior to the start of your first semester at Heinz College.
Transcript and Course Evaluation Report Submission Information
We are committed to reducing barriers and increasing access for all applicants. We assess applicants holistically and take into consideration many factors, including quantitative background and experience.
Applicants are REQUIRED to submit GRE/GMAT scores or applicants can qualify for a waiver of the GRE/GMAT requirement by submitting one (1) or more of the following with their online application:
- Evidence of Prior Quantitative Coursework: At a minimum, applicants can demonstrate their preparedness by having earned a “B” or higher in a college-level, credit-bearing, College Algebra class (or a higher level of math). Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Precalculus or Calculus will satisfy this requirement if it appears on the undergraduate transcript as college credit. Only classes listed on the undergraduate or other official transcript(s) will be considered.
- Undergraduate transcript from Carnegie Mellon University: Applicants who have completed (or will complete) their undergraduate degree at Carnegie Mellon University are eligible for a waiver of the GRE/GMAT requirement.
The admissions committee reserves the right to require GRE/GMAT scores be submitted (prior to completing their review of the application) if the applicant’s work experience or coursework does not meet the minimum standard for enrollment.
Prospective students are encouraged to contact the Office of Admission if they want their work experience to be reviewed/ considered for the waiver ahead of submitting their application.
If your native language (mother tongue) is not English, you are required to submit an official score report from the TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test. The only exceptions are for:
- students who have worked or studied for five or more years in Australia, Botswana, Canada, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, and/or Zambia.
- students who studied for four years of their undergrad education in the United States and earned their bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited US school (students are encouraged to provide unofficial copies of the English Language Proficiency exam they used when they applied to their undergraduate institution as part of their application to Heinz College).
Students who are required to submit test scores must have scores reported directly to Heinz College by the testing service. When required, we strongly recommend that you take the exam at least one month prior to the application deadline.
You are required to have two (2) recommendation forms submitted on your behalf. Recommendations should be provided by employers, supervisors, professors, or others who are able to comment on your professional and educational goals and potential. At least one (1) of your recommenders should know you in a professional setting (full-time employment, internship, part-time employment, research, non-academic extracurricular activity, etc.). You may opt to have up to three (3) recommendations submitted in support of your application.
Please note: recommendations from friends, family members or acquaintances, and other sources not able to evaluate applicants on an academic or professional basis, will not be accepted.
Letters of recommendation must be written in or translated into English. Your recommendations must be submitted electronically through the online application system by your recommenders. We do not accept recommendations submitted on paper.
You are required to upload your résumé to the application system. Please submit a one- or two-page summary of your education skills, accomplishments, employment experiences, and volunteer experiences. The résumé MUST be current and include all part-time and full-time work experience, the dates of when the employment began and ended, and a brief description of your responsibilities under the title of the position.
Please consider using the "Optional Essay" to address the reason for any "gap" in your résumé, if applicable.
Your résumé should contain only true information and your own, original content. If you include a quote or text written by any other person or published in any printed or online format, you must surround the copied text in quotation marks (") and indicate the original source of the text. Information reported on your résumé is subject to verification. The Heinz College Office of Admissions utilizes several methods to identify plagiarized and falsified content in uploaded documents. Submission of false or plagiarized material as part of the application for admission may result in automatic denial of admission to any degree program.
You are required to upload the required essay to the application system.
Your essay should address the following 3 questions. We recommend that your total essay length should be 700 words minimum (up to 1,100 words suggested maximum). Please give each section of your essay the appropriate heading for each question.
- Career Goals: What are your career goals after completing graduate school? (Recommended response length: 150-300 words)
- Prior Experience: How have your prior experiences (professional, academic, and/or personal) prepared you for graduate study and informed your career goals? (Recommended response length: 400-500 words)
- Why Heinz College: How will attending this degree program at Heinz College help you achieve your career goals? (Recommended response length: 150-300 words)
Your essay should contain only true information and your own, original content. You should not use artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, to write any portion of your essay. If you include a quote or text written by any other person or published in any printed or online format, you must surround the copied text in quotation marks (") and indicate the original source of the text. Information reported on your résumé is subject to verification. The Heinz College Office of Admissions utilizes several methods to identify plagiarized, AI-generated, and falsified content in uploaded documents. Submission of false, plagiarized or AI-generated material as part of the application for admission may result in automatic denial of admission to any degree program.
You may choose to submit an essay in which you comment on any item(s) in your application that you consider worthy of further explanation. We are mostly interested in having you address any gaps in your professional experience, or anything you would consider a weakness that could have an impact on your admission status. Please limit optional essays to no more than 250 words.
Your essay should contain only true information and your own, original content. You should not use artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, to write any portion of your essay. If you include a quote or text written by any other person or published in any printed or online format, you must surround the copied text in quotation marks (") and indicate the original source of the text. Information reported on your résumé is subject to verification. The Heinz College Office of Admissions utilizes several methods to identify plagiarized, AI-generated, and falsified content in uploaded documents. Submission of false, plagiarized or AI-generated material as part of the application for admission may result in automatic denial of admission to any degree program.
The completion of a short video interview is optional, but strongly recommended, and extremely important for applicants to the MSISPM program, especially individuals unable to visit campus prior to the application deadline or those who are non-native English speakers.
You will receive an email invitation to complete the video interview after you submit your online application and after we receive your official undergraduate transcript (or course-by-course evaluation report).
Heinz College is committed to ensuring the integrity of our admissions process and the reputation of our educational programs. We also want to protect and enhance the value of the degrees that we confer. As an enrolling student, you will be required to successfully complete a verification process of your admission application materials. The verification process will be completed by an outside, independent contractor hired by Heinz College and Carnegie Mellon University.
The purpose of this background check is to protect all stakeholders of the program (students, faculty, staff, and alumni) from those who would falsify their backgrounds to gain an unfair advantage in the admissions process. We believe that this verification will support our efforts to ensure integrity throughout the program. Upon admission, you will receive more details about this process from the Office of Admissions.
Learn more about the exchange student application requirements for Information Security Policy and Management students.
Quantitative Skills Summer Program
At Carnegie Mellon University and Heinz College, our commitment to evidence-based decision making and quantitative analysis sets our graduates apart in the workforce. We know that many of our students do not come from a quantitative background. To help all of our students hit the ground running once they arrive, we offer a free Quantitative Skills Summer Program (QSSP) to give you the foundation you need for a Heinz College education.
You must pass the two courses you will take to be qualified to begin your master's program at Heinz College in August, but don’t worry. We do not admit students that we do not think can complete our curriculum. We want you to succeed, and our QSSP will ensure that you do.
Tracks With Additional Application Requirements
Applying to an Accelerated Master's Program as an Undergraduate Student
Heinz College and Ajou University offer an Accelerated Master's Program to qualified Ajou University undergraduate students. The program, structured as three years at Ajou University followed by three semesters at Heinz College, results in students receiving both a bachelor's and a master's degree in less time than is normally required.
Eligibility
The program is designed for Ajou University students who have completed their third year.
Admissions Requirements
Students can apply online for free in the fall (August to December) of their third year for admission at the start of their fourth year. As an Accelerated Master's applicant, you are required to submit the application materials and meet the admission criteria required of all MSISPM applicants, detailed above in the "Application Checklist" section.
Tuition and Fees
Students will pay tuition and fees to Ajou University from their first through third years. They will pay tuition and fees to Carnegie Mellon for their graduate program for four semesters beyond the completion of their third year.
Conferral of Degrees
Students will receive both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon completion of their graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. Ajou University will count units taken during the master’s program toward the student’s bachelor’s degree according to its policies and procedures. Carnegie Mellon will forward to Ajou University transcripts and other necessary information on student academic performance.
Scholarships
Ajou University students will be eligible for scholarship support (if applicable) from Ajou University for their first through third years. They will be eligible for scholarship support from the Heinz College for the length of their graduate program, and can apply to any and all Heinz College scholarship funds for which they are eligible (based on program and the individual scholarship fund’s specific requirements).
Number of Students
Each year, Heinz College will admit a maximum of five qualified Ajou University students to the MSISPM programs.
Prerequisites
The MSISPM program does not have formal prerequisites for admission. However, because the curriculum is highly quantitative, students should take a college-level course in 1. statistics and 2. advanced algebra/pre-calculus. Students who have not taken these courses may be required to attend a four-week summer program online through Heinz College prior to the start of their master's program. There is no tuition for the summer program, but we encourage students to take these courses at Ajou University.
Heinz College and Allegheny College offer an Accelerated Master's Program to qualified Allegheny College undergraduate students. The program, structured as three years at Allegheny College followed by three semesters at Heinz College, results in students receiving both a bachelor's and a master's degree in less time than is normally required.
Eligibility
The program is designed for Allegheny College students who have completed their junior year.
Admissions Requirements
Students can apply online for free in the fall of their junior year for admission at the start of their senior year. As an Accelerated Master's applicant, you are required to submit the application materials and meet the admission criteria required of all MSISPM applicants, detailed above in the "Application Checklist" section.
Tuition and Fees
Students will pay tuition and fees to Allegheny College from their freshman through junior years. They will pay tuition and fees to Carnegie Mellon for their graduate program for four semesters beyond the completion of their junior year. Allegheny College students also will be responsible for paying a maintenance fee to Allegheny College while enrolled at Carnegie Mellon in their senior year.
Conferral of Degrees
Students will receive both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon completion of their graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. Allegheny College will count units taken during the master’s program toward the student’s bachelor’s degree according to its policies and procedures. Carnegie Mellon will forward to Allegheny College transcripts and other necessary information on student academic performance.
Scholarships
Allegheny College students will be eligible for scholarship support from Allegheny College for their freshman through junior years. They will be eligible for scholarship support from the Heinz College for the length of their graduate program, and can apply to any and all Heinz College scholarship funds for which they are eligible (based on program and the individual scholarship fund’s specific requirements).
Number of Students
Each year, Heinz College will admit a maximum of 10 qualified Allegheny College students to the MSISPM program.
Prerequisites
The MSISPM program does not have formal prerequisites for admission. However, because the curriculum is highly quantitative, students should take a college-level course in 1. statistics and 2. advanced algebra/pre-calculus. Students who have not taken these courses may be required to attend a four-week summer program at the Heinz College prior to the start of their master's program. There is no tuition for the summer program, but we encourage students to take these courses at Allegheny College.
Heinz College and Bethany College offer an Accelerated Master's Program to qualified Bethany College undergraduate students. The program, structured as three years at Bethany College followed by three semesters at Heinz College, results in students receiving both a bachelor's and a master's degree in less time than is normally required.
Eligibility
The program is designed for Bethany College students who have completed their junior year.
Admissions Requirements
Students can apply online for free in the fall of their junior year for admission at the start of their senior year. As an Accelerated Master's applicant, you are required to submit the application materials and meet the admission criteria required of all MSISPM applicants, detailed above in the "Application Checklist" section.
Tuition and Fees
Students will pay tuition and fees to Bethany College from their freshman through junior years. They will pay tuition and fees to Carnegie Mellon for their graduate program for four semesters beyond the completion of their junior year. Bethany College students also will be responsible for paying a maintenance fee to Bethany College while enrolled at Carnegie Mellon in their senior year.
Conferral of Degrees
Students will receive both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon completion of their graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. Bethany College will count units taken during the master’s program toward the student’s bachelor’s degree according to its policies and procedures. Carnegie Mellon will forward to Bethany College transcripts and other necessary information on student academic performance.
Scholarships
Bethany College students will be eligible for scholarship support from Bethany College for their freshman through junior years. They will be eligible for scholarship support from the Heinz College for the length of their graduate program, and can apply to any and all Heinz College scholarship funds for which they are eligible (based on program and the individual scholarship fund’s specific requirements).
Number of Students
Each year, Heinz College will admit a maximum of 10 qualified Bethany College students to the MSISPM program.
Prerequisites
The MSISPM program does not have formal prerequisites for admission. However, because the curriculum is highly quantitative, students should take a college-level course in 1. statistics and 2. advanced algebra/pre-calculus. Students who have not taken this coursework may be required to attend a summer program at the Heinz College for approximately four weeks prior to the start of their program. There is no tuition for the summer program, but we encourage students to take these courses at Bethany College.
Find detailed information on the Information Security Policy and Management Accelerated Master's Program for Carnegie Mellon University undergraduate students.
Find detailed information on the Information Security Policy and Management Accelerated Master's Program for Chatham University undergraduate students.
Heinz College and ESAN University Faculty of Engineering offer an Accelerated Master's Program to qualified ESAN University Faculty of Engineering undergraduate students. The program, structured as four years at ESAN University followed by four semesters at Heinz College, results in students receiving both a bachelor's and a master's degree in less time than is normally required.
Eligibility
The program is designed for ESAN University students who have completed their fourth year.
Admissions Requirements
Students can apply online for free in the fall (August to December) of their fourth year for admission at the start of their fifth year. As an Accelerated Master's applicant, you are required to submit the application materials and meet the admission criteria required of all MSISPM applicants, detailed above in the "Application Checklist" section.
Tuition and Fees
Students will pay tuition and fees to ESAN University from their first through fourth years. They will pay tuition and fees to Carnegie Mellon for their graduate program for three semesters beyond the completion of their fourth year. ESAN University students will be required to maintain enrollment at ESAN during the accelerated program, but will not owe any fees to ESAN University while enrolled at Carnegie Mellon in their fifth year or beyond.
Conferral of Degrees
ESAN students will complete a three-unit independent study in their final semester to meet the research requirement as required by Peruvian University Law No. 30220. Students will receive both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon completion of their graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. ESAN University will count units taken during the master’s program toward the student’s bachelor’s degree according to its policies and procedures. Carnegie Mellon will forward to ESAN University transcripts and other necessary information on student academic performance.
Scholarships
ESAN University students will be eligible for scholarship support (if applicable) from ESAN University for their first through fourth years. They will be eligible for scholarship support from the Heinz College for the length of their graduate program, and can apply to any and all Heinz College scholarship funds for which they are eligible (based on program and the individual scholarship fund’s specific requirements).
Number of Students
Each year, Heinz College will admit a maximum of five qualified ESAN University students to the MSISPM program.
Prerequisites
The MSISPM program does not have formal prerequisites for admission. However, because the curriculum is highly quantitative, students should take a college-level course in 1. statistics and 2. advanced algebra/pre-calculus. Students who have not taken these courses may be required to attend a four-week summer program online through Heinz College prior to the start of their master's program. There is no tuition for the summer program, but we encourage students to take these courses at ESAN University.
Heinz College and Singapore Management University (SMU) offer an Accelerated Master's Program to qualified “Fast-Track” undergraduate students. The program, structured as three years as SMU students followed by three semesters at Heinz College, results in students receiving both a bachelor's and a master's degree in less time than is normally required.
Eligibility
The program is designed for SMU Fast Track students who have completed their junior year.
Admissions Requirements
Students can apply online for free in the fall of their junior year for admission at the start of their senior year. As a Fast Track applicant, you are required to submit the application materials and meet the admission criteria required of all Information Systems Management and Business Intelligence and Data Analytics applicants, detailed above in the "Application Checklist" section.
Conferral of Degrees
Students will receive both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon completion of their graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. SMU will count units taken during the master’s program toward the student’s bachelor’s degree according to its policies and procedures. Carnegie Mellon will forward to SMU transcripts and other necessary information on student academic performance.
Prerequisites
The MSISPM program does not have formal prerequisites for admission. However, because the curriculum is highly quantitative, students should take a college-level course in 1. statistics and 2. advanced algebra/pre-calculus. Students who have not taken these courses may be required to attend a four-week summer program at the Heinz College prior to the start of their master's program. There is no tuition for the summer program, but we encourage students to take these courses at Singapore Management University.
Heinz College and VinUniversity offer an Accelerated Master's Program to qualified VinUniversity undergraduate students. The program, structured as three years at VinUniversity followed by four semesters at Heinz College, results in students receiving both a bachelor's and a master's degree in less time than is normally required.
Eligibility
The program is designed for VinUniversity students who have completed their third year.
Admissions Requirements
Students can apply online for free in the fall (August to December) of their third year for admission at the start of their fourth year. As an Accelerated Master's applicant, you are required to submit the application materials and meet the admission criteria required of all MSISPM applicants, detailed above in the "Application Checklist" section.
Tuition and Fees
Students will pay tuition and fees to VinUniversity from their first through third years. They will pay tuition and fees to Carnegie Mellon for their graduate program for three semesters beyond the completion of their third year.
Conferral of Degrees
Students will receive both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon completion of their graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. VinUniversity will count units taken during the master’s program toward the student’s bachelor’s degree according to its policies and procedures. Carnegie Mellon will forward to VinUniversity transcripts and other necessary information on student academic performance.
Scholarships
VinUniversity students will be eligible for scholarship support (if applicable) from VinUniversity for their first through third years. They will be eligible for scholarship support from the Heinz College for the length of their graduate program, and can apply to any and all Heinz College scholarship funds for which they are eligible (based on program and the individual scholarship fund’s specific requirements).
Number of Students
Each year, Heinz College will admit a maximum of five qualified VinUniversity students to the MISM and MISM-BIDA programs.
Prerequisites
The MSISPM program does not have formal prerequisites for admission. However, because the curriculum is highly quantitative, students should take a college-level course in 1. statistics and 2. advanced algebra/pre-calculus. Students who have not taken these courses may be required to attend a four-week summer program online through Heinz College prior to the start of their master's program. There is no tuition for the summer program, but we encourage students to take these courses at VinUniversity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Didn't find what you were looking for on this page? Check out our Admissions Frequently Asked Questions page for additional information on any of the topics or processes outlined above.