Cornell University Master of Engineering in Computer Science

Cornell University offers a Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Computer Science as two separate programs: one on the Ithaca campus through the Department of Computer Science, and one at Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island in New York City.

Both versions are 30 credits and take one year of full-time study in person. Machine learning is not required of every student in either program. It enters the degree through elective courses in machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, and through the required project in Ithaca or the Studio courses at Cornell Tech.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Quick Facts

DegreeMaster of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Computer Science
SchoolDepartment of Computer Science, Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science (Ithaca); Cornell Tech (New York City)
LocationIthaca, New York or Roosevelt Island, New York City
FormatCampus only at both locations
Credits30
Culminating ExperienceM.Eng. project (Ithaca) or Studio courses (Cornell Tech), no thesis
Minimum GPANo minimum published
GRENot required
Tuition$73,946 for the 2026–27 academic year, full time
Ithaca DeadlinesFebruary 1 (fall), October 18, 2026 (spring 2027)
Cornell Tech DeadlinesDecember 1, 2026, January 26, 2027, and April 1, 2027 (fall 2027)
Typical LengthTwo semesters full time; two years part time at Cornell Tech

Official Master of Engineering in Computer Science page

Curriculum

Cornell does not offer a standalone master’s degree in machine learning or artificial intelligence for 2026–27. Students who want machine learning earn the M.Eng. in Computer Science and build it from electives. The two campuses share the degree name and the 30-credit total, but each has its own requirements, application, and course list.

Ithaca Requirements

The Ithaca program has no fixed list of required courses. Students complete 30 credits under these rules:

  • At least 15 credits of computer science courses numbered 5000 or above
  • 3 to 6 credits of project work in CS 5999
  • Remaining credits in advanced technical courses, which may come from other engineering and related departments

At least 28 credits must be taken for a letter grade, no course below a C- counts, and students need a 2.5 cumulative GPA to continue. Courses at the 4000 level do not count.

Ithaca Machine Learning and AI Courses

The Department of Computer Science lists AI and machine learning as one of the areas in which students can specialize. Recent Ithaca class rosters include:

  • CS 5700 – Foundations of AI Reasoning and Decision-Making
  • CS 5780 – Introduction to Machine Learning
  • CS 5782 – Introduction to Deep Learning
  • CS 5740 – Natural Language Processing
  • CS 5670 – Introduction to Computer Vision
  • CS 5756 – Robot Learning

The program also accepts advanced technical courses from other departments, including:

  • ECE 5420 – Fundamentals of Machine Learning
  • ORIE 5320 – Optimization for AI
  • ORIE 5570 – Reinforcement Learning with Operations Research Applications
  • ORIE 5740 – Statistical Data Mining I
  • ORIE 5741 – Learning with Big Messy Data
  • INFO 5368 – Practical Applications in Machine Learning
  • STSCI 5740 – Data Mining and Machine Learning
  • SYSEN 6888 – Deep Learning

All of these are electives. Because students choose their own courses, it is possible to finish the degree without a machine learning course. Offerings vary by semester.

M.Eng. Project

Every Ithaca student completes a project in CS 5999 – Master of Engineering Project under a computer science faculty member or researcher. The project must be a computer science application that explores or solves an engineering problem. It can be done within a faculty research group, as a team effort, or with an outside organization. It requires a written report and a grade of B or higher. The program has no thesis.

Cornell Tech Requirements

For 2026–27, Cornell Tech students complete 30 credits consisting of:

  • 18 credits of technical courses: five computer science courses and one technical elective from computer science, operations research, electrical and computer engineering, or information science
  • 8 credits of Studio courses
  • 4 credits of general electives

The Studio requirement is TECH 5900 – Product Studio, one of TECH 5910 – Startup Studio, TECH 5920 – BigCo Studio, or TECH 5930 – PiTech Impact Studio, and a one-credit Studio elective. Students work in teams with business, law, and engineering students on products for companies and startups.

Cornell Tech Machine Learning and AI Courses

Cornell Tech does not name the five computer science courses a student must take. Its machine learning and AI courses include:

  • CS 5785 – Applied Machine Learning
  • CS 5781 – Machine Learning Engineering
  • CS 5787 – Deep Learning
  • CS 5788 – Intro to Generative Models
  • CS 5789 – Introduction to Reinforcement Learning
  • CS 5744 – Language Modeling
  • CS 5670 – Computer Vision
  • CS 5382 – Fairness in Machine Learning

Cornell Tech lists an AI for Engineers certificate for M.Eng. in Computer Science students in the Class of 2027. It requires at least three courses from the list above, including Applied Machine Learning, Machine Learning Engineering, or Deep Learning, plus one course in an area such as AI law and policy, AI for healthcare, or optimization for AI. The certificate is issued by Cornell Tech after graduation and does not appear on the diploma or transcript.

Cost and Tuition

Cornell is a private university and charges the same tuition to New York residents and nonresidents. Full-time M.Eng. students pay a flat rate, and part-time Cornell Tech students pay by the credit hour.

For the 2026–27 academic year, Cornell lists:

ProgramTuition
M.Eng., Ithaca, per semester$36,973
M.Eng., Ithaca, per year$73,946
M.Eng., Cornell Tech, full time, per year$73,946
M.Eng. in Computer Science, Cornell Tech, part time, per credit hour$2,376

A full-time student who finishes in two semesters pays $73,946 in tuition at either campus. At 30 credits, part-time tuition at Cornell Tech comes to about $71,280 at the 2026–27 rate, spread over two years.

Cornell Tech students also pay a $366 New York City health fee and a $110 student activity fee, and student health insurance is listed at $3,751 to $4,092. Cornell Tech estimates living costs at $40,746 per year. In Ithaca, the Bursar lists a graduate student activity fee of $50.50 per semester.

The Ithaca program states that funding is the student’s responsibility, with a limited number of scholarships and hourly course staff positions. Cornell Tech offers a limited number of merit scholarships to full-time students and does not offer full-tuition funding. Part-time students are not eligible for Cornell Tech scholarships. Rates can change each year.

View Cornell University tuition rates and fees

Admission Requirements

The two campuses run separate admissions. An application to one is not considered by the other.

For Ithaca, a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related technical field typically meets the requirement. Applicants from other fields need to show knowledge of:

  • object-oriented programming and data structures
  • data structures and functional programming
  • computer system organization and programming
  • discrete structures
  • calculus and linear algebra

The Ithaca program does not accept online open courses as proof of this background. Cornell Tech looks for a computer science or related technical background. Applicants without one should show coursework in software engineering and linear algebra and a working knowledge of data structures and algorithms.

Neither program publishes a minimum GPA. The GRE is not required at either campus, and Cornell Tech does not accept GRE scores.

Application Materials

Ithaca applicants submit:

  • Graduate School online application
  • transcripts
  • resume or CV
  • two letters of recommendation
  • statement of purpose of up to 1,000 words
  • personal statement of up to 1,000 words
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores when required

Cornell Tech applicants submit:

  • Cornell Tech online application and $95 application fee
  • resume of up to two pages
  • personal statement of up to 750 words
  • three-minute video essay
  • two letters of recommendation
  • transcripts from every university attended
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores when required

Both programs ask for an IELTS overall score of 7.0 from applicants who need to show English proficiency. Cornell Tech sets its TOEFL minimum at 100. Cornell Tech also requires a course-by-course evaluation of transcripts from outside the United States and Canada and does not accept transfer credits.

Application Deadlines

ProgramEntry TermDeadline
IthacaSpring 2027October 18, 2026
IthacaFallFebruary 1
Cornell Tech, full timeFall 2027December 1, 2026 (priority)
Cornell Tech, full timeFall 2027January 26, 2027 (round 2)
Cornell Tech, full timeFall 2027April 1, 2027 (rolling)
Cornell Tech, part timeFall 2027January 26, 2027 (priority)
Cornell Tech, part timeFall 2027April 1, 2027 (rolling)

The Ithaca program does not process late applications. Cornell Tech admits students for fall only. Full-time applicants who want scholarship consideration should apply by the priority deadline, and international applicants are encouraged to apply by round 2.

Program Format

The Ithaca program is taught in person and full time. It is designed to be finished in two semesters, students must register for at least 12 credits each semester, and part-time study is not permitted. Students can start in fall or spring.

The Cornell Tech program is taught in person on Roosevelt Island and starts each fall. The full-time version takes one year. A part-time version spreads the same 30 credits over two years at 6 to 9 credits per semester, with classes in the early morning, late afternoon, and some evenings. Part-time students are not eligible for F-1 or J-1 visa sponsorship.

Neither program is offered online. Cornell Tech states that its master’s programs other than the LLM are STEM designated, which allows eligible international students to apply for the STEM OPT extension.

Cornell undergraduates can begin the Ithaca program in their final semester through an Early Admit pathway.

Who Is This Program Best For?

Cornell’s M.Eng. in Computer Science is a strong option for students with a computer science background who want a one-year, project-based degree and the freedom to choose their own machine learning courses.

It may be especially appealing to students interested in:

  • machine learning and deep learning as electives within a computer science degree
  • natural language processing and computer vision
  • robot learning and reinforcement learning
  • a faculty-supervised project in Ithaca
  • product and startup Studio work in New York City
  • a part-time, in-person option at Cornell Tech for people working in the city

The degree is a computer science master’s first. Machine learning is a choice within it, not a requirement, and at Cornell Tech the Studio courses take 8 of the 30 credits. There is no thesis and no online option, applicants need computer science fundamentals before they apply, and tuition is about $74,000. Students who want a degree built entirely around AI, an online or lower-cost program, or a research thesis may want to compare other New York schools or Cornell Tech’s M.Eng. in Data Science and Decision Analytics, which requires a machine learning or data science core course.

Students can also compare Cornell University with other master’s programs in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields offered in New York.

View All Machine Learning Programs in New York