I get a lot of queries about Masters at CMU and CMU's MS in Information Networks program.
Here are my viewpoints at one place and why I chose this program over other options (Utah and Penn State Harrisburg) and what my experience has been.
Program : MS-IN program is extremely flexible you can take courses from almost all CMU departments (ECE, SCS, MSE, Heinz, ML, LTI). The program has a few mandatory courses in Systems domain they are extremely challenging. Program gives you the flexibility to load your semester according to your bandwidth.
Internship Search Experience : CMU has a significant pull in the industry. If you take relevant courses at CMU you are guaranteed multiple callbacks from in-domain companies of all sizes. CMU career fairs are extremely helpful. A lot of big name companies(Apple, Nvidia, Intel, Citadel) even visit the campus separately to hire. Even in this macro economic environment the internship experience has been very positive for a lot of my peers and me. The INI department also provides a LOT of support to find internships and full-time roles by leveraging alumni connections. Here are the career stats https://www.cmu.edu/ini/student-services/career_services/career_docs/2022-msin-intern-outcomes.pdf
Cost Of Attendance : COA is extremely high $25000+ per semester at CMU, but there are a lot of financing options available. Also INI department does give out scholarships for tuition fees depending on your profile. A huge con of CMU is no tuition fee waiver for RA/TA students, and the hourly rate is also not that great.
Pittsburgh : It’s a small place with good public transport. Extremely safe, but typical east coast weather. Cost of living is on the lower side. Expect to shell out 1000-1200$ pm on an average. Could go higher or lower depending on your lifestyle.
Pros :
Difficult coursework that makes you do things( I have written more code in my first semester than I did in one year at my previous job)
Comparatively easy to get callbacks from recruiters (IF you have taken relevant courses at CMU)
Peers are extremely smart and from diverse cultures, this will make you push your limits.
MS-IN is the most flexible program at CMU.
Cons :
COST
You will NOT get into courses of your choice if you don’t do well in the pre- requisites. This can get frustrating, but this is one way CMU maintains quality. This is especially true for systems courses.
I hope this gives you enough clarity about the program. I can be reached on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/indrajitbhosale/
I’d be happy to answer any queries.