Graduate Project Alternatives

Information Networking Institute graduate students in the MSIN and the MSISTM degree programs have three program options for successful completion of their degree. These options include:

I. Academic Research-Based or Development-Based Project
II. Industry Internship/External Research-Based or Development-Based Project
III. Course Option

I. Academic Research-Based or Development-Based Project

The primary feature of this option is that the student undertakes the traditional INI project involving a CMU faculty advisor and reader. The student may work with faculty on either the faculty member's current research/projects or on projects devised by the student with the support of his or her advisor and reader. Requirements include:

• Attendance at the INI Research Seminars—held in the first fall and spring semesters of the program
• Submission of a project proposal on the last day of the spring Research Seminar. This document must be approved by the project advisor and reader and include a scope of work, timeline and deliverables.
• Project activity undertaken through the summer and fall of the student’s final year
• Project presentation, attended by the student’s advisor and reader
• Submission of a final project technical report, approved by the student’s advisor and reader
• Final grade submitted by the student’s faculty advisor before the graduation deadline
• Department certification

II. Industry Internship/External Research-Based or Development-Based Project

(Work undertaken on these projects may be done on or off campus, depending on arrangements made with the INI)

The primary feature of this option will be the student’s work with an organization (company, research facility, or product development group) external to the university and the student’s department. The student will require an external supervisor who will serve as the student’s advisor guiding his or her work, and an internal faculty reader who will follow the student’s progress, confer with the external supervisor/advisor, and, in agreement with the advisor, submit the student’s final grade. Requirements include:

• Attendance at the INI Research Seminars—held in the first fall and spring semesters of the program
• Submission of a project proposal on the last day of the spring Research Seminar. This document must be approved by both the supervisor/advisor and faculty reader and include a scope of work, timeline and deliverables.
• Project work undertaken through the summer and fall of the student’s final year. The project may be an industry internship, research, or product development.
• Progress report submitted at the end of the internship or other work (completed on-site at CMU or at an off-site facility)
• Project presentation, attended by the student’s advisor and faculty reader
• Submission of final project technical report, approved by the student’s supervisor/advisor and faculty reader
• Final grade submitted by the student’s faculty advisor before the December graduation deadline
• Department certification

III. Course Option

For the course option, the student will be required to take courses equivalent to the project units required in their program of study. Courses should make up an area of specialization and can be selected from graduate-level courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), the School of Computer Science (SCS), the Tepper School of Business, and core courses for the M.S. in Information Security Policy and Management (MSISPM) and M.S. in Information Systems Management (MISM) programs from the Heinz School of Public Policy and Management. Students should not take 2 courses that cover the same material. This option is recommended for students who may already have work and/or research experience. Requirements include:

• Submission of a proposal stating the student's area of concentration by the last day of the Spring semester
• No research or final project
• Completion of required courses by the second fall of the student’s program;
• Final grades for all required course categories (i.e., core and electives)
• Department certification following successful completion (with satisfactory GPA) of all required courses