<p>A mixed bag of results for CMU. Here are some of the highlights:</p>
<p>[ul]</p>
<p>[<em>] Overall ranking (national universities): # 22 (down 1 from last year).
[</em>] Overall business ranking: # 7 (actually #5 if you consider multiple ties).
[li] Overall engineering ranking: # 9 (actually # 6 again considering ties). </p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]</p>
<p>In the specialty rankings, CMU was listed:</p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>] # 2 in quantitative analysis (business).
[</em>] # 2 in operational management (business).
[<em>] ** #2 in computer engineering **
[li] #10 in environmental engineering (actually # 8 considering ties).[/li][</em>] #10 in mechanical engineering.
[<em>] #10 in electrical engineering (down 2 from last year).
[</em>] #11 in materials engineering (actually # 9 if ties are taken into account).
[<em>] #12 in civil engineering.
[</em>] #14 in chemical engineering.
[/ul]</p>
<p>** Notes: **</p>
<p>[ol]
[li] CMU actually offers only one major respectively for electrical and computer engineering and civil and environmental engineering. Ranking them separately doesn't make a lot of sense then as far as CMU is concerned.</p>[/li]
<p>[li] The USN&WR rankings, which are based solely on peer assessment, seem to have a certain correlation, at least in engineering, with CMU's faculty scholarly productivity index ranking, i.e., those areas where CMU gets high score for research output are also those that rank higher in undergraduate education. That would be probably true also if USN&WR ranked for example computer science, applied math, statistics, or psychology programs.[/li][/ol]</p>
<p>I know their Information Systems is really good, but that's seen in the graduate school rankings. Is that still applicable for undergrads to some degree?</p>
<p>CMU doesn't appear in the biomedical engineering ranking. I suppose that's because biomedical engineering is only offered as a double major at the undergraduate level and the program is not really very well-known nationally.</p>
<p>BTW, in the overall national ranking, CMU actually made to the top 20 (#19, I think) based on peer assessment only. What really hurts CMU in the ranking is selectivity though. For the 2008 list, the 2006 acceptance rate (34 %) was used. Considering that rate fell to 28 % in 2007, I expect that CMU will probably make to the top 20 next year.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind that the USN&WR ranking , particularly the specialty ranking, is basically just a subjective prestige classification, more so than an objective measure of quality. Of course, prestige matters in the real world and it is usually somewhat correlated with (perceived) quality, so it shouldn't be simply dismissed.</p>
<p>I don't know about BME, but anything related to information systems should be exceptionally strong at CMU.</p>
<p>BTW, I forgot to mention that, within business specialties, CMU also ranked #1 in management information systems (in addition to #2 in both operations management and quantitative analysis).</p>
<p>IS is part of H&SS, but doesn't it also involve Tepper? It's atleast somewhat business-based I thought. A few of the classes are at Tepper and SCS, correct?</p>
<p>Another thing that you should keep in mind when making a choice is that BME is not a stand-alone major at CMU. You are actually required to double-major in BME and another engineering specialty. </p>
<p>Overall, CMU's BME department offers 5 different tracks which you can combine with electrical/computer engineering (ECE), chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, or civil/environmental engineering.</p>
<p>All options draw on CMU's various strengths in different engineering fields and offer excellent preparation for graduate school. Besides, you will graduate with a prestigious CMU ECE, MechE, CE,ChE, or MAtScE degree, in addition to a BME qualification.</p>
<p>Information Systems doesn't seem to be an extremely selective major, like CS or Business, even though they're number #1. They're only slightly more difficult to get into than MCS, correct?</p>
<p>aqua it seems like you are trying to select based on the program rank rather than the curriculum - rank is important but BME is vastly different from IS. You are talking about the difference between essentially the software engineering/IT realm and making prostetic arms! You might want to look at BME specific rankings for more input but at the end of the day as long as it is an accredited program you will likely be happy with BME at any decent school. CMU is great but no school is worth attending if you aren't in the program you want to be in IMO. Just a thought. Actually I think Pitt's BME program is ranked higher then CMU's but I am far too lazy to check :)</p>
<p>I realize that BME and IS are very different; however, I do have an interest in both fields, so I am trying to see which would be a better major to apply for at CMU. That's interesting though. Even Pitt has better BME xD
The accelerated master's degree for IS seems pretty attractive right now. I'm thinking that that wouldn't be a bad idea! I could potentially get it all done in 5 years.</p>
<p>I think CMU's BME program is linked somehow to Pitt (their med school) but I too am too lazy to look it up. I do believe CMU's putting time and $ into the major, I wouldn't be surprised to see it ranked a lot higher in a few years.</p>
<p>aquamarinee I posted previously my S was an IS/CS double major. He also got the masters in IS (called MISM program) and he did that in 5 years. It included a mandatory summer. He said he could actually have gotten BS in IS plus MISM in 4 years, it was the CS that made it a 5th year. </p>
<p>It was great for us since he was still considered an undergrad all 5 years so got his financial aid for undergrad and grad program. He worked it so he finished all 3 degrees that final semester concomitantly. </p>
<p>Even though you're at CMU you have to apply to MISM same as if you're at some other school. That means application, essays, 3 recommendations, and take the GRE. He has an amazing job, you can pm me if you want.</p>
<p>Since CMU is located in Pittsburgh, are there a lot of opportunities for undergrads to intern? If I were to major in IS, would there be a number of companies I could potentially work at? And same question for if I were a ChemE/BME major.</p>
<p>Note that the fact that CMU is in Pittsburgh has no correlation with the companies that come to hire. Companies all across the US (a lot of Software companies from the West coast) come to CMU job fairs.</p>