Carnegie Mellon University's Doctoral Program in Machine Learning is designed to train students to become student leaders through a combination of interdisciplinary coursework, practical applications and cutting-edge research. The Machine Learning PhD alumni program is uniquely positioned to become a leader in both industry and academia in new developments in this field.
Understanding the most effective ways to use the vast amount of data currently stored is a critical issue for society, and therefore science and technology, as we seek to benefit from the enormous investments that are being made in computerization and data collection. Advances in the development of automated methods for data analysis and decision-making require interdisciplinary work in areas such as machine learning algorithms and fundamentals, statistics, complexity theory, optimization, and data mining.
The PhD Machine Learning Program is for students interested in machine learning research. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
The PhD program is a full-time, face-to-face commitment and is not offered online or part-time.
- Complete the required courses (6 core courses + 1 elective).
- Acquiring proficiency in education and presentation skills.
- A successful doctoral defence paper.
In addition to meeting the requirements shown here, students must also follow All University Policies and Procedures.
education
From the second year, PhD students must work as teaching assistants for the second semester of the Machine Learning Course (10-XXX). This meets the requirements for their educational skills.
Meeting presentation skills
In their second or third year, PhD students must give a speech for at least 30 minutes and invite members of the Speaking Skills Committee to attend and evaluate them.
the study
All doctoral degrees are expected. Students have been engaged in active research since their first semester. Additionally, advisor selection will occur within the first month of entering your PhD. Programming features options to change later. Approximately half of the student's time should be allocated to research and lab work, and half should be allocated to the course (until the course is completed).
Paper Committee
Students must work with their advisors to establish a dissertation committee. Below is an overview of the rules for this committee. (These rules apply to all ML Ph.D. students.) The committee must be approved by a doctoral degree, including: Program Director:
- At least one MLD Core Faculty member.
- At least one additional MLD core or related faculty.
- Usually at least one external member outside the CMU.
- At least four members, including the committee chair.
It is our responsibility, not your responsibility, to worry about your tuition fees and scholarships while you are in our program. We are committed to providing full tuition and scholarship support for next year. We intend to continue this support as long as we make satisfactory progress in our programme. Students who do not receive external financial support will be funded through a graduate assistantship awarded for nine months from September to May. This usually comes from an advisory grant. Therefore, certain research opportunities may be constrained by funding availability. Students who have received partial external financial support will lead them to a full level of support and receive additional supplements on top of that. If you have a dependent, you will also pay dependency allowances, which are 10% of your MLD monthly base scholarship, for each eligible dependant, unless your spouse or qualifying domestic partner earns more than $500 a month.
Application information
For applicants applying for the August 2025 start date in fall 2024, the GRE score is optional.
The committee uses GRE scores to measure quantitative skills and, to a lesser extent, oral skills.
Proof of English proficiency
If you study on an F-1 or J-1 visa and English is not your native language (meaning “native language” spoken at home or at birth), you will need to formally assess your English proficiency. Applicants studying on an F-1 or J-1 visa, or those who are not native English, should demonstrate their proficiency in English through one of these standardized tests: TOEFL (priority), IELTS, or Duolingo.
We do not issue exemptions to non-native English speakers. In particular, exemptions do not occur based on previous research in high schools, colleges or universities in the United States. We also do not issue exemptions based on previous research at English high schools, universities, or universities outside the United States. The amount of educational experience in English does not result in test exemptions, regardless of which country it occurred.
Additional details regarding English proficiency requirements can be found on the FAQ page.
