Syracuse University

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Staff
Updated August 6, 2020

Syracuse University was initially established in 1831 by the Methodist Episcopal Church of Lima as Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, the alma mater of New York Times founder Henry Jarvis Raymond. On March 24, 1870, the college was chartered independently, renamed for its location, and headed by Rev. Daniel Steele. Coeducational at its beginning with an equal male-female ratio, SU has grown to serve 21,970 Orange. Following the motto "Suos Cultores Scientia Coronat," Syracuse University has 1,563 faculty as a private, nonsectarian IAMSCU research powerhouse in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Surrounding the Kenneth A. Shaw Quad, Syracuse holds a 683-acre, Romanesque Revival-style campus on University Hill overlooking Forbes' 89th best city for education.

The U.S. News ranked Syracuse University as the 61st best college, 29th most vet-friendly campus, and 78th best engineering school. In particular, SU offers America's 17th best online computer IT and 35th top online engineering degrees for post-graduates. Forbes declared Syracuse the 74th best research institute with the 192nd most satisfied alums. On Niche, SU stands as the country's 67th most liberal university and 128th most diverse college. Money Magazine named Syracuse University the 159th best value nationally. The CWUR positioned SU as the 147th best U.S. and 457th top global university. According to TheBestSchools.org, Syracuse is the 86th richest university with its $1.157 billion endowment. Syracuse University is also the 58th best master's institution in Washington Monthly.

Syracuse University Accreditation Details

Reaffirmed in 2013 under Chancellor Nancy Cantor, Syracuse University has full regional accreditation without sanctions from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Syracuse's degrees, whether on-campus or online, are recognized for Title-IV eligibility by the U.S. Department of Education. The College of Engineering & Computer Science has held programmatic approval from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) since 1936. The Online M.S. in Computer Engineering meets the high-quality standards of the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC).

Syracuse University Application Requirements

Getting into Syracuse University can be a toss-up with the "more selective" admission rate of 52 percent. The Graduate Admissions Office in Bowne Hall will only accept post-bachelor's applicants with Bachelor of Science degrees in computing disciplines for the Online M.S. in Computer Engineering. Required prerequisites include data structures, algorithms, operating system design, and computer architecture. High-level C++ and Java programming skills are recommended. Courses must be completed with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on the 4.0 scale. If you have less than four years of full-time computing experience, reporting the GRE via school code 2823 is mandatory. Engineering students have average GRE scores of 154 (verbal) and 156 (quantitative).

The College of Engineering & Computer Science admits M.S. cohorts online every term until the November 6th, February 6th, and May 8th deadlines. Submitting before the priority dates of September 29th, January 5th, and April 2nd will diminish the Syracuse application fee from $75 to $45 though. Prospective post-grads must create a CollegeNET account to complete the online master's application. Excess materials may also be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to 716 E. Washington Street, Suite 200 in Syracuse, NY 13210. Hopeful M.S. in Computer Engineering students shouldn't forget the following:

  • Official undergrad transcripts from every college
  • Graduate Entrance Exam scores or GRE waiver
  • Double-spaced, 500-word personal intent letter
  • Two recommendations from supervisors or peers
  • Current résumé of computing/IT field experience
  • Military transcripts if active-duty or veteran service member

Tuition and Financial Aid

Traditional on-campus tuition at Syracuse University currently averages $34,632 per year for master's or doctoral students. Mandatory campus fees add $1,242 before the costly room and board price of $15,217 is figured in annually. Excess costs are shaved off when pursuing the M.S. in Computer Engineering online. The Graduate School will charge $1,500 per credit with a one-time $100 technology fee. When multiplied by 30 credits, the Online M.S. will set post-grads back $45,100 total before aid. PayScale recognized SU for reaping the 334th highest 20-year net ROI of $342,000 though.

According to the NCES, 69 percent of full-time SU Orange share $288.68 million in annual financial assistance with aid packages averaging $27,441 each. Although M.S. students won't qualify for Pell or FSEOG Grants, they can receive up to $20,500 in Direct Unsubsidized loans each year. Direct PLUS loans are another option with 7 percent interest charged. Empire State natives may earn the NYS Enhanced Tuition Award, Math and Science Teaching Incentive Scholarship, or Military Service Recognition Scholarship. Veterans benefits are extended via the Yellow Ribbon Program. Employee sponsorship is available at some partnering corporations like Lockheed Martin, SRC, and Northrop Grumman. The Syracuse Center for Fellowship offers competitive full-tuition graduate awards. External funds, such as the NSHSS STEM Scholarship, IEEE Presidents' Scholarship, AFCEA Scholarship, Adobe Research Women in Tech Scholarship, and Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship, would be accepted too.

Online Degree(s) Available

Syracuse University has developed an engaged virtual campus for post-grads to pursue 11 master's degrees online in 11-week quarters year-round. Besides a weekend immersion on The Hill, students solely attend live, webcam-based courses online and complete group projects over the 2U Inc. platform. Thanks to the 15:1 student-professor ratio and "No Back Row" mentality, interaction is frequent with the same esteemed, PhD-level faculty. Online learners also access the University Library, Career Services Office, and 24/7 tech support. Registration for online courses takes place on MySlice after virtual meetings with advisors. Here's one great online SU degree to consider:

M.S. in Computer Engineering

Headed by Dean Teresa A. Dahlberg, PhD, Syracuse's Online M.S. in Computer Engineering was ranked 19th nationally by Grad School Hub for training students to technically design hardware and software solutions for advancing the IT industry. Taking just 15 months, the 30-credit degree integrates live, interactive exercises for nurturing advanced programming skills. Required courses dive into artificial intelligence, internet security, data mining, assured systems, cloud computing, and more. Although optional, M.S. students could complete thesis research, including with the famed SU Center for Information and Systems Assurance. Other offline opportunities include attending EntreTechNYC, going global to Thailand, and joining ICE Box events.

Related Resource: 30 Best Online Master's in Industrial or Systems Engineering Degrees

Similar online degrees at Syracuse University are the M.S. in Applied Data Science, M.S. in Information Management, M.S. in Computer Science, M.S. in Cybersecurity, M.S. in Enterprise Data Systems, and M.S. in Electrical Engineering.

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