University of Rochester

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Staff
Updated August 7, 2020

The University of Rochester was first chartered in 1850 by the State Regents Board and served an inaugural class of 60 at the United States Hotel. A few years later, the male-only school moved to land donated by Congressman Azariah Boody. Under the 20th century presidency of Rush Rhees, University of Rochester became co-educational and expanded as a private, non-sectarian college. Today, the University of Rochester stands as a leading RU/VH research institution with a whopping budget of $395 million. More than 5,600 undergraduates and 4,600 post-graduates enroll annually in University of Rochester's six schools. The university is nestled on a 600-acre, park-like urban campus in Rochester, New York's third largest city.

According to the U.S. News, the University of Rochester is the 33th best national college, 26th best value university, and 27th top school for veterans. In particular, University of Rochester has America's 39th top graduate business and 41st best graduate engineering programs. Given an "A" financial grade, University of Rochester is ranked the nation's 46th best research center with the 34th most grateful grads by Forbes. The Princeton Review included Rochester within its "Best 380 Colleges." Kiplinger's named University of Rochester the 28th best private value nationally. Kaplan noted the University of Rochester as the "Hottest Music School." Times Higher Education also crowned University of Rochester the 158th best global university.

University of Rochester Accreditation Details

Recently reaffirmed in 2014, the University of Rochester is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) in Philadelphia. This is one of six regional agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Master's degrees also have specialized accreditations from the:

  • National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
  • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
  • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
  • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP)
  • Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)

University of Rochester Application Requirements

With an acceptance rate of 36 percent, the University of Rochester has a selective graduate admissions process. Master's applicants must already possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited, four-year post-secondary institution. Curriculum prerequisites vary by program. For instance, the M.S. Alternative Energy requires two chemistry, two physics, and two calculus undergraduate courses. Most master's programs mandate a minimum GPA of 3.0, but some competitive ones rise to 3.5. Taking the Graduate Record Exam within the last five years is required. Other programs, such as the M.S. in Data Science, necessitate prior experience. Non-native English speakers must score at least 600 (paper) or 95 (Internet) on the TOEFL.

Prior to the fall admission deadline on January 15th, aspiring master's students must submit an online application to the University of Rochester School of Graduate Studies with the following attachments:

  • Payment for the $60 application fee
  • Official post-secondary transcripts
  • GRE score reports via code 2928
  • Verification of English proficiency
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Resume or curriculum vitae
  • Brief personal and research statement

Tuition and Financial Aid

Graduate students at the University of Rochester pay a general tuition rate of $1,538 per credit hour. However, prices can fluctuate by program. The Warner Graduate School of Education charges $1,390 each credit. The technical entrepreneurship and management program costs $1,800 per credit hour. On average, full-time master's students pay $35,568 every year. Budget for the $1,070 master's thesis fee, $10 activity fee, and $40 health fee each semester. For mandatory health insurance, the cost is $1,230 per semester. On-campus graduates also pay approximately $14,890 for room and board annually.

The NCES reports that 83 percent of University of Rochester students receive assistance. More than $121 million in financial aid is granted yearly. Master's students typically earn tuition waivers to cover 50 percent of credit registration through part-time teaching assistantships. Students can participate in the Rochester Urban Fellows Program for partial tuition coverage. Institutional awards, such as the Designated Leaders Scholarship, FIRST Scholarship, Frederick Douglass Scholarship, and Genesee Scholarship, are numerous. Students can borrow fixed-interest Direct Unsubsidized or Grad PLUS loans. Education majors could qualify for the TEACH Grant. In-state residents should apply for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) or Aid for Part-time Study (APTS). Employer tuition benefits can also be provided.

Master's Degree(s) Available

The University of Rochester is an academic and research powerhouse currently conferring 65 master's degree options. Over one-quarter of University of Rochester's graduates are from outside the United States for diversity. With a student-faculty of 10:1, master's students work closely with world-class professors, including Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners. State-of-the-art research facilities attract the country's 15th highest amount of NSF grants for great practice. Childcare is conveniently offered at the Children's School for parents. Available master's programs include:

M.A. in Music Education

In University of Rochester's famed Eastman School of Music, the M.A. in Music Education program gives students New York State initial teaching licensure to design music curriculum in K-12 schools. Core emphasis areas are granted in General Music, Instrumental Music, or Vocal Music. The full-time master's program requires 44 credits, including teaching internship. For the capstone, M.A. students can select a master's thesis or applied field project.

M.S. in Marketing Analytics

The Simon Business School has AACSB accreditation to award an M.S. in Marketing Analytics and prepare University of Rochester graduates for using big data to predict consumer behavior. Within the 37-credit program, coursework delves into statistics, economics, market research, pricing, Internet marketing, business analytics, and communications. After R Boot campus, full-time students graduate in 11 months or 17 months with an internship. Graduates have found marketing success in companies like Johnson & Johnson and Volkswagen.

M.S. in Epidemiology

Consisting of 34 credits, the M.S. in Epidemiology program equips graduates with the research skills and methodologies to examine factors that impact disease. Aspiring public health professionals spend three semesters full-time taking courses like biostatistics, infectious disease, cancer epidemiology, genetics, and zoonoses. Students benefit from engaging in hands-on clinical studies with the University of Rochester Medical Center and Strong Memorial Hospital. EPI majors devote their last semester to completing a master's thesis project.

Other unique master's degrees at the University of Rochester are the M.S. in Alternative Energy, M.A. in Comparative Literature, M.S. in Dental Science, M.A. in Photographic Preservation, and M.Ed. in Urban Teaching.

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