WPI Graduate & Professional Studies | Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The graduate school where great minds join to advance the future.

With the STEM-focused research activity and state-of-the-art resources of a much larger university, our top-ranked graduate programs in Worcester, Mass., are your gateway to a career of purpose and passion.

Prepare for the career of tomorrow.

Master the art and science of innovation within arm's reach of Boston, a global tech hub.
Research and innovate in practical industry settings that mirror your future workplace.
Grow your teamwork and problem-solving skills as you collaborate with peers from different areas.

Become a singular leader in your field.

Build vital yet rare soft skills by managing real-world projects across disciplines.
Gain essential skills beyond the classroom through professional development training programs.
Distinguish yourself in a competitive job market with the help of our award-winning career center.

Your graduate degree or certificate from WPI will be more than a piece of paper—it will be a launchpad for your career.

Collaboration is everything. It makes your research more rewarding and enjoyable. You'll find that the bonds you form through teamwork can lead to lifelong friendships and professional networks.

Sharvi Ghoghale '25 (MS)

Computer Science

GUIDED CAMPUS TOURS

Visit WPI and Find Your Community—Today!

Real ROI for the Long Run

best online master's in engineering programs

Forbes (2023)

best on campus master's program in computer science

Fortune (2025)

#13

best career placement

The Princeton Review (2024)

WPI Fulbright Scholars in academic regalia walking and holding a banner that says, "Fulbright"

DID YOU KNOW?

Within a Year of Graduating...

94% of WPI master’s degree recipients and 93% of PhD recipients* are employed or continuing their studies.

*Class of 2023

EXPLORE PROGRAMS

A Curriculum Crafted by Industry Experts. A Program Customized by You.

Master’s degree. Combined BS/MS degree. Graduate certificate. PhD.

Start mapping out your plan of study today.

Online Graduate Programs

Professional Development Courses

Combined BS/MS

All WPI Graduate Programs

Important Dates (2025–26)

	Summer '25	Fall '25	Spring '26	Summer '26
Start date	May 22 (Summer I) July 7 (Summer II)	August 21	January 14	May 21 (Summer I) July 6 (Summer II)
Priority application date*	N/A	January 15	October 15	N/A
Latest application date**	May 8 (Summer I/Full Summer) June 23 (Summer II)	August 7	December 15	May 7 (Summer I/Full Summer) June 22 (Summer II)

*This is the priority deadline to be considered for funding. Applicants who apply after the priority deadline are still eligible for funding, pending availability. There is no additional application to complete for WPI funding opportunities. Upon completing the graduate application, you will be automatically considered for any financial assistance that you are eligible for.
**See "Rolling Admissions" below.

You can submit your application anytime up until two weeks before the semester start date to be considered for admission.
- If you submit less than two weeks before, you can indicate on the application that you are willing to be considered for the next semester.
All applicants are encouraged to submit their applications at least two months before their desired start date to ensure a smooth admissions process.
International students should submit their applications as early as possible to allow for longer processing times.

Our campus is a melting pot of ideas and cultures that can broaden your horizons and enrich your academic journey. It will make you a more well-rounded individual and a better researcher.

Prathamesh Mehta '24 (MS)

Robotics Engineering

International Students

Applying to WPI From Outside the US?

Go to International Forms

A WPI graduate wearing a cap and gown with a master's hood carries a small child in his arms

Support for the Whole Student

Inclusive. Kind. Collaborative. WPI graduate students often use these words to describe our community. With 1:2 faculty mentoring, a holistic commitment to community, inclusion, and belonging, and a suite of career development resources, we're dedicated to your success beyond the classroom.

Equal Opportunity & Outreach Heebner Career Development Center Professional Training Programs

Friendly conversation between a man wearing a tie and jacket and a graduate student wearing a WPI sweatshirt

Student Success Team

Every graduate student at WPI has access to a unique benefit: the Student Success team. You’ll get 1:1 attention from a Student Success manager who will help you with any nonacademic issue you might have: balancing school and life as a working professional, navigating the world of online learning, connecting to wellness resources, and much more.

Meet the Student Success Team See All Student Resources

WPI master's students wearing academic regalia

Customized Degree

As a WPI graduate student, you have the power to build your own degree. Our flexible graduate school programs mean you can pick an area of specialization that best aligns with your passions and goals. We’ll work with you to design a plan of study that satisfies the curriculum requirements and positions you for the career of your dreams.

Hear From WPI Grad Students Learn About Academic Life Coaching

Be Part of Cutting-Edge Research & Innovation

WPI is now designated as a Carnegie Research 1 (R1) institution, placing it in the top tier of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest levels of research activity.

Read Press Release

WPI researcher holds a lithium-ion battery in gloved hands

Famous Inventions From WPI

Students, faculty, and alumni of WPI have changed the world with inventions ranging from lithium-ion battery recycling to liquid-fueled rockets to concrete that heals its own cracks. What will your innovation be?

View historic WPI inventions

WPI student wearing a white lab coat and working on research in a lab

Grad Student Research

WPI graduate students play an essential role in a large and thriving research community, contributing to faculty research projects, leading research institutions, and partner organizations worldwide. Thanks to interdisciplinary collaboration, our graduate students are able to attack complex problems from all angles, making them highly sought after by employers.

More Graduate Research & Resources

WPI Department of Biology Professor Natalie Farny in her soil lab

Faculty Research

WPI faculty research is funded by elite grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), US Department of Defense, US Department of Energy, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and many more. Our faculty's major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, clean energy, robotics, and all other fields will continue to shape the future.

See the latest research news

WPI materials science student working on a high-tech system in the Materials Characterization Laboratory

Labs & Facilities

The state-of-the-art research equipment and facilities at WPI are on par with some of the most famous research universities in the world. Available for internal and external use, our technology includes instrumentation for materials analysis, micro- and nanofabrication, microscopy, metrology, photonics, medical imaging, biomechanics, and more.

View core research facilities

A man gives a tour of WPI's PracticePoint laboratory and explains the technology

Corporate Partners

WPI’s emphasis on applied research means faculty and grad students engage in work alongside corporate partners that can translate into products, services, or other intellectual property. These industry leaders can leverage the expertise of our faculty and students, use our high-tech instrumentation, and even license our technologies to make their next breakthrough.

Learn about corporate partnerships

Two WPI students working together to create a prototype in Makerspace

The Innovation Studio

Team up with peers from other disciplines and let your imagination run wild. This open space invites students of all backgrounds to create, model, and test new ideas and use state-of-the-art equipment, including rapid prototype 3-D printers.

Get inspired

WPI students and investors standing in a group and having a discussion in front of a business model presentation

Business Development Lab

The Business Development Lab acts as a cutting-edge incubator, propelling startups from concept to commercialization. Accelerate the development of your start-up, enhance your entrepreneurial expertise, and launch the next disruptive STEM venture.

Support systems, mentorships, and more

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

WPI’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center is where you’ll find support through skill-based workshops, mentorship, innovation challenges, networking opportunities, hands-on projects, funding, and more.

Turn your idea into reality

Famous Inventions From WPI

View historic WPI inventions

Grad Student Research

More Graduate Research & Resources

Faculty Research

See the latest research news

Labs & Facilities

View core research facilities

Corporate Partners

Learn about corporate partnerships

The Innovation Studio

Get inspired

Business Development Lab

Support systems, mentorships, and more

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Turn your idea into reality

Famous Inventions From WPI

View historic WPI inventions

WPI’s project experiences were very insightful and helped inform my career decisions regarding graduate school and my current field of research: electromagnetic levitation experiments on the International Space Station.

Lydia Tonani-Penha '23
PhD Candidate

Mechanical Engineering

World-Class Faculty & Staff

See all faculty

Craig Shue

Professor & Department Head, Computer Science

Professor Shue's expertise lies in network security. He focuses on using system and network measurements to understand what is happening on a network to protect traditional computers and IoT devices. He also build systems that can detect and prevent attacks to keep organizations [...]

Donald Gelosh

Director, Systems Engineering, Graduate & Professional Studies

Dr. Don Gelosh is Director of Systems Engineering Programs for WPI. In this role, Dr. Gelosh works closely with WPI’s faculty in the development of systems engineering programs. Dr. Gelosh also works with an external Systems Engineering Advisory Council and fosters partnerships a [...]

Adrienne Hall-Phillips

Associate Professor, The Business School

Professor Hall-Phillips' research focuses on studying general consumer behavior, with specific interest in topics related to value, engagement, and loyalty in the areas of user experience and entrepreneurship. An additional research focus is on discovering how social media influe [...]

Ali Rangwala

Professor, Fire Protection Engineering

Professor Rangwala's research interests include problems related to industrial fire and explosions. He has worked on topics such as deflagration of combustible dust clouds, ignition behavior of combustible dust layers, in-situ burning of oil, spread of an oil slick in channels, v [...]

Elke Rundensteiner

Professor, Computer Science, Program Head, Data Science, Computer Science

Professor Rundensteiner's research focuses on how to make use of data and information in an effective manner, towards achieving goals in business, scientific discovery, and digital health. With the inter-connectivity of the internet, the availability of computing power, and big d [...]

Craig Shue

Professor & Department Head, Computer Science

Donald Gelosh

Director, Systems Engineering, Graduate & Professional Studies

Adrienne Hall-Phillips

Associate Professor, The Business School

Ali Rangwala

Professor, Fire Protection Engineering

Elke Rundensteiner

Professor, Computer Science, Program Head, Data Science, Computer Science

Craig Shue

Professor & Department Head, Computer Science

Two WPI researchers collaborate in the COMET Lab

Prestigious Alumni

Alumni of WPI's graduate school have gone on to become presidents and c-suite leaders of renowned companies like Salesforce, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Solvus Global, and more. Others have founded start-ups in high-growth industries including AI, biotechnology, chemical manufacturing, renewable energy, and software development. The best part? They know firsthand the value of a WPI graduate degree, and they love to hire from our deep pool of talent.

Career resources for alumni

Professionals in lab coats watch a demonstration at WPI's Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center (BETC)

Corporate Education

Help your staff become more productive and knowledgeable through continuous learning opportunities at WPI. Our asynchronous learning options provide more flexibility and work-life balance for staff while they prepare to tackle future challenges. They'll practice with the latest industry technology in our state-of-the-art facilities, and under the guidance of our expert faculty, as they manage real-world projects that mirror the work they're regularly engaged in.

View popular programs

Aerial view of WPI campus, showing colorful foliage, brick buildings, and rolling hills in the background

Strategic Location

The second-largest city in New England, Worcester is a growing hub for industries like bioengineering, drug manufacturing, healthcare, and technology. Take advantage of networking and internship opportunities, industry partnerships, and the expanding international community. Easily travel to nearby Boston and New York City.

Learn more about Worcester Schedule a Tour

Worcester is seeing its stock rise so fast that it is outpacing just about every other small city in America.

— NPR

Alumni Success Story

Breaking New Ground for Women's Health

With Opal Therapeutics, Morgan Stanton, PhD ’14, accelerates the development of new treatments for gynecological diseases and disorders.

Make Your Graduate Degree Yours

The graduate school where great minds join to advance the future.

With the STEM-focused research activity and state-of-the-art resources of a much larger university, our top-ranked graduate programs in Worcester, Mass., are your gateway to a career of purpose and passion.

Prepare for the career of tomorrow.

Become a singular leader in your field.

Your graduate degree or certificate from WPI will be more than a piece of paper—it will be a launchpad for your career.

WPI is the premier STEM university in Massachusetts for tech-focused leaders, makers, and doers.

Real ROI for the Long Run

Within a Year of Graduating...

94% of WPI master’s degree recipients and 93% of PhD recipients* are employed or continuing their studies.

A Curriculum Crafted by Industry Experts. A Program Customized by You.

Master’s degree. Combined BS/MS degree. Graduate certificate. PhD.

Start mapping out your plan of study today.

How to Become a WPI Graduate Student

Our grad school application process is easy. Rolling admission means you can apply any time.

Request Information

Important Dates (2025–26)

What Makes Our Graduate School Different?

It's all about you. With WPI's flexible programs and personal approach to education, you're in the driver's seat.

Support for the Whole Student

Student Success Team

Customized Degree

Be Part of Cutting-Edge Research & Innovation

WPI is now designated as a Carnegie Research 1 (R1) institution, placing it in the top tier of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest levels of research activity.

World-Class Faculty & Staff

The Graduate School for Connection, Growth & Discovery

Explore more benefits of Graduate & Professional Studies at WPI.

Prestigious Alumni

Corporate Education

Strategic Location

Alumni Success Story

Breaking New Ground for Women's Health

Learn More

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