Admissions & Eligibility
Who can apply to the CMTS certificate program? Currently enrolled Texas A&M graduate students who meet GPA and coursework requirements are eligible.
Any currently enrolled Texas A&M graduate student pursuing a graduate degree may apply, provided they meet all three eligibility criteria at the time of application:
- Graduate enrollment: You must be currently enrolled as a graduate student at Texas A&M University pursuing a graduate degree.
- Minimum GPA: You must have a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0.
- Qualifying coursework: You must have completed at least two approved certificate courses with a grade of B or higher. At least one must be a core course — either MATH 609 (Numerical Analysis) or STAT 604 (Topics in Statistical Computations).
The program is open to both on-campus and distance education students. See the Eligibility & How to Apply page for full details.
Can I apply before I have completed both required qualifying courses? Yes — you may apply while currently enrolled in a qualifying course.
Yes. The application form accommodates students who are currently enrolled in one of the qualifying courses but have not yet received a final grade. You may submit your application while completing your qualifying coursework.
Indicate your current enrollment status for any in-progress course in the application form. Your eligibility will be assessed based on the information you provide. If you have questions about whether you are ready to apply, contact the CMTS certificate program at cmts-certificate@tamu.edu.
Can coursework I completed before applying — or before the program launched — count toward the certificate? Approved courses may count retroactively; substitutions for unapproved courses cannot.
Yes, with an important distinction between approved courses and substitutions.
Approved Courses — Retroactive Credit Allowed
If a course you completed before applying — including before the CMTS program officially launched — appears on the approved core or elective course list on the Program Requirements page, it may be counted retroactively toward the certificate.
Courses Not on the Approved List — No Retroactive Credit
If a course you completed is not on the approved elective list, it cannot be counted retroactively. Elective substitutions require ISC Director approval before you enroll in the substitute course. Because that approval must precede enrollment, a course already completed cannot be retroactively approved as a substitution — even if you completed it before the program existed and prior approval was therefore impossible.
If you believe a course you have already completed should count and it is not on the approved list, contact the CMTS certificate program at cmts-certificate@tamu.edu before applying to discuss your situation.
How long does the admissions review take? Decisions are typically made within approximately one month of submission.
Admissions decisions are typically made within approximately one month of application submission. The ISC Director reviews each application individually on a rolling basis throughout the year — there is no fixed review cycle or cohort schedule.
If you have questions about the status of a submitted application, contact the CMTS certificate program at cmts-certificate@tamu.edu.
What happens after I am accepted into the program? Your certificate record is established and you may begin planning coursework and your capstone project.
After you are admitted to the CMTS certificate program:
- Your certificate record is established. The certificate is added to your official Texas A&M curriculum record as part of the admission process — you do not need to take a separate administrative step for this. Your admissions decision will be communicated from cmts-certificate@tamu.edu — add this address to your contacts to ensure notifications are not filtered.
- Plan your remaining coursework. Work with your academic advisor to incorporate any remaining required certificate courses into your degree plan. The full course list is on the Program Requirements page.
- Begin planning your capstone project. After admission, you may begin developing your capstone idea. Your proposed topic must be submitted to and approved by the ISC Director before you begin work. See the Capstone Project page for details.
- Apply for your certificate when you complete requirements.In the term you complete all certificate requirements, you must submit a certificate graduation application through Howdy. Visit the Texas A&M Registrar's certificate tracking and awarding page for instructions.
Curriculum & Courses
What courses count toward the CMTS certificate? One core course, three approved electives — at least one outside your home department — and a capstone project.
The certificate requires four courses totaling a minimum of 12 credit hours, structured as follows:
- One core course: Either MATH 609 (Numerical Analysis) or STAT 604 (Topics in Statistical Computations)
- Three elective courses: Selected from the approved elective list, which spans courses in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Geophysics, and related fields
- Outside-department requirement: At least one of your three electives must come from outside your home department
The complete approved course list is available on the Program Requirements page.
What is the outside-home-department elective requirement? At least one of your three electives must come from a department other than your own.
At least one of your three elective courses must come from a department outside your home (primary) department.
For example:
- If your home department is Mathematics, at least one elective must be drawn from CSCE, GEOP, MEEN, NUEN, PETE, STAT, or another non-Mathematics department on the approved list.
- If your home department is Computer Science and Engineering, at least one elective must be drawn from MATH, STAT, GEOP, MEEN, NUEN, PETE, or another non-CSCE department on the approved list.
- If your home department is Statistics, at least one elective must be drawn from CSCE, GEOP, MATH, MEEN, NUEN, PETE, or another non-STAT department on the approved list.
This requirement is designed to reinforce the interdisciplinary nature of computational science and ensure you develop a computational perspective that extends across fields. If you are unsure whether a specific course satisfies this requirement given your home department, contact the CMTS certificate program at cmts-certificate@tamu.edu before registering.
Can I substitute an elective that is not on the approved list? Yes, for elective courses only — with ISC Director approval obtained before you enroll. Retroactive substitutions are not permitted.
Yes — substitutions are permitted as needed, reviewed case-by-case, with no set limit on the number allowed. ISC Director approval must be obtained before you enroll in any substitute course. The substitution process applies to elective courses only — MATH 609 and STAT 604 are fixed core requirements and cannot be substituted.
Key rules:
- Submit your substitution request and receive written approval before registering for the course.
- Your request must include a full syllabus for the proposed substitute course and a written justification explaining what computational component the course offers that is not already addressed by the approved elective list.
- A course already completed before approval was sought cannot be retroactively approved as a substitution, regardless of the circumstances.
See the Course Substitutions page for the full request process and details on what to include in your submission.
Is the CMTS certificate available online? Can I complete it as a distance education student? Yes — both core courses and many electives are available online, though delivery formats vary by semester.
Yes. The CMTS certificate is fully accessible to online and distance education students.
Core Courses
Both core courses — MATH 609 and STAT 604 — are available in online formats. Available modality may vary by semester. For example, MATH 609 has in recent years been offered face-to-face in the fall and online in the spring.
Elective Courses
Many elective courses are also available online. Several courses are offered in both face-to-face and online formats, though some semesters may offer only one modality for a given course.
Because delivery formats can vary from semester to semester, always verify the current format in Howdy before registering for a specific term.
Capstone Project
When can I start my capstone project? Only after formal admission to the program and ISC Director approval of your proposed topic.
You may begin capstone work only after two conditions are both satisfied:
- You have been formally admitted to the CMTS certificate program.
- The ISC Director has approved your proposed capstone topic in writing.
Capstone proposals submitted before formal admission will not be approved. There is no retroactive pathway for the capstone — work completed before these two conditions are met cannot be counted toward the requirement, regardless of when or how it was completed.
You may begin thinking about potential topics and pathways before admission, but do not submit a proposal or begin any work until both conditions above are satisfied.
What counts as a capstone project? An independent study, thesis or project component, or dissertation component — with a substantive computational focus.
The capstone project is not a course — it is a directed project completed alongside your regular studies that demonstrates your ability to apply computational methods to a real scientific or engineering problem.
The requirement may be fulfilled through one of four approved pathways:
- An independent study graduate course within your home department
- An independent study graduate course outside your home department
- A component of a master's thesis or project required by your home department
- A component of a doctoral dissertation
In all cases, the project must have a substantive computational component and the proposed topic must be approved by the ISC Director before work begins.
How is the capstone project approved, and who evaluates it? The ISC Director approves your topic before you begin and certifies completion after you finish.
The capstone involves two distinct and sequential steps with ISC Director oversight:
Topic Approval — Before You Begin
After formal admission to the program, you submit a capstone proposal to the ISC Director. If you do not yet have a clear topic in mind, you are welcome to reach out to initiate a brainstorming discussion before submitting a formal proposal. The proposal identifies your project topic, selected pathway, computational approach, and faculty supervisor. The ISC Director reviews and approves the proposed topic before you begin any work. This approval specifically addresses whether the proposed project has a meaningful computational component aligned with the program's goals. You may not begin work until this approval is received.
Completion Certification — After You Finish
Upon completing the project, the ISC Director reviews the finished work to certify that it meets the program's standards for computational rigor and relevance to science or engineering. Only projects meeting these standards will be certified as complete and documented for the program record.
Contact the CMTS certificate program at cmts-certificate@tamu.edu to initiate the proposal process once you have been formally admitted.
Certificate Award & Completion
When is the certificate awarded? The certificate may be awarded at the end of your completion term, independent of your degree conferral.
The CMTS certificate can be awarded independently of your graduate degree — you do not need to wait until your degree is conferred. The certificate may be awarded at the end of the month in which you complete all certificate requirements, provided you have submitted your certificate graduation application through Howdy during that completion term.
To ensure your certificate is awarded on schedule, all of the following must be true during the same term:
- All four required courses have been completed with passing grades
- Your capstone project has been certified as complete by the ISC Director
- You have submitted a certificate graduation application through Howdy
Visit the Texas A&M Registrar's certificate tracking and awarding page for full details on award timing, requirements, and the credential itself.
Is there anything I need to do to receive the certificate once I finish my requirements? Yes — you must submit a certificate graduation application through Howdy during your completion term.
Yes — and this step is your responsibility. The certificate is not awarded automatically upon completion of your coursework and capstone project.
You must submit a certificate graduation application through Howdy during the term in which you complete your final certificate requirement. This step is time-sensitive — if you do not submit the application during your completion term, the certificate will not be awarded on schedule.
Visit the Texas A&M Registrar's certificate tracking and awarding page for complete instructions, current deadlines, and all related requirements. The Registrar's site is the authoritative source for this process and should be consulted directly, as details may be updated periodically.
Are there any fees associated with the CMTS certificate? No program fees — but the Registrar assesses a processing fee when you submit your graduation application.
There is no fee to apply to the CMTS certificate program. The program itself charges no fees for participation, coursework, or the capstone project.
However, when you submit your certificate graduation application through Howdy at the end of your program, the Office of the Registrar assesses a certificate processing and service fee. This fee is:
- Charged and managed by the Office of the Registrar — not by the ISC or the CMTS program
- Non-refundable
- Non-transferable to another certificate graduation application
Visit the Texas A&M Registrar's certificate tracking and awarding page to verify the current fee amount before submitting your graduation application, as this information is subject to change.
What if I complete all certificate requirements before my degree is conferred? The certificate can be awarded before your degree — submit your Howdy graduation application in your completion term.
That is perfectly fine — and in fact, it is one of the advantages of the CMTS certificate structure. The certificate is classified as a degree-dependent certificate, but it can be awarded independently of your degree. You do not need to wait until your degree is conferred to receive the certificate.
If you complete all certificate requirements before your degree is conferred:
- Submit your certificate graduation application through Howdy during the term you complete your final requirement
- The certificate may be awarded at the end of that month, independent of when your degree is awarded
Visit the Texas A&M Registrar's certificate tracking and awarding page for full details on award timing.
What happens to my certificate eligibility if I become inactive or leave the university? Becoming inactive ends your certificate eligibility — complete the certificate before separating from the university.
Because the CMTS certificate is a degree-dependent certificate, active enrollment in a graduate degree program at Texas A&M is a condition of participation. Your eligibility to complete the certificate ends if you become inactive — whether by completing your degree without having first finished all certificate requirements, withdrawing from the university, or otherwise separating from active enrollment.
Students who become inactive before completing a degree-dependent certificate are generally not eligible to be readmitted to the program unless they enroll in and actively pursue an additional graduate degree at Texas A&M.
If you are nearing degree completion, ensure your certificate requirements are also on track. You do not need to wait for your degree to receive the certificate — but you must still be an actively enrolled graduate student when you complete and apply for the certificate.
For authoritative details on inactivity, readmission, and eligibility restoration, visit the Texas A&M Registrar's certificate tracking and awarding page.
How will the CMTS certificate appear on my academic record? As a separate curriculum record on your official transcript, accompanied by a formal credential issued by the Registrar.
Upon successful completion of all requirements and submission of your certificate graduation application through Howdy, the CMTS certificate will be recorded as a separate curriculum record on your official Texas A&M academic record, independent of your degree record.
You will also receive a formal certificate credential. All Texas A&M University certificates are issued by the Office of the Registrar and carry the signatures of the Chair of the Board of Regents, Chancellor, and University President — in a format similar to, but distinct from, the university diploma. The certificate will either be mailed directly to you or issued to the college for formal presentation.
For full details on how certificates are recorded and issued, visit the Texas A&M Registrar's certificate tracking and awarding page.
Still Have Questions?
If your question was not answered above, contact the CMTS certificate program at cmts-certificate@tamu.edu.
