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Admission Requirements

The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences offers a close-knit community of graduate degree programs in Arts Administration, Corporate Communication, Financial Engineering, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and Mental Health Counseling that blend academic excellence with practical experience.

MA in Arts Administration, MA In Strategic Communications, MS In Industrial/Organizational Psychology, MA In Health Counseling:

Spring 2026 Deadline: November 1st, 2025
Fall 2026 Deadline: March 1st, 2026

Please note: the MS Industrial/Organizational Psychology is waiving the GRE requirement for the Spring 2025 & Fall 2025 semester

Please submit the following:

  1. Complete the Weissman Graduate School Application: This online application will guide you through each step of your application to your chosen program of study. All applicants must submit the completed application form, admissions essay, resume, academic transcripts, two letters of recommendation, proof of English language proficiency (if applicable), and pay the $75 application fee. We are currently implementing a new graduate application system and plan to open the application during September 2025 – please check back here to access the link to begin your application! 

  2. Please upload your admissions essay before submitting your application: Guidelines for the required essay response will be found within the online application. Please follow the essay guidelines to assist you in your discussion and explanation of why you are pursuing the program of study which you are applying for.

  3. Resume: Please upload your current resume before submitting your application. Your current resume should include your employment history, academic history, relevant research experience, volunteer history, leadership roles & activities, awards & honors, and any additional activities related to your career and graduate program goals. Your resume for submission should be no more than two pages.

  4. Academic Transcripts: Transcripts of all postsecondary coursework at a college or university where six or more credits were attempted must be submitted. To expedite the completion of your application you can upload copies of your unofficial transcripts in the application. Scanned transcripts should clearly display the institution’s name, coursework with grades, and a grading scale or legend if available. Transcripts uploaded to your application by you (the applicant) are considered unofficial. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable documents for admissions review purposes.

    Please note: If you have received your degree from a foreign institution it may be required for you to obtain an official transcript evaluation. We will accept evaluations  from any evaluators that are a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services).  Links to these services can be found here: NACES. Most of our applicants typically use WES, The Evaluation Company -TEC (formerly known as SpanTran), or IEE however any approved NACES is allowed and the applicant should select a service that is right for them. Whichever evaluation service you decide to use, be sure to request a detailed evaluation that includes all course titles, credit hours, grades, recommended United States degree equivalency, grade-point average (GPA), and date of degree conferral. Transcripts should also be accompanied by official English translations if they are in another language. If the admissions committee needs additional information regarding your transcript, they will notify you.

    If you are ready to submit official transcripts, please note that currently our office can only accept official e-transcripts sent to our email address using a secure link and password. A transcript is only considered official if it is delivered to our office directly and securely from your college or university. If you decide to have an e-transcript sent to us, please make sure when you make this request from your college or university that you include our school name -CUNY-Baruch College-Weissman School of Arts and Sciences along with our office email address wsas.graduate.studies@baruch.cuny.edu

  5. Two letters of recommendation must be submitted for the application: Applicants are required to register their recommenders via the online application to submit their letters of recommendation. Recommenders may complete and submit their recommendation entirely online via the application system. If a recommender cannot complete the process online for any reason, they may contact the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Studies office directly at wsas.graduate.studies@baruch.cuny.edu for assistance.

  6. Proof of English proficiency is required of all non-native speakers of English who have not completed study from a college/university in a country whose official language is English: Applicants may submit either the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo to provide proof of English proficiency. To expedite the completion of your application you can upload copies of your unofficial TOEFL, IETLS, or Duolingo scores in the application. For TOEFL Please use the code 8272 to submit your official TOEFL scores directly to our office. As a reminder TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo scores are only valid for two years.

  7. International Applicants should be in touch with Baruch College’s International Student Service Center in regards to visa questions: It is highly recommended that international applicants submit a Declaration and Certification of Finances and Affidavit of Support with your application materials. Submitting the required financial documentation will help expedite issuance of your I-20 in the event you are admitted. More information for international students please visit their webpage: Baruch’s International Student Service Center (ISSC)

  8. The $75 application fee is required upon submission of your application and is non-refundable: Applicants who are Veterans of the U.S. Military Service, currently on active duty, or members of the National Guard or Reserves are granted application fee waivers – please contact our office for the submission of your DD-214 form or copy of your military ID before submitting your application.

MS In Financial Engineering:

Admission is only offered for the Fall semester. There will be four rounds of admissions for the Fall 2026 semester, with the following dates:
Fall 2026 Round 1 Deadline: November 15, 2025
Fall 2026 Round 2 Deadline: January 15, 2026
Fall 2026 Round 3 Deadline: March 1, 2026
Fall 2026 Round 4 Deadline: April 1, 2026

The GRE/GMAT test is no longer required for admission to the Baruch MFE Program. Instead, all applicants will take a Quant Background Assessment. Information on the QBA can be found below.

Admission to the Masters in Financial Engineering Program at Baruch College is available to all the qualified applicants who have the potential to become successful graduates of our program. The Baruch MFE Program does not have a target number for enrolled students. We are committed to admitting and educating all the students who meet our admissions standard. No application is denied because of a lack of seats in the program, and no applicant is accepted to the program to fill a quota.

All applications that are complete by one of the dates above will be evaluated at that time. Within approximately three weeks of the deadline for each round, interview invitations will be extended. Admission offers will typically be extended prior to the following application deadline. All applications should be completed by April 10th, otherwise they will be de-activated from the system.

Please note that students seeking admission may apply in only one round. Applicants who attempt to apply in multiple rounds for admission in the same year, will receive a decision reply for their first application only, and will not receive a refund for any fees paid in subsequent rounds.

The online application is now available here.

To simplify the application process, we only require the submission of official transcripts once an admission offer is made. The transcripts from ALL the school you attended should be scanned in one file and uploaded in the online application.

Prerequisites. Applicants are required to have taken the following minimal set of courses:

  • Calculus (two semesters)

  • Probability (one semester)

  • Linear Algebra (one semester)

  • C++ (one semester or certificate)

  • Finance (one semester, or relevant work experience)

Only courses passed with a grade of B or better qualify as prerequisites.

The following seminars are offered in the Pre-MFE Program at Baruch College to prospective financial engineering graduate students:

  • Advanced Calculus with Financial Engineering Applications

  • Probability Theory for Financial Applications

  • Numerical Linear Algebra for Financial Engineering

  • C++ Programming for Financial Engineering (online)

The seminars emphasize financial applications and have a significant programming component.

Taking the Pre-MFE seminars is NOT required for admission to the Baruch MFE Program, although they are meant to build a strong basis for future graduate studies in financial engineering.

More details on the Pre-MFE Program can be found here.

The Application Evaluation Process. The standard for admission into the Masters in Financial Engineering Program is the same for applications for part-time and for full-time study, as well as for applications from US-based and for international applicants.

Successful applicants may have earned degrees in any discipline, provided that they demonstrate by way of test scores, undergraduate transcripts, and letters of recommendation that they are prepared for a demanding course of quantitative study. All applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year college in the United States or its equivalent in another country.

Quantitative Background Assessment. All the applicants will take a Quantitative Background Assessment (QBA) as the first step in having their application evaluates.

There is no need to prepare specifically for the QBA. There is no minimum cutoff QBA score in order to be considered for admission. The QBA will provide a snapshot of the applicants quant background at the time of applying for admission. As of now, we expect the test to be open book, open internet. That said, an honor code will have to be signed which will prevent any communication with other individuals, either people taking the test at the same time, or others.

QBA Content: Calculus, Linear Algebra, Probability, Finance, Brainteasers

QBA Topics to Review: a list of topics covered by the QBA can be found here

QBA Format

  • Online, offered during two specific time intervals after each admission round

  • Eight questions, 45 minutes; 1 Brainteaser, 1 Finance, 2 questions each from Calculus, Linear Algebra, Probability

  • Not multiple choice; all the answers are integers

  • Open book, internet search allowed (subject to possible change); NO communication with anyone allowed while taking the QBA

QBA Logistics: the QBA will be offered online as a specific time within one week after each application deadline. Applicants will be informed of the date and time by email. Two different time slots will be offered on the same day (7-8am NY time and 7-8pm NY time) to accommodate different time zones. Detailed information on how to take the QBA will be sent to the applicants.

Interviews. Two interview rounds (virtual via Zoom) are part of the admission process before an admission offer to the Baruch MFE Program is made. The interviews are primarily technical, and include mathematical, finance, and C++ programming questions.

Selected applicants will be contacted by the Admissions Committee by email to arrange an interview. Applicants cannot request to be interviewed.

Test Scores. GRE/GMAT scores are not required to apply for admission. In fact, there is no place on the application to submit test scores, and, if attached separately, they will not be taken into account. Instead, all applicants will take the Quantitative Background Assessment.

TOEFL scores are not required. The ability to communicate in English is assessed at the time of the admission interviews.

Personal Essay. Applicants must answer the following questions in their personal essay:

  • Why are you interested in Financial Engineering?

  • Why do you want to study in the Masters in Financial Engineering Program at Baruch College?

  • What career path do you envision after graduating from the Baruch MFE Program?

Letters of Recommendation. A complete application contains three letters of recommendation. The recommenders should be individuals who can comment on the relevant skills that would make the applicant successful in the MFE program. There is no requirement that at least one letter come from a professor or from an industry professional.

The Admissions Committee may require admitted students to take summer refresher seminars in C++, Advanced Calculus, Probability and Linear Algebra before the start of the program. These advanced seminars are closed to people not admitted in the MFE program, and cover a number of challenging financial applications. More information can be found here.