FAQ
Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (CIGP)
Please see below for frequently asked questions related to the Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (CIGP). For questions not found below, please email cigp@purdue.edu.
- Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (CIGP) offers specializations in Computational Data Science (CDS), Computational Life Sciences (CLS), Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) for graduate students in participating departments across the Colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, Health and Human Sciences, Pharmacy, Science, and Purdue Polytechnic. CDS, CLS, and CSE have their own set of courses to choose from in order to enhance specific research. However, the three tracks do come together for a CIGP seminar course, where students have an opportunity to hear new ideas and share interests in computational research. Learn more on our Curriculum page.
- CIGP is not a degree-granting department; rather, it is a concentration you may earn on your official transcript upon graduation. Your Masters or PhD will be awarded by your degree-granting department. On your transcript, your associated CIGP track will be listed as a concentration. Your degree-granting department is the deciding factor on if you finish with a concentration in either Computational Science (CMSI), Computational Engineering (CMEN), Computational Life Sciences (CMLS), or Computational Data Science (CMDS).
- For CSE, Engineering students will have Computational Engineering as their concentration and Science students will have Computational Science. All students completing the CLS path will receive a Computational Life Sciences concentration. Likewise, all students completing the CDS path will receive a Computational Data Science concentration.
- This program is a concentration, not a degree-granting department or certificate program. Therefore, there is no additional diploma or certificate provided once you complete the program; rather, CIGP is a concentration that will appear on your official transcript. You may also provide information on your resume or CV regarding the additional courses and objectives required in order to obtain this concentration.
- The overall curriculum is the same in the sense that both tracks must take a certain amount of Core Courses, Relevant Courses, and Seminar Courses. The difference lies in the type of courses you will be choosing from. CSE courses are going to be geared towards Science and Engineering research, while CLS will be geared more towards Life Sciences. CDS, similarly, will be focused on Data Science research. The similar factors will be the computational aspect of the courses. CDS, CLS, and CSE meet together for CIGP Seminar, where students have the opportunity to share their research with other CIGP students and listen to guest speakers.
- Since CIGP is not a degree-granting department, students must already be admitted to a Purdue University degree-granting department. You may visit our affiliated faculty page to find a list of affiliated departments and their faculty for CDS, CLS, and CSE. Both Masters and PhD students may apply to CIGP after their admission to a degree-granting department is accepted. Applications are reviewed twice a year, in March and October.
- Computational Data Science (CDS) is a new concentration available under CIGP as of Summer 2025. Currently, we only have certain partnered departments. If you are in one of those departments and would like to make the change to CDS, please email cigp@purdue.edu.
- If you do not see your department listed but are interested in joining the CDS track, please email Samantha Brillembourg, Graduate Program Specialist for CIGP, at smherrin@purdue.edu and copy Arun Prakash, CIGP Faculty Head (aprakas@purdue.edu).
