PhD

PhD Course Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science is, above all else, a degree of quality. Simply completing a number of graduate courses or years of study is not sufficient to receive the degree. The successful candidate must demonstrate a breadth of understanding in computer science and a depth of understanding in their chosen area(s) of emphasis.

Students must also show an ability to do creative research. Thus, each successful PhD candidate will produce a significant piece of original research presented in a written dissertation and defended in an oral examination. This work should be of such quality that one or more journal or conference articles can be derived from it.

  • All PHD students must turn in a Program of Study by the end of their third semester.
  • Completion of at least 90 credits of graduate course work beyond a BS-CS or at least 60 credits beyond a MS-CS with a minimum class grade of B.
  • Students must maintain a 3.50 GPA on all courses shown on his or her Program of Study Form
  • Students must maintain a 3.0 on all courses taken as a matriculated graduate student and all CS courses numbered 5000 or above.
  • 3 additional relevant credits for appropriate courses outside the department or an additional 3 credits of 7000-level CS courses beyond the 12 credits of 7000-level CS courses already required. The additional 3 credits of 7000-level classes must be outside of the student's specialization. CS 7900 and 7970 will not be included in the 12 credits (or the additional 3 credits) required of 7000-level CS courses.
  • A student can not take more than 9 credits outside of the department.
  • CS 5950 or CS 6950 or CS7950 can be taken only with advisor's prior permission and only for 3 credits at a time. The maximum total number of credits allowed for CS 5950 plus CS 6950 plus CS7950 is 3 (with previous MS) or 6 (without previous MS).
  • CS 6250, CS 6990, CS 7990 and CS 5060 CANNOT be counted on the Program of Study for PHD students. 
  • CS5200 is the same as the sequence of courses ECE6600 and ECE 7610. Students can include CS 5200 on their Program of Studies, or they can include ECE6600 and ECE 7610, but not both CS 5200 and one or both of those ECE courses. Students can use ECE7610 as a prerequisite to CS6200.
  • No more then 15 credits of 5000 level can be included (with a Previous MS) or 21 credits (with out a previous MS)
  • Pass a set of written examinations and an oral examination showing depth and breadth of knowledge in computer science and their area(s) of emphasis. While there is some flexibility in the scheduling of the qualifier, it is important that it be completed early in one’s program. For that reason, the following timelines are given:
  • Those without an MS must have completed 18 credits, 6 of those being 7000 level and have a 3.5 GPA, in order to take the qualifier.
  • Those with an MS must have completed 12 credits, 6 of those being 7000 level and have a 3.5 GPA, in order to take the qualifier.
  • Students may complete (register for) a maximum of 6 credits of CS7970 (dissertation credits) before successfully completing the qualifier.

    Click here for more information PhD Exams Policy

  • Successfully complete a research proposal.
  • Successfully complete and defend a dissertation.
The research proposal and dissertation must be at least 27 semester credits.

Table 7: Course and Credit Requirements for PhD degree. "Without MS" denotes students without a MS-CS degree, "with MS" denotes students already holding a MS-CS degree. Unless otherwise noted, a credit hour value denotes the number that must be included in the degree. No more and no less than this number may be included.

   PhD without MS  PhD with MS
 7000-level Computer Science Credits 12 (minimum)  12 (minimum)
 Credits awarded from MS  0  30 (maximum)
 Seminar (CS7900)  2  2
 Dissertation (CS7970)  27 (minimum)  27 (minimum)
 Additional Relevant Course Credits  33 (minimum)  3 (minimum)
 Total Credits (minimum)  90  90

 

 Tuition Awards Limitations

 DEGREE  RESIDENT NONRESIDENT PORTION
 PHD (POSTMASTER’S)INTERNATIONAL  70 Credits  70 Credits
 PHD(POSTBACCALAUREATE)INTERNATIONAL  70 Credits  90 Credits
 PHD NONRESIDENT  70 Credits 12 Continuous months
 PHD RESIDENT  70 Credits  0 Credits