For Grads

• Graduate Program
• Life as a Grad Student
• PhD Requirements
  • Core Requirements
  • Course Requirements
  • Synthesis Project
  • Portfolio
  • Committee and Proposal
  • Defense and Graduation
  • Other Program Information
• MS/PhD Requirements
• MS Requirements
• Student Forms
• Academic Progress
• Courses

Ph.D. Requirements

The Department expects that students starting work toward a PhD have a solid undergraduate background in Computer Science.  If you are unsure of your background, you should consult your advisor.

Ph.D. Students are required to:

• Actively participate in research under the guidance of an advisor
• Satisfy 6 Core Requirements across the areas of Systems, AI and Theory
  • 2 from each area (see requirements and restrictions)
  • 3 from any area, 2 from another, 1 in the last (see requirements and restrictions)
• Complete 18 course credits (core courses taken to satisfy core requirements are included)
• Pass the Department Qualifying Exam- Portfolio
• Form a Committee
• Propose a Thesis
• Complete 18 Dissertation Credits
• Pass the Teaching Assistant Requirement
• Pass the Residency Requirement (at least 9 credits in back-to-back semesters)
• Defend and Submit a Thesis

Sample Ph.D Program:

The following schedule shows one way in which a PhD-only student could progress through the program to complete the PhD in four years.  Because people have different backgrounds and different skills, your progress will almost certainly vary somewhat from this.  It can be a helpful guide nonetheless. Students supported by an RAship will be able to make progress more efficiently if their Synthesis project and dissertation are well aligned with the RAship.

Year	Fall	Spring
1st	core (3cr) RA/TA	core (3cr) core (3cr) RA/TA
2nd	core (3cr) RA/TA Synthesis begins	core (3cr) portfolio submitted
3rd	core (3cr) RA/TA	dissertation (9cr) thesis proposal RA/TA
4th	dissertation (9cr) RA/TA	RA/TA thesis defense PhD completed

 

Most PhD students are supported by research or teaching assistantships.