Students admitted into the program typically have a master's degree in computer science or a closely related discipline. In rare cases, an exceptional student with a bachelor's degree and a strong academic record may also be directly admitted.
Degree requirements
Students in the computer science doctoral program must:
- Complete a minimum of 30 credits beyond the master’s degree (students without a prior master’s degree must complete a minimum of 60 credits)
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At the beginning of their studies, identify a dissertation advisor from a full-time CS faculty member who shares their research interests
- Pass the qualifying examination covering algorithms, architecture, operating systems and programming languages
- Pass the research proficiency examination (RPE) with a written RPE report and a presentation
- Present and defend a prospectus that describes the intended research topic
- Successfully defend a dissertation
Detailed requirements are provided in the PhD student handbook. Please contact the director of graduate studies for a copy of the handbook.
Student testimonial
Anh Quach discusses why she chose °®¶¹´«Ã½ and the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science to pursue her PhD in computer science.