CS PhD degree details
Earning your PhD in computer science can prepare you to start your own research-based company, launch your career as an academic or access some of the highest-paying industry jobs.
We offer a collaborative, supportive environment that allows you to explore interdisciplinary opportunities and find your personal research passion in computer science. All PhD students in the department receive 100% funding through assistantships, fellowships and faculty research grants.
Coursework
The doctoral degree requires 30 credits of courses and 30 credits of dissertation hours.
Coursework includes both breadth and depth courses.
- Professional Development courses (3 1-credit courses)
- Depth courses (18 credits, 6 courses)
- Depth courses should be closely related to the student’s research interests and should be intellectually distinct from breadth courses.
- Breadth courses (9 credits, 3 courses)
- Breadth courses should cover a range of Computer Science topics outside the student’s research interests. There are default and custom options.
- CSCI courses - At least 12 of the 27 depth and breadth credits (i.e., 4 of the 9 courses) and the professional development series must be CSCI courses, excluding dissertation credits and independent studies.
Milestones
Every PhD student in the department needs to complete the following milestones:
- Course work
- Professional Development Series
- Breadth Courses
- Depth Courses
- Area Examination - students need to complete this by their 6th semester
- Proposal Defense - students need to complete this by their 8th semester
- Dissertation Defense - complete in six years.