Doctor of Philosophy with Major in Computer Science (PhD)

Admission Requirements

Application for admission to doctoral study will be evaluated on an individual basis by the department's graduate programs committee. Usually, the following criteria must be met:

1. The applicant must submit the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and must have a GPA of at least 3.3 (out of 4.0 maximum) in previous graduate work. GRE scores more than five years old are normally not acceptable. The GRE requirement is waived for any student who has an M.S. degree from FAU's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
    
2. The applicant must have a Master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science or a related discipline awarded by a recognized institution. Thesis option is preferred.
    
3. The applicant must produce three reference letters (at least two from academia) that address his/her research potential, motivation, relative academic achievement, and personality. Forms are supplied with applications for admission.
    
4. International students from non-English-speaking countries must be proficient in written and spoken English as evidenced by a score of at least 500 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or 79 (Internet-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of at least 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Applicants are expected to have taken the following prerequisite courses (or equivalents) before pursuing the Ph.D. degree. In some cases, prerequisite requirements may be satisfied after admission to the Ph.D. program. In such a case, proficiency in the prerequisite courses must be shown before the student takes dissertation credits.

Prerequisite courses for Ph.D. with Major in Computer Science:

Title	Course No.	Credits
Introduction to Microprocessor Systems or Structured Computer Architecture or CAD-Based Computer Design	CDA 3331C CDA 4102 CDA 4204	3
Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis	COP 3530	3
Computer Operating Systems	COP 4610	3
Design and Analysis of Algorithms	COT 4400	3
Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1	MAC 2311	4
Calculus with Analytic Geometry 2	MAC 2312	4
Stochastic Models for Computer Science	STA 4821	3

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 84 graduate credits (including a minimum of 33 dissertation credits) is required beyond a bachelor's degree. No 4000-level courses may be counted in the Ph.D. degree. A master's degree in a related field is considered equivalent to 30 credits. A minimum of 21 credits of coursework is required beyond a master's degree. All courses must be approved by the student's advisor. Students lacking proper background may have to take additional courses to make up for the deficiencies. In addition to meeting the course requirement, a doctoral student must pass the Qualifying Examination, complete the dissertation under the supervision of the student's advisor and dissertation committee and pass the oral dissertation examination. Also a written dissertation proposal must be accepted by the dissertation committee at least six months prior to the oral dissertation examination. A doctoral candidate is expected to have at least one research paper published or accepted for publication in a fully refereed conference or journal prior to graduation. The following rules apply to the courses taken (beyond the master's degree):

1. Of the 21-credit minimum of coursework, a minimum of 15 credits must be in Computer Science and Engineering courses and a minimum of 15 credits of 6000-level courses must be completed.
    
2. No more than 3 credits of directed independent study may be used to satisfy the minimum of 21 credits. In that case, the subject matter may not overlap the student's dissertation.
    
3. A course that is more than 10 years old at the time the degree is awarded cannot be counted toward the degree. This rule does not apply to the courses transferred from the master's degree.
    
4. No 4000-level course may be counted toward the degree. Courses taken to make up for deficiencies will not be counted toward the degree.
    
5. Students must register for a minimum of 33 credits of dissertation.
    
6. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0 maximum) or better.
    
7. All courses in the degree programs must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
    
8. Every PhD student must take CGS 5937/Graduate Seminar (2 semesters)/ A seminar series with distinguished speakers. Students must attend at least ten seminar presentations. (Grading: S/U, 0 credits.)