Program Overview

Program Overview

The Computer Science Ph.D. program at Illinois Institute of Technology is designed to demonstrate mastery in several areas of computer science and make an original contribution to research in the field. The program revolves around seven core groups: theory of computation, systems, programming languages, networks and security, databases, software engineering, and computational intelligence.

Program Details

• Program Type: Doctoral
• Degree: Ph.D.
• Department: Computer Science
• College: College of Computing
• Program Location: On Campus
• STEM Designated: Yes
• Meets F-1 Visa Requirements: Yes

Career Opportunities

A research career in academia is attainable with a Ph.D. in computer science, although career opportunities in industry are also possible. Potential career paths include:

• Computer scientist
• Computer systems engineer
• Computer science professor
• Computer network architect
• Research and development

Curriculum

The curriculum explores the seven core groups mentioned earlier. The amount of coursework is dependent on previous degrees earned. Passing a written and oral qualifying exam, comprehensive exam, and defending a thesis is expected.

Admission Requirements

The minimum standards for admission to the computer science Ph.D. program are:

• A four-year bachelor’s degree in computer science for the Direct program, or a master’s degree in computer science is required. Applicants must have a high GPA.
• GRE scores: For admission in 2023, GRE General scores are recommended for all Ph.D. applicants and required for applicants wanting to be considered for a teaching assistantship and all applicants with degrees from outside the U.S. For the Direct program, the minimum required GRE scores are 310 and 4.0 (analytical writing). For the post-master’s Ph.D. program, 304 and 3.5 are required. In addition, the GRE quantitative score must be at least 70%. The score should be at most 5-years-old.
• Proficiency in English. For applicants with degrees from schools where the primary language of instruction was not English, a minimum score of 70 on the internet-based TOEFL, 47 on the PTE, or 5.5 on the IELTS exam is required for admission consideration.
• Three letters of recommendation are required by the Department of Computer Science.
• A personal statement.
• Good academic standing is required for applicants who are currently pursuing a graduate degree at another university or in another department at Illinois Tech. Good academic standing should be confirmed by submitting a transcript for the final semester from the current university.

Research Areas

The world-class research pursued by Department of Computer Science faculty drives innovation in many fields of state-of-the-art computation. Research opportunities are available in the following areas:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Cybersecurity
• Databases
• High Performance and Parallel Computing
• PL, Compilers, and Software Engineering
• Systems
• Theory