Computer Science, PhD

Program Overview

Computer Science, PhD

Overview

The Department of Computer Science offers an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Computer Science.

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor's degree, usually in a science or engineering discipline or in mathematics, is required.
• The transcript should show a grade average of at least B (3.0/4.0) in all undergraduate coursework, and in science, mathematics, and engineering courses.
• Include degree conferral certificates for all completed degrees.
• Computer Science Background: For M.S. in Computer Science, we prefer students with CS or related degrees.
• Applicants with exceptional promise who lack CS preparation in one or more core areas may be admitted to the program, but will be required to take additional CS courses as specified in their offer letter.
• For Ph.D. in Computer Science, we mainly consider an applicant's potential for first-class research, and expect the applicants to have sufficient academic preparation and strength to succeed in Ph.D. qualifiers.
• All international applicants to the M.S. program must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores.
• GRE is optional for all Ph.D. applicants and domestic M.S. applicants.
• Acceptance by the Computer Science Department and the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements

Residence

• The student must complete two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate study.
• Full-time study is 12 credits per semester until 24 graduate credits have been earned.
• Students who have earned 24 graduate credits at another school may be assigned advanced status and are required to take only nine credits per semester for full-time status.

Qualifying Examination

• Students must pass the written Qualifying Examination to demonstrate their ability to undertake the course of study leading to the Ph.D. degree.
• Qualifying examinations are given twice a year: in May (usually the week after the finals period) and in early January.
• The exam consists of three parts, 3 hours each, based on undergraduate material as described below.

Theory and Mathematics

• Theory of Computation, Languages and Automata Analysis of Algorithms, and Logic.
• The examination is based on the following courses: CSE 303, CSE 371, CSE 213, and CSE 373.

Software

• Programming Languages, Compilers, Databases, and Graphics.
• The examination is based on CSE 304, CSE 305, CSE 307, and CSE 328.

Systems

• Networks and Communications, Operating Systems, Computer Architecture, and Computer Organization.
• The examination is based on CSE 310, CSE 306, CSE 320, and CSE 220.

Course Requirements

• In the first year, a student seeking the Ph.D. degree will normally register for a full-time load of courses selected in conjunction with an advisor in order to prepare for the Qualifying Examination.
• By the time of graduation, each student is required to accumulate at least 20 credits of full (regular lecture) courses, internship, special topics courses or seminars.
• At most five credits of seminars and internship can be included in the 20 credits required for graduation; generic courses such as CSE 593, CSE 587, CSE 600, CSE 698, and CSE 699 cannot be included.

M.S.-specific courses

• Students in the Ph.D. program may not enroll in CSE 523/CSE 524 or CSE 599.
• These courses are specific to the M.S. program.

Ongoing research seminar

• The student must register and complete two semesters of CSE 600.
• Credits earned in this course cannot be used towards the 20 credits required for the Ph.D. program.
  • CSE 600 - Research in Modern Computer Science 0-1 credits

Internship

• At most two credits of Internship in Research can be counted toward the 20 credits required for the Ph.D. program.
  • CSE 696 - PhD Internship Project Off-Campus 1-3 credits

Dissertation Research

• The Dissertation Research course can be taken by Ph.D. students who have been advanced to candidacy (have G5 status).
• Prior to the advancement, students conduct research and participate in projects by taking CSE 593 - Independent Study in Computer Science.
• G4 students can register for up to 9 credits of CSE 593 in any semester.
• G3 students can register for only up to 3 credits of CSE 593.
  • CSE 699 - Dissertation Research on Campus 0-9 credits

Teaching requirement

• University policy requires that all doctoral students participate in an appropriately structured teaching practicum.
• This can be CSE 698 in conjunction with a TA in the first year.
  • CSE 698 - Practicum in Teaching 0-3 credits

Research Proficiency Examination (RPE)

• The purpose of the Research Proficiency Examination is to ascertain the breadth and depth of the student's preparation to undertake a significant original research investigation.
• By the end of the third semester since admission into the Ph.D. program, an RPE Committee will have been formed for each student and an agreement reached on a research project.
• By the end of the fourth semester (at the latest) the student will take the RPE.
• Having passed both the qualifying examination and the RPE the student is advanced to candidacy.
• This status, called G5, is conferred by the Dean of the Graduate School upon recommendation of the Department.

Thesis Proposal Requirement

• After the student has completed the requirements in subsections C and D, and with the approval of the student's research advisor, the student will present a thesis proposal.
• The purpose of the thesis proposal is to assess student's progress towards the Ph.D. thesis.
• The proposal must be submitted to the student's Thesis Committee within 18 months of the time the student had passed the research proficiency examination.
• Failure to fulfill this requirement by that time without a formal extension may be considered evidence of unsatisfactory progress toward the Ph.D. degree.

Dissertation

• An important requirement of the Ph.D. program is the completion of a dissertation, which must be an original scholarly investigation.
• The dissertation shall represent a significant contribution to the scientific literature, and its quality shall be compatible with the publication standards of appropriate reputable scholarly journals.

Approval and Defense of Dissertation

• The dissertation must be orally defended before a dissertation examination committee, and the candidate must obtain approval of the dissertation from this committee.
• The oral defense of the dissertation is open to all interested faculty members and graduate students.
• The final draft of the dissertation must be submitted to the committee no later than three weeks prior to the date of the defense.

Satisfactory Progress and Time Limit

• A student who does not meet the target dates for the Qualifying Examination, the Research Proficiency Examination, and the Thesis Proposal, or who does not make satisfactory progress toward completing thesis research may lose financial support.
• The candidate must satisfy all requirements for the Ph.D. degree within seven years after completing 24 credit hours of graduate courses in the Department of Computer Science at Stony Brook.
• In rare instances, the dean of the Graduate School will entertain a petition to extend this time limit, provided it bears the endorsement of the department's graduate program director.
• A petition for extension must be submitted before the time limit has been exceeded.

Part Time Students

• Students admitted into the Ph.D. program for part time study are bound by all the rules set out henceforth.
• In particular, part time students should adhere to the schedule for the Qualifying Examination, Research Proficiency Examination, and Thesis Proposal, as explained in Sections 4.3.4, 4.3.5, and 4.3.6, unless a different schedule has been approved in writing by the Graduate Director.

Obtaining an M.S. Degree on the Way to Ph.D.

• A Ph.D. student who has passed the Research Proficiency Examination can complete the requirements for an M.S. degree by satisfying the proficiency requirements and completing 31 credits of course work.
• Passing the qualifying examination is considered to have satisfied the proficiency requirements.
• At most 9 credits of seminars (excluding CSE 600), special topics courses, or CSE 593 - Independent Study in Computer Science can be included in the required 31 credits.
• A student who has switched from the M.S. program to the Ph.D. program can in addition use the previously earned credits of CSE 523/CSE 524 toward the aforesaid 9 credits.
• These 9 credits together with the RPE are considered to be equivalent to the Thesis Option in the M.S. program.
• The remaining 22 credits required for the M.S. degree must be satisfied by taking technical graduate courses in computer science (i.e., excluding courses such as CSE 523/CSE 524, CSE 587, CSE 593, CSE 596, CSE 599, CSE 696, CSE 698, CSE 699, seminars, and special topics).