Program Overview

Computer Science, PhD

Overview

The Computer Science PhD program at Case Western Reserve University is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in computer science and prepare them for a career in research and academia.

Admission

Requirements for admission include a strong record of scholarship in a completed bachelor's degree program in computer science and related areas, and fluency in written and spoken English. The University requires all foreign applicants to show English proficiency by achieving a TOEFL score of at least 577 on the paper-based exam or 90 on the internet-based exam.

Registration

Course registration can be performed through SIS. Each semester before registration, students should update any personal information that may have changed by logging onto the SIS and editing the appropriate information. All registration holds must be lifted in order to successfully complete the registration process.

PhD Policies

For PhD policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.

Program Requirements

Each student must satisfy requirements in the following categories:

• Course Work
• Mathematics and Science Requirement
• Research Proposal
• Qualifying Examination
• Dissertation

All programs of study must contain at least 36 credit hours of courses past the undergraduate degree. All courses must be at the 400-level or higher. 6 credit hours must be in basic science or mathematics. A minimum of 12 credit hours must be in courses outside the student's thesis area. A student must have attained a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA) at the time of graduation.

Academic Advisor and Research Advisor

Upon arrival, each graduate student is assigned an academic advisor from the Computer Science (CS) program faculty, typically the CS graduate representative. By the end of the second semester of study, a PhD student should transfer to a research advisor who may or may not be the same as the academic advisor.

Academic Program

Each PhD student must submit an Academic Program detailing their course work, Qualifying Examination and dissertation schedules. The Academic Program lists all courses taken beyond the undergraduate degree and shows how these courses satisfy the following course requirements for the PhD:

1. The minimum course requirement beyond the BS level is 36 credit hours of courses taken for credit, at least 18 credit hours of which must be taken at CWRU.
2. A minimum of 12 credit hours in the student's dissertation research area.
3. A minimum of 12 credit hours of breadth courses that are not in the student's dissertation research area.
4. A minimum of 18 credit hours of Computer Science courses numbered between CSDS 410 and CSDS 601 inclusive.

Appeals

Students can appeal decisions such as separation from the university for failing to maintain good standing or satisfy admission provisions. An appeal requires the endorsement of the advisor and the Graduate Affairs Committee, as certified by the Department Chair or Program Director.

Qualifying Examination

The Computer Science PhD qualifying examination is in the form of an oral exam and a written report, assessing the student's ability to survey a specific research topic, discuss the state-of-the-art in depth, provide a critical description of the literature, and propose creative ideas on improving the state-of-the-art.

Advancement to Candidacy

A student formally advances to candidacy after passing the Qualifying Examination and finding a faculty member who agrees to be the student's research advisor.

Dissertation Advisory Committee

Each PhD student must form a Dissertation Advisory Committee which consists of at least 4 members of University faculty. A student's CDS (co)advisor serves as the chair of this committee.

Dissertation Proposal

The PhD student must write a formal thesis proposal and defend it in an oral presentation to their Dissertation Advisory Committee. Normally this is done within a year of advancing to candidacy.

Dissertation

The student's dissertation must be original research in CS which represents a significant contribution to existing knowledge in the student's research area, a portion of which must be suitable for publication in reputable research journals or selective peer-reviewed conferences.

Colloquium and Presentation Requirement

All PhD students are required to register for and pass CSDS 500 for a total of three semesters of the PhD Program, and this is expected before Advancement to Candidacy. All PhD students must give a public presentation of their research, in addition to their PhD dissertation defense. This presentation must be given either at a research conference or in the CDS seminar series.