Skip to content

cs-phd-handbook.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
132 lines (84 loc) · 5.9 KB

cs-phd-handbook.md

File metadata and controls

132 lines (84 loc) · 5.9 KB

Ph.D. in Computer Science: Program Guide for Current Students

Contacts

  • Sharon Kinder-Potter - Graduate Program Coordinator
  • Klaudia Escobar Villatoro - Administrative and Office Specialist, Master of Science and Ph.D. programs, D.C. area

Degree Requirements

To earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science at Virginia Tech, students must fulfill the following:

  • Total Credits: Minimum of 90 graduate-level credits
  • Coursework: At least 27 credits from approved, letter-graded courses
  • Research: Sufficient credits of CS 7994 (Research & Dissertation) to meet the 90-credit total (minimum of 30 credits)
  • GPA: Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all graduate coursework
  • Examinations: Completion of the Qualifying Exam, Preliminary Exam, and Final Defense
  • Timeline: 4–5 years, depending on prior degrees

Coursework Requirements (27 Graded Credits)

To fulfill the 27-credit coursework requirement, students must:

  • Fulfill the Breadth Requirement: Complete one course in at least four distinct areas, including Area 0 (Ethics) View approved breadth area courses »
  • CS Courses: Take at least 6 CS courses at the 5000 or 6000 level, including at least 2 at the 6000 level.Maximum of 6 credits of 4000-level CS courses (only if approved for graduate credit)
  • Cognate Course: Take 1 approved non-CS course relevant to your research
  • Additional Requirements:CS 5944: Graduate Seminar (2 semesters, 1 credit each)

Ph.D. Degree Milestones

Completion within 5 Years

  • Ph.D. students are expected to complete all degree requirements within 5 years
  • Students who do not finish within 5 years must submit a degree completion plan to the Director of Graduate Programs

Funding Implications

  • Departmental funding (GTA, GRA, GA) is not guaranteed and is unlikely for students who exceed the 5-year limit

Impact of Missing Milestones

Failure to meet key milestones may result in:

  • Loss of funding eligibility
  • Registration hold
  • Academic probation or dismissal

Students are responsible for knowing and meeting all deadlines.Meet regularly with your advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator.

Key Milestones and Deadlines

  • Select Advisor - End of 1st year
  • Submit Plan of Study - End of 3rd semester
  • Pass Qualifying Exam - End of 2nd year
  • Pass Preliminary Exam - Year 4, at least 6 months before final defense
  • Apply for Degree - Year 5, beginning of final semester
  • Submit ETD - After successful final defense Virginia Tech ETD LaTeX Template

Earning an M.S. Along the Way

Ph.D. students have the option to earn a Master of Science (M.S.) along the way.

Eligibility

  • Available only to CS Ph.D. students
  • Requires an approved Ph.D. Plan of Study
  • Completion of the Ph.D. Qualifier Process is required

Ph.D. Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee plays a key role in research and degree progress.

Composition

  • At least 5 members by the time of the Preliminary Exam
  • An initial Plan of Study can be submitted with 4 members
  • At least 3 members must hold tenure-track or emeritus CS@VT positions
  • Students are responsible for contacting individuals (internal and external) to join their committee.

Chair/Advisor

  • Must be a tenure-track, tenured, courtesy, or emeritus CS faculty member. If you are reading this, your committee chair is probably Dr. Brown.

Internal Members

The following faculty have aligning research interests and frequenty join committees for members of this research group---however you are not limited to this list:

  • SE: Gulzar, Meng, Tilevich, Seyam, Edmison
  • HCI: Lee, Chen, Rho
  • Education: Chen, Seyam, Edmison, Omebo, Ellis, Shaffer, Edwards

External Member

  • At least one member must be from outside CS@VT
  • The external committee member does not need to be in a Computer Science department, but must conduct relevant work and be able to provide insights on your research.
  • The external member must be pre-approved Current approved committee members list »
  • Dr. Brown will propose several external committee members based on your research area. Students may also suggest external members with expertise in their area.

Graduate School Approval

  • All committee members must be pre-approved by the Graduate School

Substitute Members

  • Must also be pre-approved by the Graduate School

Examination Timeline

You must be registered during the term you take each exam. Schedule via the Graduate School's Signature Approval System.

Qualifying Exam

  • Purpose: Assess research readiness
  • Timing: Year 1 or 2, typically Spring (Feb–March)

Preliminary Exam

  • Purpose: Review research proposal
  • Timing: Year 4, at least 6 months before Final Defense
  • Scheduling: Submit at least 2 weeks prior to exam

Final Defense

  • Purpose: Defend completed dissertation
  • Timing: Year 5, final semester
  • Scheduling: Submit at least 2 weeks in advance, with full committee approval

Additional Resources

Source: students.cs.vt.edu/Graduate/Degrees/Doctorate.html