Catalog Home College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Computer Science

Computer Science

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Science, and a minor in computer science and in informatics. Both the B.A. and B.S. provide students with the necessary training for employment in careers such as software development and information management. Students who do not want to pursue a computer science career should consider earning a minor in computer science to acquire fundamental knowledge of the use and applications of computers. The department encourages students in both B.A. and B.S. programs to consider earning a second major, certificate, or minor.

Undergraduates majoring in computer science develop competence in programming principles and methodologies, problem-solving techniques, mathematics, and computer systems. Computer science training is critical for many careers in science, engineering, and business.

Qualified undergraduate students who plan to earn the Master of Computer Science degree may apply for the joint Bachelor of Arts/Master of Computer Science program or the joint Bachelor of Science/Master of Computer Science program. The joint programs allow students to count a limited amount of advanced credit toward requirements for both the undergraduate and the graduate degree, enabling them to earn both degrees in five years, less time than is required to earn them separately.

Informatics brings the computational sciences together with the arts, the humanities, and the biological, health, information, natural, and social sciences in an interdisciplinary effort to solve problems. It uses algorithmic techniques and the power of computing to acquire and manipulate data, extract new knowledge, and ultimately examine existing and new problems from broad perspectives.

The informatics major combines fundamental and practical computing knowledge with a choice of cognate areas from the liberal arts and sciences, providing students with the necessary background and specialized skills to work at the interface of computing and another discipline. The major also provides good preparation for graduate study in a variety of disciplines.

Students may declare a major in computer science or in informatics and be admitted to the department's B.A. or B.S. programs at any time on or after admission to the University. Students are admitted to the informatics B.A. program without a chosen cognate area; they may declare a cognate at any time. After admission to the major, computer science students must maintain a g.p.a. of 2.00 or higher in all course work in order to graduate; informatics students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the informatics core, the statistics course, and the elective(s).

All students are advised at the Academic Advising Center until they have completed 22C:019 Discrete Structures (computer science students) or 22C:080 Programming for Informatics (informatics students). Computer science students being advised at the advising center also may consult with computer science faculty members; informatics students being advised at the center also should consult with the department's informatics program director.

Transfer students who have taken a course approved as equivalent to a required computer science or informatics course are exempt from that course. Transfer course grades are included in the computer science or informatics grade-point average.

Students should consult the Department of Computer Science web site or visit the department's office for information about general policies, elective areas, and internships, scholarships, and student groups, such as the University's chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and Women in Informatics and Computer Science (WICS).

Advanced Placement

The Computer Science Advanced Placement Program test can be used to gain credit for elective semester hours. See Advanced Placement Credit Policy under Prospective Students on the Department of Computer Science web site.

Early Admission to the Graduate College

Undergraduate computer science or informatics students who have 6 s.h. or less to earn toward graduation may apply for early admission to the Graduate College. Early admission allows students in their final undergraduate semester to take courses for graduate credit in addition to the courses they need to complete their bachelor's degrees.

Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science

The Bachelor of Arts in computer science requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 41 s.h. of work for the major. The B.A. program is designed for students who wish to gain considerable knowledge in computer science and have flexibility in selecting electives. Students preparing for careers in the computing field are encouraged to supplement the base requirements with additional computer science courses. The program's flexibility makes it suitable for combination with other majors.

All students must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program. Students who are enrolled in the B.A. program but who might switch to the B.S. program should choose their General Education natural science courses carefully; see "Natural Science Sequences" under "Bachelor of Science," below.

The B.A. major in computer science requires the following core courses. They may not be taken pass/nonpass. Students also must take one advanced computer science elective.

COMPUTER SCIENCE CORE

All of these: 

One of these: 

One of these: 

MATHEMATICS CORE

Calculus I--one of these: 

Calculus II--one of these: 

Linear algebra/probability and statistics--one of these: 

ADVANCED ELECTIVES

Bachelor of Arts students must earn at least 3 s.h. in advanced electives. 

With department approval, students may count most 22C courses numbered above 200 as advanced courses.

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

The Bachelor of Science in computer science requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 63 s.h. of work for the major. The B.S. program is more rigorous than the B.A. and is designed to provide in-depth training for students who may pursue graduate work in computer science. However, the choice between the B.A. or the B.S. should be dictated by students' personal career goals. The B.S. is not required for graduate study, and many students not interested in graduate study may choose the B.S. to enhance their skills and job prospects.

All students must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program. When chosen carefully, courses that fulfill the General Education Program natural sciences requirement also satisfy the Department of Computer Science natural science requirement (see "Natural Science Sequences," below).

B.S. students complete all requirements for the B.A. major in computer science. They also complete an additional mathematics course, a course on computation theory, another computer science elective, two technical electives, and the natural science requirement. These courses cannot be taken pass/nonpass.

COMPUTER SCIENCE CORE

All of these: 

One of these: 

One of these: 

MATHEMATICS CORE

Calculus I--one of these: 

Calculus II--one of these: 

Linear algebra: 

Probability and statistics--one of these: 

ADVANCED ELECTIVES

Bachelor of Science students must earn at least 6 s.h. in advanced electives. 

With department approval, students may count most 22C courses numbered above 200 as advanced courses.

COMPUTATION THEORY

One of these: 

TECHNICAL ELECTIVES

Bachelor of Science students must earn 6 s.h. in technical electives. Advanced elective courses in computer science or in any other department, approved by an advisor, can be counted as technical electives. For a list of approved technical electives, see Technical Electives for the B.S. under Courses on the Department of Computer Science web site.

NATURAL SCIENCE SEQUENCES

For the B.S., students take two or more courses in a sequence (totaling at least 7 s.h.) in a cognate area of natural science. The natural science sequence is intended to enhance the student's perspective by providing a deeper understanding of the scientific method. Typically, it consists of a sequence of courses taken in the same science department. Students often choose courses that also fulfill the General Education Program natural sciences requirement. Some possible choices are listed below; the department chair may approve others.

CLEP/APP credit may be used to satisfy part or all of the natural science requirement only if the appropriate science department at The University of Iowa accepts the credit as equivalent to one or more of the specific courses listed below.

Astronomy 

Biology/Chemistry 

Chemistry 

Geography 

Geoscience 

Physics

One of these sequences: 

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in Informatics

The Bachelor of Arts in informatics requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 43-50 s.h. of work for the major. The Bachelor of Science in informatics requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 53-55 s.h. of work for the major. Both majors combine informatics course work that provides a strong foundation in computing with course work in a cognate discipline. Required credit for the major depends on the choice of cognate area.

The Bachelor of Arts major offers the cognate areas of fine and applied arts (art, music), human-computer interaction, health sciences, linguistics, social sciences (economics, geography, sociology), and individualized cognates.

The Bachelor of Science major offers the cognate areas of bioinformatics and individualized cognates.

All informatics students complete the informatics core, one (B.A.) or two (B.S.) electives, a statistics course, and a set of courses in their chosen cognate area. Students also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

Students are expected to possess an appropriate high school background in mathematics.

INFORMATICS CORE

The informatics core consists of six required computing courses (at least 18 s.h.) that emphasize data manipulation, databases, and networking. It provides more applications-oriented content than the traditional computer science curriculum yet is designed to offer students a sound basis in underlying computer sciences themes and techniques.

One of these:

All of these: 

INFORMATICS ELECTIVES

B.A. students must complete at least one course (3 s.h.) and B.S. students must complete at least two (6 s.h.) from a list of approved computing informatics electives. In addition to the courses listed below, students may have additional choices from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Department of Management Sciences, and the School of Library and Information Science; consult the informatics program director for additional choices. 

STATISTICS COURSE

B.A. and B.S. students must complete one introductory statistics course. Some cognates require a specific statistics course or an alternative statistics course not on this list (e.g., 034:010 Quantitative Data Analysis for the human-computer interaction cognate). Students should consult with their advisor to choose a statistics course appropriate for their cognate area.

One of these (3-4 s.h.): 

Bachelor of Arts Cognates

Detailed requirements for each cognate are listed on the Department of Computer Science web site.

ART

The informatics major with an art cognate requires 46 s.h. of work for the major, including 21 s.h. in cognate courses. Students learn about the design and maintenance of Web services, applications of modern computerized artistic tools, and benefits and limitations of computers as a digital medium. They also gain insight into computerized tool design that is guided by knowledge of an artist's requirements. The art cognate may lead to careers in web development, technology coordination for artistic productions, development of digital artistic tools, and artistic or technical development for entertainment companies. Cognate courses are primarily in art history, design, elements of art, and photography.

All of these:

Two of these:

At least 6 s.h. from these; 3 s.h. must be 100-level:

ECONOMICS

The informatics major with an economics cognate requires at least 48 s.h. of work for the major, including 24 s.h. in cognate courses, which are primarily from economics.

All of these:

Two of these:

GEOGRAPHY

The informatics major with a geography cognate requires 48 s.h. of work for the major, including 23 s.h. in cognate courses, which are primarily from geography.

All of these:

 One of these:

One of these:

 Two of these:

HEALTH SCIENCES

The informatics major with a health sciences cognate requires 50 s.h. of work for the major, including 25 s.h. in cognate courses. The health sciences cognate is intended for students interested in applications of computing to the health sciences. It may lead to careers in medical research or hospital settings and to graduate-level professional degree programs in public health or to graduate study in health or medical informatics. Cognate courses are from anatomy and cell biology, biology, chemistry, health and sport studies, nursing, and psychology.

One of these:

 One of these:

One of these:

 All of these:

 One of these:

HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION

The informatics major with a cognate in human-computer interaction requires a minimum of 45 s.h. of work for the major, including 20-23 s.h. in cognate courses. The cognate is intended for students interested in designing useful and usable technologies. It can lead to careers in interaction design, web design, implementation of user interfaces and evaluation of human-computer interactions, as well as provide valuable skills for graduate studies in human-computer interaction.

The cognate's courses are drawn largely from psychology, sociology, and industrial engineering. Four required courses include foundational aspects of psychology or sociology, an examination of basic human abilities and performance relevant to information technology use, and an introduction to research topics in human-computer interaction.

Students must complete either the psychology area or the sociology area.

Psychology

Students who choose the psychology area must satisfy the statistics requirement for the informatics core by taking 22S:008 Statistics for Business, 22S:025 Elementary Statistics and Inference, 22S:101 Biostatistics, or 22S:102 Introduction to Statistical Methods. The psychology area requires the following courses.

All of these (14 s.h.):

Two of these (6 s.h.):

Sociology

Students who choose the sociology area must satisfy the statistics requirement for the informatics core by taking 034:010 Quantitative Data Analysis. The sociology area requires the following courses.

All of these (12-13 s.h.):

Three of these (9-10 s.h.):

LINGUISTICS

The informatics major with a linguistics cognate requires 46 s.h. of work for the major, including at least 21 s.h. in cognate courses. Linguistics, the scientific study of human languages, is directly related to psychology, anthropology, and computer science as well as to more applied fields such as second language acquisition or speech and hearing science. The cognate focuses on computational representations of syntax and semantics for processing natural language. Cognate courses are drawn primarily from linguistics.

All of these:

Language history--one of these:

Old language--one of these:

MUSIC

The informatics major with a music cognate requires 48 s.h. of work for the major, including 23 s.h. in cognate courses. The music cognate is intended for students interested in audio recording, manipulation of sound, and digital media. It may help students prepare for careers in the entertainment industry. Cognate courses are primarily from the music, with some from cinema and comparative literature and from theatre arts. Entering students must possess basic musicianship skills; an audition may be required for admission.

All of these:

Students who plan to take 025:002 Musicianship and Theory I or 025:003 Musicianship and Theory II must take the music theory diagnostic examination, which is administered on the Sunday before fall semester classes begin. See Music Theory Diagnostic Exam on the School of Music web site for more information.

One of these:

At least one of these to complete 23 s.h. for the cognate:

SOCIOLOGY

The informatics major with a sociology cognate requires 45 s.h. of work for the major, including 20 s.h. in cognate courses, which are drawn from sociology.

All of these:

At least 11 s.h. from these:

INDIVIDUALIZED COGNATES

Students interested in developing individualized cognates may work with an informatics faculty advisor. Individualized cognates may be drawn primarily from one department or an appropriate mix of departments. In the Bachelor of Arts, individualized cognates require an approved set of cognate courses totaling 18-25 s.h.

Bachelor of Science Cognates

Detailed requirements for the cognate are listed on the Department of Computer Science web site.

BIOINFORMATICS

The informatics major with a bioinformatics cognate requires 55 s.h. of work for the major, including 27 s.h. in cognate courses. The bioinformatics cognate is intended for students interested in applications of computing to the biological sciences. It may lead to careers in laboratory research, data management, and other related areas. It also is preparation for graduate programs in bioinformatics or genetics. The cognate offers a choice of several areas: genome bioinformatics, phylogenics and evolution, proteomics, and systems biology. Cognate courses are drawn primarily from biology and chemistry.

All students in the bioinformatics cognate must complete the following two sequences.

Students also must complete one of the following four areas.

Genome Bioinformatics

Both of these:

Two of these:

Phylogenetics and Evolution

Both of these:

Two of these:

Proteomics

All of these:

Systems Biology

Both of these:

One of these:

INDIVIDUALIZED COGNATES

Individualized cognates may be drawn primarily from one department or an appropriate mix of departments. In the Bachelor of Science, individualized cognates require an approved set of cognate courses totaling 27-31 s.h. Students interested in developing individualized cognates should contact the Department of Computer Science for the name of an informatics faculty advisor.

Four-Year Graduation Plan

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the University's Four-Year Graduation Plan. (Courses in the major are those required to complete the major; they may be offered by departments other than the major department.)

B.A. in Computer Science

Before the third semester begins: math through calculus I, three courses in the major (e.g., 22C:016 Computer Science I: Fundamentals, 22C:019 Discrete Structures, and 22C:021 Computer Science II: Data Structures), and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: math through calculus II, two more courses in the major (e.g., 22C:022 Object-Oriented Software Development and 22C:060 Computer Organization), and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: at least two more courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: at least one more course in the major

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

B.S. in Computer Science

These checkpoints do not include the required natural science sequence, which students usually complete as part of their General Education Program natural science component.

Before the third semester begins: math through calculus I, three courses in the major (e.g., 22C:016 Computer Science I: Fundamentals, 22C:019 Discrete Structures, and 22C:021 Computer Science II: Data Structures), and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: math through calculus II, at least two more courses in the major (e.g., 22C:022 Object-Oriented Software Development and 22C:060 Computer Organization), and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: at least three more courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: at least two more courses in the major

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

B.A., B.S. in Informatics

Note: Much of the work in informatics and in the cognate area needs to be taken in sequence, so students must begin fulfilling major requirements as early as possible.

Before the third semester begins: 22C:005 Introduction to Computer Science, 22C:080 Programming for Informatics, one or two courses in the cognate area, the statistics course, and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required to graduate

Before the fifth semester begins: the three mid-level informatics courses (22C:082 Human-Computer Interaction, 22C:084 Databases for Informatics, and 22C:086 Networking and Security for Informatics), the statistics course (if not already completed), two or three more courses in the cognate area, and at least one-half of the semester hours required to graduate

Before the seventh semester begins: 22C:094 Informatics Project, an informatics elective course, two or three courses in the cognate area, and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required to graduate

Before the eighth semester begins: a second informatics elective course (for BS students) and courses in the cognate area

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major; all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

Honors

In order to pursue honors study in the Department of Computer Science, students must be members of the University of Iowa Honors Program, which requires them to maintain a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information).

To graduate with honors in computer science or informatics, students must complete 4-6 s.h. of 22C:099 Honors in Computer Science or Informatics and submit an acceptable honors thesis. Students are responsible for finding a faculty member willing to supervise their honors project. The faculty member must approve the proposed project and a timetable for the work. Students register for 22C:099 Honors in Computer Science or Informatics under the thesis supervisor's instructor number. See the Computer Science Undergraduate Student Handbook for details. Students may count 3 s.h. of 22C:099 Honors in Computer Science or Informatics toward an advanced or technical elective for the B.S. in computer science.

Minor in Computer Science

The minor in computer science requires a minimum of 17 s.h. in computer science, including 12 s.h. in courses taken at The University of Iowa. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. Students excused from courses required for the minor may substitute other computer science electives. The minor requires the following courses.

All of these: 

At least one of these:

Students choose one additional computer science course to complete the required 17 s.h.

Students may not use the following courses to satisfy requirements for the minor.

Students in electrical and computer engineering who have completed 055:033 Introduction to Software Design, 057:017 Computers in Engineering, and 059:006 Engineering Problem Solving II are considered to have satisfied the requirements for 22C:016 Computer Science I: Fundamentals and 22C:022 Object-Oriented Software Development.

Students may declare the computer science minor on ISIS; application triggers an audit for the minor that is available on ISIS the next day of the academic session.

Minor in Informatics

The minor in informatics requires a minimum of 16 s.h., including at least 12 s.h. in courses taken at The University of Iowa. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass.

Students earning a major in computer science or in management information systems (Tippie College of Business) may not earn a minor in informatics.

The informatics minor must include the informatics core (13 s.h.) and one statistics course (3-4 s.h.), as follows.

Informatics core--all of these: 

Informatics core--one of these: 

Statistics--one of these: 

Students may declare the informatics minor on ISIS; application triggers an audit for the minor that is available on ISIS the next day of the academic session.

Combined B.A./M.C.S. and B.S./M.C.S.

The joint Bachelor of Arts/Master of Computer Science and Bachelor of Science/Master of Computer Science programs allow qualified students to obtain an undergraduate and a graduate degree in computer science in five years. The B.A./M.C.S. and B.S./M.C.S. each require a total of 140 s.h., which is 12 s.h. less than the sum of the requirements for both degrees.

Students in the joint programs must complete all requirements for each degree. They may count a maximum of 12 s.h. (four courses) toward both degrees; the four courses must be taken during the fourth year, after admission to the joint program, and must satisfy degree requirements of both the B.A. or B.S., and the M.C.S.

When a student withdraws from the joint program before completing his or her bachelor's degree, credit earned in the four courses is counted only toward the undergraduate degree.

Students are granted the B.A. or B.S. when they complete all requirements for the undergraduate degree.

Students apply for admission to the joint program during their third year as undergraduates and enter the program at the beginning of their fourth year. They usually complete the joint program comfortably in one year after finishing their B.A. or B.S. requirements.

Applicants to the joint program must be enrolled as B.A. or B.S. students in computer science at The University of Iowa; must have completed a minimum of 80 s.h. at the time of admission to the joint program, with at least 30 s.h. earned at The University of Iowa; and must have a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.25, and a g.p.a. of at least 3.25 in the computer science major (computed on math prerequisites and core computer science course work taken at The University of Iowa).

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

Applicants must submit an application for admission to the program, a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, and transcripts from all colleges attended; they also must apply to the Graduate College. Graduate Record Examination scores are not required. Applicants whose first language is not English must submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Testing System (IELTS).

For more detailed information, visit the Department of Computer Science web site.

Graduate Programs

The department offers three graduate degree programs: the Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.), and a Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in computer science.

The M.C.S. is a nonresearch, course-based program for students who wish to enhance their careers with advanced knowledge of computer science. The Ph.D. emphasizes preparation for research, teaching, and scholarly work in academic settings or private, industrial, or government laboratories. The M.S. is granted only to students working toward the Ph.D.

Admission decisions are based on prior academic performance, letters of reference, scores on the Graduate Record Examination (for Ph.D. applicants), and the applicant's statement about background and purpose. Students need not have a master's degree to begin the Ph.D. program or to receive the Ph.D. A student admitted without a master's degree may choose to receive an M.S. or M.C.S. while working toward the doctorate.

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

Current and prospective graduate students should consult the Computer Science Graduate Student Handbook, available from the department's office or on its web site. The handbook provides detailed information about specific degree requirements, such as required courses, examinations, and dissertation requirements. For general information about the department, faculty, and research activities, contact the Department of Computer Science or visit its web site.

Master of Computer Science

The Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.) requires a minimum of 32 s.h. of graduate credit. Students must complete at least 26 s.h. at The University of Iowa.

Basic M.C.S. requirements are as follows. Consult the Computer Science Graduate Student Handbook for detailed information about M.C.S. requirements and graduate study policies.

FOUNDATIONS

One of these: 

SYSTEMS

One of these: 

COLLOQUIUM

M.C.S. students must earn at least 2 s.h. in 22C:399 Research Seminar: Colloquium Series.

ELECTIVES

M.C.S. students fill their remaining 24 s.h. with a combination of computer science graduate courses, reading and project courses, and non-computer science graduate courses approved by their advisor.

Students must take at least six computer science graduate courses (18 s.h.), numbered 22C:120 or above, excluding 22C:191 Research for Thesis, 22C:197 Readings in Computer Science, 22C:198 Individual Programming Projects, 22C:290 Readings for Research, and 22C:399 Research Seminar: Colloquium Series. They may count a maximum of 6 s.h. of computer science independent study courses and/or technical or quantitative non-computer science graduate courses, approved by their advisor, toward the elective requirement. Up to 3 s.h. of independent study courses (22C:191 Research for Thesis, 22C:197 Readings in Computer Science, 22C:198 Individual Programming Projects, and 22C:290 Readings for Research) may be counted toward the requirement.

Master of Science

The Master of Science in computer science is offered only to students working toward a Ph.D. in computer science. Students who are interested primarily in a master's degree and do not intend to pursue a more advanced degree should apply to the M.C.S. program.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy in computer science requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit, three examinations (qualifying, comprehensive, and final), and a dissertation.

Basic Ph.D. requirements are as follows. Consult the Computer Science Graduate Student Handbook for detailed information about Ph.D. requirements and graduate study policies.

CORE REQUIREMENT

Both of these: 

BREADTH

Ph.D. students must complete at least three of the following courses, with at least one course selected from each area (9 s.h.).

Systems and software: 

Networks and distributed systems: 

Programming languages and compilers: 

PRACTICE

Ph.D. students must complete at least one course (3 s.h.) with significant practical or implementation-oriented content. Each semester the department designates courses that satisfy this requirement. The following are typical selections. 

COGNATE AREA

Ph.D. students are required to select, in consultation with their advisor, a total of 9 s.h. in courses that constitute coherent coverage of an external cognate area. Choices include, but are not limited to, mathematics, statistics, genetics, biology, and engineering disciplines.

COLLOQUIUM

Ph.D. students must earn at least 4 s.h. in 22C:399 Research Seminar: Colloquium Series.

ELECTIVES

Ph.D. students fill their remaining semester hours with a selection of computer science graduate courses (excluding those numbered 22C:101 through 22C:119) and non-computer science graduate courses approved by their advisor.

QUALIFYING EXAM

Ph.D. students are required to pass a qualifying examination by the end of their second year of graduate study. Once students select a topic in consultation with their advisor, they are assigned a three-member faculty examination panel by the department. Then they prepare a written prospectus for review by the committee, followed by an oral presentation.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAM

The comprehensive examination is an evaluation of the student's mastery of a research area at or near completion of formal course work, and before preparation of the dissertation. The exam may be written, oral, or both, at the department's discretion, and is administered by a faculty committee. The comprehensive exam typically should be completed by the end of the student's third year and no later than the end of the fourth year in the Ph.D. program.

DISSERTATION

Each Ph.D. student must write a dissertation, a significant, original contribution to the field of computer science. Once students obtain some preliminary results and can identify and describe the boundaries of their dissertation, they prepare a written proposal for their committee's review. The dissertation must be prepared in accordance with the format specified in the Graduate College Thesis Manual.

FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION

Once the dissertation is complete and has been reviewed by the student's committee, a final oral examination is administered on campus. This examination must take place no sooner than the semester following successful completion of the comprehensive examination and no later than five years after completion of the comprehensive exam.