The department offers two Doctor of Philosophy degrees in both computer engineering and computer science, along with Master of Science in computer science and computer engineering. The department also offers a Masters of Engineering degree and a Master of Computer Science degree at the graduate level.
In brief summary, the department offers the following degree paths:
Master's Degrees
Master of Science (MS) degree: A student completes coursework and conducts independent research overseen by a professor which requires a written thesis and oral defense; the level of research effort is commensurate with two typical academic courses.
Master of Computer Science (MCS) degree: Focuses either on all coursework (the student performs no independent research), or involves a project (student conducts independent research overseen by a professor where the level of research effort is commensurate with one typical academic course).
Note: A Master's Degree student is assigned an academic adviser upon entering the program. If the student selects either an MS or MCS (project) degree, their research adviser then becomes the academic advisor.
PhD Degree
There are a number of steps that are required for a PhD degree, finding an advisor via the first-year rotation program, the PhD qualifying exam, forming a PhD Committee, writing and presenting a PhD proposal, writing a PhD dissertation, presenting a public defense of the dissertation, and completing four semesters of half-time work (or equivalent) as a GTA. A typical PhD timeline and financial support options are discussed in the department handbook.
Assessment. Each semester the Department conducts a review of each PhD student's progress along these steps. Faculty are asked to evaluate each student's performance and deadlines for each step and to provide documentation substantiating the evaluation. The PhD Graduate Program Director normally consults with those students who receive a rating of fair or poor to determine what can be done to improve performance. If marginal performance continues, the student may be asked to leave the PhD program.
Terminology. A person who has an undergraduate degree and who wishes to pursue a PhD is known as a PhD student or a doctoral student. That person advances to the status of PhD candidate or doctoral candidate after completing all coursework and passing the PhD Qualifying Examination.