CSE PhD Program

1
CSE PhD Program

• Prof. Gagan Agrawal
• Grad Studies Chair

2
Degree Programs

• Masters non-thesis / coursework
• Masters thesis / research
• Ph.D

3
Admitted Groups

• Masters non-thesis / unspecified
• Research Masters
• Direct Ph.D track

4
Type Conversions

• Masters non-thesis students can switch to thesis
  option by finding an advisor for masters thesis
• Masters students become Ph.D students if they
  take and pass Ph.D qualifying examination
• Research masters students cannot switch to
  non-thesis option
• petition to grad studies in truly exceptional
  circumstances
• Ph.D students cannot switch to masters program
• petition to grad studies in truly exceptional
  circumstances

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PhD Program

• Three Stages
• Qualification Process
• Quals or Acceleration Optioin
• Post-quals Pre-candidacy
• Research and Coursework
• Post-candidacy
• Dissertation Research

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First Stage

• Focus on breadth in core CS areas
• Demonstrate Suitability for PhD
• Master Core Topics
• Show promise of doing research

7
Semester Rules for Core/Qualifying

• Core Classes - 3 Semester Credits each
• CSE 6321 - Theory
• CSE 6331 - Algorithms
• CSE 6341 - PL
• CSE 6421 - Architecture
• CSE 6431 OS
• For acceleration/quals, take
• CSE 6331 (Algorithms)
• CSE 6321 (Theory) OR CSE 6341 (PL)
• CSE 6421 (Architecture) OR CSE 6431 (OS)
• Acceleration 3.6 in three courses (as above)
  within first 2 semesters
• Qualifiers 2 hour exam in each area (6 hours
  total, over 1 ½ days)

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More Details of Acceleration

• If you take multiple tries in a course
• We will count the first attempt only
• Conditional pass only
• Need to finish a research piece in second year!

9
Ph.D Qualifying

• A max of two attempts are allowed
• Direct Ph.D track students are normally expected
  to take it after the first year
• Must pass within your second year to be eligible
  for support later

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Timing for Comps/Quals

• August
• Just before Fall Classes start
• March
• During spring break (middle of spring semester)
• 2 days, 3 2-hour exams
• Day 1 morning, Day 1 afternoon, Day 2 morning

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Types of Classes (Ph.D students)

• Core Classes - 6xxx
• Primarily Undergrad Courses
• 5xxx, 2 credits
• Meets with a 3 credit 3xxx courses
• Mostly for making up deficiencies in background
  - could count for certain minors
• Other 5000 and 6000 level letter graded courses
• 5xx9 replaces 788s, research-oriented but letter
  graded
• Research Credits
• 888s replaced by 6xx9
• Independent Study (793) is now 8193
• 999s for MS students - 6998 and 6999
• 999s for PhD students - 8998 (Pre-candidacy) and
  8999 (Post-Candidacy)

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PhD Coursework (Semesters)

• PhD Major will be 10 semester credits
• Only letter graded courses
• Can use a semester core class not used for
  qualifying
• E.g. Semester Architecture, if Semester OS used
  for qualifying
• Details for most areas are available online

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PhD Coursework (Semesters)

• PhD Minors will be 6 semester credits each
• At most 1 S/U credit (e.g. 888 or 6xx9).
• Can use a semester core class not used for
  qualifying
• E.g. Semester Architecture, if Semester OS used
  for qualifying
• Details for most areas available online

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Stage 2 Beyond Coursework

• Candidacy Examination
• Typically after 2.5 4 years in the program
• Involves a thesis proposal and written and oral
  examinations demonstrating knowledge of major
  area
• A clear research plan and substantial research
  progress required
• Most students have several publications at this
  stage

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Stage 3 - ABD

• Work on research, publications etc.
• Finish writing dissertation
• Oral Examination based on dissertation
• Submission of final approved dissertation

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Research Progress Evaluation

• Conducted every spring, for Ph.D students
  finishing two or more years in the program
• Requires clear research plan and established
  relationship with an advisor
• Expect research involvement and paper
  submissions after year 2, publications after
  year 3,
• A satisfactory rating is key for future funding
  

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Normal Support Policies

• Initial support for 2 years
• Requires satisfactory GPA
• Requires good performance on TA/RA duties
• International students must pass the spoken
  English test to be eligible for year 2 support
• Third and Fourth Years
• Must have passed the Ph.D qualifying examination
  
• Satisfactory research progress, as judged by grad
  studies committee
• In most cases, as RA only

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Normal Support Policies

• Years 5 and 6
• Must have passed Ph.D candidacy examination
• Satisfactory or better research progress
• In most cases, as RA only
• Limit on TA support
• 4 academic year semesters over the length of your
  stay
• Exception 1 per advisor allowed as exception at
  anytime
• All of the above entering the department
  guaranteed support
• If you are entering w/o support, case-by-case
  after passing quals

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Some Other Tips

• Focus on excellence, rather than meeting minimum
  requirements
• Create good impression during any of your
  interactions
• Graded classes, research credits, TAship duties
• Show initiative, prove yourself to be reliable
  and capable

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Transfer Credits

• Only for graduate credits taken as a graduate
  student
• Different rules for different requirements
• 3 core classes for acceleration
• Cannot count courses/grades taken elsewhere
• PhD Major and Minor
• Flexibly with major and minor advisors