ICS Graduate Student Orientation Graduate Student Orientation

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ICSGraduate Student OrientationGraduate
Student Orientation

• Edoardo (Edo) Biagioni
• ICS Graduate Chair
• esb_at_hawaii.edu

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What is this about?

• Different degree requirements
• M.S., Ph.D.
• The steps to graduation
• Academic
• Administrative
• Answering whatever questions you have
• Much information
• On the ICS Web site
• On the UHM Graduate Division Web site

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Graduate Division

• The administrative unit that deals with all
  graduate education matters
• Located in Spalding 352/354/359/360
• Web site http//www.manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate
• Example of what they do
• Hold the useful forms you may need to fill out
• Toward graduation, for leaves of absence, for
  authorizations to take more courses, etc.
• Check that all is done according to the rules
• And there are many rules
• Put students on academic probation (not good)
• Deal with submission and archival of thesis
  documents

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Graduate Division

• A few noteworthy Grad Division rules
• 7-year rule
• Credit for 7-year old courses may stop being
  counted
• Continuous Enrollment rule
• The only way to not register for classes is to be
  approved for a leave of absence
• Otherwise you have to reapply!
• Enrollment at the semester of graduation rule
• You can only graduate in semester X if you take
  at least 1 credit during semester X

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The Graduate Chair

• Local contact for academic and department-related
  matters
• About any questions, concerns, issues
• Whats my next step for graduating
• I dont remember anything from the orientation
• I have personal or interpersonal issues I wish
  to discuss
• Interface with Graduate Division
• Administrative matters
• e.g., the Grad Chair signs forms
• e.g., the Grad Chair writes memos for special
  cases, exceptions, etc.
• Often the Grad Chair has the answers
• But will tell you go talk to Grad Division for
  certain matters
• You can call Grad Division yourselves (theyre
  really helpful)
• The Grad Chair rotates every 4 years

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The Graduate Chair

• Talk to the Graduate Chair!
• Talk to the Graduate Chair!!
• Talk to the Graduate Chair!!!
• note from previous grad chair Every semester I
  become aware of issues (some mild, some more
  serious) that are new to me although theyve been
  ongoing for semesters

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The Degrees

• Master of Science (M.S.)
• Plan A (Thesis)
• Plan B (Project)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
• Lets talk about
• A few generalities
• Degree requirements
• Many are similar/related
• The 4 Grad Division forms

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M.S. vs. Ph.D.

• The biggest difference Magnitude of the original
  research component
• The Ph.D
• All about original research
• Hows your research going? vs. What grades are
  you getting in courses?
• Several research publications should come out of
  a Ph.D. thesis
• The M.S.
• More modest research component
• Originality could be very minimal
• Especially in a Plan B
• A research publication out of a Plan A is
  considered good news (for the Ph.D. its business
  as usual)

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The M.S. Degree

• Regular Coursework
• Potential Undergraduate Deficiencies
• Need to be all cleared before taking
  graduate-level courses
• 6 3-credit ICS 600-level courses
• 2 3-credit ICS or related 600-level courses
• Can be from other departments
• Must be approved by the graduate chair
• Courses must cover our 4 areas
• 1 1-credit ICS690 (ICS Grad Seminar)

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The M.S. Degree

• ICS 699 (Directed Research/Reading)
• This is the course that gives you credit for
  doing research with a faculty member
• Flexible credits
• M.S. requirement
• 2 3-credit ICS699 courses
• Consecutive semesters
• Same faculty member
• Same project
• Basically a 2-semester project

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M.S. Degree Plan B

• You do a project with a faculty advisor
• This project can have a large development
  component
• And thus a small research component
• You produce a conference-like paper under the
  supervision of a faculty member
• typically around 10-15 pages
• Your advisor approves the paper
• The Grad Chair approves the paper
• You give a 1/2 hour presentation at the 690
  Seminar
• Does not have to be the same semester during
  which the student is registered for the seminar!

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M.S. Degree, Plan A

• You do a project with a faculty advisor
• This project must have a research component
• Originality isnt an absolute requirement
• You and your advisor sign up two more faculty to
  form a committee
• You do a M.S. thesis proposal document
• Typically around 15 pages (subset of the thesis)
• The committee approves the proposal (no defense,
  in general)
• Suggestions for change may be made
• You write a M.S. thesis under the supervision of
  the advisor and submits it to the committee
• Typically around 50 pages
• You give a 1/2 hour presentation at the 690
  Seminar
• Often a nice way to rehearse a defense
• You do a M.S. thesis defense
• The committee approves of the defense and the
  thesis
• And suggests changes to the thesis
• The committee approves the final draft of the
  thesis
• The thesis is submitted to grad division

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The Obvious Question

• Why on Earth would I do a Plan A?
• Answers
• Because you get to substitute one 3-credit ICS6xx
  course by 3 credits of ICS699
• more research, less coursework
• Because you think you may want to do research in
  the future (e.g., moving on to a Ph.D.)
• Because it looks more impressive on your resumé
• Because you want a killer letter of
  recommendation from faculty members (advisor and
  committee members)
• Because its fun and you like the project

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When do I decide?

• You can switch from A to B or B to A at any time
• Switching from B to A is more difficult since
  there are more requirements
• Switching from A to B is easy
• But you need 8 regular courses
• You dont have to decide now

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How do I get my M.S. fast?

• The reason why some students take 2 years to
  graduate (the expectation) and others take 3 is
  almost always the same
• Talking about full-time students here
• A lot of students just focus on courses, get
  straight As, and after all coursework is
  complete wake up and ask whats my
  project/thesis?
• To graduate fast, but must overlap course taking
  with project/thesis work
• Coming up with a project/thesis idea by the end
  of your 2nd semester is the goal

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Typical Full-Time Schedules

• Plan B
• Semester 1 3 courses
• Semester 2 3 courses
• Semester 3 1 course ICS699
• Semester 4 1 course ICS699
• Plan A
• Semester 1 3 courses
• Semester 2 3 course
• Semester 3 1 course ICS699
• Semester 4 2x ICS699
• There is also a 1-credit ICS690 in there
  somewhere, at any semester
• Some students like to have their last semester be
  only ICS699

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The Ph.D. Degree

• If admitted to the Ph.D. program without a M.S.
  in Computer Science or related field, you must
  complete a M.S. degree first
• If not sure, ask the Grad Chair
• Once the requirements for the M.S. are complete,
  you enter the Ph.D. portion of the degree
• You are automatically in the Ph.D. portion of the
  degree if already holding a M.S. degree in CS or
  related field

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The Ph.D. Degree

• At the end of your first semester of the Ph.D.
  portion of the degree, you must take (and pass)
  the Qualifying Exam
• Not Comps, just Quals
• Mastery of basic B.S./M.S.-level computer science
  material
• Study guide available on the ICS Web site
• There are two chances
• If not passed by the end of the 1st year in the
  Ph.D. portion, you are dismissed from the program
• There are such things as conditional passes

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The Ph.D. Degree

• You can take regular courses (but dont have too)
• You take ICS699 credits with a faculty advisor
• You have to take the ICS690 Seminar every
  semester
• And make a presentation every other semester
• You have to pass the quals
• You have to pass the research portfolio
• You and your advisor form a committee
• You prepare a Ph.D. proposal document
• Typically 30-50 pages, with preliminary results
• You defend your proposal
• Suggestions for change may be made
• The committee approves the proposal (youre now
  ABD)
• You write a Ph.D. dissertation
• You defend your dissertation
• The committee approves the defense and the
  dissertation
• And suggests changes to the dissertation
• The committee approves the final draft of the
  thesis
• The dissertation is submitted to Grad Division

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Questions?

• Clearly, this was a high-level view
• Any questions at this point?
• We talk about these topics in the ICS690 seminar
  regularly
• How to write/defend a proposal?
• How to pick an advisor?
• How to write a thesis/dissertation?
• etc.

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Questions?

• Clearly, this was a high-level view
• Any questions at this point?
• We talk about these topics in the ICS690 seminar
  regularly
• How to write/defend a proposal?
• How to pick an advisor?
• How to write a thesis/dissertation?
• etc.

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The ICS690 Seminar

• A mix of things
• Faculty presentations
• Student presentations
• Invited speakers
• Grad Chair rambling on about Grad School stuff )
• Seminars are announced weekly
• Even if youre not registered that semester, show
  up if the topic is relevant

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The ICS690 Seminar

• A mix of things
• Faculty presentations
• Student presentations
• Invited speakers
• Grad Chair rambling on about Grad School stuff )
• Seminars are announced weekly
• Even if youre not registered that semester, show
  up if the topic is relevant

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Grad Division Forms

• Only for M.S. Plan A and Ph.D.
• Available at http//www.hawaii.edu/graduate/downl
  oad/list.htm
• Form I
• Processed by the grad chair once youve completed
  required coursework and exams
• Form II
• Processed by the committee and grad chair once
  your thesis/dissertation proposal has been
  approved
• Bring it to your defense!!! (for Ph.D.)
• Form III
• Processed by the committee and grad chair once
  your thesis/dissertation has been defended
• Bring it to your defense!! (for M.S. Plan A and
  Ph.D.)
• Form IV
• Processed by the committee (not the grad chair!)
  once your thesis/dissertation document has been
  approved

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ICS699, ICS700, ICS800

• ICS699 Directed Research/Reading
• ICS700 Thesis Research
• ICS800 Dissertation Research
• Grad Division requirements
• 6 to 12 credits of ICS700 for M.S. Plan A
• Some ICS800 for Ph.D.
• You can only take those courses once Form II has
  been processed
• But, ICS699 credit can be converted to ICS700 or
  ICS800 when you graduate
• Just needs a memo from the Grad Chair

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Full-Time Status

• You may need to maintain Full-Time Status
• Financial aid, Grad assistantship, scholarship,
  health insurance, etc.
• Full-Time is 8 credits
• But, if youre a TA or RA, full time is 6 credits
• But, if youre a M.S. Plan A, and you have
  processed Form II, and youre in your last
  semester, then full-time is 1 credit of ICS700F
  (note the F)
• But, if youre Ph.D., and you have processed Form
  II, then full-time is 1 credit of ICS800
• But, if you have financial aid, then the
  financial aid office defines full-time as 8
  credits even if youre an RA/GA

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Grad Division Deadlines

• Each semester, Grad Division announces deadlines
  for that semester
• Two crucial deadlines
• Deadline for degree application
• Deadline to defend a thesis/dissertation
• Warning these are earlier than you think!
• Ill announce them to the ICS Grad Student
  mailing list
• Are you all on the mailing list?
• Graduation during the Summer is a bit tricky
• Talk to the Grad Chair about it

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Last phantom semester

• Its very typical to be done with your Plan A
  project/thesis at the end of your last semester
• Thats great, but youve missed that semesters
  deadline
• Which, frankly, is too early
• You can try to convince grad division to graduate
  that semester even though you missed the deadline
• Its been working that way more and more
• But typically, you register for 1 credit of
  ICS699 the subsequent semester, just so that
  youre enrolled in something and officially
  graduate that semester instead
• And the grad chair can write letters saying that
  student has completed all requirements... to an
  employer, etc.

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So what should I do now?

• If youre an M.S. student, take classes
• If youre a Ph.D. student but not in the Ph.D.
  portion of the degree, take classes
• If youre a Ph.D. student in the Ph.D. portion
  of the degree, you can take classes, but you
  should
• study for the quals
• look for ICS699 opportunities with faculty with
  matching research interests
• In all cases, your constant activity should be
  answering the question what should my
  project/thesis/dissertation be about?
• Plan B think, read a little bit, do, be done
• Plan A read, think, read, think, read, do, be
  done
• PhD read think, do, read think, do, ...
• If you have a Grad Assistantship, make sure you
  take 6 credits!

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So what should I do now?

• If youre an M.S. student, take classes
• If youre a Ph.D. student but not in the Ph.D.
  portion of the degree, take classes
• If youre a Ph.D. student in the Ph.D. portion
  of the degree, you can take classes, but you
  should
• study for the quals
• look for ICS699 opportunities with faculty with
  matching research interests
• In all cases, your constant activity should be
  answering the question what should my
  project/thesis/dissertation be about?
• Plan B think, read a little bit, do, be done
• Plan A read, think, read, think, read, do, be
  done
• PhD read think, do, read think, do, ...
• If you have a Grad Assistantship, make sure you
  take 6 credits!

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Finding an Advisor

• We have faculty members who work in various areas
  of computer science
• Look at the faculty Web pages
• Get to know the faculty (courses, seminars,
  publications)
• Figure out your area(s) of interest and how they
  match up
• Our faculty are almost always willing to work
  with driven/interested/interesting students
• Convincing a prof to be your PhD advisor is
  harder than convincing a prof to be your Plan A
  advisor, which is harder than convincing a prof
  to be your Plan B advisor
• What profs love students who come to their
  office saying I had a couple of ideas, and have
  read this paper, would you have time to discuss
  this?
• Dear respected professor would you have
  something for me to do?, not so much
• But it can happen if youve impressed the faculty
  in courses, etc.
• Initially, some research topics are
  student-driven, some are faculty-driven
• But essentially everybodys busy, and students
  who can make progress independently are highly
  sought after

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The End

• We could talk at length here about grad schools
• But those topics are covered frequently in the
  ICS690 seminar!
• Any questions?