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Changes in Degree Requirements
What are the main changes in the CS PhD degree requirements?
- The course requirements for the degree have been changed.
- The qualifying exams have been changed
- The requirements for the oral comprehensive exam have been made more explicit.
- The merger of the CS and ISE departments has implications for the Dissertation Committee structure.
- Students will need to complete a progress report annually.
Transition Questions
I entered the CS PhD program before Fall 2007. Will the new rules apply to me or the old rules?
You can elect to follow the new rules or the rules that were in effect when you joined the program. We believe that the new rules are a significant improvement over the old rules, but if you have already completed most of your course requirements under the old rules, and have already passed the qualifying exams, the changes will have a minimal impact on your plan of study.
I have already taken some qualifying exams in January 2007, and need to retake some exams in August 2007? Can I attempt one of the exams that have been added to the list of exams?
Yes. If you take the exams in August 2007 or January 2008, you must pass the exam on Algorithms & Theory of Computation. In addition, you need to pass three exams out of the remaining eight areas - artificial intelligence, databases, operating systems, networks, software construction, software modeling, language processors, and information security. If you have already passed the exam on Computer Systems given in August 2006 or January 2007, you cannot attempt the exams on operating systems and/or networks.
I passed only one/two exams out of the four I attempted in January 2007. Do I need to retake all four exams (as under the previous rules of the PhD program)?
Under the new rules, you are required to pass four exams in at most two attempts. Under the old rules, if you passed fewer than three exams in the first attempt, you were required to retake all four exams in the second attempt. This is no longer true. Thus, you do not need to retake any exams you have passed.
The qualifying exam page says that the exam on Foundations of Computer Science is required. But I cannot find any information on this exam.
The exam on Foundations of Computer Science replaces the Algorithms and Theory of Computation exam and will be given for the first time in August 2008.
The Foundations of Computer Science exam will be based on CS 583 - Analysis of Algorithms and a new course CS 600 - Theory of Computation - that will be offered for the first time in Spring 2008.
Can I transfer from the PhD IT program to the PhD CS program? How can I do this?
Yes. You can transfer from the PhD IT to PhD CS program by filling out a change of program form available from the Computer Science Department or the IT&E Graduate Student office. Your application to transfer will be considered by the CS Department's PhD admissions committee. If your research advisor is a faculty member in the CS or ISE departments, or if your academic preparation in CS is strong, the transfer is highly likely to be approved.
Other Questions
What is CS 800?
CS 800 is not a course in the traditional sense. Instead, during the course of the semester, students are required to attend at least 5 departmental colloquia including talks by distinguished speakers, faculty candidates, and GMU faculty.
The course requirements for the PhD degree include 4 advanced graduate courses. What courses qualify as advanced courses?
An advanced graduate course is a course that has another graduate course as a pre-requisite. Typically, 6xx level (and above) courses in the CS and ISA programs will qualify as advanced graduate courses, whereas 7xx level (and above)courses in the SWE and INFS programs will qualify as advanced. A list will be published on the web page of the PhD program.
How do I get credit for my MS degree?
You will need to fill out a Reduction of Credit form available in the CS Department office. The reduction of credit will need to be approved by the chair of the PhD program.