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Graduate Program
Sample Programs of Courses for the PhD
The curricular requirements of our PhD program are flexible enough to accommodate students with varying backgrounds and interdisciplinary interests. Students will work closely with their graduate studies committee to design curricula that are commensurate with their backgrounds and interests. The five sample programs shown below illustrate the breadth of programs possible.
Please Note: These samples are selected to demonstrate this breadth and do not necessarily represent a typical cross-section of our expected students. The courses used in the samples may or may not be suitable for a particular student, and may or may not be available during the specified semesters.
The studies committee of a PhD student will define the program of the student.
Sample Program 1
Bio-informatics, strong Biology background
The first hypothetical student is interested in bio-informatics. This student is presumed to have a Bachelor's degree in biology, including one year each of undergraduate course work in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus, physics and computer programming, as well as many biology courses. The student would be admitted provisionally, with the requirements including successful completion by the end of year 1 of CS195: Languages, Structures, and Systems*, CS222: Computer Architecture, and CS224: Analysis of Algorithms with a grade of B or higher in each of these courses.
The course schedule might be as follows; the third comprehensive exam would be in molecular genetics.
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Stat 251 Probability Theory | CS 222 Computer Architecture |
| CS 195 Langugs, Strctrs & Systems* | CS 224 Analysis of Algorithms | |
| MMG 211 Prok Mol. Genetics | MMG 312 Yeast Mol. Genetics | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | ||
| Year 2 | CS 201 Operating Systems | CS 260 Parallel Alg. & Prog. Tech. |
| CS 243 Theory of Computation | CS 346 Adv. Topics String Algo. | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | CS 381 Graduate Seminar | |
| CS 231 Bio-Informatics | MMG 254 Protein Nucl. Acid Int. | |
| Year 3 | CS 204 Databases | Dissertation & Readings |
| Dissertation & Readings | ||
| Years 4+ | Dissertation & Readings | |
*Not counted towards the PhD degree.
Sample Program 2
Machine Learning, MS in CS background
The second hypothetical student is interested in machine learning. This student is presumed to have already gained a Master’s degree in Computer Science, including a full background in undergraduate Computer Science.
The course schedule might be as follows; the third comprehensive exam would be in machine learning.
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | CS 231 Bio-informatics | CS 256 Neural Computation |
| CS 251 Artificial Intelligence | CS 260 Parallel Arg. & Prog. Tech. | |
| EE 270 Probability & Stoch. Proc. | CS 346 Adv. Topics: String Algo. | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | CS 381 Graduate Seminar | |
| Year 2 | Math 241 Anal. Sev. Real Vars. | CS 351 Adv. Topics: Pattern Recog. |
| Dissertation & Readings | Dissertation & Readings | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | ||
| Years 3+ | Dissertation & Readings | |
Sample Program 3
Computational Fluid Mechanics, strong Fluid Mechanics background
The third hypothetical student is interested in computational fluid mechanics, coming in with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, including one year of computer programming. Similar to the first student, this student has a minimal Computer Science background and will be a provisional admission, with requirements to complete CS 195: Languages, Structures & Systems*, CS 222: Computer Architecture, and CS 224: Analysis of Algorithms.
The course schedule might be as follows; the third comprehensive exam would be in numerical methods.
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | CS 195 Langugs, Strctrs & Systems* | CS 222 Computer Architecture |
| Math 237 NumericalAnalysis | CS 224 Analysis of Algorithms | |
| Math 272 Applied Analysis | Math 238 Numerical Diff. Eq. | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | ||
| Year 2 | CS 201 Operating Systems | CS 260 Parallel Alg. & Prog. Tech. |
| ME249 Comptatnl Fluid Mechanics | CE 366 Num. Meth. Surf. Water | |
| CS 243 Theory of Computation | CS 381 Graduate Seminar | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | ||
| Year 3 | CS 274 Computer Graphics | Dissertation & Readings |
| Dissertation & Readings | ||
| Years 4+ | Dissertation & Readings | |
*Not counted towards the PhD degree.
Sample Program 4
Software Engineering, BS in CS background
The fourth hypothetical student is interested in software engineering. This student is presumed to have already gained a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, including courses in Operating Systems and Analysis of Algorithms.
The course schedule might be as follows; the third comprehensive exam would be in software engineering.
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | CS 243 Theory of Computation | CS 202 Compiler Construction |
| CS 251 Artificial Intelligence | CS 222 Computer Architecture | |
| EE 295 CAD Algorithms | CS 295 Human Comp. Interact. | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | CS 381 Graduate Seminar | |
| Year 2 | CS 206 Software Req. & Design | CS 207 Software Impl. & Verif. |
| CS 395 Adv Comp. Sci. | CS 303 Programming Languages | |
| CS 361 Software Systems | Math 273 Combo Graph Theory | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | ||
| Years 3+ | Dissertation & Readings | |
Sample Program 5
Ecological Modeling, strong Ecology background
The fifth hypothetical student is interested in ecological modeling, coming in with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences with a minor in Computer Science, including courses in machine organization and data structures. This student will be a provisional admission, with requirements to complete CS 103*, CS 222, and CS 224 by the end of year 1 with a grade of B or higher in each of these courses.
The course schedule might be as follows; the third comprehensive exam would be in ecology.
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | CS 103 Programming Languages* | CS 222 Computer Architecture |
| Bot 260 Plant Pop. Biology | CS 224 Analysis of Algorithms | |
| Math 271 Applied Math | Math 268 Bio. & Ecol. Math | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | ||
| Year 2 | CS 201 Operating Systems | CS 207 Software Impl & Verif. |
| CS 243 Theory of Computation | CS 303 Programming Languages | |
| CS 251 Artificial Intelligence | WFB 352 Mod. & Est of Populations | |
| CS 381 Graduate Seminar | CS 381 Graduate Seminar | |
| Year 3 | CS 274 Computer Graphics | Dissertation & Readings |
| Dissertation & Readings | ||
| Years 4+ | Dissertation & Readings | |