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 
CS 195 Langugs, Strctrs & Systems* 
MMG 211 Prok Mol. Genetics

CS 222 Computer Architecture

CS 224 Analysis of Algorithms

MMG 312 Yeast Mol. Genetics

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

YEAR 2

CS 201 Operating Systems

CS 243 Theory of Computation

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 251 Artificial Intelligence

EE 270 Probability & Stoch. Proc.

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

CS 256 Neural Computation

CS 260 Parallel Arg. & Prog. Tech.

CS 346 Adv. Topics: String Algo.

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

YEAR 2

Math 241 Anal. Sev. Real Vars.

Dissertation & Readings

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

CS 351 Adv. Topics: Pattern Recog.

Dissertation & Readings

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*

Math 237 NumericalAnalysis

Math 272 Applied Analysis

CS 222 Computer Architecture

CS 224 Analysis of Algorithms

Math 238 Numerical Diff. Eq.

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

YEAR 2

CS 201 Operating Systems

ME249 Comptatnl Fluid Mechanics

CS 243 Theory of Computation

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

CS 260 Parallel Alg. & Prog. Tech.

CE 366 Num. Meth. Surf. Water

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 251 Artificial Intelligence

EE 295 CAD Algorithms

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

CS 202 Compiler Construction

CS 222 Computer Architecture

CS 295 Human Comp. Interact.

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

YEAR 2

CS 206 Software Req. & Design

CS 395 Adv Comp. Sci.

CS 361 Software Systems

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

CS 207 Software Impl. & Verif.

CS 303 Programming Languages

Math 273 Combo Graph Theory

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*

Bot 260 Plant Pop. Biology

Math 271 Applied Math

CS 222 Computer Architecture

CS 224 Analysis of Algorithms

Math 268 Bio. & Ecol. Math

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

YEAR 2

CS 201 Operating Systems

CS 243 Theory of Computation

CS 251 Artificial Intelligence

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

CS 207 Software Impl & Verif.

CS 303 Programming Languages

WFB 352 Mod. & Est of Populations

CS 381 Graduate Seminar

YEAR 3

CS 274 Computer Graphics

Dissertation & Readings

Dissertation & Readings
YEARS 4+ Dissertation & Readings  

*Not counted towards the PhD degree.