Degree Programs

Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science

Department of Computer Science

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in computer science prepares students to undertake fundamental and applied research in computer science in academia, government and/or industry. The Ph.D. degree in computer science is available for students of high ability who show promise for original research.

Having matured as a discipline in its own right, computer science is now developing deep interactions with other fields, not just in engineering and science, but throughout the arts and humanities, education, the fine arts, law, medicine and business. While computers have become essential tools in these areas, the depth of interaction of fundamental computer science with each is rapidly evolving.

Our program strives to reflect the depth and breadth of computer science as a science, an art, an engineering discipline and primarily as a creative human endeavor. Strong collaborations with other engineering departments in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics, the School of Life Sciences and the Biodesign Institute, the William P. Carey School of Business, the Herberger College of the Arts, the Consortium for Embedded Systems and the Translational Genomics Center. These collaborations provide a wealth of experience for our doctoral students.

The interdisciplinary strength of the program is enhanced by the opportunity for students to concentrate their studies in Arts, Media and Engineering, biomedical informatics and information assurance.

Degree Program

Students complete eighty-four hours of coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree to graduate with the degree. Students are encouraged to include up to fifteen credits of interdisciplinary coursework. Forty-eight of the eighty-four hours are formal coursework, including independent study courses.

The remainder of a student’s coursework is focused on the research area of interest, conducted with the guidance of a faculty advisor. With a wide variety of research areas, including artificial intelligence, embedded systems and information assurance/security, students have many options to conduct cutting-edge research.

Students will complete one course in three areas to cover a wide range of knowledge. The three areas consist of foundations, systems and applications. Foundations courses focus on algorithms, theory, programming languages and mathematical logic. System courses cover topics in architecture, networks, operating systems and software engineering. Applications courses are in the areas of artificial intelligence, multimedia, databases and graphics.

Faculty

The Department of Computer Science in the School of Computing and Informatics has faculty members covering a wide range of research areas and who teach numerous courses. Learn more about faculty members by reviewing SCI news stories, technical reports and individual faculty biographies.

 

Questions & Answers

Can I be admitted into the Ph.D. program without a Master’s degree?

The School of Computing and Informatics admits highly qualified students with a bachelor’s degree, in addition to students with Master’s degrees. Students do not earn a M.S. in computer science while they are pursuing their Ph.D. program.

How many credits can I transfer into the Ph.D. program?

A student can transfer a maximum of thirty credit hours from an earned Master’s degree from another accredited institution plus twelve credits not used in any previous degree program. Only resident graduate courses with an “A” or “B” grade are eligible for transfer. A course with a grade of “pass”, “credit” or “satisfactory” are not acceptable for transfer. A student who wishes to transfer credits from another institution should contact the graduate advisor in the SCI Advising Center to initiate the transfer credit process.

I’m not sure which area I want to do my research in. Can I still be accepted into the Ph.D. degree program?

Students are encouraged to review faculty biography pages and research areas to discover what research areas interest them the most. The statement of purpose is required for an application to the Ph.D. in computer science. In your statement of purpose, you are expected to address why you are interested in the field of computer science, what experiences have contributed toward your preparation for further study in the field, your future goals, what discipline(s) you are interested in focusing on in your research and how you believe our program will help you meet your goals.

In the first semester, students are encouraged to take courses and meet faculty to develop relationships and collaborations. By the end of the first semester, you should choose a faculty advisor in your main area of interest; however, if you are having difficulties finding a faculty advisor, you can meet with SCI’s Associate Director of Academics for assistance in finding a faculty advisor.

Can I be accepted into the Ph.D. program if I don’t have a computer science background?

The School of Computing and Informatics admits students from a variety of backgrounds in addition to computer science, however, it is expected that students come from a computer science, technical or science background. Students can be admitted with undergraduate deficiencies, but are also encouraged to apply as a non-degree seeking graduate student to complete any needed deficiencies before applying to the degree program. Students are required to complete deficiency courses by the end of their first year in the program (including CSE 230, CSE 310, CSE 340, CSE 355, CSE 360 and CSE 430), if not already completed at another institution.

Can I work while completing the Ph.D. program?

Domestic students are not encouraged to work while completing the Ph.D. program due to the rigor involved. International students must attend full-time in order to maintain their visa status with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. International students should consult with ASU’s International Student Office for further information.

Ph.D. students have a ten-year time limit to complete the degree.

What funding opportunities exist for Ph.D. students?

Most doctoral students are fully funded by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering as either teaching assistants (TA), research assistants (RA) or through scholarships and fellowships.

New Ph.D. applicants are automatically considered for TA positions. Students interested in RA positions should contact individual faculty for available opportunities. Stipends for TA’s and RA’s start at $12,500 for beginning Ph.D. students and increase each academic year depending on the student’s level in the Ph.D. program. Benefits for full-time RAs and TAs include a full tuition waiver and health insurance.

RA positions are offered to the highest caliber of students. RA offers are made to admitted students by an interested faculty member. Some faculty members do not offer RA positions to newly admitted students. Occasionally faculty post positions online. Students can contact a specific faculty member or members in their research area of interest regarding open positions. Students will be contacted by the faculty member if they are interested in hiring you as an RA, as there is no formal application for an RA position. You are encouraged to submit a CV or resume with your application for review by the faculty in your research area of interest.

Students should also check for on-campus job opportunities and graduate assistantships at ASU’s jobs and careers resource. The Graduate College and Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering also have resources available. If you are working in industry, you should also check your company’s tuition reimbursement benefits.

Can I be admitted to the Ph.D. program and then change to the M.S. or M.C.S. program?

A student admitted to one program may not transfer to another program. However, the student can discontinue enrollment in one program and enroll in another. In order to do so, a student will be required to apply for admission to the desired program through the Graduate College admissions process. Admission to the desired program can be denied. If granted admission to the new program, the student may use only nine credits from the original program can be used in the new program.

How long will it take me to graduate?

The Ph.D. program is typically completed in 4-6 years, but students have up to 10 years to complete the degree. Students have a five-year time limit to finish the degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exams.

How can I learn more about the degree policies and procedures?

Review the degree policies and procedures.

Do you offer any online degree programs?

The Office of Global Outreach and Extended Education (formerly known as the Center for Professional Development) in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering offers online degree programs, including a Master of Engineering with areas of study in embedded systems and modeling and simulation and a Master of Science in Engineering with a Software Engineering Concentration. The faculty in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering in the School of Computing and Informatics teach many of the courses in these programs. For further information, please contact Global Outreach and Extended Education.

How do I apply for the Ph.D. program?

Students interested in applying can follow the steps below:

• Apply online.
• Submit official transcripts.
• Submit official GRE scores.
• Submit three letters of recommendation.