The Computer Science PhD program prepares students in the highest level of theory and practice of Computer Science, aiding with the development of research and instruction skills for positions in academia, industry and government sectors.
The Computer Science PhD program produces professionals trained at the highest possible academic level in the theory and practice of Computer Science in order to meet current and projected market demands for Computer Science experts. Students graduate with proven abilities in research and instruction and have expertise suitable for positions in industry, academia and government.
Students in the program receive a broad background in the areas of programming systems and languages, computer architecture and computer science theory while specializing in a research area. Research interests of the computer science faculty include affective computing, applied perception, bioinformatics, computational biology, computational geometry, computer and network security, computer architecture, computer forensics, computer graphics, computer networks, computer vision, cryptography, data compression, database management systems, data mining, design and analysis of algorithms, evolutionary computation, genetic algorithms, graph theory, hardware/software co-design, image processing, machine learning, mixed and virtual reality, mobile computing, modeling and simulation, multimedia systems, natural language processing, neural networks, parallel and distributed processing, performance evaluation, programming languages, quantum computing, semantic web, software agents, software engineering and VLSI systems.
Total Credit Hours Required: 72 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Program Prerequisites
An undergraduate degree in Computer Science is desirable but not required. Applicants without a strong undergraduate background in Computer Science must demonstrate an understanding of the material covered in the following upper-division undergraduate courses:
- CDA 3103C: Computer Logic and Organization
- COP 3502C: Computer Science I
- COP 3503C: Computer Science II
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
9 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- CDA5106 - Advanced Computer Architecture (3)
- COT5405 - Design and Analysis of Algorithms (3)
- COT6410 - Computational Complexity (3)
- Students must earn a B or better in CDA 5106, COT 5405, and COT 6410. Students earning a B- or below in this course work, will have to repeat the course work until they earn a B or better. These three courses cannot be waived or covered by transferred courses.
Elective Courses
48 Total Credits
- Earn at least 48 credits from the following types of courses: Elective Coursework - Grades must be a "C" (2.0) or better with at most 6 credit hours having grades below "B" (3.0) and an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better. - No courses below the 5000-level, with no 5000-level CGS prefix course work. - No more than 12 credit hours of independent study (6908). - Five 6000- or 7000-level courses (15 credits) with grades of "B" (3.0) or better taught by CS faculty. These 15 credit hours cannot be Independent Study or Research hours. Computer Science requires 36 credits of formal course work, including the 9 credit hours of required course work. Once students have completed 36 formal course work credits, they can apply up to 21 credit hours of XXX 7919 (or other non-formal course work) toward their degree completion.
Dissertation
15 Total Credits
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following types of courses: XXX 7980 - Dissertation
Qualifying Review
0 Total Credits
- To better ensure that PhD students have acquired the requisite background and are prepared to make a successful transition into the research phase of their academic career, the graduate committee requires the students to pass through a Qualifying Review (QR) process. The QR will be offered twice a year in the Fall (sometime in October) and the Spring (sometime in March) semester. The Graduate Committee will meet twice a year to evaluate the results. Each student must apply for the qualifier before completing their 37th credit hour in the PhD program, excluding credits hours taken during summer semesters, doctoral research credit hours taken under a previous advisor, and transfer credit hours. Hence, most students must apply for the qualifier before completing their fifth semester of the PhD program. If the students do not pass before completing their 37th credit hour in the PhD program, they may apply once more in the following semester, provided they submit an appeal with a remediation plan, signed by their advisor, by the end of the current semester, which details a plan for improving their performance. Failing to pass the qualifier by the 37th credit hour (or failing to pass the following semester if a remediation plan is in place) will result in dismissal from the program. To pass the qualifier, the student must demonstrate satisfactory progress in their coursework, must secure an advisor, and must show acceptable progress on a mutually agreed-upon research topic with the advisor. Specifically, all students applying for the qualifier must submit a portfolio containing the complete record of coursework (a SASS Degree Audit highlighting the core courses) and a manuscript endorsed by the advisor summarizing the student’s research progress made since the student started in the PhD program OR a citation of an accepted or published work with the advisor, along with the advisor’s endorsement. In the case that student would fail the Qualifying Review because they lack the advisor’s endorsement, but have a published work with them, the student may appeal to the Graduate Committee, which will then render a final decision. If applying for the qualifier before completing their 19th credit hour in the PhD program (i.e., before completing their third semester of the PhD program), excluding the aforementioned types of credits hours, the student must demonstrate at minimum a passing grade (B or above) in one core course, and proof of registration in the current semester in another core course. If applying later, the student must demonstrate passing grades in all core courses.
Dissertation Committee
0 Total Credits
- The Dean, through the Chairs and Directors, is responsible for committee formation, additions and deletions. The doctoral committee must consist of a minimum of four members; three must be graduate faculty members from within Computer Science and one must be at large from outside the Computer Science faculty. Joint faculty members may serve as school-faculty committee members. The Computer Science Graduate Committee may specify additional membership. The College of Graduate Studies reserves the right to review appointments to advisory committees, place a representative on any advisory committee, or appoint a co- adviser. Joint faculty members may serve as committee chairs, but graduate faculty scholars may not, although they may serve as co-chairs. All members vote on acceptance or rejection of the dissertation proposal and the final dissertation. The dissertation proposal and final dissertation must be approved by a majority of the advisory committee.
Candidacy Examination
0 Total Credits
- After passing qualifiers, students are required to successfully complete the candidacy examination to demonstrate readiness for preliminary research in a chosen field of study. This exam requires the acceptance of a first-author professional paper by a peer-reviewed conference or journal that is deemed acceptable to the student's advisory committee as a major contribution to student's area of research. Candidacy is normally taken near the completion of required course work and must be passed before registering for doctoral dissertation hours (XXX 7980). Continuous enrollment in at least 3 hours of doctoral dissertation hours is required once a student starts taking 7980 credits. The candidacy status change form and any associated paperwork (advisory committee form, program of study, etc.) must be submitted for processing by the last day of classes of the semester prior to enrolling in dissertation credits. In order to start taking dissertation hours you must be within 57 credit hours.
Admission to Candidacy
0 Total Credits
- The following are required to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours. Evidence of successful completion of these requirements must be received in the College of Graduate Studies by the day before the first day of classes in which the student wishes to enroll in dissertation hours: - Completion of all course work, except for dissertation hours. - Successful completion of the candidacy examination. - The dissertation advisory committee is formed, consisting of approved graduate faculty and graduate faculty scholars. - Submission of an approved program of study.
Time Limitation
0 Total Credits
- Students have seven years from the beginning of regular graduate status in the PhD program to complete all requirements for the degree, although most students finish within 4 to 5 years.
Dissertation Proposal
0 Total Credits
- After passing the candidacy examination, the student will write a dissertation proposal and present it orally to the dissertation advisory committee for approval. The proposal must include a description of the research performed to date and research plans.
Dissertation and Oral Defense
0 Total Credits
- Students must write a dissertation on their research that describes a significant original contribution to the field of computer science. The oral defense of the dissertation is reviewed by the research committee. The College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that all dissertation defense announcements are approved by the student's adviser and posted on the college's website and the Events Calendar at the College of Graduate Studies website at least two weeks before the defense date. The dissertation must be approved by the dissertation adviser and committee, the school director or designee and the dean of the college or designee. Format approval from the Thesis and Dissertation Editor and final approval of satisfaction of degree requirements by the College of Graduate Studies is required.
Grand Total Credits: 72
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
A plan of study for each student must be filed within the first two weeks of the student's second semester in the program. Details about this program can be found in the Computer Science PhD Handbook.
This plan must satisfy the following:
- A minimum of 72 credit hours (including CDA 5106, COT 5405, and COT 6410 - all with a grade of "B" (3.0) or better). At most 30 credit hours can be waived from a completed MS program, exclusive of thesis, independent study, dissertation, and research. Otherwise, at most 9 external credits can be transferred. (Refer to UCF Graduate transfer policy page for details.)
- Grades must be a "C" (2.0) or better with at most 6 credit hours having grades below "B" (3.0) and
- an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better.
- No more than 12 credit hours of independent study (6908).
- Five 6000- or 7000-level courses (15 credits) with grades of "B" (3.0) or better taught by CS faculty. These 15 credit hours cannot be Independent Study or Research hours.
- Computer Science requires 36 credits of formal course work, including the 9 credit hours of required course work. Once students have completed 36 formal course work credits, they can apply up to 21 credit hours of XXX 7919 (or other non- formal course work) toward their degree completion.
- 15 credit hours of PhD dissertation (CAP, CDA, CEN, CIS, CNT, COP or COT 7980).
