Computer Science PhD
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
PhD
Total Units Required: 10
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Course Requirements | |
| 10 graded units of graduate coursework | |
COMP_SCI 401-0 (Introduction to Graduate Studies) is required and should be taken in the fall quarter of the first year | |
Coursework includes COMP_SCI 499-0, but not COMP_SCI 590-0 (Research) | |
Track-specific course requirements are given in the CS PhD Manual | |
| The normal full-time course load is three units and the maximum is four units per academic quarter. All students receiving financial aid (fellowships, assistantships, grants, etc.) must register as full-time students. | |
Other PhD Degree Requirements
- Adviser: The CS PhD program uses an apprenticeship model. A PhD student is required to find an advisor by the end of their third quarter (typically spring quarter,) ideally earlier. The adviser must have a primary or partial academic appointment in the Computer Science Department, though courtesy faculty may be co-advisers.
- Research:The CS PhD program focuses on training researchers. Learning how to do research is accomplished mostly by doing research. A PhD student is expected to become involved in research from the first quarter. Research continues throughout the program, becoming increasingly self-guided as it does so, and culminates in the student's thesis work.
- Examinations: Qualifying Exam, Thesis Proposal (Prospectus), Oral Thesis Defense, and Written Dissertation.
- Teaching: at least one experience as an instructor, or teaching assistant
- Details of the above and other aspects of the CS PhD program are given in the CS PhD Manual, which can be found on the departmental web site or via phd.cs.northwestern.edu