Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]


Computer Science (Ph.D.)



Doctor of philosophy

The Ph.D. degree in Computer Science is offered through the Computer Science  graduate program.  Requirements include 90 semester hours of graduate-level credit. All work must be completed within seven years.

General requirements include: Completing the Breadth Requirement and passing the Research Proficiency Exam (Preliminary Examination); successfully presenting a research plan to one’s supervisory committee at a research proposal meeting; and completing the research plan, writing a dissertation, and successfully defending the dissertation in an open forum.

General requirements include:


  1. Completing the Breadth Requirement
  2. Passing the Research Proficiency Exam (RPE)
  3. Passing the Preliminary Examination
  4. Completing a Proposal Defense
  5. Writing a dissertation and successfully defending the dissertation in an open forum.

Course work requirements include:


  • 24 hours of course credit at Kansas State University beyond the master’s degree level
  • 15 hours must be 800 level or above
  • One or more courses in theoretical or fundamental topics
  • At least 30 hours of Ph.D. research credits.

Breadth Requirement


The Breadth requirement requires demonstrating proficiency in six areas: Implementation, Languages, Systems, Applied CS, Foundations, and Algorithms. 

The Breadth requirement must be completed by the end of the fifth semester. If the student fails to complete the Breadth Requirement within the specified time, the student must leave the Ph.D. program.

The student must receive a B or better in each course used to satisfy the Breadth Requirement. In addition, the overall average of all courses used to satisfy the Breadth Requirement must be at least 3.5. Courses taken at KSU as part of B.S. or M.S. or M.S.E. degree or approved courses from institutions with joint PhD program with the CS Department at KSU can be used to satisfy the breadth requirement. A single course cannot be used to satisfy the breadth requirement in more than one area.

In extenuating situations, outside experience or courses transferred from other institutions can be proposed to satisfy Breadth Requirements if approved by the Graduate Studies Committee.
 

Proficiency in Implementation Area


Proficiency in Implementation area can be demonstrated by completing one course from the following group:

- CIS 641, CIS 690, CIS 706, CIS 722, CIS 736

Proficiency in Languages Area


Proficiency in Languages area can be demonstrated by completing one course from the following group:

- CIS 705, CIS 706, CIS 771, CIS 806

Proficiency in Systems Area


Proficiency in Systems area can be demonstrated by completing one course from the following group:

- CIS 720, CIS 721, CIS 722, CIS 725, CIS 726, CIS 750, CIS 751

Proficiency in Applied CS Area


Proficiency in Applied CS area can be demonstrated by completing one course from the following group:

- CIS 655, CIS 730, CIS 740, CIS 744, CIS 761

Proficiency in Foundations Area


Proficiency in Foundations area can be demonstrated by completing one course from the following group: 

- CIS770

Proficiency in Algorithms Area


Proficiency in Algorithms area can be demonstrated by completing one course from the following group: 

- CIS775 

Research Proficiency Exam


Ph.D. students must pass a Research Proficiency Exam (RPE). The RPE is meant to judge the student’s ability to conduct research, and is expected to lead the student into PhD research. 

The RPE will be one-semester long, and during this semester, the student must make three public presentations and produce a written report. The gap between the presentations must be approximately four weeks and the last presentation must be before finals week. 

Students must have their Program of Study filed with the Graduate School before requesting to schedule the first presentation. 

For the RPE exam, the student must also fill out the RPE Form and form an RPE committee consisting of three faculty members from the CS department. Members of the PhD supervisory committee (as listed in the Program of Study form) belonging to the CS department must be included in the RPE committee. However, the Chair of the RPE committee must be a committee member who is not the Major Professor.  

The student will start this process by choosing an area in consultation with the Major Professor. The first presentation should include a literature survey of the area, an open problem, and a proposed approach. At the end of the first presentation, the supervisory committee will approve the plan or suggest an alternative problem. The second presentation should present the progress made towards addressing this problem. The third presentation must be accompanied by a written report containing a literature survey, a description of the problem addressed, the technical approach used to solve the problem and the results. At the end of the first and second presentations, the student will be provided feedback on his/her progress and expectations for the next presentation. After the final presentation, the student’s work will be judged as “Pass” or “Fail” by the RPE committee. Positive votes from a majority of the RPE committee will constitute a “Pass”. The Chair of the RPE committee will record the committee decision on the RPE ballot. 

The RPE must be taken by the end of the fifth semester. If the RPE is graded as “Fail”, the student will have one more chance to pass the RPE in the following semester. During the second attempt, the RPE committee may choose to give the student a different problem to work on.

Preliminary Examination


The student must request a Preliminary Examination Ballot from the Graduate School within one semester of completing the RPE and Breadth Requirements. The Preliminary Examination Presentation should include a presentation of the plan for the dissertation research and must be approved by the supervisory committee. Upon passing the Preliminary Examination, the student will be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree by the Graduate School. The Preliminary Examination Presentation may be completed in conjunction with the final RPE Presentation.