Course of Study

Carnegie Mellon's Computer Science Ph.D. program aims to produce well-educated researchers and future leaders in Computer Science. The Ph.D. degree is a certification by the faculty that the student has a broad education in Computer Science and has performed original research in the area.
To complete the Ph.D. degree, we require that each student:

Participate in directed research.
Pass 96 university units worth of graduate courses (equivalent to eight full-time (12-unit) courses).
Serve as a teaching assistant at least twice.
Demonstrate communication and programming skills.
Write and orally defend a thesis, a significant piece of original research in a specialized area of Computer Science.

Carnegie Mellon's Ph.D. in Computer Science is, above all, a research degree. When the faculty award a Ph.D., they certify that the student has a broad foundation in Computer Science, has advanced the field by performing significant original research, and has reported that work in a scholarly fashion.

Before embarking on original research, we expect students to acquire a body of technical knowledge that includes a familiarity with the breadth of Computer Science as well as a deep understanding of a specialized area. The Immigration Course is the first step in this process, exposing the student to the many ongoing research activities and projects in the Department and School. Next, through structured coursework the student gains a broad understanding of the fundamental research issues in major areas of Computer Science, and has the opportunity to gain a deep understanding in the student's area of specialization. Finally, the thesis work itself guarantees that the student understands the area well enough to advance the state of knowledge in the field.

The Immigration Course

The Immigration Course (IC) is a short, intensive program intended to provide a common starting point for the entering Ph.D. students. The IC's goals are

• To orient new students to the Department, through introductions to people (faculty, staff, other students) and through social activities.
• To introduce students to various research and educational topics of current interest to the faculty.
• To give students an opportunity to find a suitable research advisor.
• To familiarize students with the computing facilities and environment at Carnegie Mellon.

These goals are fulfilled through a program of lectures, poster sessions, demonstrations, and tours of laboratories. During the IC we often offer short, special-topic courses and feature special lectures by distinguished visitors. Enough open hours are scheduled to allow students to meet with faculty individually to learn more about their research. At the end of the first month of the IC, we use a "Marriage Process" to pair each student with a faculty advisor, based upon research interests and availability of funding.

Research

During a student's first two years, he or she should be learning how to organize and begin to carry out original research, achieved by participating in directed research, at least half time; once all courses are completed and before doing thesis research, full time (except when teaching). What constitutes directed research is decided individually between the student and his or her advisor. It is the responsibility of both the student and his or her advisor to formulate for each semester a set of reasonable goals, plans, and criteria for success in conducting directed research. Advisors are individually responsible for adequately supervising this portion of the Ph.D. program.

Programming and Communication Skills

Each student is expected to learn how to program computers, to communicate technical ideas clearly in writing, and to communicate technical ideas clearly orally. We expect students to satisfy their communications and programming skills requirements within their first three years. Proficiency in these areas is certified by members of the CS faculty.

Teaching Requirements

The ability to teach is an important skill for all scientists, not only for those who plan to teach after completing their degrees. Teaching skills include the ability to communicate technical material ranging from elementary to advanced, and to communicate technical material to audiences ranging from general to specialized. To gain experience in presenting more elementary material, we require that all graduate students help teach two courses. The norm is for students to teach one introductory-level course and one advanced-level course. We encourage students to teach more than twice.

Thesis

The doctoral thesis describes a significant, original contribution to Computer Science. It is on this basis that the Department certifies the qualifications of the new Ph.D. Furthermore, it is the most important basis on which the rest of the scientific community judges the initial achievement and potential of that individual. It is evidence of proficiency, high attainment, and ability to do research in a specialized area of Computer Science. The student submits a written proposal to the faculty, and orally presents the thesis proposal to faculty and students in a public colloquium. Upon completion of thesis research, each doctoral candidate holds a public, oral defense of the thesis work.

Community Duties

In any community there are a number of relatively small jobs that must be done for the common good. Each student performs a share of these jobs independent of the source of support as a member of the community who enjoys its benefits. These duties are not necessarily related to research, but include a variety of jobs such as participating on committees, helping to maintain the Computer Science library, acting as a course grader, or serving as the lounge cleaner. Although we call these "duties," they are not meant to be odious chores. An individual is free to choose which duties to perform based on personal interests. These duties often benefit the student as well as the Department.

Evaluation and Grading

Evaluation and feedback on a student's progress are important to both the student and the department. At Carnegie Mellon, however, the emphasis is not on letter grades or individual credit. Instead, near the end of each semester, the entire faculty meets to evaluate the progress of each student. Students and faculty alike refer to this as the "Black Friday" meeting. Progress is measured by course performance, research as evaluated by advisors and other faculty members, teaching, thesis work, etc. If the faculty finds a student is not making satisfactory progress, it may make specific recommendations or set specific deadlines. The faculty sends each student a written report of their evaluation.