Specialization Programs

Doctoral Program in Algorithms, Combinatorics and Optimization

This unique interdisciplinary doctoral program in Algorithms, Combinatorics and Optimization draws on Carnegie Mellon's strengths in all three areas. It is sponsored jointly by the Graduate School of Industrial Administration (Operations Research group), the School of Computer Science (Algorithms and Complexity group) and the Mathematics Department (Discrete Mathematics group).
The program brings together the study of the mathematical structure of discrete objects and the design and analysis of algorithms in areas such as Graph Theory, Combinatorial Optimization, Integer Programming, Polyhedral Theory, Computational Algebra, Geometry and Number Theory. This integration of the study of structure and its uses in computation theory is a central theme of the program.

Course of Study. All students in this doctoral program will pursue a common curriculum that draws from the areas of Operations Research, Computer Science and Mathematics. Students are supported by their home academic unit, generally similar to the support provided to other doctoral students of that unit. The support provided by the Department of Computer Science is detailed elsewhere in this document.
After completing a challenging basic curriculum, students will have the opportunity to pursue a number of advanced topics through courses and seminars with faculty in all three units. Concurrently, they will pursue research for their dissertation.

How to Apply. Applications should be addressed directly to one of the three participating academic units, and will be evaluated by the unit to which the application is addressed. See "Instructions".

Additional information about the ACO program

Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition Training Program: An Option for Computer Science Graduate Students

The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition Training Program is an interdisciplinary graduate training program operated jointly by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Affiliated departments include Computer Science, Robotics, Psychology, and Statistics at Carnegie Mellon, and Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Psychology, and Mathematics at the University of Pittsburgh. The CNBC offices and laboratory space are in the Mellon Institute, strategically located between the campuses of the two universities. Participating faculty in the School of Computer Science are David Touretzky, Tai Sing Lee, Michael Lewicki, Yoky Matusoka, James McClelland, and David Plaut.

Course of Study. The CNBC program is designed to allow students to combine intensive training in a "home" department with broad exposure to other disciplines that touch on neural computation and problems of higher brain function. There are two tracks. Students in the regular CNBC track take a sequence of four core courses in neurophysiology, systems neuroscience, computational modeling, and cognitive neuropsychology. For students in the Computer Science Ph.D. program, these courses take the place of three CS elective core units. For Robotics Ph.D. students, they serve as the "specialized qualifier". Students also participate in a research seminar series and attend a monthly colloquium series.
The IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training) track offers a more intense training experience in which students acquire core competence in another discipline by working part time in a mentor's lab. For example, a Computer Science student whose research focus is neuronal modeling could work half time for a year in a neurophysiology lab, learning to do multiunit recording from behaving animals. Or a Robotics student doing research on algorithms for processing magnetic resonance imaging data could receive training in imaging work and participate in the design and running of an actual imaging study. Course requirements for students in the IGERT track are individually tailored to meet their specific training needs.

Resources. CNBC students have access to a wide range of resources including Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners for functional brain imaging, neurophysiology laboratories for recording from neurons in slice or in awake, behaving animals, access to clinical patient populations for neuropsychological studies, and high performance computing equipment for data analysis and network simulations.

How to Apply. A regular application to the Computer Science or Robotics doctoral program should be submitted as a first step. In addition, students should apply to the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition for admission to the CNBC training program, contingent on their acceptance into an affiliated doctoral program. The two applications are normally submitted simultaneously, but students who are already enrolled in a doctoral program may still to apply to the CNBC program. See "Instructions".

Additional information about the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition

Doctoral Program in Pure and Applied Logic

Carnegie Mellon's Doctoral Program in Pure and Applied Logic is an interdisciplinary venture jointly sponsored by the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Philosophy, and the Department of Computer Science. Carnegie Mellon has a large and active group of faculty whose research and teaching interests span all aspects of logic, with a particularly strong concentration in foundational aspects of computing. This Logic Community has an established record of collaborations in pursuing theoretical research, conducting major implementation projects, and running colloquia and workshops. Participating faculty from the Computer Science Department include Stephen Brookes, Edmund Clarke, Robert Harper, Peter Lee, Frank Pfenning, John Reynolds, and Dana Scott.

Course of Study. CS/PAL students are admitted through their home department (Computer Science). They may choose to specialize in Pure and Applied Logic any time after their first year, though the expectation is that a mutual decision is reached by the end of their first year. CS/PAL students fulfill all the normal CS Ph.D. program requirements; however rather than take the equivalent of just three elective courses, they must take five. CS/PAL students choose their elective courses from a list of regularly offered courses in Pure and Applied Logic. Since some of these courses are taught in the Mathematics or Philosophy Departments and CS students are restricted to taking the equivalent of at most one elective course outside of SCS, in special cases students may petition to have a second elective course chosen from outside of SCS. CS/PAL students are also expected to participate in the activities of the Carnegie Mellon Logic Community, such as relevant seminars and colloquia. Completion of all degree requirements earns the student a Ph.D. in Computer Science plus an additional certificate in ``Pure and Applied Logic''.

How to Apply. Applications should be addressed directly to one of the three participating academic units, and will be evaluated by the unit to which the application is addressed. See "Instructions".

Additional information about the Pure and Applied Logic Program