The faculty in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering offer graduate programs leading to the M.S. and the Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science. The faculty also offer a professional graduate program leading to the Master of Computer Science degree.
Areas of study include computer architecture, digital system design, computer-aided geometric design (CAGD), graphics, artificial intelligence (AI), database concepts, software engineering, language processing, operating systems, parallel-distributed systems, and computer-science theory.
MASTER OF SCIENCE
The M.S. degree program in Computer Science stresses formal course work to provide breadth of material, and it culminates with a thesis that demonstrates depth in a particular research area.
Admission. See the general requirements for admission to the Graduate College. An applicant for the M.S. program should normally have a baccalaureate degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related area. The applicant’s undergraduate GPA and depth of preparation in computer science and engineering are the primary factors affecting admission. Every applicant must submit scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (verbal, quantitative, and analytical required; the subject test in computer science is optional). An international student must also submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. The application deadline for admission in the fall semester is January 15, and the deadline for admission in the spring semester is September 15.
Program of Study. Each student defines a potentially unique program of study in conjunction with an advisor, subject to approval of the department and the Graduate College. The program of study must include courses in four focus areas, at least nine credit hours in a research area, and a minimum of 30 semester hours of approved graduate-level course work (including a thesis). At least 21 semester hours must be formal course work, and at least 18 hours must be CSE 500-level credits (excluding CSE 598). The department may prescribe additional courses based on the background of the candidate. No foreign language is required.
Final Examinations. The student must pass a final oral examination in defense of the thesis and over the course work taken for the degree and the appropriate undergraduate prerequisites.
Master of Computer Science
See Master of Computer Science degree.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
The Ph.D. degree in Computer Science is available for students of high ability who show promise for independent research.
Admission. See “Doctor of Philosophy” for general requirements. An applicant for the Ph.D. program should have the equivalent of a baccalaureate major in computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related area. Most applicants should have earned the master’s degree, but applicants with exceptional attainments in their baccalaureate are admitted directly into the Ph.D. program. The applicant’s GPA and depth of preparation in computer science and engineering are primary factors affecting admission. Every applicant must submit scores for the GRE (verbal, quantitative, analytical, and computer science), a statement of purpose and three letters of recommendation. An international student must submit TOEFL scores. The application deadline for admission in the fall semester is March 15, and the deadline for admission in the spring semester is October 15.
Residency. In addition to the Graduate College’s requirement for one year of full-time residency, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering stipulates one additional year of full-time residency for dissertation research.
Program of Study. After passing the qualifying examination, each student must file a program of study for approval by the supervisory committee, the department, and the Graduate College.
Foreign Language Requirements. None. The program committee, however, may establish a requirement depending upon the research interests of the candidate.
Comprehensive Examinations. A student must pass a comprehensive examination, which has a mandatory written component, before being admitted to candidacy. The exam will have both oral and written components, testing the student’s general knowledge in the dissertation area as well as closely related areas. International students must achieve a passing score on the TSE/SPEAK exam prior to comprehensive examinations.
Dissertation Requirements. A student must complete a dissertation based on original work to demonstrate creativity in research and scholarly proficiency in the subject area.
Final Examinations. The student must pass a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation.
RESEARCH ACTIVITY
The faculty of the Computer Science and Engineering Department participate in a wide variety of both theoretical and applied research projects involving many aspects of both software and hardware. Current research topics include software engineering, graphics, computer-aided geometric design, microprocessor applications, digital system design, real-time embedded systems, declarative languages, computational linguistics, compilers, operating systems, distributed operating systems, database concepts, distributed architectures, parallel architectures, data structures, artificial intelligence, strategic decision systems, and algorithms.
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering maintains various instructional laboratories with UNIX workstations (Sun, Silicon Graphics, DEC, etc.), Pentium PCs, and Macintosh computers. These laboratories support special applications required for various computer science courses not available elsewhere on the ASU campus. The department has a VLSI design laboratory and two microprocessor laboratories for both Intel and Motorola processors. The department has various research laboratories with equipment directed to specific applications in addition to regular computer facilities. All computers in the department are networked, with some of the research laboratories having the high-speed 100BASE-T protocol. The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences provides various servers to support client/server applications and development in the department. All computers in the department are connected through networking to Information Technology at ASU. See “Computing Facilities and Services” for more information concerning equipment and services provided by IT.
Omnibus Graduate Courses: See omnibus graduate courses that may be offered.
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