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Ph.D. in Computing, Graphics and Visualization Track

Course work listed on the approved Program of Study form must comprise at least 50 semester hours of graduate course work and dissertation research, exclusive of independent study. Graduate course work applied toward an M.S. degree may be included. At least 14 semester hours of dissertation research (CS 7970) and 30 semester hours of graduate course work must be included. Up to 12 hours of graduate level course work already applied to other degrees may be used in the program of study.

Required Courses

Ph.D. students must demonstrate core knowledge in computer graphics and visualization by passing three courses from a choice of four, prior to the start of their fifth semester of study, with grades of B or better in each course and an overall GPA in the specified courses greater than 3.5. Students must chose at least three of these four specific courses:

CS 6610 Interactive Computer Graphics (3 hours)

CS 6630 Scientific Visualization (3 hours)

CS 7670 Computer-Aided Geometric Design I (3 hours)

CS 7964 Image Processing for Graphic and Vision (3 hours)

Students may place out of this requirement by substituting or transferring courses from other institutions. Substitute courses must be ``regular'' classes with exams and/or assignments, not seminar, readings, or independent study classes. Satisfactorily completing the three courses as described constitutes completion of the Comprehensive exam; this must be completed by the the end of the fourth semester.

Elective Courses

School of Computing Computer Science courses on the Program of Study must be at the 6000 level or above, excluding independent study, and research credits. Of the required 30 semester hours, up to 9 credit hours may be graduate courses outside of the School of Computing. Admissible elective courses within the School of Computing are the following:

CS 6310 Robotics

CS 6210 Advanced Scientific Computing I

CS 6220 Advanced Scientific Computing II

CS 6620 Advanced Computer Graphics II: Ray tracing

CS 6630 Scientific Visualization

CS 6960 Computational Geometry

CS 7320 Computer Vision

CS 7360 Virtual Reality

CS 7540 Human/Computer Interaction

CS 7650 Image Synthesis

CS 7680 Computer-Aided Geometric Design II

CS 7310 Advanced Robotics

CS 7961 Vision Science


Courses not on the list above must be approved by the student's committee to count toward the elective requirements.

Independent study (CS 6950 and CS 7950) can not be included in the Program of Study for the Ph.D. degree.

One year of study must be spent in full-time residency at the University (i.e., the student must enroll for a minimum of nine hours per semester for two consecutive semesters, summer optionally excluded). After the residency requirement is fulfilled, registration for three semester hours of CS 7970 (Ph.D. Dissertation Research) is considered a full load.

The Program of Study form should be filed with the School in the second semester of study and with the Graduate School prior to taking the qualifying examination. The Program of Study form must be submitted to the Graduate Records Office no later than the last day of the semester preceding the semester of graduation.



Student Committee Requirement

Each student forms a supervisory committee whose members guide the student's research program. The committee conducts the student's written qualifying examination, oral qualifying examination, and dissertation defense. A Ph.D. supervisory committee consists of five faculty members. At least three faculty members must be long-term instructional (LTI) faculty in the School of Computing, two of whom must be from the TCF. At least one member must be from outside the School of Computing. Any School of Computing long term instructional faculty member with advising privilege may serve as a supervisory committee chair.

Final approval of all supervisory committees is granted by the TCF Chair and the Dean of the Graduate School. Students must form this committee by the end of the second semester of study, although a committee may be revised later by petition to the Graduate Studies Committee.



Student Committee Requirement

Each student forms a supervisory committee whose members guide the student's research program. The committee conducts the student's written qualifying examination, oral qualifying examination, and dissertation defense. A Ph.D. supervisory committee consists of five faculty members. At least three faculty members must be long-term instructional (LTI) faculty in the School of Computing, two of whom must be from the TCF. At least one member must be from outside the School of Computing. Any School of Computing long term instructional faculty member with advising privilege may serve as a supervisory committee chair.

Final approval of all supervisory committees is granted by the TCF Chair and the Dean ofthe Graduate School. Students must form this committee by the end ofthe second semester of study, although a committee may be revised later by petition to the Graduate Studies Committee.



Dissertation Proposal

The student should prepare and receive approval for a dissertation proposal by the end of the sixth semester of study (not counting summers). A copy of the dissertation proposal must be in the student's file. For guidelines on preparing proposals, consult Discussion on Ph.D. Thesis Proposals in Computing Science, by H. C. Lauer. Copies are available from the Graduate Coordinator or from the Thesis Editor. The dissertation proposal must be approved at least one semester prior to the semester of the dissertation defense.



Qualifying Examination

After passing the Comprehensive Examination, all Ph.D. students must pass a Qualifying Examination, as specified by the Graduate School. The Qualifying Exam consists of a written part, to be conducted first, and an oral part.

The written part of the Qualifying Examination will cover the candidate's general area of specialization in sufficient depth to demonstrate his/her preparation for conducting Ph.D.-level research. Each member of the student's supervisory committee will contribute one or more questions to this exam. The supervisory committee will provide a written evaluation of this part of the exam, including an indication of whether or not the student will be allowed to proceed to the oral part of the Qualifying Examination.

The oral part comprises the dissertation proposal defense. At the supervisory committee's option, it may also include follow-up questions relating to the written part of the exam. The majority of the supervisory committee should certify that the proposal is ready to be defended prior to conducting the oral part of the Qualifying Exam.

Students should pass their Qualifying Examination by the end of their sixth semester of study, not counting summer enrollment. The Qualifying Examination must be completed no less than one semester prior to defense of the dissertation.

 

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