Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Computer Science, (PhD)


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PhD Degree


Admission Requirements


  1. GRE scores are required and are an important factor for admission;
  2. Three letters of recommendation;
  3. An undergraduate degree in an appropriate discipline with a minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) or equivalent preparation;
  4. A score of at least 550 on the paper-based TOEFL, or 79 on the internet-based TOEFL, or 6 on IELTS (for students whose native language is not English).
  5. Statement of purpose

Prerequisites


  1. One year (8 credit hours) of calculus and one semester (3 credit hours) of linear algebra (Students without the calculus and/or linear algebra prerequisites will be considered on an individual basis and, if admitted, must correct the deficiencies within the first semester.)
  2. Satisfactory completion of the following courses (or their equivalents): COMP 1900, 2150, 3410 and 2700. (None of these courses may be used to fulfill degree requirements.)

Program Requirements


Satisfactory completion of coursework requirements as follows:


Students with an approved Masters Degree

Students with an approved Masters Degree must complete at least 36 credit hours, subject to the following rules:

Note:

Dissertations must follow the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Guide.

All other credit

All other credit must be completed at the 8000-level

Independent Studies

At most 15 credits of Independent Studies can be included

Students without an approved Masters Degree

Students without an approved Masters Degree must complete at least 72 credit hours, which must satisfy the following rules:

The following coursework must be completed:

Core Requirements:

These courses must be completed within the first 36 hours of credit in the program unless approved by the student’s advisor. The student must obtain a grade of B or better in each of these courses.

Dissertation

Between 9-15 credit hours of Dissertation

At least 12 credit hours

At least 12 credit hours must be completed in courses at the 8000-level other than COMP 8901 .

At most 6 credit hours

At most 6 credit hours can be completed in 6000-level courses.

Independent Studies

At most 18 credit hours of Independent Studies can be included.

Note:


Students who are requesting credit transfer from another graduate program must submit an application during the student’s first semester in the program. The application will be evaluated by the student’s advisor and the Graduate Coordinator to determine the number of credits that can be transferred towards completion of the degree requirements. The number of credit hours transferred is limited by the Graduate School.

Satisfactory completion of the following examinations:


Qualifying examination:

Satisfactory completion of the core requirement is deemed as passing the qualifying examination. Students with an approved Masters Degree may satisfy a core requirement by taking the final exam of the core course and obtaining a passing mark as equivalent to obtaining a B or better grade of the course, or by having a waiver approved by the student’s advisor and the graduate coordinator. A maximum of two attempts is allowed for each core course, and they must be made within the first 39 credit hours of entering the program (24 for students with an approved Masters Degree).

Comprehensive Examination:

Given and evaluated by a committee composed of departmental and university representatives upon presentation of an acceptable dissertation proposal.

Final Examination:

Given and evaluated by a committee composed of departmental and university representatives upon completion of an acceptable dissertation.

Note:


Detailed information can be obtained by contacting the graduate coordinator of the department. Details of the format of the examinations can be found on the Computer Science Department Web site (http:// www.cs.memphis.edu).

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