1. At least 9 hours of EECE/CMPS 6x9 research courses are required.

2. At most 9 hours of graduate work in a field other than EECE or CMPS may be applied to the PhD. All such outside courses must be approved in writing by the Graduate Coordinator or the student's mentor or dissertation advisor.

3. The remaining courses must be chosen from EECE/CMPS 500/600 level courses. (If prerequisites at the 400G level are required, they are considered for the record as applying to the PhD, but hours required for the degree are increased for each 400G course taken, so that the number of courses required at the 500/600 level remains unchanged.)

4. The student should apply for PhD candidacy after: (1) fulfilling the breadth requirement, and (2) passing a written comprehensive exam. The breadth requirement is satisfied by taking six 500-level courses in CACS with GPA>3.5. (For complete details, see the PhD Comprehensive brochure.) The written comprehensive exam is given during the regular registration period of the fall and spring semesters each year, and two areas must be passed in a maximum of two attempts in three consecutive offering. The syllabus, which is updated during each September, must be consulted for up-to-date regulations. The syllabus and past exams are available from the CACS library.

5. The oral PhD prospectus exam must be passed in a maximum of two attempts. The prospectus exam can be scheduled when the written prospectus has been approved by the Dissertation Committee and can be scheduled no sooner than two weeks after such approval. The Dissertation Committee will consist of a minimum of 3 members; of these, at least half must be CACS/CMPS regular faculty members. The prospectus exam is conducted by the student's Dissertation Committee, plus one additional examiner from the graduate faculty of the Center chosen in consultation with the student and the Dissertation Committee chairperson. If the Dissertation/Thesis Director is not a regular CACS/CMPS faculty member, a Co-Director shall be designated who is.

6. The oral PhD Dissertation Defense must be passed in a maximum of two attempts.

7. The exams must be completed in sequence: (1) PhD comprehensive exam; (2) PhD prospectus exam; and (3) PhD dissertation defense.

8. Exactly 24 hours of EECE/CMPS 699 (dissertation credit) must be applied towards the degree.

9. At least seventy-two semester hours of graduate credit must be applied towards the degree, which includes the 24 hours of EECE/CMPS 699.

10. All degree requirements must be completed within seven years of enrolling in the first graduate-level course at the Center.

11. At least one academic year must be completed in full-time residence at the Center.

12. All students admitted to the doctoral program will be assigned a faculty mentor, who will advise the student on choice of courses, and monitor the student's progress until a research area and advisor is chosen.

1. EECE 530 is required.
2. The Breadth Requirement is satisfied by completing, with GPA >3.5:
   1. two 500-level courses in hardware, including computer architecture, computer design and implementation, logic design and switching theory, VLSI;
   2. one 500-level course in software, including operating systems, compilers, programming languages, database systems, software engineering;
   3. one 500-level course in theory, including design and analysis of algorithms, theory of computation, automata and formal languages;
   4. one other 500-level course in areas not listed above; and
   5. any accepted 500-level course.
   6. 
      ** These courses cannot be transferred or waived. For courses accepted for the parts of the Breadth Requirement, consult a current listing available from the CACS office.
      
      
3. The written comprehensive exam consists of two areas chosen from the following:
   (1) computer architecture,
   (2) operating systems,
   (3) algorithms and theory of computation,
   (4) database and information systems,
   (5) programming languages and compilers,
   (6) artificial intelligence and cognitive science,
   (7) software engineering,
   (8) computer design and implementation, and VLSI,
   (9) linear systems and signal processing,
   (10) logic design and fault tolerance,
   with at least one in areas (1), (8), (9), or (10).

1. CMPS 500 is required.
2. The Breadth Requirement is satisfied by completing, with GPA >3.5:
   1. one 500-level courses in hardware, including computer architecture, computer design and implementation, logic design and switching theory, VLSI;
   2. two 500-level course in software, including operating systems, compilers, programming languages, database systems, software engineering;
   3. one 500-level course in theory, including design and analysis of algorithms, theory of computation, automata and formal languages;
   4. one other 500-level course in areas not listed above; and
   5. any accepted 500-level course.
   6. 
      ** These courses cannot be transferred or waived. For courses accepted for the parts of the Breadth Requirement, consult a current listing available from the CACS office.
      
      
3. The written comprehensive exam consists of two areas chosen from the following:
   (1) computer architecture,
   (2) operating systems,
   (3) algorithms and theory of computation,
   (4) database and information systems,
   (5) programming languages and compilers,
   (6) artificial intelligence and cognitive science,
   (7) software engineering,
   (8) computer design and implementation, and VLSI,
   (9) linear systems and signal processing,
   (10) logic design and fault tolerance,
   with at least one in areas (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7).