All students admitted to the doctoral program are given full support, including a stipend, tuition remission, and NYU student health insurance, for a full-time program.

To qualify for the doctoral degree in computer science, a student must

1. Satisfy a breadth requirement, intended to ensure overall knowledge of computer science.
2. Satisfy a depth requirement, which has two purposes: testing the knowledge of the student’s chosen research area and ensuring the student’s ability to do research.
3. Submit a written thesis proposal and make an oral presentation about the proposal.
4. Write a Ph.D. thesis that must be approved by a thesis committee and present an oral defense of the thesis.
5. Satisfy GSAS regulations concerning graduate study duration, credit points, GPA, and time-to-degree requirements.

The breadth requirement includes four parts: algorithms, systems, applications, and free choice. Complete rules and a list of classes that can be used to satisfy breadth requirements can be found at www.cs.nyu.edu/csweb/Academic/Graduate/phdrules.html.

The depth requirement is satisfied by passing an examination that has two parts: an oral presentation of the student’s research work and a test of the student’s knowledge of his/her research area.

Breadth and depth requirements must be completed by the end of the second year.

The thesis proposal must be defended by the end of the third year.

Note: Ph.D. students are expected to be familiar with the guidelines governing academic standards and degree requirements for the doctoral program, as specified in the Degree Requirements section of this bulletin and on the department’s Web site at www.cs.nyu.edu.

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