Ph.D. - Computer Science and Software Engineering

You are eligible to apply if:

• You hold a Bachelor's degree or a master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity Engineering or equivalent from an institution of recognized standing
• Your GPA is 3.0 or above
• Your GRE general exam combined score is at least 300, with a verbal score of at least 150, a quantitative score of at least 150; and a written score of at least 3.
• If you are an international student, your TOEFL iBT score should be at least 79, with a minimum of 16 on each of four component parts (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) or, IELTS score of at least 6.5.

To complete the program you must:

• Take a minimum of 66 credit hours of graduate work past the bachelor’s degree.
• All the courses except COMP8990 must be graded courses, among which three (i.e., COMP7270, COMP7300, and COMP7500) are required core graduate courses for a total of nine (9) credit hours.
• Take 30 credit hours of:
  • formal COMP courses (minimum 21 credit hours) and/or
  • other elective courses (up to 9 credit hours) at 6000 level or higher is required.
• May take up to six (6) credit hours of directed study (i.e., COMP7930/8930).
• Take at least one additional COMP course at 7000 level or higher (excluding COMP7930/8930).
• Take at least 18 credit hours of COMP 8990 Research and Dissertation.
• Pass the General Doctoral Examination, which consists of two parts:
  • the “Ph.D. Qualifying Examination” and
  • the “Ph.D. General Oral Examination”. The PhD Qualifying Examination will be successfully fulfilled by passing the three qualifying exams (i.e., computer organization/architecture, operating systems, and algorithms) or earning a B or higher in required remedy courses.
• Prepare an acceptable dissertation reflecting high achievement in scholarship and independent investigation.
• Pass a Final Oral Examination defending the dissertation.

Doctoral students must meet the following repeating-courses requirements:

• Students who have taken a 5000-level course at Auburn University may not take the 6000-level equivalent for credit.
• Doctoral students may not take more than six hours of Directed Study (i.e., COMP7930/8930).
• Special Topics (i.e., COMP7970/8970) may be repeated provided each entails a change in topic.
• Dissertation and Research, COMP8990, may be repeated, but only a maximum of 18 hours count toward the Ph.D. degree.