Clemson University is a coeducational,
land-grant university founded in 1889. Enrollment totals more than
18,000 students, including approximately 4,000 graduate students. The
Department of Computer Science currently enrolls more than 125 graduate
students. Clemson, S.C., is a small college town that enjoys the
beauty and water sports of Lakes Hartwell (61,350 acres), Keowee
(18,500 acres) and Joccasse (7,500 acres); the scenery of the South
Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina mountains (40-minute drive); and
the challenge of many wild and scenic rivers such as the nearby
Chattooga. Opportunities to participate in and enjoy plays, concerts,
lectures, films and sports events are provided by many University and
community groups. The combination of the academic and social activities
provided by the University and the pastoral settings inherent to the
Clemson area provide a stimulating environment for academic advancement
and personal enrichment.
Financial support for graduate
students is available through research assistantships associated with
grants and contracts, teaching assistantships and graduate fellowships.
Students with assistantships generally are expected to work an average
of 20 hours each week while taking nine credit hours per semester In
addition to a stipend of $1,160 per month, students with an
assistantship receive a tuition waiver. Alternative employment
opportunities for well qualified applicants are sometimes
available. Applications for financial assistance should be
received before February 1 for full consideration. Thus, it is
advantageous to apply as early as possible.
The University has some graduate
student housing available. These are two bedroom apartments with
kitchen and living room. Two graduate students are assigned to each
apartment so that each has a private bedroom. For information
on rates and how to apply for university housing see
http://www.housing.clemson.edu/content/apply_graduate.php .
Many privately owned apartments are also
available; the cost of these vary considerably. Detailed
information on costs and financing can be found at
http://www.grad.clemson.edu/p_financial.html .
The M.S. Program
The Master of Science program in
Computer Science prepares individuals for a Ph.D. program, research
careers in industry, or advanced technical positions in industry and
government. The program is designed for students who offer evidence of
above average scholastic ability at the undergraduate level. Upon
completion of the M.S. program of study, the student will have
knowledge in the following four three areas:
- Computation and Complexity Theory
- Operating Systems
- Programming Languages and Translators
The student will have a significant
exposure to application areas that emphasize the integration of the
core areas and will have the opportunity to participate in a research
project under the direction of a faculty member. The student will also
acquire advanced programming skills as a part of the program.
Completion of the M.S. program
normally requires from one and one-half years to two years beyond the
undergraduate degree but may require additional time for students
whose undergraduate degree is in an area other than computer science.
Two academic years usually are required for the completion of the M.S.
degree if financial assistance is provided. Each candidate is required
to complete specific course requirements and pass a final M.S. exam.
The coverage of the exam depends upon the research option selected by
the student. These
options are
described in detail below.
General Requirements
The basic requirement for the M.S. in
Computer Science is successful completion of 30 credit hours of
approved courses. At least 21 of the 30 hours must be at the 800 level.
Students may include up to 6 hours of approved courses from outside the
Department of Computer Science. This 6 hours of approved courses
may include courses transferred from another university. All
requirements of the Graduate School for the M.S. degree must also be
met. A student's program of study must be approved by both the
student's advisory committee and the Director of Graduate
Affairs. Each student must take at least one course at Clemson
University from each of the three core area course groups.
|
Area
|
Course(s)
|
| Operating Systems |
822, 823, 824 |
| Programming Languages |
629, 828, 829 |
| Theory and Complexity |
838, 859, 840 |
Of the 30 credit hours of approved courses required for graduation, the
student may not include credit for CPSC 622, 628 or 801. Additionally,
only one 681, 881 or 981 can be included and only if the course is one
in which a final exam is given. Credit for 95x courses is possible only
with the
prior approval of the director of graduate affairs. A
student must also have a grade point average of at least 3.0 in the 30
credit hours used to satisfy the requirements for graduation.
The Advisory Committee
The Director of Graduate Affairs is
the advisor of all new graduate students. During the second semester of
study each M.S. student should form an advisory committee. The chair of
this committee replaces the Director as the student's advisor. The
advisor must be a tenured or tenure track faculty member in the
Department of Computer Science. The student is also permitted to select
one additional member of the advisory committee. The additional member
may come from outside the Department. The Department will assign the
third member.
Selection of both the advisor and the second member is by mutual
consent of the student and the faculty member. A student is free to
dissolve an existing advisory committee and form a new one at any time.
Likewise, the advisor is free to dismiss a student. If a student is
unable to find an advisor, one will be appointed by the Chair of the
Department.
Three options are provided in the M.S.
program:
The
Research Experience Option
In the research experience option, a
student reads a collection of research papers in an area in which the
research advisor is working. The area is expected to be quite focused.
For example, "Computer Networks" would be an inappropriately broad
area, but "Modeling the Effects of Self-similarity in Network Traffic
on Packet Drop Rates" is appropriately focused. When the student
has mastered the subject, a presentation containing appropriate
background material and research results is made by the student in an
open colloquium. The presentation
must include
in-depth coverage of the research results of one of the papers and
mayalso
include material from additional papers and research results obtained
by the student. The final examination is an oral
examination conducted by the student's advisory committee. The student
is expect to demonstrate a mastery of the selected research area.
A student is expected to enroll in CPSC 888 for 3 hours credit in
the semester in which the research experience occurs. However, these
hours may not be counted in the 30 credit hours used to satisfy the
requirements for graduation.
The
Research Paper Option
A student who pursues the research
paper option is expected to complete the research experience and then
build upon it by conducting original research and writing up the
results in a formal research paper. The paper should be written in a
format and style suitable for submission to a national conference or
archival journal. It is not necessary that the research results reach
the level of significance required for acceptance by a national
conference or journal, but the quality of the presentation must! The
paper should typically be 15 to 25 double spaced pages in length and
must contain introductory material which properly places the work in
the context of existing research.
The final examination is an oral examination conducted by the
student's advisory committee. The student is expect to demonstrate an
in-depth understanding of both the research results presented and the
pre-existing body of knowledge that the results extend. A student is
expected to enroll in CPSC 888 for 3 hours credit in each semester in
which the research is ongoing and may count 3 hours of CPSC 888 among
the 30 credit hours used to satisfy the requirements for graduation.
The Thesis
Option
The thesis option is designed for
students who have a strong interest in research and who can complete
an original and creative research project. The scope and significance
of that research is expected to be significantly beyond that which is
required for the research paper. The quality of the research and
presentation should be such that the thesis or a derivative work is
acceptable for publication in a refereed conference proceedings or
archival journal.
The final examination is an oral examination conducted by the
student's advisory committee. The student is expect to demonstrate an
in-depth understanding of both the research results presented and the
pre-existing body of knowledge that the results extend.
A student pursuing the thesis option must include 6 hours of CPSC 891 credit
among the 30 credit hours used to satisfy the requirements for
graduation.
The Ph. D. Program
The objective of this program is to
prepare exceptionally qualified individuals for research careers in
academia and industry. The program is designed for students who offer
evidence of exceptional scholastic ability, intellectual creativity,
and research motivation.
The Ph.D. degree is viewed as a certification by the faculty that
the student has a solid foundation in computer science and has
performed original research in the area. The basis for gaining the
degree will be the student's grasp of the subject matter of computer
science, competency to plan and conduct research, and ability to
express ideas adequately and professionally in oral and written
language. Although only four courses are required, the doctoral program
usually requires two to four years beyond the M.S. degree.
The Research Advisor and Advisory Committee
Selection of the research advisor is by mutual
consent of the Ph.D. student and the advisor. The advisor, who must be
a full-time tenure track member of the Computer Science faculty,
should be selected before the portfolio, which is required for
the comprehensive
examination, is presented to the faculty. The Ph.D.
student should carefully select the research advisor on the basis of
technical and personal compatibility. Either the student or the
advisor may terminate the advisee/advisor relationship in the event
that research interests change or the advisor and student later find
themselves incompatible.
The Ph.D. advisory committee will assist the
student in formulating an appropriate program of study, must approve
this program of study, must approve the dissertation proposal,
and conducts the dissertation defense. The
research advisor serves as chair of the student's an advisory
committee, and the student, in
consultation with the research advisor and
in accordance with Graduate School requirements, , must select at least two additional faculty
members to serve on the advisory committee. One of these members
may be selected from outside the Department of Computer Science.
One additional member of the committee will be appointed jointly by the
Department Chair and the Director of Graduate Affairs. The
complete advisory committee must be approved by the Department
Chair and the Director of Graduate Affairs when the students submits
the GS-2 form containing the full program of study. Whenever
possible, the committee should contain a member who has previously
directed a Ph.D. dissertation.
Ph.D.
Requirements
Ph.D. students must satisfy requirements in three areas:
Course Work and Seminars
A typical program of study consists of 12 credit
hours of course work beyond the Master's degree, at least 6 hours
of Ph.D. seminar courses (CPSC 95x), and 18 hours of doctoral research
(CPSC 991). Ph.D student who enroll without prior graduate study
should expect to take another 18 to 24 credits in core computer
science. Full-time students in the Ph.D. program normally must take for
credit at least one seminar (CPSC 95x) per semester until passing the
comprehensive exam and at least one per year until completion of the
program. All Ph.D. students are required to include a minimum of four
800 level computer science courses (exclusive of 881, 888, 891, 95x,
981, and 991) on their programs of study. Students are also encouraged
to take course work outside the department when it facilitates their
dissertation research.
Examinations
To earn the Ph.D. degree a student must take and pass three
examinations:
The
Comprehensive Examination
To be admitted to Ph.D. candidacy a
student must pass the Comprehensive Examination. The form of this
examination is a portfolio review that is performed by the Graduate
Affairs Committee on behalf of the graduate faculty. This
review is intended to certify depth and breadth in computer science,
and to promote scholarship, research, and professional
skills. A Ph.D. student must prepare and submit portfolio
within:
- five semesters of admission to the
graduate program if the student does not have a Masters degree at the
time of entry into the program or,
- three semesters of admission to the
graduate program if the student already has a Master degree.
A student may, however, petition the Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC)
for additional time to complete the portfolio when exceptional
circumstances justify an extension.
The student is solely responsible for the contents of the portfolio,
and so it is very important to begin the preparation of the portfolio
early and to solicit the help of faculty advisors in its preparation.
When the complete portfolio is submitted, it is reviewed by the
Graduate Affairs Committee which serves as the examining committee for
the comprehensive examination. A student who is denied admission
to candidacy may, at the discretion of the approval of the faculty, be
given one additional chance to
correct the deficiencies that were identified. Graduate
School regulations require that a student who fails the Comprehensive
Examination a second time be dismissed from the graduate program.
The portfolio must demonstrate that the student has strong mastery
of core computer science and indicate that the student has the ability
to conduct original research and make an acceptable written
presentation of the results.
Required Elements of the Portfolio
- Statement of Purpose. The student should briefly
state why he/she is seeking to become a PhD candidate. The statement is
also a student's opportunity to summarize past accomplishments and
future goals. This is a chance to speak directly to the Graduate
Affairs Committee and the faculty regarding any issue relevant to the
issue of candidacy.
- A brief curriculum vitae. This c.v. should
include elements that are relevant to the student's application
to Ph.D. candidacy. Academic honors and awards are appropriate.
Outside interests (e.g., fishing, golf, or cricket) are not.
- Letters of recommendation. Two supporting letters from
Computer Science faculty members are required. Additional letters from
faculty in the Department of Computer Science and other departments,
industrial collaborators, and from former students may be included at
applicants discretion. Letters are strictly confidential.
- Demonstration of core competencies. Students must
demonstrate mastery of the material in four core areas of computer
science (architecture, programming languages and compilers, operating
systems, and theory). Possible mechanisms for demonstrating
this mastery include but are not limited to: transcripts, testimonials
of former professors, and published research in an area.
- Demonstration of potential for success in research. A
research paper in which a significant component of the writing was done
by the candidate must be included. The paper should be of sufficient
quality to indicate that the student has the ability to conduct
original research and make an acceptable written presentation of the
results. Although not required, students are strongly encouraged to
submit the paper to a conference or workshop. For such submissions, the
student may be the sole author or may be a co-author with other faculty
and or other students. However, if the paper has joint authorship,
the other authors must submit written documentation identifying those
sections of the paper that were written by the candidate. The paper
does not have to be accepted or published to be included in a successful
portfolio. Although a published paper provides more convincing evidence
for research potential, a rejected submission, along with peer reviews,
can also be used by the Graduate Affairs Committee to evaluate
potential in research. The paper may or may not be related to the
student's eventual dissertation area. A candidate's M.S. research
paper, thesis, or a derivative thereof may be used to satisfy this
requirement.
Optional Elements of the
Portfolio
- Other Evidence of research ability. The portfolio must
contain evidence of the ability to conduct research. The student has a
great deal of latitude with respect to evidence that speaks to this
requirement. Examples include:
- Publications - technical reports, workshops, conference
proceedings, journal articles, M.S. research papers. These may include
papers in which the candidate was not the primary author. In cases of
joint authorship, the candidate should indicate as succinctly as
possible his or her role in the research and writing.
- Projects - seminar and independent study projects
- Lectures - on one's research
- Critical analysis - an annotated bibliography,
reviewed papers
The Graduate Affairs Committee will be looking for evidence of specific
research skills, including: the ability to identify a problem, evidence
of scholarship, critical analysis, and communication skills (e.g.,
writing and speaking). Students are encouraged to include all
such evidence in the portfolio.
- Other material . At the discretion of the student and
the adviser, other material may be included in the portfolio.
Students may report all forms of research, teaching, and service to the
discipline when preparing their portfolios. Here, in more detail, are
some of the items a student might include:
- Critical analysis - an annotated bibliography,
reviewed papers
- Significant accomplishments - An informal statement of
the two or three things that the student is most proud of in this
period. Examples include earning an "A" in a difficult course,
finishing an M.S. research paper, or having a peer reviewed paper
accepted.
- Honors and Awards - Awards of competitive fellowships
and induction into honor societies.
- Presentations - Typical categories include seminars,
professional presentations, and tutorials. Include workshop
presentations, paper presentations in classes, paper presentations at
conferences.
- Proposals (in preparation, in review, and accepted) - Include
fellowship applications, grant applications, applications to industrial
affiliates, requests for travel money from conference organizers, etc.
Note the status of the proposal (in preparation, under review,
accepted, rejected, under revision, etc.)
- Professional Reviewing - Include reviewing for
journals, conferences, workshops, and book prospecti. Include other
significant internal reviewing; for example, if more than a few hours
were spent reviewing drafts of papers or proposals for faculty members.
- Service - Include university and department service
other than research and teaching. Examples
include service on standing and ad hoc department committees or
as a graduate student representative.
The
Dissertation Proposal
The dissertation proposal is a departmental
document that is presented to the student's advisory committee. The
purpose of the proposal is to inform the committee of the nature and
scope of the proposed dissertation and to obtain their approval and
guidance concerning the proposed research. The written proposal should
include the following items:
- an outline of the included material
- a concise review of the state of knowledge
in the general area of interest
- a description of the proposed dissertation
area, along with a concise review of the state of knowledge in the
specific area of the proposed dissertations
- a concise explanation of the problem(s) to
be investigated
- a discussion of the results expected from
solving the problem(s) and their impact on the state of knowledge in
the general and specific areas of interest.
- a bibliography
The written proposal must be approved by the
advisory committee, and communicated through a public oral
presentation. The presentation will be scheduled with the approval of
the advisory committee, and the written document must be available to
the advisory committee at least two weeks before the approval is
given. The advisory committee will be asked to give written approval of
the proposal after the presentation, and that approval will be
primarily based on the written document. If the proposal is not
approved, the proposal may be repeated an indefinite number of times
subject to the approval of the advisory committee. The proposal
must be presented and approved at least six months before the
dissertation is completed.
The dissertation proposal serves several
purposes. It is a way to ensure that the student has a clear grasp of
a specific problem or set of problems. It provides a format for
discussion of the solutions or approaches to solving the research
problem, and provides documentation that the student has undertaken a
reasonable literature survey in the research area.
The
Dissertation Defense
The student will present a summary of the
dissertation at a departmental colloquium. This presentation must
include an explanation of the problem addressed, a description of
results, and an explanation of the significance of the results. After
the presentation, a brief period may be allocated for questions from
the general audience.
At the end of the question period, the Final
Doctoral Oral Examination will be conducted by the student's advisory
committee. Members of the faculty, as well as members of the Graduate
Curriculum Committee, and the dean of the Graduate School are invited
to attend this examination. This final examination demands a broad and
penetrating interpretation by the student of the research project and
its conclusions. It may also include examination of the student in the
major and minor fields of specialization.
A student who fails the final oral examination
may be allowed a second opportunity if the advisory committee
recommends it. Failure of the second examination will result in
dismissal from the Graduate School.
Research
Requirements
The Doctoral Dissertation
The research requirement is the most important
aspect of Ph.D. study. The doctoral dissertation is the written record
of the research that the student has conducted and must provide
evidence of the student's ability to independently perform original
research leading to the discovery of significant new knowledge. Thus,
the dissertation should demonstrate the student's technical mastery of
the subject, independent scholarly work and conclusions that modify or
enlarge what has previously been known.
The dissertation is expected to:
- Identify a significant open question or
problem in computer science.
- Describe the current state knowledge of
the area(s) involved.
- Present a solution or solutions to the the
problem that was identified.
- Report on the results of the research
conducted, substantiate those results, and demonstrate the originality
and contribution of the results
The format of the dissertation must conform
to the current Department and Graduate School standards. Copies of the
dissertation must be delivered to the student's advisory committee
members at least two weeks prior to the final oral examination.
The Publication Requirement
Prior to graduation, each Ph.D. student must
publish (or have accepted for publication) results of the research
leading to the dissertation. The paper must be fully refereed and
published in the proceedings of a computer science conference or in a
computer science journal. The paper may be co-authored with the
research advisor.
Application and Admission Requirements
Admission to the M.S. Program
Admission to the graduate program in
Computer Science requires acceptance into the Graduate School at
Clemson University. Applicants must possess a four-year degree
from a recognized undergraduate institution. The Graduate School,
not
the Department, is responsible for determining whether a specific
undergraduate degree satisfies this requirement. Acceptance is
based upon letters of recommendation, transcripts of previous
undergraduate and graduate studies, and scores on the Graduate Record
Examination (GRE). Applicants whose native language is not English
mustprovide
official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
examination. Submission of Test of Spoken English (TSE)
scores is
not required but is recommended for international
applicants seeking teaching assistantships. The GRE
subject test in Computer Science is also
not required but the
score will be considered if it is provided. Accepted applicants who
apply during their last year of undergraduate study are granted
conditional
admission which is contingent upon the successful completion of
the undergraduate program of study.
Applications from capable and motivated students with an
undergraduate degree in field other than Computer Science will be
considered. However, full acceptance into the program requires not only
strong computer programming skills but also a demonstrated mastery of
intermediate level computer science topics including: computer
organization and data representation; machine and assembly language
programming; data structures; operating systems; and programming
systems. A student who enters the program with a deficiency in
one or more of these areas will be required
to complete not-for-credit pre-requisite courses in the area(s) of the
deficiency.
Applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of the United
States and have major deficiencies in their Computer Science
backgrounds may be admitted as Post
Baccalaureate (PB) students. A PB student who
successfully completes the required undergraduate prerequisites
becomes eligible to join the M.S. program. United States
immigration law does not permit us to grant PB admission to
international students.
Admission to the
Ph.D. Program
Applicants to the Ph.D. program must submit the same materials as
applicants to the M.S. program. However, applicants to the Ph.D.
program should possess a B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science or in a
closely related field. Applicants holding only the B.S. degree
may be directly admitted into the Ph.D. program or initially admitted
to the M.S. program based upon the strength of their records as
evaluated by the admissions committee.
The Application Procedure
Applications are accepted for both fall and spring semester admission,
and they are considered until all slots are filled. International
applications should be completed at least three months before
the anticipated date of enrollment because of delays involved in
issuing immigration documents. Applicants who hope to receive
financial aid should also apply as early as possible. The recommended
procedure for applying is the on-line application procedure available
at http://www.grad.clemson.edu. If on-line application is
not possible, paper application forms may be requested by sending the
following information to
grdapp@mail.clemson.edu
- Your Name
- Address
- US Social Security Number (if applicable)
- Date of Birth
- Gender (Female or Male)
- Country of Citizenship
- Degree Sought (MS or PhD)
- Intended Major (Computer Science)
You should also indicate that you have been in contact with the
Department of Computer Science at Clemson University and have no way
to use the on-line application procedure. You may also contact
graduate admissions by surface mail at the following address:
Graduate Admissions
Martin Hall
Clemson University
Box 345120
Clemson, SC USA 29634-5120
Phone: (864)656-3915
The doctoral program emphasizes research, and the Department encourages
prospective candidates to involve themselves in research under the
supervision of a faculty member at the earliest possible opportunity.
In addition to research activities in various areas of computer
science, there are many opportunities for interdisciplinary and
interdepartmental research.