Computer Science (Ph.D.)
Computer scientists study the fundamental components of computation; develop computational applications, systems, and models; and evaluate the impact of such computational systems within society. Researchers in computer science develop groundbreaking theories, devise novel algorithms, and design innovative systems and models that advance our understanding of computer science, bringing positive change to hundreds of millions of lives on this planet.
Computing technology is pervasive and expanding rapidly. The explosive growth of data and computational power has led to a new artificial intelligence and data science revolution affecting every aspect of modern life. Concurrently, cybersecurity has been declared a critical component of the Department of Homeland Security’s mission due to its importance to both the public and private sectors. The Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Fordham University offers the Ph.D. program in computer science to help meet these challenges by educating and developing the next generation of researchers, faculty, and industry leaders who will push the frontiers of computational research and innovation.
CIP Code
11.0101 - Computer and Information Sciences, General.
You can use the CIP code to learn more about career paths associated with this field of study and, for international students, possible post-graduation visa extensions. Learn more about CIP codes and other information resources.
A student entering doctoral studies in computer science should have suitable preparation in mathematics and computer science, and a degree in computer science or the equivalent subject from an accredited college or university. In addition, ideal candidates for admission should have some previous exposure to research and development, and demonstrate through their application materials promise for success in research and teaching.
Required application materials include the following:
- Statement of interest
- CV/resume
- Official transcripts for prior undergraduate and graduate degrees
- GRE general test scores
- Copies of recent publications
- Three letters of recommendation
- Demonstrated English proficiency for non-U.S. or native English-speaker applicants (as per standing GSAS policy)
The application review process is carried out by a Faculty Review Committee, which reviews all applications for admission to the program and makes recommendations on admission to the GSAS director of admissions. While the committee is highly selective in its recommendations, it engages in holistic applicant review to achieve that goal. This includes a review of traditional "objective" measures such as GRE, GPA, and TOEFL/IELTS scores and a careful and systematic review of all submitted materials that reveal cognitive and/or affective characteristics of applicants, including their statement of interest, resume, recommendation letters, and any recent publications.
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Research Courses | ||
CISC 7070 | Research Methods | 3 |
CISC 7075 | Research Project 1 | 3 |
CISC 7076 | Research Paper 1 | 0 |
Breadth Requirements | ||
One qualifying course from each of Groups I, II, and III | 9 | |
Two qualifying or non-qualifying courses drawn from Groups I-III 2 | 6 | |
Depth Requirements | ||
Two electives from Group IV | 6 | |
Pedagogy Requirement | ||
CISC 7090 | Doctoral Pedagogy Seminar | 3 |
CISC 7580 | Computer Science Teaching Experience (taken four times, for two credits) | 8 |
Qualifying Exams | 0 | |
Students must complete three qualifying exams (see details below). | ||
CISC 0931 | Ph.D. Qualifying Exam: Computer Science | 0 |
Dissertation | ||
CISC 0950 | Dissertation Proposal Preparation (taken at least two times, for four credits) | 8 |
CISC 0960 | Proposal Defense Computer Science | 0 |
CISC 7999 | Dissertation Research in Computer Science | 24 |
Total Credits | 70 |
- 1
The final report for the research project in a seminar setting (CISC 7076 Research Paper) must be completed within 24 months of matriculation in the program. The report must detail research of publishable quality, as demonstrated, for example, by having the paper be accepted by a selective conference. The student must also complete a presentation on the project, which should include a thorough review of the literature in the area.
- 2
Any course with the attribute CSFT (Group I), CSSS (Group II), or CSID (Group III) may fulfill this requirement.
Dissertation Progress Policies
A student may be placed on academic probation if they do not have an accepted dissertation proposal in at most 5 semesters after passing their qualifying exams, or if they have not completed their dissertation in at least 5 semesters after proposal approval.
Qualifying Exam Requirement
Each student must complete a qualifying exam before they are permitted to proceed to develop a dissertation proposal. The exam is satisfied by the student obtaining a grade of A or A- in at least one course from specific courses drawn from each of the three groups (I-III), noted below. These courses each include some coursework which focuses on ethically-informed computer science training in the subject area of the course.
Group I: Foundations & Theory
Courses in this group have the CSFT attribute.
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CISC 5200 | Computer Language Theory | 3 |
CISC 5825 | Computer Algorithms | 3 |
CISC 6150 | Programming Languages | 3 |
CISC 6660 | Applied Cryptography | 3 |
CISC 6890 | Advanced Computer Algorithms | 3 |
CISC 7010 | Formal Methods | 3 |
Qualifying Courses
The following courses in this list are qualifying exam courses and, additionally, have the CSFQ attribute:
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CISC 5200 | Computer Language Theory | 3 |
CISC 6890 | Advanced Computer Algorithms | 3 |
CISC 7010 | Formal Methods | 3 |
Group II: Systems & Software
Courses in this group have the CSSS attribute.
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CISC 5550 | Cloud Computing | 3 |
CISC 5640 | Nosql Database Systems | 3 |
CISC 6100 | Software Engineering | 3 |
CISC 6345 | Advanced Database Systems | 3 |
CISC 6630 | Wireless Security | 3 |
CISC 6750 | IOT Forensics and Security | 3 |
CISC 6935 | Advanced Distributed Systems | 3 |
CISC 7110 | Advanced Computer Networks | 3 |
Qualifying Courses
The following courses in this list are qualifying exam courses and, additionally, have the CSSQ attribute:
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CISC 6345 | Advanced Database Systems | 3 |
CISC 6935 | Advanced Distributed Systems | 3 |
CISC 7110 | Advanced Computer Networks | 3 |
Group III: Informatics & Data Analysis
Courses in this group have the CSID attribute.
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CISC 5352 | Machine Learning in Finance | 3 |
CISC 5700 | Cognitive Computing | 3 |
CISC 5790 | Data Mining | 3 |
CISC 5800 | Machine Learning | 3 |
CISC 5950 | Big Data Computing | 3 |
CISC 6000 | Deep Learning | 3 |
CISC 6525 | Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
CISC 6910 | Data and Information Fusion | 3 |
Qualifying Courses
The following courses in this list are qualifying exam courses and, additionally, have the CSIQ attribute:
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CISC 5800 | Machine Learning | 3 |
CISC 6525 | Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
CISC 6910 | Data and Information Fusion | 3 |
Group IV: Advanced Topics
Courses in this group have the CSAT attribute.
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CISC 6210 | Natural Language Processing | 3 |
CISC 6352 | Advanced Computational Finance | 3 |
CISC 6376 | Software Design Patterns | 3 |
CISC 6500 | Bioinformatics | 3 |
CISC 6550 | Systems Neuroscience | 3 |
CISC 6625 | Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics | 3 |
CISC 6640 | Privacy and Security in Big Data | 3 |
CISC 6700 | Medical Informatics | 3 |
CISC 6880 | Blockchain Technology | 3 |
CISC 7120 | Robotics | 3 |
CISC 7510 | Computer Vision/Image Recognition | 3 |
CISC 7650 | Cybersecurity Operations | 3 |