Graduate Student Resources

Information for Graduate Students

Academic Dishonesty

This documentation is addressed to all students enrolled in either undergraduate or graduate computer science classes. Every student enrolled in a computer science course is expected to be aware of and adhere to the University's policies on academic honesty as described in "Digest of Rules and Regulations." That document can be found in the campus telephone directory. The guidelines given in this document are the official Departmental policy on academic dishonesty and plagiarism in programming projects and exercises. They represent an extension and clarification of the University's policy on academic honesty as it pertains to the special situations arising in computer programming projects and exercises.
One of the following policies will be adopted regarding how much cooperation and joint work is permitted in each of these classes:

  1. Students are to work on their programming assignments without consulting with anyone that is not explicitly approved by the instructor (such as a grader or tutor).
  2. Students are allowed to discuss the meaning of programs or problems together but are expected to work totally independently of anyone that is not explicitly approved by the instructor when working on the solutions to a program or problem and when doing their coding.
  3. Students are allowed to discuss the programs or problems or to work on the solution together but are expected to work totally independently of anyone that is not explicitly approved by the instructor when doing their coding.  
  4. A clearly identified group of students may work together in developing solutions to a program or problem and are to turn in their work as joint work with all their names included, indicating co-authorship.
  5. The instructor distributes a written policy (possibly as a part of their syllabus) that specifies how much cooperation and joint work is permitted on their programming assignments.

Policy A is the policy that will be used unless the instructor specifies in writing (e.g., in their syllabus) that one of the other policies will be followed. Students are to clarify with their instructors any questions they may have about how much cooperation and joint work is permitted on programming assignments. Independent of the value of the particular programming assignment in question or of a student's performance on other course requirements, violation of this plagiarism and cheating policy is likely to result in failure in the course. In addition, instructors are expected to report all cases of cheating or plagiarism to the student conduct officer. Further action may also be imposed under the code of student conduct. This action may include probation, suspension, or disciplinary dismissal from the University.

Further details concerning the University's cheating and plagiarism rules can be found in the "Digest of Rules and Regulations" in the University's Telephone Directory. Some information also may be found in the Graduate or Undergraduate Catalogs.
In cases involving cheating or plagiarism, a person who knowingly assists another person in cheating or plagiarism is considered as guilty as the person receiving help. Using solutions or code from a problem assigned in a previous semester without the explicit permission of the instructor is also considered to be cheating or plagiarism.

It is each student's responsibility to place protection on their files containing assignments, avoid leaving their computer account open in the labs when they are not present, protect current and old printouts of their code, and take other reasonable precautions to ensure that these files are not accessible to another student. A student who becomes aware of cheating is strongly encouraged to report this matter. It is important that the students and instructors work together to achieve an academic environment that is fair to all students.

Advising

Each graduate student's schedule of classes for each semester should be approved by the student's Academic Advisor. This can be done by scheduling a short advising session in the preceding term.

Beginning in Fall 2024, students seeking advice can contact one of the following advisors based on their graduate program of study

Committees and Colloquia

One graduate student is elected each year by his or her peers to serve on the Graduate Student Council. Also, the departmental Curriculum Committee and the Graduate Studies Committee will ask a graduate student to serve on their committee.

The Department of Computer Science sponsors a series of colloquia during the academic year. These talks, covering many areas of computer science, have several purposes: to acquaint the audience with the frontiers of research in a particular topic; to give an exposition of some problem, study, or topic of wide interest; or to give an historical perspective and/or survey of some problem, study, or topic of wide interest.

Graduate students benefit from the colloquium series by being exposed to computer scientists, from outside the University, who may be actively involved in problems or topics in which they are interested or have worked. In addition, graduate students will, in some colloquia, be exposed to topics of computer science that are not emphasized within the Department. Thus, the colloquium series helps to reinforce and broaden the student's graduate education and experience. For these reasons, graduate student attendance at department colloquia is strongly urged.

Timelines, Deadlines, Leave of Absence
Departmental Facilities

Every graduate appointee will be assigned a mailbox and office space by the department; typically an office is shared with several other graduate students. Instructional- related copying privileges are available to each graduate appointee; copying of personal materials will be done at the student's cost.

Grievance Procedures
  1. A student who has a grievance concerning a graduate course must first contact the professor in charge of the course in order to try and resolve the dispute.  
  2. If the student is dissatisfied after Step 1, the student then contacts the CS Graduate Coordinator.
  3. If the CS Graduate Coordinator is unable to reach a solution satisfactory to the student, the student will then contact the Chairperson of the Department.
  4. If, after Step 3, the student's grievance still exists, the student will contact the Division of Research and Graduate Studies.
  5. A graduate student who has a grievance concerning policy of the Department should start the grievance procedure at Step 2.
Satisfactory Progress

Maintaining Good Academic Standing is a university requirement and graduate students are expected to maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA) at all times. Additionally, a graduate student who receives more than 8 credit hours of grades lower than B (3.0) or more than 4 credit hours of grades lower than C (2.0) is subject to dismissal. The department takes one of the following actions if a student does not maintain Good Standing.

  • A warning notice will be given at any time to a student who receives a grade lower than B (3.0). The student must get her/his advisor’s approval to take further courses. The student cannot take more than nine credit hours per semester after the warning has been issued.
  • A probation notice will be given at any time to a student whose GPA is less than 3.0 OR the student has two courses with grades lower than B (3.0). The student must get her/his advisor’s approval to take further courses. The student cannot take more than nine credit-hours during the probationary period. The student will be notified of dismissal for the following semester if Good Standing is not regained after the first semester of probation.
  • A dismissal notice will be given at any time to a student if the student receives more than eight credit-hours of grades lower than B (3.0) OR more than four credit-hours of grades lower than C(2.0) OR student's GPA stays below 3.0 for more than two semesters OR Good Standing is not regained after the first semester in the probation.
Schedule of Core Course Sequences

Since the enrollment in 60000/70000-level courses is small, these sequences are offered on an alternate year basis according to the Graduate Course Rotation Schedule.

Student Organization

The Computer Science Graduate Student Association meets throughout the academic year.  It's a good opportunity to get to know faculty and other grad students.

Learn more about the CSGSA

Graduate Handbook

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Computer Science at Kent State University is to prepare its graduate students for discovery, dissemination, and application of computer science knowledge using various combinations of graduate-level courses, industrial internship and original academic research to serve the industry and/or academics, and contribute to the greater good of the society. The graduate programs keep evolving to accommodate emerging societal needs and foci in the academics and the industry. Graduate programs in Computer Science provide its graduate students with a strong foundation in theory, best ethically sound practices and innovations in computer science to make them knowledgeable, innovative and creative professionals, and prepare them to become responsible lifelong learners in this rapidly evolving field, able to create and implement the latest computing ideas and technologies for the betterment of society.

Scope

This handbook is a supplementary reference to the Graduate Catalog and  describes mission, administrative structure and function, and details of graduate programs including graduation requirements within the Department of Computer Science at Kent State University. It is periodically updated. The content of this handbook is applicable to all graduate programs offered by the Department of Computer Science . A student can use the Graduate Catalog, the Graduate Handbook, the CS Graduate Web Page, Academic Advisors. Graduate Coordinator, Graduate Office to proceed  throughout the graduate program. However, a graduate student is responsible for her/his academic actions and performances. Graduate Handbook is for information only. Efforts are made to align the information in the graduate handbook with various university sources. However, in  case of  any confusions or differences, students must resolve the differences from the graduate office in the Department of Computer Science. International students with issues related to I-20, visa and graduate standing status, such as financial requirement, late arrival in the university, practical training and internships, need to contact the office of International Students and Scholar Services.

Administrative Structure and Function

The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) is the primary recommending body through which graduate affairs are conducted within the department. It consists of a graduate coordinator, three other voting graduate faculty members, a non-voting graduate student representative elected by current graduate students, a non-voting ex-officio graduate secretary and ex-officio department chair. The graduate committee oversee the CS graduate programs, votes on graduate program related matters to assist the graduate coordinator, the department chair and the graduate dean. Appropriate actions are taken based upon their recommendations. Regular monthly meetings of GSC are held to discuss graduate program related issues such as admission’s criteria, updating graduate curriculum and its publication, changes in the graduate catalog, graduate enrollment and performance, policies related to graduation criteria and related examinations,students’ requests and concerns, evaluation and recommendation of graduate assistantships and other graduate program related issues. Additional meetings and electronic conversations are held to process the information, if needed.

Graduate Programs

The Department of Computer Science offers the following graduate degree programs.

Master of Science in Computer Science

The Master of Science Degree Programs in Computer Science  provide students with an educational and research environment to develop career paths through necessary training in core and emerging areas of computer science technologies. Graduates assimilate technical knowledge and skills necessary for success within the information, high-technology industries, teaching K-12 programs, or continuing towards doctoral education. The program with two separate pathways:

  • A non-thesis MS that supports the needs of persons seeking graduate education for entry into a non academic non-PhD professional career involving applied research and development in industry or to enhance and expand their career options. The culminating experience for  non-thesis MS students is a capstone industrial project augmented with possible industrial internship.
  • A thesis MS that fosters close collaboration between research and academic needs. It is designed for students who seek academic careers in research and development (R&D) industry, or students who want to continue their education into the PhD program. The culminating experience for the thesis MS students is an original research in a specific chosen area in Computer Science and related areas and a written thesis that is evaluated by a committee of graduate faculty.

Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence

The Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence  prepares students with a focused educational and research environment to develop career paths through necessary learning and training with emerging artificial intelligence technologies and applications to intelligent analytics, smart homes and communities and robotics and automation. Graduates have technical knowledge and research and development skills necessary for applying artificial intelligence to industry, community and military. These areas include sectors requiring intelligent pattern-analysis of big data such as retail, healthcare, biology, psychology and intelligent human-machine interactions and interfaces. As with the Master of Science in Computer Science, students may select either a thesis or non-thesis option.

Master of Science in Data Science

The Master of Science in Data Science  prepares students with a focused educational and research environment to develop career paths through necessary learning and training with emerging artificial intelligence technologies and applications to intelligent analytics, smart homes and communities and robotics and automation. Graduates have technical knowledge and research and development skills necessary for applying artificial intelligence to industry, community and military. These areas include sectors requiring intelligent pattern-analysis of big data such as retail, healthcare, biology, psychology and intelligent human-machine interactions and interfaces. As with the Master of Science in Computer Science, students may select either a thesis or non-thesis option.

Doctoral of Philosophy Program

The Doctoral of Philosophy Program promotes research, discovery and integration. It is designed for students interested in becoming professional scholars, college teachers and university-level professors, or researchers employed in private, industrial or government research institutions. The PhD degree in Computer Science provides students with an educational and research environment that fosters personal and intellectual growth, flourishes academic goals and develops career paths through necessary training with emerging technologies.

Combined Baccalaureate and Master of Science (MS) Degree Program in CS

The Combined Baccalaureate and Master of Science (MS) Degree Program in CS is a fast-track for MS graduation. It is designed for students who are currently in the BS program of the Department of Computer Science, and intend to reduce the graduation time in MS program. As with the Master of Science in Computer Science, students may select either a thesis or non-thesis option.

Master of Arts Degree Program

A Master of Arts Degree Program requires no prior training in computer science and covers a breadth of knowledge in advanced computer science topics that can also be used to solve problems in the field of the student's bachelor's degree. The program enables students with a bachelor's degree in other areas to enter the fields that require both computer science skills and skills gained in a student's prior studies. The program provides students with the technical knowledge and skills necessary to succeed within the information and high-technology industries. It is also suitable for students desiring to teach a K-12 system after graduation.

Programs Learning  Outcome

Each program has its own learning outcomes that are outlined in the catalog description, however there are some common outcomes that relate to all programs.

  • Provide evidence of comprehensive understanding of the fundamental concepts, principles, and theories relating to advanced topics in the field. 
  • Investigate current literature, comprehend advanced research materials, and identify connections between related work as well as critically evaluate and synthesize findings.
  • Conduct research, development, and integration based on advanced knowledge of the field.
     

General Admission Requirements

There are some general admission requirements for all graduate programs. Detailed admission requirements are available under each program's admission requirements.

  • Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale 
  • Core components of an undergraduate computer science curriculum1
  • Official transcript(s)
  • GRE scores
  • Résumé
  • Goal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
    • Minimum 525 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
    • Minimum 71 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
    • Minimum 74 MELAB score
    • Minimum 6.0 IELTS score
    • Minimum 50 PTE score
    • Minimum 100 Duolingo English Test score

 All applicants are judged on a number of factors, including but not limited to, the undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) and academic record, especially in science and mathematics courses, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score (for international students), academic letters of reference,  and the student’s goal statement.

Prospective students must successfully have completed high-level algebra, geometry and calculus coursework. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that students have successfully completed core coursework in computer science, including programming, data structures, abstraction, operating systems, and discrete structures. Students who possess high qualifications but lack preparation in certain standards areas may be admitted by the Graduate Studies Committee based on their evaluation.
Please refer to additional admission requirements for a specific Graduate Program.

Program  Requirements

Please refer to  program requirements for a specific Graduate Program. 

General Graduation Requirements

Please refer to  course requirements for a specific Graduate Program. Additional requirements:

  • For students on the master's thesis track, a maximum of 3 credit hours of research  (CS 69098) may be counted toward the degree program.
  • For PhD students, a maximum of 9 credit hours of research  (CS 89098) may be counted toward the degree program.
  • For Direct students, a maximum of 12 credit hours of research  (CS 89098) may be counted toward the degree program.
  • Direct PhD students must complete 60 credit hours of graduate course work (excluding dissertation). 30 credit hours must be at 7/80000 level.

MS Non-thesis Graduation Requirements

Candidates for Master of Science with a non-thesis option must successfully complete  six credit hours of Culminating Experience from one of the following options in addition to course requirements.

  • CS 69099 Capstone Project and CS 69192 Graduate Internship
  • CS 69099 Capstone Project and an approved CS Graduate Elective

Students in the Data Science program must taking the corresponding DATA 69099 and DATA 69192, respectively.

MS Thesis Graduation Requirements

Candidates for Master of Science with a thesis option must successfully complete  six credit hours of Thesis I (CS 69199) and Thesis II (CS 69299). Students in the Data Science program must taking the corresponding Thesis I (DATA 69199) and Thesis II (DATA 69299).

A Master's thesis examination committee must be formed that includes the thesis advisor and at least two other graduate faculty members capable of advising Master’s thesis. The thesis advisor should preferably be picked at the end of the first semester and no later than the end of the second semester. The thesis topic and committee must be approved by the advisor and the graduate coordinator. When the advisor believes the thesis is ready for preliminary approval, it will be circulated in a university approved format among the members of the examination committee. The final version of the thesis must be approved by
 the advisor, the thesis committee and the graduate coordinator.

Thesis Guidelines

The MS theses developed by the student must be examined by a thesis committee which is also responsible for oral examination of the student. The thesis committee is also responsible for monitoring the progress of the candidate’s thesis and will stay connected with his or her research. The following steps must be taken in a timely manner to complete a thesis.

For more information please visit: Forms Library.

Combined B.S. / M.S. Program

The Department of Computer Science offers a combined  (integrated)  graduate degree  program (BS/MS) for undergraduate students with outstanding academic records to encourage them to pursue advanced degrees. This allows well-qualified undergraduate students in the Computer Science program at Kent State to start graduate study before completing their undergraduate degree. Enrolling in a combined BS/MS program can shorten the total time to get both bachelor's and master's degrees. By enrolling in a combined BS/MS program, students are eligible to count up  9 credit hours of courses may be applied simultaneously ("double-counted") for credit toward both their bachelor's degree - and these credit-hours also count toward the master's degree.  This can shorten the total time to get a BS degree plus an MS degree by 1 semester. The goal of the combined program is to encourage undergraduates to obtain an advanced degree. Application to the CS Department's combined BS/MS program is open to currently enrolled CS  undergraduate majors with outstanding academic records..

Steps involved

  • Contact the CS Graduate Coordinator to set up an appointment to discuss your plans, to check eligibility, and to decide which semester should be your "double-count" semester.
  • If you are eligible, apply for admission to the CS graduate program.
  • Fill out the Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Form (DOCX) and a schedule projection provided by the undergraduate advisor and approved by both a CS undergraduate advisor and the CS graduate program coordinator.
  • Register for courses in your double-count term as an undergraduate student. Registration Exception Form may be needed and that can be issued by the department graduate office.
  • Make sure to follow all requirements for graduating with your BS degree, including applying for graduation.
  • After graduating with your undergraduate degree, continue with your Master's coursework.

Eligibility

  • You must meet all requirements for admission to the MS-CS graduate program.
  • You are currently an  undergraduate CS major student in Computer Science at Kent State  University.
  • You have at least a grade point average of  3.2   in all previous undergraduate work at the time of application.
  • You have completed at least 60 undergraduate credit hours toward the BS degree.

Important Notes

  • Only courses you take during the double-count semester will count toward both degrees. Courses taken before then will not count toward the MS degree.
  • Only 50000- and 6000-level courses will count toward the MS degree.  If you wish to take a 60000-level course as a double-count course, you will have to work with a CS undergraduate advisor and the graduate coordinator to add the course.
  • A maximum of 9 hours of double-count courses are allowed (no splitting of of hours).

More Information for Combined Degree Programs

For more information regarding combined BS/MS degrees programs, please see the Graduate College  Combined Bachelor’s./Master's Program.

PhD Program in Computer Science

The Department offers courses, curriculum, and research leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Computer Science. Graduates of this program will be able to:

  • Have all around breadth-of-knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles and theories relating to advanced topics in computer science to be regarded as a scholar of computer science.
  • Demonstrate depth of knowledge at least in one specialized topic within computer science.
  • Conduct independent research by advancing the body of knowledge in the area through the doctoral dissertation research.

 For he program description, admission requirements, program requirements, please visit Computer Science PhD.

All post-Master’s students must pass the Preliminary Examination and finish the doctoral seminar within 12 months of joining into the doctoral program, all post-Bachelor’s students must pass the preliminary examination within 18 months of joining into the doctoral program. For additional information, please see Preliminary Examination Guideline and  Reading List.

Candidacy Examination

Students who have passed the preliminary examination are expected to continue to broaden their general computer science background and to take courses in their areas of special interest. Before starting substantial work on a dissertation, the student is required to take the candidacy examination.

The candidacy examination is a comprehensive examination in the field of the major subject. The format of the candidacy examination will be determined by the student's candidacy examination committee, which is composed of the student’s thesis advisor and at least two other graduate faculty members capable of guiding a PhD thesis in Computer Science or closely related field relevant to the PhD research. The candidacy examination committee must be approved by the graduate coordinator. The student must
complete the candidacy examination at least one year before the PhD dissertation defense.

A full-time graduate student entering the Ph.D. program with a Master's degree is normally expected to pass the Candidacy Examination prior to the end of the student's fourth calendar year at Kent State University. It is expected that a full-time graduate student entering the graduate program with a bachelor's degree will normally pass the candidacy examination prior to the end of the student's fifth calendar year at  Kent State University. Timetables for part-time students or students who transfer graduate credit from another institution will be set in consultation with the CS graduate coordinator. When an extension of this deadline seems to be necessary, both the student and the student's thesis advisor must petition, in writing, to the CS graduate coordinator. Extensions will only be granted by the CS graduate coordinator in  consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee. Students have two options to complete this milestone.

Option 1:

Candidacy exam when combined with dissertation topic approval and prospectus defense.

Definition of Candidacy

For a Doctoral student to attempt Candidacy he/she must be in good standing within the Department and have passed the
Doctoral Preliminary Examinations. To move into Candidacy the student must pass a Candidacy Examination and have an
approved Dissertation Topic and Prospectus. Both of the following University forms must be approved by the Advisor,
Committee, and Graduate Coordinator:

The student will not be considered a Ph.D. Candidate and not be allowed to register for Dissertation I until they have both of
the above forms approved.

Recommended Guidelines for the Doctoral Candidacy Examination
  • The format of the Candidacy Examination is a combined in-depth oral examination of the research area and
    presentation of the Dissertation Prospectus
  • The presentation will cover the major components of the prospectus including: an overview dissertation topic,
    detailed review of related literature, the importance, any preliminary results, and a research plan.
  • The oral examination, by the dissertation committee, will relate to the proposed research and related topics
    necessary to conduct that research.
  • A written Dissertation Prospectus should be submitted to the committee 2 weeks prior to the examination. A
    Prospectus typically includes: 1) Proposal and definition of dissertation topic; 2) Detailed and in-depth literature
    review of research area; 3) Description of the importance and impact of the research; 4) Presentation of preliminary
    results; and 5) Research plan defining how the work will progress
Management and regulations of the exam
  • The Ph.D. Candidacy Examination is closed and only includes the student, committee, interested graduate faculty,
    and invited guests. Guests must be approved by the committee.
  • The Examination must be announced to the entire CS Graduate Faculty at least 2 weeks prior to the event.
  • A Graduate Faculty member has the right to attend any Candidacy Examination.
  • The specific format of the exam and prospectus are determined by the Advisor and Committee.
  • The date of the Candidacy Examination must be arranged by the student and advisor in conjunction with the
  • Committee a minimum of two weeks prior to the event. The student should submit any written documents to the
    Committee a minimum two weeks prior to event.
  • Any major changes of the Dissertation topic must be approved by the Advisor and Committee.
  • The student must pass into Candidacy at least nine months prior to Dissertation Defense (University Requirement).
Management and regulations of the exam
  • For the student to pass the exam, the Committee must be convinced that the student has the appropriate background and understanding of the research area to conduct the proposed investigation. Additionally, if the dissertation topic is deemed inadequate, inappropriate, or of little scientific merit the committee may fail the student.
  • In the case that the student does not pass, the advisor in consultation with the committee will inform the student of
    the committee’s reasoning and the problems that must be addressed in order to attempt the exam again. The student may request this information in writing.
  • Students may have two opportunities to pass the Candidacy Examination.

Option 2:

Candidacy exam when separated from dissertation topic approval and prospectus defense.

A PhD student has the option to take the Candidacy Exam in the 4th semester or earlier, after all course work is finished, and Prospectus in 6th semester or earlier, when the topic of dissertation is identified and some preliminary work is done. The goal of Candidacy Exam is to check student’s readiness to do research in chosen research area Advisor and committee determine the exact format of the exam.

Recommended Guidelines

  • The exam consists of two parts: written exam and oral exam.
  • The research advisor forms a Candidacy Examination Committee, consisting of research advisor plus two CS graduate faculty that are familiar with student’s chosen research area.
  • The  advisor in consultation with the committee members determines a set of papers and other material considered fundamental in that research area, and informs student about this reading list.
  • After about one month the written part of the exam takes place; student gets a set of exam questions developed by the committee and provides his/her answers in written form. 
  • Each committee member gets a copy of student’s written answers to evaluate.
  • The oral part of the exam takes place in a couple of weeks; during oral examination the committee members get opportunity to discuss with student his/her answers, to clarify some points, to ask few other related questions.
  • The outcome of the Candidacy Exam (in form of pass/fail) is the committee members’ judgment of whether
    student is familiar with fundamental issues in chosen research area, adequately addresses them, and is ready
    for intensive research in this area.
  •  The  Report of Candidacy completed and submitted to the college.
  • After passing the candidacy exam, student can enroll in Dissertation I.

Dissertation and Final Examination Committees

Policy Statement

A dissertation is required of each candidate for the Ph.D. degree. The dissertation must demonstrate that the student has acquired the ability to conduct research in a discriminating and original manner. The dissertation should make a significant enough contribution to the field in which it is written that at least one scholarly article suitable for publication in a professional journal may be derived from it or that the findings of the dissertation would be otherwise  publishable.

Dissertation Committee 

When the student has developed a dissertation topic acceptable to the advisor, a dissertation committee is convened, responsible for overseeing the progress of the candidate’s dissertation. The graduate/program coordinator appoints the members of the committee in consultation with the student and the student’s advisor. This group will consist, at minimum, of four members:

  • The advisor, who chairs the committee
  • Two additional members from the candidate’s program
  • One faculty member from a discipline outside the program

The advisor and two committee members must be members of the graduate faculty who have been approved to direct dissertations. The remaining members of the committee must have associate or full graduate faculty status and be approved to serve on a dissertation committee. A co-advisor, if used, will count as one of the above members.Special permission must be obtained from the college dean for anyone on the dissertation committee who does not  meet the qualifications stated above.

Examination Committee

When the advisor believes the candidate’s, dissertation is ready for preliminary approval, the advisor will convene an examining committee. The examining committee will consist of members of the dissertation committee and an appointed graduate faculty representative.  The procedures for appointing the graduate faculty representative are detailed in the procedures section below

Graduate Faculty Representative

Once the graduate faculty representative is appointed, the advisor will submit the dissertation to the members of the committee for a 10-day reading period of the dissertation. Following the reading period, the advisor will convene the examining committee to evaluate the dissertation. The advisor will note and communicate to the candidate any  revisions recommended by the committee. When, in the opinion of the advisor and the candidate, the appropriate revisions have been made, the advisor will inform the graduate/program coordinator, the academic unit’s lead administrator and the graduate college dean.

The principal responsibility of the graduate faculty representative is to preside and moderate the final examination (oral defense) and to note whether the nature of the questioning of the faculty and the responses of the candidate meet highly respectable scholarly standards. Any concerns must be presented immediately to the college dean or designee. As moderator, the graduate faculty representative should ensure that all participants in the defense act in a  civilized, polite and proper manner. The graduate faculty representative should be familiar with the procedures of the oral defense and has the authority to suspend the examination should a situation arise that would not be conducive to  a fair examination.


Final Examination (Oral Defense)

Upon completion of the revisions, if any, the student will be required to defend the findings before a committee of graduate faculty members, including the dissertation committee and others chosen by the academic unit and college dean. The final oral defense will be open to the university community. The procedures for the defense are detailed in  the procedures section below.


Procedures for the Final Examination (Oral Defense)

When the dissertation committee has met and has agreed to proceed to the final examination, the advisor will designate the time and place of the final oral defense and notify the student and all members of the examining committee. The oral defense is open to any member of the University wishing to attend and, therefore, a facility adequate to meet this requirement should be provided. The defense should be scheduled to allow a minimum of 10 days for all members of the examining committee to review the dissertation; this is in addition to the 10-day period preceding the dissertation committee meeting

In the absence of the advisor, the lead administrator of the academic unit may postpone the oral defense. In the case of long-term absence or enduring illness of the advisor, the lead administrator, in consultation with the college dean, should make appropriate arrangements for a substitute.The dissertation must be in final form (not merely a late draft but also not necessarily the final typed copy) prior to the final oral defense. Students are permitted to number their pages in pencil to reduce the cost of final changes that may  result from the oral defense. If, in the opinion of more than one member of the examining committee, the dissertation
is not in acceptable final form, the oral defense will not be held. An acceptable final form refers to the substance and usefulness of the dissertation as well as the quality of the writing. The decision to halt the defense is to be determined by vote prior to the final oral examination and without the candidate or others being present. If a negative vote occurs,the candidate may be called in to provide clarification.
A rescheduling of the oral defense, if necessary, will occur when, in the opinion of the advisor and the student, the dissertation has been modified to incorporate the suggested changes. The dissertation must be acceptable, with no more than one dissenting vote, before the rescheduled final oral can be held. If the dissertation is not in suitable format this second scheduled oral, the advisor will notify the college dean. Further action is then the responsibility of the  college dean.
The final oral defense will be open to the university community. The advisor should notify the academic unit of the time and place of the so that it may be announced in a suitable way. The student should provide copies of the dissertation abstract to the academic unit so that it will be available to interested individuals prior to the defense to familiarize members of the graduate faculty with the methodology and findings.Students may participate in the oral defense in a different location than the committee members (i.e., by web conferencing) if they are declared in a fully online degree program or have obtained permission in advance from the
committee chair. See the policy on remote participation in a thesis or dissertation defense in the University Catalog.

In the absence of the advisor, the lead administrator of the academic unit may postpone the oral defense. In the case of long-term absence or enduring illness of the advisor, the lead administrator, in consultation with the college dean,should make appropriate arrangements for a substitute. The dissertation must be in final form (not merely a late draft but also not necessarily the final typed copy) prior to the final oral defense. Students are permitted to number their pages in pencil to reduce the cost of final changes that may  result from the oral defense. If, in the opinion of more than one member of the examining committee, the dissertation is not in acceptable final form, the oral defense will not be held. An acceptable final form refers to the substance and usefulness of the dissertation as well as the quality of the writing. The decision to halt the defense is to be determined by vote prior to the final oral examination and without the candidate or others being present. If a negative vote occurs, the candidate may be called in to provide clarification. A rescheduling of the oral defense, if necessary, will occur when, in the opinion of the advisor and the student, the dissertation has been modified to incorporate the suggested changes. The dissertation must be acceptable, with no more than one dissenting vote, before the rescheduled final oral can be held. If the dissertation is not in suitable form at this second scheduled oral, the advisor will notify the college dean. Further action is then the responsibility of the college dean.

The final oral defense will be open to the university community. The advisor should notify the academic unit of the time and place of the so that it may be announced in a suitable way. The student should provide copies of the dissertation abstract to the academic unit so that it will be available to interested individuals prior to the defense to familiarize members of the graduate faculty with the methodology and findings.Students may participate in the oral defense in a different location than the committee members (i.e., by web conferencing) if they are declared in a fully online degree program or have obtained permission in advance from the committee chair. See the policy on remote participation in a thesis or dissertation defense in the University Catalog.


The candidate will open the defense with a brief presentation of dissertation findings, after which the members of the examining committee will question the candidate in an order to be determined by the moderator. When, in the opinion of the moderator, members of the examining committee have had an adequate opportunity to question the candidate,the moderator may open the examination to appropriate questions from others present. Questions dealing with the  substance, meaning and usefulness of the research in the dissertation are of greatest propriety. Questions or comments dealing with punctuation or grammatical minutiae, spelling, etc., are out of order and should be written out and privately submitted to the advisor. If, in the opinion of the moderator or upon motion duly passed by a majority of the committee, it should be deemed necessary to discontinue the defense, the moderator may recess the defense until a time mutually agreeable to the moderator, the advisor, the candidate and the college dean.

When the questioning has run its course, the moderator will adjourn the defense, and the room will be cleared of everyone except the members of the examining committee. Parliamentary procedure will be observed to determine the success or failure of the candidate, with the moderator acting as chair without a vote. The committee should evaluate the candidate upon both (a) the overall quality and significance of the dissertation, and (b) the oral defense of the findings.
All members of the examining committee will sign the Report of Final Examination form, recording their votes of “yes” or “no.” Committee members may not abstain in this vote. A candidate passes the final oral defense if there is no more than one dissenting vote. The moderator and lead administrator of the academic unit must then sign the report,which is forwarded to the college for the signature of the dean. The college returns a copy of the completed form to the academic unit.

For more information please visit:

Application for Graduation

Timelines

  • Approval of Dissertation Topic  form: One  year prior to final defense.
  • Final version of dissertation copies to committee members: At  least 20 days before final defense.
  • Ph.D. defense must be announcement made: At least one week before final defense.
  • Pre-defense meeting of final examination committee: At least 10 days before final defense.

Time Limits for Graduate Programs

All students admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences are subject to time limits for completion of their degree. Time limits are described in more detail in the Graduate Schools Catalog. In general, a Master’s degree must be completed within six years. In general, a post-MS Doctoral degree must be completed within ten years.

Students may request, in writing, an extension of one year over the listed time limits. Such requests should be sent to the graduate coordinator. Departments must notify the College of Arts and Sciences if such an extension is granted. Requests of more than one year over the time limit must be approved by the College. In the case of medical sickness and/or family urgency, a student can take leave. The period of such leaves is not counted in the duration of the degree program.

Matriculation to the PhD Program

Students in the Master’s degree program interested in entering PhD in Computer Science have an opportunity to request matriculation rather than apply through the admissions office. Preference is given to the MS thesis students. In case of exceptional research potential exhibited by prior original research projects, non-thesis students may also be considered. To be considered for matriculation, students will need to submit to the graduate office in Computer Science their resume, transcript, and three letters of recommendation from CS faculty. The Graduate Studies Committee will review the matriculation request and make their recommendation to the college based on academic performance, research, and letters of recommendation. See Notice of Matriculation.

Academic Standing

Maintaining Good Academic Standing is a university requirement and graduate students are expected to maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA) at all times. Additionally, a graduate student who receives more than 8 credit hours of grades lower than B (3.0) or more than 4 credit hours of grades lower than C (2.0) is subject to dismissal. The department takes one of the following actions if a student does not maintain Good Standing.

  • A warning notice will be given at any time to a student who receives a grade lower than B (3.0). The student must get her/his advisor’s approval to take further courses. The student cannot take more than nine credit hours per semester after the warning has been issued.
  • A probation notice will be given at any time to a student whose GPA is less than 3.0 OR the student has two courses with grades lower than B (3.0). The student must get her/his advisor’s approval to take further courses. The student cannot take more than nine credit-hours during the probationary period. The student will be notified of dismissal for the following semester if Good Standing is not regained after the first semester of probation.
  • A dismissal notice will be given at any time to a student if the student receives more than eight credit-hours of grades lower than B (3.0) OR more than four credit-hours of grades lower than C(2.0) OR student's GPA stays below 3.0 for more than two semesters OR Good Standing is not regained after the first semester in the probation.

Financial Support and Assistantships

There are several types of financial aid (graduate appointments) for which a student can apply (see Graduate Support Regulations for further details). The financial aid can be a departmental financial aid,research assistantship  from a research grant, university fellowship or other source of support within the university.

Departmental Financial Aid

Departmental aid is granted only to students with a full admission into the graduate program; Postundergraduatestudents or graduate students with a conditional admission are not eligible for the  departmental aid. The assistantships are limited and quite competitive and are based upon a review of students’ past performances and future research scholarship potential as evident from past transcripts, past GAship evaluations, GRE scores, research publications and recommendation letters from the advisor and past instructors.

  • Graduate Assistantships: Sometimes informally referred to as a Teaching Assistantship (TA),GAship is the primary form of support, especially for incoming PhD students. Available to both Master's and Doctoral students, based on a merit list developed by the GSC, a GA appointment caries a monthly stipend, and a tuition fee waiver that covers up to nine credit-hours of graduate CS courses per semester (plus additional credits for any courses required by the university, suchas College Teaching of Computer Science). GAs usually perform duties such as teaching or  grading, although some GAs have specialized duties such as web development, computer or  library support. The department reviews applicants for aid in the early spring for the following academic year. Newly admitted students for the following academic year will be considered for aid. Current students will receive Information from the graduate office regarding how to apply for graduate appointment. Instructions and deadline will be included in the email. After the application deadline, current students will be prompted to submit updated resume and letters of recommendation. There is a time limit of maximum six years of GAship.
  • Part-time Instructorship: Based upon the departmental teaching requirements, some senior PhD students with an excellent knowledge of subject area may be appointed as part-time instructors for undergraduate courses during regular semester and/or summer semester. Part-time instructorship comes with a lumpsum stipend and four credit hours of tuition fee waiver per semester.
  • Lab Instructorship: Based upon the departmental teaching requirements, some graduate students, with an excellent knowledge of subject area and fluency in spoken English needed for verbal interactions with domestic undergraduate students, may be appointed as lab instructors for undergraduate courses during regular semesters and/or summer semesters. Lab instructorship comes with a lumpsum stipend and four credit hours of tuition fee waiver per semester.
  • Graders: Based upon the departmental teaching requirements, some graduate students including Master’s students, with an excellent knowledge of subject area may be appointed as graders for undergraduate courses during regular semesters. Graders are paid as hourly employees at the current departmental rate without any tuition benefit. The timings need to be clocked and presence in the university premises for grading.

Research Assistantships (RAship)

RA's are another primary form of support. Available to both Master's and Doctoral students, most RA appointments are made by an individual faculty member who has received a research grant from some extramural source (government or industry). An RA's duties consist of assisting the software development or research of faculty member who is the principal investigator of the grant. The stipend and fee waiver for an RA are the same as that of a GA.

University Fellowship

If you have passed your candidacy examination, you might want to apply for the University Fellowship. University fellowship is for one Spring semester, and frees the recipients from carrying out any other duty. It is very useful towards the end of a PhD student’s dissertation. Graduate Studies sponsors this award. It is based upon university-wide merit list, and is very limited. Only few students from the department qualify each year. Since our department has to nominate an applicant, the Graduate Studies Committee will select the nominee. The graduate coordinator will guide the completion of the fellowship forms for the doctoral students to be nominated. All GAs and research assistants within one and half year of projected dissertation defense are encouraged to fill the university fellowship form.

Other Sources

There are other university sources for financial support such as working in other departments for web development, software development and helping in cafeteria. The department does not get involved in such financial supports. However, the graduate secretary sends email announcing such advertisement whenever she receives a request for advertisement. International students cannot work outside the university except for using their CPT (Curricular Practical Training) as part of their graduate course requirement with formal approval from the graduate coordinator and the International Students Office.

Summer Support

Graduate appointees in computer science are sometimes supported during the summer session with a stipend equal to 1/3 of their academic year stipend. Such support is not guaranteed, and is contingent on the student making satisfactory progress toward a degree, on satisfactory evaluations associated with previous financial support, and on available funds. Applications for summer support will be reviewed by CS Graduate Studies Committee.

For graduate appointees who hold a RA appointment from an individual faculty member (who has received a research grant from some extramural source) during the spring semester, RA summer appointments are dependent on the principal investigator's research funding. During summer, some international students may arrange for paid internship with industry either as part of three credit hour internship course requirement or for gaining additional program related experience. International students will need to use the CPT (Curricular Practical Training) with formal approval from the graduate coordinator (using proper forms) and the International Students Office (ISSS ) before takingup the such student-internships.

Graduate Assistants Duties and Responsibilities

The appointment will be in the form of a Research Assistant (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA), or Graduate Assistant (GA), that requires devoting 20 hours per week to the assistantship. The assistantship is subject to the availability of funds and contingent upon the acceptance in writing by the awardee and the ability to meet University eligibility requirements. The appointment may be
renewable, subject to the continued availability of funds, departmental needs, satisfactory progress in the degree program and satisfactory performance in the assigned responsibilities.The awardee is expected to meet the following obligations for the stipend:

  • Approximately 20 hours of service per week.
  • Maintain full-time student status (8 graduate hours minimum) with at least a 3.0 GPA.
  • May not accept any other employment on campus without prior approval from the Division of Graduate Studies.
  • Attend and successfully complete Graduate Student Orientation (GSO), which is held just prior to the beginning of both spring and fall semesters.

The assistantship is also contingent upon proof of identity and work authorization. The I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form must be completed within 3 business days of the first date of your employment in person. All graduate assistants at the Kent Campus will need to have their I-9 form completed in the Office of Academic Personnel. All international graduate assistants must bring
their documentation directly to Academic Personnel for completion.

Graduate assistants are required to complete the online Title IX training, which will be emailed to them.

CS Graduate Course Categories

  • * Can be added

  • ** Appear in more than one category

  • *** Not offered  for a while

  • **** No longer in the catalog

 

MS-CS Roadmaps
MS-CS Non-thesis
SemesterHoursNo ConcentrationWith Concentration

1

2CS 69191 - Master's SeminarCS 69191 - Master's Seminar
3CS 5/6xxxx: Category I-VCS 5/6xxxx: Concentration
3CS 5/6xxxx: Category I-VCS 5/6xxxx: Category I-V
23CS 5/6xxxx: Category I-VCS 5/6xxxx: Concentration
3CS 5/6xxxx: Category I-VCS 5/6xxxx: Concentration
3CS 5/6xxxx: ElectiveCS 5/6xxxx: Category I-V
33CS 5/6xxxx: ElectiveCS 5/6xxxx: Concentration
3CS 5/6xxxx: ElectiveCS 5/6xxxx: Category I-V
3CS 5/6xxxx: ElectiveCS 5/6xxxx: Category I-V
43CS 69099 - Capstone ProjectCS 69099 - Capstone Project
3CS 69192 - Graduate Internship  or CS 5/6xxxx: ElectiveCS 69192 - Graduate Internship  or CS 5/6xxxx: Elective

Graduation Requirements

  • Successful completion of 32 credit hours with GPA greater than or equal to 3.0,
  • No more than 12 credit hours can be at 50000 level,
  • 4 courses (excluding concentration courses) must be from 4 distinct categories.
  • CS 69099 - Capstone Project  should not be taken earlier than the 3rd semester (or completion of 18 credit hours)

MS-CS with Thesis

SemesterHoursNo ConcentrationWith Concentration

1

2CS 69191 - Master's SeminarCS 69191 - Master's Seminar
3CS 5/6xxxx: Category I-VCS 5/6xxxx: Concentration
3CS 5/6xxxx: Category I-VCS 5/6xxxx: Category I-V
23CS 5/6xxxx: Category I-VCS 5/6xxxx: Concentration
3CS 5/6xxxx: Category I-VCS 5/6xxxx: Concentration
3CS 69098 - ResearchCS 69098 - Research
33CS 5/6xxxx: ElectiveCS 5/6xxxx: Concentration
3CS 5/6xxxx: ElectiveCS 5/6xxxx: Category I-V
3CS 69199 - Thesis ICS 69199 - Thesis I
43CS 5/6xxxx: ElectiveCS 5/6xxxx: Category I-V
3CS 69299 - Thesis IICS 69299 - Thesis II

Graduation Requirements

  • Successful completion of 32 credit hours with GPA greater than or equal to 3.0,
  • No more than 12 credit hours can be at 50000 level,
  • 4 courses (excluding concentration courses) must be from 4 distinct categories, and
  • Successful thesis defense for thesis.

 

 

MS in Data Science Roadmap
MS Data Science
SemesterHoursWithout ThesisWith Thesis
13CS 63005 - Advanced Database Systems DesignCS 63005 - Advanced Database Systems Design
3MATH 50015 - Applied StatisticsMATH 50015 - Applied Statistics
3Major ElectiveMajor Elective
23CS 63015 - Data Mining TechniquesCS 63015 - Data Mining Techniques
3MATH 50024 - Computational StatisticsMATH 50024 - Computational Statistics
3MATH 50028 - Statistical LearningMATH 50028 - Statistical Learning
33CS 63016 - Big Data AnalyticsCS 63016 - Big Data Analytics
3Major ElectiveCS 69098   Research  or  MATH 67098 - Research
3DATA 69099 - Capstone ProjectDATA 69199 - Thesis I
43DATA 69192 - Graduate Internship   or ElectiveDATA 69199 - Thesis I
 Reduced Course Load for F1 studentsReduced Course Load for F1 students

Graduation Requirements

  • Successful completion of 30 credit hours with GPA greater than or equal to 3.0,
  • No more than 12 credit hours can be at 50000 level,
  • Successful completion of   thesis defense for thesis option.
  • DATA 69099 - Capstone Project  should not be taken earlier than the 3rd semester (or completion of 18 credit hours)
MS in AI Roadmap
SemesterHoursCourse work
13CS 5/6XXXX: Major Requirement
3CS 5/6XXXX: Major Requirement
3CS 5/6XXXX: Major Requirement
23CS 5/6XXXX: Major Requirement
3CS 5/6XXXX: Major Requirement
3CS 5/6XXXX: Major Elective
33CS 5/6XXXX: Major Elective
3CS 5/6XXXX: Major Elective
3

CS 5/6xxxx: Major Elective

or CS 69192 - Graduate Internship

CS 69199 Thesis I 
43

CS 69099 - Capstone Project

CS 69199 Thesis I 

Graduation Requirements

  • Successful completion of 30 credit hours with GPA greater than or equal to 3.0,
  • Successful completion of  thesis defense for thesis option.
  • CS 69099 - Capstone Project  should not be taken earlier than the 3rd semester (or completion of 18 credit hours)
MA-CS Roadmap

Graduation Requirements:

  •    Successful completion of 32 credit hours with GPA greater than or equal to 3.0,
  •    No more than 12 credit hours can be at 50000 level,
  •    No more than 6 credit hours of Interdisciplinary graduate-level courses,
  •    4 Elective courses  must be from 4 distinct categories, and
  •    Successful project presentation
     
PhD-CS Roadmaps

Direct PhD - with no Master's

PhD - with Master's in CS

Graduation Requirements:

  • Successful completion of 30 credit hours of CS 7/8xxxx courses of which
    • No more than 9 credit hours of CS 89098 Research
    • At least 9 credit hours must be in major concentration
    • 3 credit hours of Doctoral Seminar (CS 89191 )
    • At least 9 credit hours must be in minor concentration
  • Successful completion of 30 hours of Dissertation I & II (CS 89199/89299)
  • Successful Doctoral candidacy exam
  • Successful Dissertation Defense
Policies & Forms

Additional forms can be found in the Graduate Studies Form Library.

All forms will be signed by the College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean of Graduate Affairs, and must be submitted by the department to casgraddoc@kent.edu 

Forms for Students

Degree Changes

Changes in Enrollment

Candidacy Examination

Dissertation

Thesis

Application for Graduation

All students must apply for graduation. The process is entirely online and accessible though FlashLine.

Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (OhioLINK)

Forms for Faculty

Appointment to Graduate Faculty

Forms & Guidelines

Kent State Graduate Program Forms
College of Arts and Sciences Forms and Resources
Department of Computer Sciences Forms, Guidelines and Applications
Office of Global Education Forms and Guidelines
Thesis & Dissertation Guidelines and Policies
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