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Indiana University
Bloomington Campus
Initial version: 22 August 1997
Last Update: 18 August 1998
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/l/www/dept/grad/handbook/grad-info.html
Notice: this document may be updated from time to
time: check the date.
Master's Advising: Students in the Master's Degree Program may seek advice during several designated sessions with the Director of Graduate Studies during the orientation week before classes begin. After that, the Director of Graduate Studies holds regular office hours, or can be contacted directly for an appointment. Advice on many routine issues is also available from the Graduate Secretary in LH215, or from any member of the faculty Graduate Affairs Committee.
PhD Advising: PhD students may also consult with their assigned counselors, or with the Director of Graduate Studies during orientation, regular office hours, or by appointment. Further advice on many routine issues is also available from the Graduate Secretary in LH215, or from any member of the faculty Graduate Affairs Committee.
Further details about faculty committees that are responsible for guiding the qualifying process and research of each PhD student are presented below in the section describing the PhD time-line.
Graduate Culture Notes: See the detailed notes on IU CS Graduate Culture.
What is Graduate Culture? Every institution and department seems to have its own assumptions and rules, both written and unwritten, that must be understood in order to successfully "fit in" to the organization. The sorts of things covered in our notes about the Graduate Culture of the IU Computer Science Department include the following:
Graduate degrees are awarded on a monthly basis. In the last semester of study, about sixty days from semester's end, the student should apply to the University Graduate School for a degree. Within thirty days, the department receives from the University Graduate School a request for a degree nomination. At that time, the student's academic record is reviewed, and the nomination is filled out. The department lists creditable courses and computes grade point averages over completed course work. The nomination is returned to the University Graduate School for verification that their requirements have also been met. This material is then turned over to the registrar, who officially records the conferral of a degree. If there are unusual circumstances, it is a good idea to apply earlier and to provide the graduate secretary with a written description of how the degree requirements are met.
Diplomas are mailed by the Office of the Registrar two to three months after the degree is conferred. It is the student's responsibility to verify that the registrar has the proper address on file.
For doctoral students, submission to the University Graduate School copies of the completed dissertation and abstract constitutes an application for conferral of the PhD degree. The dissertation in its final form and the abstract must be submitted to the University Graduate School at least 30 days before the expected date of degree conferral. Doctoral students are reminded (a) that the 30-day announcement deadline prior to the defense of the dissertation and the 30-day deadline prior to degree conferral are non-overlapping time periods and (b) that research committees frequently require revisions and corrections after the defense of the dissertation and that these revisions must be made before the dissertation is ready for binding and submission to the University Graduate School.
International Students Please Note: It is common for domestic PhD students to apply for an MS when, during their formal course work, they fulfill the MS requirements. In some cases however, filing early for the MS can invalidate the practical training period for international students. The regulations regarding practical training state that students must apply within 30 days of the "completion of studies," which in effect means upon completion of all requirements for the last degree earned. This regulation may pose problems for PhD students who, for whatever reason, decide to leave with an MS. International PhD students should consult with an International Services advisor before filing for an MS degree.
Students admitted to the PhD Program are assigned a counselor who may be consulted for advice. The Director of Graduate Studies is also available for general consultation.
Upon successfully completing all parts of the written qualification exam (or earlier), each student will consult with appropriate faculty members and designate, with their consent, members of a suitable advisory committee to oversee and conduct the oral qualifying exam in the student's research area. The advisory committee must by University Graduate School rules include at least two members from the student's major area, and at least one from another area; at least two must be members of the graduate faculty. The names of the committee members presented by the student will be forwarded to the University Graduate School upon approval by the departmental Director of Graduate Studies.
The advisory committee oversees the student's progress until the passing of the oral qualifying examination, whereupon the student consults with the committee concerning a thesis supervisor. When the student has a thesis advisor, the student and advisor designate, with their consent, members of a suitable research committee. The members of the research committee must meet the requirements of the University Graduate School: the committee includes the director, normally the professor directing the dissertation, two or more additional faculty members from the same department, and a representative of each minor; with certain exceptions, the members must belong to the graduate faculty. This committee supervises the dissertation research, conducts the thesis proposal examination, and conducts the PhD thesis defense final examination.
Requirements
Highlights:
See also Master's
requirements,
Ph.D.
requirements, and
Qualifying
Examination Implementation.
No grade below 2.0 (i.e., C-, D+, ...) may be applied to a graduate degree, and the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of all graduate course work---whether or not it is applied to a degree---must be at least 3.0 (a B average). The department makes the additional requirement that the cumulative GPA of graduate computer science courses be at least 3.0 for both the Master's and the PhD. Thus, a good grade in an external course does not offset a poor grade in a computer science course.
Retaking courses for the purpose of improving the GPA is sometimes permitted with the advance written approval of the director of graduate studies. Except as specified in the University Graduate School Bulletin (e.g., 600-level topics courses), no course may be used twice in fulfillment of the MS course requirements.
Deficiency courses must be taken during the first semester of enrollment. Deficiency course work, including English proficiency course work, is not counted in the graduate GPA. Each required undergraduate course or T101 course must be successfully completed with a grade of 3.0 (B) or better. If the grade is B- or below, the course must be retaken.
When a student's cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0, his or her performance is automatically reviewed by the director of graduate studies. This may result in no action beyond mandatory consultation with the director of graduate studies, or it may result in initiation of the academic probation procedures as described in the UGS Bulletin.
A student placed on academic probation is given one semester to show improvement in performance. If there is no improvement, or if improvement does not appear to be sufficient to allow successful completion of a degree, the department may take steps to terminate enrollment. Students are notified should this occur and should consult with the director of graduate studies as soon as possible.
Students who have passed the written and oral qualifying examinations must enroll each semester (excluding summer sessions) for any remaining required course work or dissertation credits. Once students have accumulated 90 credit hours in completed course work and deferred dissertation credits, they must enroll for a minimum of 1 hour of graduate credit each semester until the degree is completed. Students who have completed all requirements for the PhD except the dissertation are eligible to enroll in G901 Dissertation Research (6 credit hours) for a flat fee of $100 per semester. Enrollment in G901 is limited to a total of six semesters.
Students who will graduate in June, July, or August of any year must enroll in a minimum of 1 hour of credit as described above in either the current or the immediately preceding summer session.
Ordinarily, students shall be considered full-time by the University Graduate School if they are registered for 8 hours of credit (4 credit hours during each summer session) and their programs of study meet with the approval of the departments. Courses taken as an auditor may not be counted in the definition of "full-time study;" however, courses taken to remove undergraduate deficiencies for admission may be counted.
Auditing Policies: Auditing is not a substitute for taking a course, although it may be appropriate to audit a low-level course to be reassured that you have the prerequisite knowledge for a higher-level course you are planning to take. The basic guidelines for auditing are these:
The Computer Science Department requires students holding appointments as associate instructors, or research assistants to enroll in 9 hours of course work for the duration of the semester. Students who have already accumulated 90 or more hours of graduate credit are required to enroll for at least 6 hours of credit during each semester they continue to hold an appointment.
For master's candidates, enrollment will be limited to the five-year period allowed for completion of the master's degree. Enrollment for doctoral candidates will be limited to the seven-year period after entering official candidacy.
All candidates for graduate degrees must complete at least 30 credit hours of graduate work while enrolled on campuses of Indiana University. Of these hours, at least one semester or two summer sessions of full-time work must be taken in University Graduate School degree-granting units on the Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend, or Southeast campus.
Candidates for the PhD degree must spend two consecutive semesters during one academic year on the Bloomington or Indianapolis campus.
Incoming students whose native language is not English must take a diagnostic test of English during orientation week of the fall semester. This test is given by the Center for English Language Training (CELT), located on the third floor of Memorial Hall. Its purpose is to ensure that all students participating in classes have adequate communication skills in English.
On the basis of the test, CELT may recommend courses in English improvement. These courses are offered by the Linguistics Department under the number T101. If CELT makes this recommendation, the director of graduate studies will require enrollment in T101. The results of the test of English are made available before new students register. T101 programs range from intensive instruction for the beginner to language improvement for the intermediate and advanced. If CELT recommends that a student take T101, enrollment is mandatory in the first semester of study. T101 course work must be completed with a grade of 3.0 (B) or better. This is a policy of the University Graduate School supported by the Computer Science Department. The requirement is enforced by withholding permission to register in subsequent semesters and by withholding the degree.
A second test of English called the Test of English Proficiency for Associate Instructors is required for international students seeking appointments as teaching assistants. This test is also administered by CELT and is given periodically throughout the semester.
The status of all PhD students will be reviewed and evaluated by the faculty early in the second semester. Each student will be responsible for providing the information listed below to the Graduate Secretary, with a copy to his/her research advisor or assigned faculty counselor. The information will be due in mid-January.
In the PhD Evaluation Day faculty meeting, the progress of each PhD student will be discussed individually; a letter will be sent to each student containing the faculty's resulting assessment and recommendations.
Student Information to Be Supplied:
A brief statement not exceeding 300 words (ASCII text) is preferred. Recently enrolled PhD candidates should just summarize their curriculum and qualifying exam plans, and indicate those research areas that interest them. Relevant information may include:
All courses that are listed in the University Graduate School Bulletin carry graduate credit. However, in certain circumstances, special authorization may be required to count a particular course towards a graduate degree or PhD minor.
For Computer Science Students: Courses at the 500 level and above count for graduate credit with the following exceptions:
For Students from other Departments pursuing a Ph.D. Minor in Computer Science:
For Students from other Departments not pursuing a Ph.D. Minor:
Transfer of graduate credit is at the discretion of the department and subject to approval by the Graduate School. It is never automatic, and decisions are made on an individual basis. Up to eight credits of graduate course work can be transferred for the MS, provided the credits have not previously been applied to a degree. Up to 30 hours of credit can be transferred to the PhD, provided the credits were not applied toward a previous PhD. Approvals must be obtained before a student can be nominated to candidacy.
Credit from institutions operating on a quarter or trimester schedule is adjusted to units of semester credit. For example, a three-hour, one-quarter course would normally be transferred for two semester-hours of credit. It is often difficult to measure work done at institutions that do not assign units of credit, as is the case at most European universities. Also, the Graduate School requires an official transcript on which a grade is recorded.
It is in the student's best interest to gain approval for credit transfers as early as possible. However, students who are undecided about their final degree objective should defer their requests until a final decision is made because the request must state to which degree the credit will be applied.
Students applying for transfer of credit should provide evidence of course content, including catalog descriptions and any other material (text, course notes, tests, assignments, etc.) that might be helpful. The courses must fall within the time limits of applicable credit, namely, seven years prior to qualification. It is the department's responsibility to certify that the content and level of the course work is appropriate. To make this determination, the director of graduate studies may consult with other faculty members or arrange for the student to be interviewed by them.
In addition to the material needed for the department's certification, you should be able to present:
These materials must be provided before the department's recommendation can be sent to the Graduate School for the dean's formal approval.
Students occasionally leave the IU campus with the intention of finishing MS course work at another university. In this case, approval of credit transfer should be made prior to leaving the campus if possible, and in any case, before taking the course(s).
Courses taken through continuing non-degree studies can sometimes be applied to a later graduate degree. A typical situation arises when a student living in Bloomington enrolls in classes through the continuing non-degree studies program while waiting to be admitted for graduate study.
As with credit transfer, application of continuing non-degree studies course work is considered on an individual basis. In order to have the issue decided as early as possible, students are advised to request this credit be applied soon after being admitted to the graduate program. If this has not been done, consult with the director of graduate studies.
The University Graduate School (UGS) regulations concerning the application of graduate courses taken by undergraduates appear in the section, ``Indiana University Baccalaureate Degree Candidates,'' of the UGS Bulletin. Such courses can be applied to a graduate degree provided that (1) the courses be taken in the final semester of study, (2) the total course load be no more than that of a full-time graduate student, (3) the applied courses be authorized for graduate credit under the normal graduate degree requirements, and (4) the courses not be used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements. In practice a student in this situation should be in the process of applying for admission to graduate study.
Registration tickets and the Y790/Y890/G901 course authorizations (forms that allow you to register for these restricted courses) may be obtained from the graduate secretary. The registration time is printed in the upper right-hand corner of the registration ticket. More detailed instructions can be found in the Schedule of Classes. PhD candidates working on a dissertation who have passed all other requirements may enroll for 6 hours of G901, which has significantly lower fees.
Students on fee remissions who wish to change their schedules should drop and add courses simultaneously. Students going through late schedule adjustment after the 100% refund period should contact the Office of the Bursar to make sure their fee remission credits still apply. Note that if you do not register for at least 6 credit hours, your fee remission will not appear on your tuition bill.
Procedure for Changing Your Degree Objective:
Our current procedure for moving from completing the Master's degree to entering the PhD program is to do the following:
Information for Associate Instructors and Fellowship Holders:
Financial aid is available to graduate students in the form of associate instructorships (AIs), research assistantships (RAs), university fellowships, and various external fellowships.
To receive a new or continuing appointment as a research assistant, or associate instructor, a student must be making satisfactory academic progress in the department and must remain enrolled in at least 9 hours of course work for the duration of the semester. (Courses taken to remove undergraduate deficiencies for admission may be counted.) Students who have already accumulated 90 or more hours of graduate credit are required to enroll in at least 6 hours of credit each semester they hold an appointment. The university offers doctoral candidates with 90 hours a way to enroll at minimal cost. G901, "dissertation research," carries 6 credit hours, and in 1996-97 the flat rate for G901 was $100. A student may enroll in G901 no more than six times, however. Enrollment is not required for summer session appointments.
Academic appointments are made for the academic year as well as on a semester basis. Applictaions should be submitted via the web through this URL: http://www.cs.indiana.edu/php-bin/dept/aiship.html. Students must complete a new application each year or each semester (depending on the duration of their appointment) to be considered for aid; even if a student has a long-term contract, this information must be updated at least yearly. The deadlines are October 1 for spring and January 15 for fall appointments.
Associate instructorships (AI positions) and fee remissions are awarded for the fall and spring semesters by the department's graduate admissions and awards committee. These positions are awarded on a competitive basis based on academic and teaching performance.
Satisfactory fulfillment of previous AI responsibilities is required for continuing awards. For award consideration, a current student should also satisfy the following requirements:
If the student's native language is not English, the student must have passed the Test of English Proficiency for Associate Instructors, an internal exam given by the Center for English Language Training at Indiana University (CELT).
Students desiring aid should be making good progress toward the MS or PhD. Once students have passed the qualifying examinations, their advisors may be asked to certify that they are making good progress during each semester that aid is applied for. Students who have passed the qualifying examinations and are making good progress are generally given priority consideration for AI positions.
The number of AI positions available fluctuates from one semester to the next, sometimes substantially. Thus, a level of progress that has been sufficient for financial aid in one semester may prove insufficient in the next. To maximize the likelihood of obtaining financial aid, students should endeavor to maintain the best possible academic record and progress. The university limits students academic appointments to 20 hours per week. Prior permission must be obtained before a student can accept any additional hours in another department.
A limited number of associate instructorships are also awarded for summer terms. Application procedures for summer positions and the criteria for making awards are somewhat different from those described here. Interested students should contact the Director of Educational Development to be considered for summer appointments.
Student academic appointments (associate instructorships and research assistantships) are accompanied by a fee remission. A fee remission pays for all fees up to 12 hours per semester with the exception of a small unremittable portion of $21.95 per credit hour required by the State of Indiana.
The one-semester fee remission may be utilized for up to 12 hours of course work. When a student receives a fee remission award for both semesters of the preceding academic year, the College of Arts & Sciences will provide up to 6 credit hours for the following summer. Appointment during the summer is not required to receive the summer fee remission.
Summer Curricular Practical Training
Summer employment can be an essential part of the educational process, and can provide important experience and contacts for obtaining a job when you finish your degree. Laura Reed, lreed@cs.indiana.edu, maintains a research web page at http://www.cs.indiana.edu/research/gpage.html that lists many employment and internship opportunities for students.
If you are an International Student interested in summer employment, it is very important that you contact International Services for complete details on the procedures to be followed. After you receive a job offer, International Services will ask you to provide them with a letter from your academic advisor (or the Director of Graduate Studies) describing your employment. You will need to provide the letter writer with specific details showing how the proposed training is related to your major, and stating how the employment is an integral part of the degree program; these points need to be mentioned specifically in the letter.
The Index of Educational Programs provides pointers to additional formal degree programs and requirements in the Computer Science Department.
Further questions may be addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies, the Graduate Secretary, members of the faculty Graduate Affairs Committee, or to other appropriate faculty members.