Computer Science, Ph.D.

Minimum Total Hours: 90

Program Code: D235 R146

Program Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
A minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, which must include the following: ^1,2,3,4,5		30-45
C S 5903	Graduate Perspectives on Computing (or equivalent, as approved by the graduate liaison)
C S 4413	Algorithm Analysis (or equivalent, as approved by the graduate liaison)
Four courses (12 hours), one selected from each of four approved breadth area lists (Systems, Theory, AI/ML, and People & Data) maintained by the School of Computer Science
Dissertation Research
C S 6980	Research for Doctoral Dissertation (minimum 30 hours)	45-60
Total Credit Hours		90

¹: Up to 30 hours of coursework from prior master’s work can be used to satisfy the minimum 30 hours. The decision of which courses to use toward the course credit hours is for the student’s advisory committee to decide.
²: No more than 6 hours of independent studies (including C S 5990 and/or C S 6990) can be counted toward the required minimum 30 hours of coursework.
³: No more than 6 credit hours of C S 5970 are permitted, even with a change in subject.
⁴: No more than 12 credit hours of C S G4000 level courses are permitted.
⁵: Students may not earn credit for CS 5880, except as credited from a completed M.S. degree toward their first 30 hours of coursework.

General Requirements for Doctoral Degrees

A student should expect to spend at least the equivalent of three full academic years beyond the bachelor’s degree to obtain the doctoral degree. During this period the student will take appropriate graduate coursework, successfully complete the general examination, and successfully defend and submit the final dissertation.

All coursework applied to the doctoral degree must carry graduate credit.

The doctoral degree requires at least 90 post-baccalaureate hours, including both formal coursework and hours of research.

The minimum hour requirement for a specific doctoral degree program cannot be waived.

No more than one-half of the credit hours, both OU and overall, excluding Research for Doctoral Dissertation (6980), may be S/U-graded coursework.

The student must be in residence at OU for at least two consecutive 16-week semesters during the pursuit of the doctoral degree while enrolled and engaged in coursework or research activities as prescribed by the major academic unit.

For more detailed regulations and requirements for Doctoral degrees, please consult the Graduate College Bulletin: http://www.ou.edu/gradcollege/forms/bulletin