Doctorate (PhD)

Faculty member meets with a team of graduate students around a conference room table.

Ph.D. in Computer Science: Program Guide for Current Students

Contacts

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Sharon Kinder-Potter , bio
Graduate program coordinator
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Klaudia Escobar Villatoro , redirect
Administrative and office specialist, Master of Science and Ph.D. programs, D.C. area

Ph.D. in Computer Science: Program Guide for Current Students

Degree requirements

To earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science at Virginia Tech, students must fulfill the following:

Total Credits: Minimum of 90 graduate-level credits.
Coursework: At least 27 credits from approved, letter-graded courses.
Research: Sufficient credits of CS 7994 (Research & Dissertation) to meet the 90-credit total (minimum of 30 credits).
GPA: Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all graduate coursework.
Examinations: Completion of the Qualifying Exam, Preliminary Exam, and Final Defense.
Timeline: 4–5 years, depending on prior degrees.

Coursework requirements (27 graded credits)

To fulfill the 27-credit coursework requirement, students must:

Fulfil the Breadth Requirement: Complete one course in at least four distinct areas, including Area 0 (Ethics). View approved breadth area courses »
CS Courses: Take at least 6 CS courses at the 5000 or 6000 level, including at least 2 courses at the 6000 level. Students can take a max of 6 credits of 4000-level CS courses and only if approved for graduate credit.
Cognate Course: Take 1 approved non-CS course relevant to your research.
Additional Requirements: CS 5944: Graduate Seminar (2 semesters, 1 credit each)

Requirement	Details
Breadth Requirement	Complete one course in at least four distinct areas, including Area 0 (Ethics).
CS Courses	At least 6 CS courses at the 5000 or 6000 level. - At least 2 courses at the 6000 level. - Maximum of 6 credits of 4000-level CS courses (only if approved for graduate credit).
Cognate Course	Take 1 approved non-CS course that is relevant to your research.
Additional Requirements	CS 5944: Graduate Seminar (2 semesters, 1 credit each).

Ph.D. Degree Milestones

Ph.D. students are expected to complete all degree requirements within 5 years of entering the program. Timely progress through key milestones is essential to maintain good academic standing and eligibility for funding.

Timeliness and Progress

Completion within 5 years: Students must complete the Ph.D. within five years. This is the standard timeframe for satisfactory academic progress.
Beyond 5 Years: Students who do not complete the degree within five years must submit a detailed degree completion plan to the Director of Graduate Programs to continue in the program.
Funding Implications: Departmental funding (GTA, GRA, GA) is not guaranteed and is unlikely for students who exceed the 5-year limit.

Impact of Missing Milestones

Failure to meet established milestones—such as forming a committee, passing exams, or submitting the Plan of Study—indicates a lack of satisfactory progress. This may result in:

Ineligibility for assistantship or departmental funding
Academic hold that prevents registration
Academic probation or dismissal from the program

Students are responsible for knowing and meeting all deadlines. Consult with your advisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator regularly to stay on track.

Milestone	Deadline
Select Advisor	End of 1st year
Submit Plan of Study	End of 3rd semester
Pass Qualifying Exam	End of 2nd year
Pass Preliminary Exam	Year 4 and at least 6 months before final defense
Apply for Degree	Year 5 at the beginning of final semester
Submit ETD	After successful final defense

Earning an M.S. Along the Way

Ph.D. students in computer science have the option to earn a Master of Science (M.S.) along the way to earning their Ph.D. This allows students to receive an M.S. degree based on completed Ph.D. coursework and requirements.

Eligibility: Available only to Computer Science Ph.D. students with an approved Ph.D. plan of study. Requires completion of the Ph.D. qualifier process.

M.S. Along the way requirements

Ph.D. Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee plays a central role in guiding your academic progress, research development, and degree completion. Forming this committee early in your Ph.D. program is essential to ensure timely progress through key milestones.

Requirement	Details
Total Members	At least five members. Ph.D. advisory committee must have five members by the time that the preliminary exam is scheduled. An initial plan of study can be submitted with only four members of the committee identified. At least three members must hold tenure-track or emeritus positions in the Department of Computer Science.
Chair/Advisor	Must be a tenure-track or tenured CS faculty member, or hold a courtesy or emeritus appointment.
External Member	At least one member from outside the CS@VT Department. The external member must be approved *prior* to adding them to the committee. Current List of Approved Committee Members . Contact your Graduate Program Coordinator to initiate the approval process.
Graduate School Approval	All members must be pre-approved by the Graduate School. Current List of Approved Committee Members
Substitute Members (for exams, if needed)	Must be pre-approved by the Graduate School. Current List of Approved Committee Members

Examination Timeline

You must be registered during the term you take each exam. Follow the steps by the dates and deadlines shared by the Graduate School

Exam	Purpose	Recommended Timing	Scheduling Notes
Qualifying	Assess research readiness	Year 1 or 2	Spring (Feb-March)
Preliminary	Review research proposal	Year 4, ≥ 6 months before Final Defense	Submit via Graduate School's Signature Approval System ≥ 2 weeks prior
Final Defense	Defend completed dissertation	Year 5, final semester	Schedule ≥ 2 weeks in advance; Submit via Graduate School's Signature Approval System requires full committee approval