The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Computer Science with Interdisciplinary Applications (Ph.D.)

CIP Code

11.0701

Overview

The doctoral program in Computer Science with Interdisciplinary Applications trains PhD students in computer science and the application of computational methods to cutting-edge research in scientific, engineering, and other quantitative fields. The program is offered by the Department of Computer Science with collaborating faculty in science, engineering, business, medicine, and healthcare.

Program Requirements

Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree may pursue the PhD in Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Applications.

Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related field will complete a minimum of 36 hours of graduate coursework and 36 hours of directed research for 72 hours total.

Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in a less closely related STEM or quantitative field may be required to take leveling courses.

Students admitted with a master's degree in computer science, computer engineering or a closely related field will complete a minimum of 18 hours of coursework and 36 hours of directed research for 54 hours total. Students who have completed a master's degree in a less closely related STEM or quantitative field may be required to take leveling courses in addition to the 54 hours.

Milestone Requirements

At minimum, program milestones include the following:

  1. Students must pass a qualifying exam by the semester after they complete 36 hours in the program (2 years full-time).
  2. Students must submit and defend a dissertation proposal within 5 years of starting the program to advance to candidacy.
  3. After at least one year of candidacy, students must submit and defend a dissertation.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted, prospective candidates must meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:

  1. Earned bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related field from a U.S. accredited institution or an international institution recognized by a credentialing service.
  2. Students with an earned bachelor's or master's degree in a STEM or other quantitative field may be considered. Such students will be required to take appropriate leveling course work before beginning the program of study.
  3. Awarded a bachelor's degree with an earned GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent in a similar or related field, or
  4. Awarded a master's degree with an earned GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.00 scale from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent in a similar or related field.

  5. Three letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources.
  6. Letter of intent detailing professional goals and reasons for pursuing the graduate degree.
  7. Resume/CV.
  8. GRE General Test. GRE test scores are valid for 5 years. A waiver of the GRE requirement will be granted to applicants who show proof of completing an undergraduate degree in computer science or a closely related field with an undergraduate GPA above a 3.0 or a master’s degree in computer science with a graduate GPA of 3.25 or higher. GRE School Code: 6570.

Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.

Other Admission Information

The program will accept part-time students as well as transfer students from other graduate programs. Transfer of graduate credit is based on policies set out by the UTRGV Graduate College and subject to approval by the program director.

Program Requirements

Leveling Courses

Students may be required one or more of the following leveling courses or other leveling courses identified by the advisor.

Computer Programming Courses:

CSCI 2380Computer Science II

3

CSCI 3329Object Oriented Programming in Python

3

Theory and Algorithms Courses:

CSCI 3310Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science

3

CSCI 3333Algorithms and Data Structures

3

Program Requirements for Students Entering with a Bachelor’s Degree - 72 Hours

Required Courses - 6 Hours

CSCI 8101Doctoral Seminar

1

CSCI 8301Doctoral Studies in Computing

3

CSCI 8101 must be taken three times.

Prescribed Electives - 9 Hours

This degree plan includes courses that appear in more than one section of the degree plan. Such courses can only be used to fulfill one requirement on the degree plan and credit hours will only be applied once.

Theory - 3 Hours

Choose one from the following:

CSCI 6323Design and Analysis of Algorithms

3

CSCI 6339Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science

3

Systems - 3 Hours

Choose one from the following:

CSCI 6334Operating Systems

3

CSCI 6335Computer Architecture

3

CSCI 6356Parallel Computing

3

EECE 6380Computer Architecture

3

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - 3 Hours

Choose one from the following:

CSCI 6344Introduction to Data Science

3

CSCI 6366Data Mining and Warehousing

3

CSCI 6379Deep Learning

3

Computer Science Electives - 12 Hours

Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree must complete seven of the following courses, with a minimum of four CSCI courses. Students admitted with a master’s degree must complete one of the following courses. Students are required to consult with their adviser to determine an appropriate set of electives for their research. This degree plan includes courses that appear in more than one section of the degree plan. These courses can only be used to fulfill one requirement on the degree plan and credit hours will only applied once.

Choose four from the following:

CSCI 6321Games & Computation

3

CSCI 6323Design and Analysis of Algorithms

3

CSCI 6324Cryptography

3

CSCI 6330Foundations of Intelligent Security Systems

3

CSCI 6333Database Design and Implementation

3

CSCI 6334Operating Systems

3

CSCI 6335Computer Architecture

3

CSCI 6339Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science

3

CSCI 6344Introduction to Data Science

3

CSCI 6345Computer Networks

3

CSCI 6350Artificial Intelligence

3

CSCI 6352Machine Learning

3

CSCI 6353Reinforcement Learning

3

CSCI 6355Bioinformatics

3

CSCI 6356Parallel Computing

3

CSCI 6363Human Computer Interaction

3

CSCI 6366Data Mining and Warehousing

3

CSCI 6368Computer Vision

3

CSCI 6371Autonomous Mobile Robots and Programming

3

CSCI 6373Information Retrieval and Web Search

3

CSCI 6374AI Topics in Image Analysis

3

CSCI 6379Deep Learning

3

CSCI 8321Algorithmic Game Theory

3

CSCI 8322Unconventional Computing

3

CSCI 8323Cryptography

3

CSCI 8324Computational Geometry

3

CSCI 8350Deep Learning

3

CSCI 8351Reinforcement Learning

3

CSCI 8360Advanced Data Mining

3

CSCI 8361Pattern Recognition in Time-Series Data

3

CSCI 8362Graph Mining with Neuroimaging

3

CSCI 8370Topics in Computer Science

3

CSCI 8371Swarm Robotics

3

CSCI 8386Systems Biology

3

Interdisciplinary Electives - 9 Hours

Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree must complete three of the following courses. Students are required to consult with their advisor to determine an appropriate set of electives for their research. This degree plan includes courses that appear in more than one section of the degree plan. These courses can only be used to fulfill one requirement on the degree plan and credit hours will only be applied once.

Choose three from the following:

CSCI 6321Games & Computation

3

CSCI 6323Design and Analysis of Algorithms

3

CSCI 6324Cryptography

3

CSCI 6330Foundations of Intelligent Security Systems

3

CSCI 6333Database Design and Implementation

3

CSCI 6334Operating Systems

3

CSCI 6335Computer Architecture

3

CSCI 6339Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science

3

CSCI 6344Introduction to Data Science

3

CSCI 6345Computer Networks

3

CSCI 6350Artificial Intelligence

3

CSCI 6352Machine Learning

3

CSCI 6353Reinforcement Learning

3

CSCI 6355Bioinformatics

3

CSCI 6356Parallel Computing

3

CSCI 6363Human Computer Interaction

3

CSCI 6366Data Mining and Warehousing

3

CSCI 6368Computer Vision

3

CSCI 6371Autonomous Mobile Robots and Programming

3

CSCI 6373Information Retrieval and Web Search

3

CSCI 6374AI Topics in Image Analysis

3

CSCI 6379Deep Learning

3

CSCI 8321Algorithmic Game Theory

3

CSCI 8322Unconventional Computing

3

CSCI 8323Cryptography

3

CSCI 8324Computational Geometry

3

CSCI 8350Deep Learning

3

CSCI 8351Reinforcement Learning

3

CSCI 8360Advanced Data Mining

3

CSCI 8361Pattern Recognition in Time-Series Data

3

CSCI 8362Graph Mining with Neuroimaging

3

CSCI 8370Topics in Computer Science

3

CSCI 8371Swarm Robotics

3

CSCI 8386Systems Biology

3

EECE 6332Optimization

3

EECE 6378Robot Modeling and Control

3

HGEN 8330Advanced Topics in Statistical Genetics

3

HGEN 8335Advanced Topics in Bioinformatics

3

HGEN 8355Advanced Topics in Omics Research

3

HGEN 8360Advanced Topics in Population Genetics

3

INFS 8338Design Science Information Systems Research

3

INFS 8358Digital Society

3

INFS 8388Social Media Analytics

3

MANE 6321Robotics and Automation

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MANE 6342Decision Support Systems

3

MATH 8331Abstract Algebra

3

MATH 8365Advanced Probability & Statistics

3

MATH 8375Advanced Numerical Analysis

3

MATH 8379Advanced Stochastic Processes

3

PHYS 6352Computational Physics

3

PHYS 8352Advanced Computational Physics

3

Dissertation Research - 33 hours

Students must complete 33 total credit hours through a combination of 1, 3, 6 and 9 credit hour research courses as advised by their faculty advisor.

CSCI 8190Dissertation Research

1

CSCI 8390Dissertation Research

3

CSCI 8690Dissertation Research

6

CSCI 8990Dissertation Research

9

Dissertation - 3 Hours

Students enroll for the following course in the semester that they submit and defend their dissertation.

CSCI 9300Doctoral Dissertation

3

Program Requirements for Students Entering with a Master’s Degree in Computer Science or Related Field - 54 Hours

Required Courses - 6 Hours

CSCI 8101Doctoral Seminar

1

CSCI 8301Doctoral Studies in Computing

3

CSCI 8101 must be taken three times.

Prescribed Electives - 9 Hours

This degree plan includes courses that appear in more than one section of the degree plan. Such courses can only be used to fulfill one requirement on the degree plan and credit hours will only be applied once.

Theory - 3 Hours

Choose one from the following:

CSCI 6323Design and Analysis of Algorithms

3

CSCI 6339Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science

3

Systems - 3 Hours

Choose one from the following:

CSCI 6334Operating Systems

3

CSCI 6335Computer Architecture

3

CSCI 6356Parallel Computing

3

EECE 6380Computer Architecture

3

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - 3 Hours

Choose one from the following:

CSCI 6344Introduction to Data Science

3

CSCI 6366Data Mining and Warehousing

3

CSCI 6379Deep Learning

3

Interdisciplinary Electives - 3 Hours

Students admitted with a master’s degree must complete one of the following courses. Students are required to consult with their adviser to determine an appropriate set of electives for their research. This degree plan includes courses that appear in more than one section of the degree plan. These courses can only be used to fulfill one requirement on the degree plan and credit hours will only be applied once.

Choose one from the following:

CSCI 6321Games & Computation

3

CSCI 6323Design and Analysis of Algorithms

3

CSCI 6324Cryptography

3

CSCI 6330Foundations of Intelligent Security Systems

3

CSCI 6333Database Design and Implementation

3

CSCI 6334Operating Systems

3

CSCI 6335Computer Architecture

3

CSCI 6339Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science

3

CSCI 6344Introduction to Data Science

3

CSCI 6345Computer Networks

3

CSCI 6350Artificial Intelligence

3

CSCI 6352Machine Learning

3

CSCI 6353Reinforcement Learning

3

CSCI 6355Bioinformatics

3

CSCI 6356Parallel Computing

3

CSCI 6363Human Computer Interaction

3

CSCI 6366Data Mining and Warehousing

3

CSCI 6368Computer Vision

3

CSCI 6371Autonomous Mobile Robots and Programming

3

CSCI 6373Information Retrieval and Web Search

3

CSCI 6374AI Topics in Image Analysis

3

CSCI 6379Deep Learning

3

CSCI 8321Algorithmic Game Theory

3

CSCI 8322Unconventional Computing

3

CSCI 8323Cryptography

3

CSCI 8324Computational Geometry

3

CSCI 8350Deep Learning

3

CSCI 8351Reinforcement Learning

3

CSCI 8360Advanced Data Mining

3

CSCI 8361Pattern Recognition in Time-Series Data

3

CSCI 8362Graph Mining with Neuroimaging

3

CSCI 8370Topics in Computer Science

3

CSCI 8371Swarm Robotics

3

CSCI 8386Systems Biology

3

EECE 6332Optimization

3

EECE 6378Robot Modeling and Control

3

HGEN 8330Advanced Topics in Statistical Genetics

3

HGEN 8335Advanced Topics in Bioinformatics

3

HGEN 8355Advanced Topics in Omics Research

3

HGEN 8360Advanced Topics in Population Genetics

3

INFS 8338Design Science Information Systems Research

3

INFS 8358Digital Society

3

INFS 8388Social Media Analytics

3

MANE 6321Robotics and Automation

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MANE 6342Decision Support Systems

3

MATH 8331Abstract Algebra

3

MATH 8365Advanced Probability & Statistics

3

MATH 8379Advanced Stochastic Processes

3

PHYS 6352Computational Physics

3

PHYS 8352Advanced Computational Physics

3

Dissertation Research - 33 hours

Students must complete 33 total credit hours through a combination of 1, 3, 6 and 9 credit hour research courses as advised by their faculty advisor.

CSCI 8190Dissertation Research

1

CSCI 8390Dissertation Research

3

CSCI 8690Dissertation Research

6

CSCI 8990Dissertation Research

9

Dissertation - 3 Hours

Students enroll for the following course in the semester that they submit and defend their dissertation.

CSCI 9300Doctoral Dissertation

3