Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science

The Doctor of Philosophy is regarded as a research degree and is awarded on the basis of accomplishment in a recognized specialty in computer science. Such accomplishment should include scholarly mastery of the field, significant contributions to new knowledge in the field, and written and oral communication skills appropriate for the field.
The requirements for the Ph.D. include the following: passing CIS 8962, the qualifying examination (portfolio defense), and CIS 8964, preliminary examination (area exam), satisfaction of the course requirements, successfully defending a dissertation prospectus, and successfully defending a dissertation. All candidates for doctoral degrees in the department are required to participate in teaching activities at some time during their graduate careers unless waived by the department chair. Additionally, each doctoral student must complete at least one oral research presentation which is critiqued by at least one faculty member. This can be at the departmental research conference or any discipline-related conference.

A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor's degree, OR
A graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, AND Test Scores.
Statement of Purpose Must be uploaded in the Online Application.
Resume or Curriculum Vitae Must be uploaded in the Online Application.
Three Letters of Recommendation Within the Online Application, there is a section where applicants will input the names and contact information of those who will be writing the letters. Recommenders will receive e-mails asking them to upload their letters directly to the application.
Official Graduate Records Exam (GRE) scores. Competitive scores vary from semester to semester based on what is in the review at that time. It is permissible to self-report test scores for the admissions review, but if you are recommended for admission please request ETS to send your official test scores to the university. Our institution code is 5219. The GRE requirement has been waived for Master's applicants through the end of 2026. PhD applicants are still required to submit the GRE as part of their admissions packet. If an MS applicant already has a GRE score and would like to submit it, they will still be used as part of the admissions review. Preference will not be given to MS applicants who submit GRE scores. However, if an applicant is a borderline case, the scores can help give strength to the candidate's profile.
Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): A minimum score of 80 (internet-based) is the minimum requirement for graduate admission to the Computer Science Department. However, the Computer Science Department considers a score of 100-105 competitive, especially when students are seeking assistantships. The ability to lecture in English will be a major consideration in the selection of students for Teaching Assistantships. International applicants whose native language is not English must submit official TOEFL results in order to be admitted to the Computer Science graduate program.
International English Language Testing System (Academic IELTS): Minimum overall score of 6.5
Pearson Test of English (PTE): Minimum overall score of 55
Duolingo: Minimum overall score of 120 (Summer 2022 and Forward)
Cambridge C1 Advanced Level: Minimum overall score of 180 (Fall 2022 and Forward)
Michigan Language Assessment: Minimum overall score of 55 (Fall 2022 and Forward)
One official or certified of all transcript(s), diploma(s), and/or degree certificate(s) from every college or university attended. Transcripts are considered official when they are sent directly from a college or university to the FSU Office of Admissions and contain an official seal and/or signature. All academic records that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
Internet based TOEFL (IBTOEFL): 80, Paper based TOEFL (TOEFL): 550, International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 6.5.