Masters Program |
PhD Program |
Program Requirements
Program requirements can be found on the Graduate Calendar.
You must also maintain good Academic Standing and follow the rest of the General Graduate Regulations.
Guidelines for Completion of a Doctoral Degree
Overall Timeline
The recommended timeline to complete PhD in Computer Science is 9-12 terms (3-4 years). You can click on each stage below to learn more:
⇒ Must be completed by the end of your 2nd term
You must complete 0.5 credits in DATA 5001 and 1.0 credits in approved electives. You can view the list of approved electives on the Approved Electives webpage. You and your supervisor will work together to choose which courses will be most beneficial for your research topic. The Admission Committee may also impose additional program requirements (for example, language scores, additional coursework, etc.)
Please note: not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session you consult the public class schedule.
Progress report
The Progress Report allows the Graduate Advisors to track your progress and provide any needed support. You will need to complete the Student Progress Report in April of each year. This form must be approved by your supervisor.
⇒ Must be completed by the end of your 4th term
Once your coursework is complete, you will be able to register in DATA 6909. Once you register for DATA 6909 you must maintain continuous registration until you complete your degree.
Your supervisor must complete the Comprehensive Committee & Reading List form. You will prepare and submit a document focusing on the problem statement, literature review, and prepare a gap analysis for the comprehensive exam. You will defend your submission in an oral exam, including answering questions from examiners, but no presentation is needed.
For more detailed information on the comprehensive exam, visit the link below:
Progress report
You will need to complete the Student Progress Report in April of each year. This form must be approved by your supervisor.
⇒ Must be completed by the end of your 6th term
After you have successfully passed your comprehensive exam, you will begin work on your doctoral proposal.
The Doctoral Thesis Proposal is a written document that consists of four elements:
- Defining the problem addressed
- Relating the problem to state-of-the-art literature
- Reporting on the hypothesis, goals, and any initial results
- Outlining the proposed research methodology and validation procedure(s)
Your supervisor will establish a Doctoral Thesis Proposal Committee. This Committee will be responsible for your grading.
When you are ready to defend your proposal, your supervisor will complete the Scheduling a Doctoral Proposal form. This form should be completed four weeks prior to your oral defence.
For more detailed information on the doctoral thesis proposal, visit the link below:
Progress report
You will need to complete the Student Progress Report in April of each year. This form must be approved by your supervisor.
⇒ Must be completed by the end of your 12th term
After you have successfully defended your proposal, you will begin working on your thesis.
The Doctoral Thesis must report the results of original research and builds from your thesis proposal.
When you are close to defending your thesis, your supervisor will submit the PhD Thesis Defence Committee Specification form. This will begin the process to schedule your examination (i.e. your oral defence). You will need to upload an electronic copy of your thesis at least six weeks in advance of the actual date of your examination.
The exam consists of an oral presentation, two rounds of questioning regarding your thesis, and closing statements. The Thesis Examination Policy describes the examination process in more detail.
Once you have made any necessary revisions to your thesis, you will upload for approval by your supervisor and by Graduate Studies. If Graduate Studies determines that you have fulfilled all the requirements of the PhD then your thesis will be sent to the Carleton Library and you will be recommended for graduation.
For more detailed information on the doctoral thesis, visit the link below:
Progress report
You will need to complete the Student Progress Report in April of each year. This form must be approved by your supervisor.