Course Requirements Ph.D. students with a master’s degree are required to complete a minimum of 60 credits (typically 15 courses) of graduate classes. These credits must include at least 48 credits of courses in the 420-599 range, including CSC 426 Values and Computer Technology, and 12 credits of CSC 699 Research. Students may enroll in CSC 699 only after completion of the Breadth Examinations. Conditionally admitted students must complete an additional 52 credits (typically 13 courses) of graduate classes, including at least 36 credits of courses in the 420-599 range. The written approval of the Ph.D. Committee is required, before registering, to apply courses taught outside the School towards the doctoral program course requirements.   Student progress will be evaluated annually. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or better to remain in good standing in the program. Any course grade below B- is unsatisfactory and will not be counted toward degree requirements. The Ph.D. Committee will ask a student to withdraw from the doctoral program if the members judge that that student is not progressing satisfactorily toward the degree. 

Continuous Enrollment Prior to candidacy, a student must continuously enroll for at least one academic credit per quarter during every Autumn, Winter and Spring quarter. A student may apply to the Ph.D. committee for a leave of absence from this continuous enrollment requirement if exceptional circumstances arise. After admission to candidacy, a student must continuously enroll for at least one course per quarter during every Autumn, Winter and Spring quarter, but may enroll for CSC 701 Candidacy Continuation (0 academic credits) with advisor’s approval.  

Admission to Candidacy To be admitted to candidacy, doctoral students must complete the following:   Residency: Three quarters of full-time study must be completed at DePaul University beyond the master’s level. Full-time study is defined as registration for a minimum of eight credit hours (typically two courses) per quarter. With prior approval of the Ph.D. Committee, students may satisfy residency requirements by coursework, participation in seminars, or research performed off campus.
  Allied Course: Complete CSC 426 Values and Computer Technology.
  Doctoral Examinations: Pass three Breadth Examinations.
  Defense of Proposal: Successfully defend a Dissertation Proposal. 

Doctoral Examinations Breadth  examinations are typically offered twice each year. Applications to take these exams must be completed three months prior to the exam date. At least one of the 3 breadth exams must be in one of the core areas of computer science, namely, Artificial Intelligence, Database Systems, Operating Systems, Programming Languages, and Theoretical Computer Science. Furthermore, at least one breadth exam must be in the student's primary area of dissertation research. The choice of breadth exams must be approved by the student's PhD advisor. Must pass all three breadth exams with at most one re-take opportunity per exam. Requests to re-take one ore more breadth exams must be approved by the PhD Committee. Any student who fails to satisfy the breadth exam requirements  will be asked to leave the program. Reading lists and copies of previous Breadth examinations are available. The reading list for each examination defines the specific subject areas covered by that examination.   Examinations are offered in each of the following areas: 
          Artificial Intelligence 
          Communications Networks 
          Computer Graphics 
          E-commerce Technology 
          Theoretical Computer Science 
          Information Systems 
          Data Analysis 
          Database Systems 
          Human Computer Interaction 
          Operating Systems 
          Visual Computing 
          Programming Languages 
          Software Engineering 
          Software Management