The College's Ph.D. degree requirements supplement the Institution's doctoral requirements as listed in the catalog. In particular, students must meet the credit hours and grade point requirements listed in the General Catalog.

The computer science doctoral program begins with Research and Breadth components:

• The Research component helps students place an early focus on research. Students must complete the Introduction to Graduate Studies course (CS 7001), and then take at least 3 hours of directed research study (CS 8901-8903) under faculty guidance each subsequent semester until their dissertation.
• The Breadth component is intended to facilitate students learning about a variety of areas within computing, as well as core computer science areas. Students must take at least one course per term for their first five terms from a different area of study within the College. The current 11 areas are Computer Architecture, Database Systems, Graphics and Visualization, Human-Computer Interaction, Intelligent Systems (including Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science, and Robotics), Learning Sciences and Technology, Networking and Communications, Programming Languages and Compilers, Software Methodology and Engineering, Systems (including Operating Systems, Distributed and Parallel Systems), and Theoretical Computer Science. The Systems and Theory areas are mandatory in that students must include courses from them among the five required. A student must achieve an A or B in these five courses, and earn more A's than B's in total. Students entering the program with a Master's degree and strong background in computer science can petition to have the number of these Breadth courses reduced.

A student's first step toward achieving candidacy in the doctoral program involves taking the Qualifier (functions as Georgia Tech's Comprehensive Examination). As a student's research progresses, he or she must select a primary, and possibly secondary, area of focus from the list of areas above, and then pass a Qualifier in that area or areas. The student must identify a research advisor and an Exam committee of at least three other individuals to oversee the Qualifier.

The Qualifier consists of three parts:

1. A one-day written examination covering the pertinent research area(s). All students taking the exam at the same time in an area take the same exam. This component evaluates the student's breadth and depth of knowledge in his or her pertinent disciplines.
2. The submission of a high-quality research deliverable, as evidenced by a portfolio consisting of at least an exam committee-reviewed and publishable article, and possibly other work products as approved by the exam committee. This component evaluates the student's creative and research abilities, along with the potential to do dissertation research.
3. An oral presentation and examination which allows for follow-up on the first two parts.

After successfully completing the Qualifier, a student focuses on research leading toward a dissertation. The topic of the student's research is formalized through a written dissertation proposal and an oral presentation. When the student passes his or her proposal, the student is admitted to candidacy and proceeds with dissertation research. This phase is completed with the successful oral defense of dissertation research and submission of the approved doctoral dissertation. Note that the oral defense must occur at least three months prior to graduation in order to allow adequate time for feedback and revisions.

Students are also required to complete a Minor consisting of courses from outside the College per Institute guidelines.