Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from this program will:

  • Demonstrate a thorough degree of knowledge in the discipline
  • Demonstrate an ability to use proper investigation techniques for the discipline
  • Use oral and written forms of communication to convey their ideas

Program Structure

Total Credits Required for Graduation: 42

Residence Requirements: Ph.D. students must satisfy the doctoral residency requirement by completing at least 18 credits in no more than 24 consecutive months. When satisfying the residency requirement, all Ph.D. students are subject to the following restrictions:

  • The doctoral residency requirement must be satisfied no later than the end of the semester in which the student completes his or her comprehensive examinations. 
  • Students must achieve a cumulative graduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all 
    courses counted toward satisfying the residency requirement.

Admission Requirements

A student who meets the minimum discipline requirements stated below will be considered for regular admission to the Ph.D. program. A student, who does not meet some of the requirements but shows high potential for advanced-level work, may be considered for provisional admission. Admission also depends on factors such as the number of seats available, resources available in the area of the student's interest, the quality of previous work, etc. A student who does not qualify for admission to the Ph.D. program may be considered for admission to the M.S. in Computer Science program.

Minimum Recommended Ph.D. Admission Requirements:

  1. GPA (Bachelor or equivalent Degree in Computer Science or a related field): 3.0 in a scale of 4 (or equivalent)

  2. GPA (MS or equivalent Degree in Computer Science or a related field if any): 3.3 in a scale of 4 (or equivalent)
  3. GRE (Quantitative) minimum score: 80%
  4. TOEFL iBTS minimum Score: 89 or IELTS minimum score: 6.5* 
  5. Prior research experience (e.g., projects or publications) is preferred but not required.
  6. Internationally Acceptable Accreditation of the Prior Degree Awarding Institutes

*TOEFL or IELTS test scores can be waived in certain circumstances. Please refer to this page for details: https://www.umkc.edu/isao/future-students/english-proficiency.html

Program Requirements

Computer Science (COMP-SCI) Coursework:  30 Credit Hours 

  • Regular COMP-SCI graduate courses
  • COMP-SCI Graduate Special Topics courses 
  • COMP-SCI Directed Readings/Independent Studies ((limited to a maximum of 6 credits, with exceptions considered upon petition and approval by the Computer Science Graduate Committee).
  • Graduate courses in other disciplines of the School of Science and Engineering must be approved by the Computer Science PhD program committee

Dissertation Research: 12 Credit Hours

Total Credit Hours: 42