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College of Computing, Engineering and Construction
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Doctor of Philosophy in Computing

Kick-start Your Career in Computing


The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Computing program provides students with advanced, research-based, studies in the field of Computing to prepare them for research and development positions in the private and public sectors as well as academic positions in universities and colleges.

Student and professor working on a computer in a classroom

Choose Your Concentration

Cybersecurity

The Cybersecurity concentration focuses on studying concepts, theories, and security underpinning of computing and communication systems with the aim of developing innovative solutions for improving the security of computing environments and contributing to the cybersecurity literature.

 

 

Graduate Coursework

Cybersecurity Concentration Graduate Coursework Preview

  • A minimum of 48 credits of graduate coursework
  • Student may transfer a maximum of 30 relevant graduate credits toward the coursework requirement. Graduate director approval is required.
  • No coursework credits older than 10 years can be counted toward fulfilling the program requirements.
  • A maximum of six credits of directed independent studies is allowed. Graduate Director approval is required.
  • A graduate course in Research Methods in Computing is required.
  • A maximum of 6 credits can be at the 5XXX level. Graduate director approval is required. The remainder of the course work must be at the 6XXX or 7XXX level.
  • Following is a partial list of acceptable graduate courses. Graduate director approval is required for all graduate course registrations. Past 30 credits, students must consult with their Ph.D. supervisor before seeking graduate director approval.
  • Courses available for the Cybersecurity concentration
    • CEN6001 Software Requirements Engineering
    • CEN6016 Engineering of Software
    • CEN6036 Software Architecture
    • CEN6070 Software QA & Testing
    • CEN6079 Secure Software Development
    • CEN6086 Cloud Computing
    • CEN6940 Computing Practicum
    • CIS5930 Special Topics in CIS
    • CIS5949 Experiential Studies in Computing
    • CIS6371 Applied Cryptography
    • CIS6372 Information Assurance
    • CIS6900 Directed Individual Study
    • CIS6913 Research Methods in Computing
    • CIS6930 Special Topics in CIS
    • CIS7931 Computing Research Seminar
    • CIS7625 Emerging Topics in Cybersecurity
    • CIS7980 Dissertation Research
    • CNT5505 Computer Networks
    • CNT6167 Internet of Things
    • CNT6407 Internet Security
    • CNT6519 Wireless Network Security
    • CNT6707 Network Architecture
    • COP5615 Operating Systems
    • COP6284 Programming for Data Science
    • COP6611 Advanced Operating Systems
    • COP6616 Parallel Computing
    • COT6405 Design & Analysis of Algorithms
    • COT6416 Computational Complexity

Intelligent Systems

The Intelligent Systems concentration focuses on studying theories, concepts, and systems that are inspired by the intelligent behaviors of humans, species and biological systems. Given the research focus of the degree, the program encourages multidisciplinary research approaches and prioritizes research problems with direct economic and community impacts. The Intelligent Systems concentration students will tackle research problems whose solutions does not exist, or can be improved in measurable ways, and contributes to the intelligent systems literature.

Graduate Coursework

Intelligent Systems Concentration Graduate Coursework Preview

  • A minimum of 48 credits of graduate coursework
  • Student may transfer a maximum of 30 relevant graduate credits toward the coursework requirement. Graduate director approval is required.
  • No coursework credits older than 10 years can be counted toward fulfilling the program requirements.
  • A maximum of six credits of directed independent studies is allowed. Graduate Director approval is required.
  • A graduate course in Research Methods in Computing is required.
  • A maximum of 6 credits can be at the 5XXX level. Graduate director approval is required. The remainder of the course work must be at the 6XXX or 7XXX level.
  • Following is a partial list of acceptable graduate courses. Graduate director approval is required for all graduate course registrations. Past 30 credits, students must consult with their Ph.D. supervisor before seeking graduate director approval.
  • Courses available for the Intelligent Systems concentration
    • CAP5605 Introduction to AI
    • CAP6100 User Experience Design
    • CAP6610 Machine Learning
    • CAP6635 Advanced AI
    • CAP6768 Data Analytics
    • CAP6776 Info Retrieval & Text Mining
    • CAP6777 Data Mining
    • CEN6001 Software Requirements Engineering
    • CEN6016 Engineering of Software
    • CEN6036 Software Architecture
    • CEN6070 Software QA & Testing
    • CEN6086 Cloud Computing
    • CEN6940 Computing Practicum
    • CIS5930 Special Topics in CIS
    • CIS5949 Experiential Studies in Computing
    • CIS6372 Information Assurance
    • CIS6900 Directed Individual Study
    • CIS6913 Research Methods in Computing
    • CIS6930 Special Topics in CIS
    • CIS7931 Computing Research Seminar
    • CIS7434 Emerging Topics in Intelligent Systems
    • CIS7980 Dissertation Research
    • COP5615 Operating Systems
    • COP6284 Programming for Data Science
    • COP6616 Parallel Computing
    • COT6405 Design & Analysis of Algorithms
    • COT6416 Computational Complexity

The Computing PhD program provides students with advanced, research-based, studies in the field of Computing to prepare them for research and development positions in the private and public sectors as well as academic positions in universities and colleges. In addition to the traditional and well-established, research methods, the program encourages multidisciplinary research approaches and prioritizes research problems with direct economic and community impacts.


The Computing PhD program with Cybersecurity concentration requires a total of 72 graduate credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree. Course work accounts for 48 credits. The PhD dissertation is research-based and accounts for a minimum of 24 credit hours.

  • Application and Admission Requirements

    Application Requirements

    In addition to the general Graduate School application requirements, the application materials for the Computing PhD program must include the following:

    • Three letters of recommendation
    • A recent resume
    • A statement of purpose, not to exceed 500 words.
    • GRE verbal and quantitative scores

    Admissions Requirements

    • A four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or its equivalent from a foreign institution, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all work attempted in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study.
    • If the applicant has a graduate degree in a Computing field, graduate courses may be considered if the undergraduate GPA is less than 3.0
    • If the previously earned degrees (undergraduate or graduate) were not in a Computing field, completion of the following background subjects at the undergraduate level is required before enrolling in any graduate courses.
      • Procedural and Objective-Oriented Programming
      • Data Structures
      • Applied Discrete Mathematics
      • Databases
      • Computer Networks
    • Grades of "B" or above are required in any undergraduate preparatory course work taken at UNF.
    • A minimum score of 150 in the GRE verbal section
    • A minimum score of 155 in the GRE quantitative section

    Special Notes

    • Admission of international students on F-1 visa (or seeking such status) is currently closed pending SEVP approval.
  • Program Requirements

    Program Requirements (72 credits)

    • A minimum of 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree o A minimum of 48 credits of graduate coursework
      • A minimum of 24 credits of doctoral dissertation research
    • Successful completion of the qualification process
    • Successful completion of the candidacy process
    • Successful completion of the defense examination
    • Approval of PhD dissertation
    •  
  • PhD Supervision

    PhD Supervision

    Every entering PhD graduate student must attend the UNF Computing New Graduate Student Orientation,  usually given right before or at the beginning of Fall and Spring semesters. The student must form a  dissertation committee and identify a dissertation supervisor, who is a Graduate Faculty member and will chair this committee, by the completion of 30 credits in the program (post Bachelor). The dissertation committee will consist of 4 members including the dissertation supervisor. One of the remaining three committee members may be from outside the School of Computing, including from another University/institution. All committee members should be familiar with the student’s area of research. The dissertation supervisor plays a significant role in directing the dissertation research and the selection of the next 18 course credits of the student’s program of study; 6 of these 18 credits may be DIS credits (thus the DIS courses are assumed to be taken after the completion of 30 credits).

  • The Qualification Process

    The Qualification Process

    A student becomes eligible to start the qualification process upon completing 36 program credits with an average program GPA of at least 3.0 and having a publication within the last 5 years in a high-quality computing venue, preferably with a program faculty coauthor. Recent notices of acceptance will be considered. The School Director appoints a qualification review committee of two or more program faculty, in consultation with the graduate director and the student’s PhD supervisor. The committee will evaluate the student’s research portfolio, including pertinent graduate course grades and publications. As part of the qualification review process, the committee will schedule a public research talk by the student. Upon successful completion of the qualification process, qualified students are expected to register for at least 6 program applicable credits during each subsequent fall and spring term, including at least 3 dissertation credits. Students who do not successfully pass the qualification process, may apply for a second and final time in a future semester. Students who cannot pass the qualification process after two attempts become eligible for suspension. Students who successfully complete the qualification process must graduate within five academic years; else they will be eligible for suspension.

  • The Candidacy Process

    The Candidacy Process

    Students may apply for candidacy with the PhD supervisor's approval, after a committee has been formed, after the qualification process has been successfully completed, and after completing at least 6 dissertation research credits. The graduate director verifies the student's eligibility to apply for candidacy. The purpose of the PhD Candidacy process is to certify the scope and validity of the student's proposed research, and the student's ability to perform the work. The PhD supervisor must notify the graduate director of the student’s intention to seek candidacy no later than two weeks after the beginning of the semester. The candidacy process entails the submission of a written PhD proposal and presenting the said proposal to the dissertation committee. The student will be given one or two written questions by each committee member and is expected to provide written answers to those questions. The committee members vote on the student’s candidacy. No later than one week before the end of the semester, the PhD supervisor will notify the graduate director of the results of the candidacy vote. The candidacy process is administrated by the PhD supervisor. If the student’s candidacy is denied, the student may apply for a second and final time in a future semester. The new candidacy application may involve a different committee formation. Students who cannot pass the candidacy process after two attempts become eligible for suspension.

  • The Defense Examination

    The Defense Examination

    All PhD students are required to complete and defend a dissertation of publishable quality. Student must complete at least 24 dissertation credits and at least 48 coursework credits including the current semester registered credits, at least six dissertation credits after successful completion of the candidacy process excluding the current semester registered credits, and have a minimum program GPA of 3.0 to be eligible to schedule dissertation defense. The dissertation must be a product of an independent investigation, including a basic research component, that constitutes an original contribution to Computing. Projects that solely demonstrate an application of computer technology to a new problem area will not be acceptable. The defense must occur after completion of research and all other work prescribed by the dissertation supervisor. The student must be registered for at least three hours of CIS 7003 Dissertation Research during the term in which the defense is scheduled and the term in which the degree will be  conferred. A draft of the dissertation must be submitted to all Dissertation Committee no later than 10 business days before the scheduled date of the defense. The format of the dissertation must conform to the requirements of the Graduate School. 

    The dissertation title along with an abstract should be posted on electronic and standard bulletin boards at least two weeks in advance so that interested students and faculty may attend. A general-audience abstract along with an announcement must be submitted to the Graduate Director for posting. This information must be announced by the graduate director no later than 5 business days after receiving notification from the dissertation supervisor regarding the student's intent to defend. 

    The dissertation must be  approved by the dissertation committee, the School of Computing, and the Graduate School. The dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate School in electronic form. If the dissertation is not approved by the Graduate School deadline of the semester in which it was defended, the student will be required to register for one credit hour of dissertation every subsequent semester until the dissertation is fully approved by the Graduate School deadline of the semester. 

    The defense will consist of two parts: an open part and a closed part. During the open part, the student gives a one-hour presentation on the dissertation work. During this presentation, members of the audience may ask questions. Then the student's Dissertation Supervisor will ask the audience to leave the room to begin the closed section of the defense. The student's Dissertation Committee members and other faculty may ask the student more detailed questions during the closed section. The student will then leave the room while the Dissertation Committee prepares its decision. The dissertation must be approved by the committee, the School, and the graduate school. If the student's dissertation is not approved by the end of the semester in which he/she defends the dissertation, the student will be required to register for one credit hour of dissertation until the final submission of the dissertation or the time of graduation. The defense may be attempted at most two times.

Contact Us

SOCGraduatePrograms@unf.edu | (904) 620-2985