Stevens' undergraduate majors in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Information Systems are specifically designed to train the high-end IT professionals who can take advantage of trends in the IT industry and gain entry into a challenging and rewarding career path in software development and systems analysis. It is widely recognized that the most important skills in software development and systems analysis combine a strong background in information technology, particularly creativity and problem-solving, with personal and business skills, such as client-facing, business case considerations, and project management. The three majors emphasize both a strong grounding in IT and the development of the business abilities required of a modern IT professional. Stevens is one of the few undergraduate computer science programs in the country to require a two-semester senior project course that emphasizes these skills.

The spine of the three majors is a two-year sequence of courses developing basic software engineering skills, including algorithmic problem-solving, design, coding, and testing. This is supplemented by a mathematical sequence including discrete mathematics, probability, and statistics. This sequence provides both rigor and the mathematical maturity that the modern IT professional is expected to be able to draw upon. Subsequent courses build on this spine to provide a background in advanced concepts relevant to the major. A two-semester sequence in science, including laboratories as required for accreditation of computer science programs, develops skills in formulating and testing hypotheses.

A senior-year two-semester capstone senior project course teaches the principles and theory of programming-in-the-large, including teamwork, problem solving, and agile software development methods in the context of two projects. The course is modeled on business software development practices, so that students experience a transition from academia to business. Students produce useful, well-engineered software products, applying software engineering techniques, ethical principles, and generally accepted software practices. Many projects are sponsored by companies or government agencies, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Siemens, and Citicorp. Cybersecurity majors choose a project with an emphasis on computer systems security. Information systems majors choose a project with a specific information management emphasis.

All majors must take a science sequence consisting of two science courses and a science laboratory, taken from the following list of sequences:

Students must take at least eight humanities courses, following the undergraduate core requirements. One of the Humanities courses must be HSS 371 Computers and Society.

Physical Education (P.E.) Requirements

All students must complete a minimum of four semester credits of Physical Education (P.E.). A large number of activities are offered in lifetime, team, and wellness areas.

All PE courses must be completed by the end of the sixth semester. Students can enroll in more than the minimum required P.E. for graduation and are encouraged to do so.

Participation in varsity sports can be used to satisfy up to three credits of the P.E. requirement.

Participation in supervised, competitive club sports can be used to satisfy up to two credits of the P.E. requirement, with approval from the P.E. Coordinator.

All three computer science majors begin with a three-course sequence: CS 115, CS 284, and CS 385.  Most students will take these courses in sequence in their first  three semesters.  Students who enter with a limited background in computer programming or who want extra reinforcement of fundamental concepts should take CS 105 their first semester followed by the sequence 115-284-385 in semesters II though IV. Students who take the Honors sequence of 181-182 will skip the 115-284-385 sequence; the two Honors courses are equivalent to the standard three-course sequence.

Electives fall into four categories: science/math, software development, technical, and free.  All students must take two science/math electives and one software development elective.  Students who start with CS 115 must take two technical electives and two free electives.  Students who start with CS 105 must take one technical elective and two free electives.  Students who start with CS 181 must take two technical electives and three free electives.

The software development elective may be chosen from the following list of courses that involve programming assignments:

CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics I
CS 541 Artificial Intelligence
CS 558 Computer Vision
CS 546 Web Programming
CS 516 Compiler Design
CS 521 TCP/IP Networks
CS 522 Mobile and Pervasive Computing
CS 526 Systems Programming for Enterprise Computing
CS 549 Distributed Systems

A technical elective is defined to be any course with a CS or SSW number except SSW 540.

Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the Computer Science “A” advanced placement exam receive 3 credits (for a technical elective) and are placed into CS 181 in semester I.  Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the Computer Science “AB” advanced placement exam receive 6 credits (for a technical elective and CS 181) and are placed into CS 182 in semester II.

Besides its technical rigor and its development of important personal and business skills, the Stevens Computer Science undergraduate major is distinguished by its flexibility. In the senior year, a student in Computer Science can choose from a large number of elective courses. Concentration areas are suggested groups of Computer Science courses for those that want to “drill down” on specific topics. Some example concentration areas are distributed systems, networks, graphics, design and implementation of games, and cybersecurity. Application areas are groups of courses that include courses outside Computer Science. Approved application areas include financial systems, computer engineering and embedded systems, wireless networks, and mathematics.

The Computer Science Department is also the home to world-class research in areas such as computer security, computer graphics, vision and visualization, software engineering, and networks. The quality of this research is demonstrated by the publication and funding records of the faculty of the department. Undergraduate students are encouraged to get involved with faculty in their research. Indeed, while graduate students come from all over the world to be involved with research, some undergraduates choose to stay at Stevens for their graduate work, pursuing Ph.D. research with the faculty they came to know during their undergraduate studies.

The course sequence for computer science is as follows:

The program requires the following courses:

Mathematics and Statistics

• MA 115 Calculus I
• MA 116 Calculus II
• MA 222 Probability and Statistics
• MA 331 Statistical Methods

Core Computer Science

• CS 115 Introduction to Computer Science
• CS 135 Discrete Structures
• CS 146 Web Fundamentals
• CS 284 Data Structures
• CS 334 Automata and Computation
• CS 347 Software Development Process
• CS 383 Computer Organization and Programming
• CS 385 Algorithms
• CS 392 Systems Programming
• CS 442 Database Management Systems
• CS 488 Computer Architecture
• CS 492 Operating Systems
• CS 496 Programming Languages
• CS 506 Introduction to IT Security
• CS 511 Concurrent Programming
• CS 551 Software Engineering and Practice I
• CS 552 Software Engineering and Practice II

Management

• MGT 111 Organizational Behavior and Social Psychology

In order to explore connections between computer science and field that use computer technology, students may devote up to four Technical and free electives to disciplines outside computer science. To do so, the student must elect one of the Application Areas described below. Depending upon the Application Area, the science/math elective may be chosen to support the course sequence.

You must receive prior departmental approval in order to substitute an Application Area for computer science electives. The Computer Science department works with other departments to develop Application Area sequences in disciplines that are related to computer science, and only the courses listed below, when taken as part of an Application Area, may be counted as technical electives. Below are Application Areas that are already approved.

Computer Engineering and Embedded Systems

CPE 358 Switching Theory and Logical Design
CPE 390 Microprocessor Systems
CPE 450 Embedded Systems for Real-Time Applications
        or CPE 555 Real-Time and Embedded Systems
CPE 487 Digital System Design

Wireless Networks

CS 521 TCP/IP Networks
NIS 583 Wireless Communications
NIS 584 Wireless Systems Security
NIS 586 Wireless Networking: Architectures, Protocols, and Standards

Financial Systems
Intended for students who contemplate a career in the financial sector.

MGT 244 Microeconomics
BT 115 Financial Accounting
BT 215 Cost Accounting
BT 321 Finance

Mathematics
This Application Area focuses on topics in mathematics that utilize computing, or mathematics that may be of use to a computer scientist. These foundation courses are required:

MA 221 Differential Equations
MA 232 Linear Algebra

Then choose any two of these courses:

MA 335 Number Theory
MA 336 Modern Algebra
MA 346 Numerical Methods
MA 460 Chaotic Dynamics

Computational Chemistry & Biology

CH 116/118 Chemistry II/Chemistry Lab II
CH 321 Thermodynamics
CH 381 Cell Biology
CH 664 Computer Methods in Chemistry

In addition, students should take the Chemistry/Biology Lab option (in particular, CH 115/17 Chemistry I and Lab). It is also suggested, but not required, that CH 484 (Introduction to Molecular Genetics) be taken as the free elective.

Below are suggested elective course sequences for students who are interested in specific areas within computer science. These sequences are optional; indeed, each student may choose their electives (aside from the science/math elective and the management elective) according to personal interests. A concentration does not appear on the diploma. Students should understand that concentration electives are merely suggestions. A student may choose to take all, some, or none of the courses in a concentration.

Information Systems

• CS 519 Distributed Commerce
  • or BT 414 eTechnology Infrastructure 
• CS 546 Web Programming
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• BT 353 Project Management

Service-Oriented Architecture

• CS 513 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining
• CS 546 Web Programming
• CS 548 Engineering of Enterprise Software Systems
• CS 549 Distributed Systems

Computer Graphics

• MA 232 Linear Algebra
• CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics I
• CS 538 Visual Analytics
• CS 558 Computer Vision
• CS 638 Advanced Computer Graphics

The linear algebra course MA 232 counts as a science/math elective.

Game Design

The concentration in Game Design is designed to provide the student with a grounding in the skills sets underlying computer gaming. The emphasis is on the creation of distributed, multi-player, and 3-D games. 

• CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics I
• CS 541 Artificial Intelligence
• CS 522 Mobile and Pervasive Computing 
  • or CS 549 Distributed Systems 
• CS 539 Real-Time Rendering, Gaming, and Simulations Programming
• CS 545 Human Computer Interaction

It is further recommended that a game design be the subject of the student's CS 551/CS 552 senior design project.

Cybersecurity

• CS 503 Discrete Mathematics for Cryptography
• CS 576 Secure Systems
• CS 577 Cybersecurity Lab
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• CS 579 Foundations of Cryptography

CS 503, which is cross-listed with MA 503, counts as a science/math elective.

Distributed Systems

• CS 521 TCP/IP Networks
• CS 522 Mobile and Pervasive Computing
• CS 546 Web Programming
• CS 549 Distributed Systems

Theoretical Computer Science

• CS 600 Advanced Algorithm Design and Implementation
• CS 601 Algorithmic Complexity
• CS 630 Automata and Formal Languages
• CS 634 Decidability and Computability

You may qualify for a minor in computer science by taking the seven courses indicated below. Enrollment in a minor means you must meet the Institute's requirements for minor programs. You may not use the same courses for both a major and a minor. Only courses completed with grade of "C" or better are accepted towards a student's minor.

Requirements for a Minor in Computer Science (not available to majors in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, or Information Systems) include these four courses:

• CS 115 Introduction to Computer Science
• CS 135 Discrete Structures
• CS 284 Data Structures
• CS 385 Algorithms
   

plus one of the following tracks:

Software Systems

• CS 383 Computer Organization and Programming
• CS 392 Systems Programming
• CS 492 Operating Systems

Computer Graphics

• CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics
• CS 545 Human Computer Interaction
• CS 538 Visual Analytics
• or
  • CS 539 Real Time Rendering, Gamings and Simulation Programming
• or
  • CS 558 Computer Vision 
• or
  • CS 638 Advanced Computer Graphics

The Bachelor of Science program in Cybersecurity is structured to provide students with security expertise within the context of a broad education. A solid education in security requires not only a strong focus in science and computer science in particular (e.g., need for robust implementation and software validation), but must also incorporate some aspects of engineering and technology management. While cryptographers strive to develop the best security solution possible, actual implementations of theoretical concepts often fail due to technological limitations, cost restraints, and human factors that were not part of the initial design process. For a solution to gain practical relevance, the end user must be able and willing to use it. From an economical point of view, a solution must provide a substantial monetary benefit to the customer. In order to allow for these complex issues to be better addressed, an education in cybersecurity must integrate science, technology, and management.

The program requires the following courses:

Mathematics and Statistics

• MA 115 Calculus I
• MA 116 Calculus II
• MA 222 Probability and Statistics

Core Computer Science

• CS 115 Introduction to Computer Science
• CS 135 Discrete Structures
• CS 284 Data Structures
• CS 334 Automata and Computation
• CS 347 Software Development Process
• CS 383 Computer Organization and Programming
• CS 385 Algorithms
• CS 442 Database Management Systems
• CS 488 Computer Architecture
• CS 492 Operating Systems
• CS 496 Programming Languages
• CS 511 Concurrent Programming
• CS 551 Software Engineering and Practice I
• CS 552 Software Engineering and Practice II

Cybersecurity

• CS 503 Discrete Mathematics for Cryptography
• CS 506 Introduction to IT Security
• CS 576 Secure Systems
• CS 577 Cybersecurity Laboratory
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• CS 579 Foundations of Cryptography

Management

• BT 131 Technogenesis: Introduction to Innovation and Creativity

Security Electives

The following CS and non-CS courses qualify as security electives. Note that undergraduates must meet minimum GPA requirements to enroll in 600-level courses:

• CS 594 Enterprise Security and Information Assurance
• CS 665 Network Forensics
• CS 693 Cryptographic Protocols
• CPE 592 Multimedia Network Security
• MIS 662 Legal Issues in a Wired World
• MIS 645 Cybersecurity Principles for Managers
• MIS 646 Enterprise Architectures for Information Assurance

You may qualify for a minor in cybersecurity by taking the courses indicated below. Enrollment in a minor means you must meet the Institute's requirements for minor programs. You may not use the same courses for both a major and a minor. Only courses completed with grade of "C" or better are accepted towards a student's minor.

Requirements for a Minor in Cybersecurity (not available to majors in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, or Information Systems):

• CS 115 Introduction to Computer Science
• CS 135 Discrete Structures
• CS 284 Data Structures
• CS 385 Algorithms
• CS/MA 503 Discrete Mathematics for Cryptography
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• CS 579 Foundations of Cryptography

Information Systems (IS) is an inter-disciplinary major jointly administered by the Computer Science department and the Howe School of Technology Management. The major is designed for those seeking the background needed to apply information technology to support the major functions of a business or public institution. Information systems manage the collection, manipulation, storage, distribution, and utilization of an organization's information. The Stevens IS major distinguishes itself by its technical rigor, and by providing high-level skills in software development, systems analysis, and project management. A solid background in business skills is combined with an information technology background, the technical core of which is shared with Computer Science and Cybersecurity majors. Both strong technical ability and a firm grounding in business skills are essential for the modern high-end IS professional.

The IS program provides a specific focus on systems analysis and information management: how an organization (be it business, government, or any other kind of organization) can structure its IS function, and how the IS manager relates to the rest of the managerial structure.

 In recognition of the modern IS environment, the IS program has an additional emphasis on networked information. Courses in systems programming, Web programming, and databases demonstrate how to realize the opportunities offered by IS in managing information. Courses in cybersecurity and privacy address the technical, managerial, and legal hazards that must be addressed in the modern networked world. Much of the IS core is shared with the Stevens Cybersecurity and Computer Science majors. While these latter majors "drill down" to technical aspects of computer systems, IS focuses on organizational aspects of information management.

A typical career path for a student majoring in IS is an entry-level software developer/systems analyst position, rising eventually to Chief Information Officer (CIO) or Chief Technical Officer (CTO) in an organization. The IS major’s emphases on information management and project management are essential preparation for either of these career paths.

The program requires the following courses:

Math and Statistics

• MA 115 Calculus I
• MA 116 Calculus II
• MA 222 Probability and Statistics
• MA 331 Statistical Methods

Computer Science

• CS 115 Introduction to Computer Science
• CS 135 Discrete Structures
• CS 146 Web Fundamentals
• CS 284 Data Structures
• CS 347 Software Development Process
• CS 385 Algorithms
• CS 392 Systems Programming
• CS 442 Database Management Systems
• CS 506 Introduction to IT Security
• CS 519 Distributed Commerce
  • or BT 414 eTechnology Infrastructure
• CS 545 Human Computer Interaction
• CS 551 Software Engineering and Practice I
• CS 552 Software Engineering and Practice II
• SSW 564 Software Requirements Acquisition and Analysis
  • or MIS 410 Designing Information Systems

Management

• BT 101 Introduction to Business Planning
• BT 113 Marketing
• BT 115 Financial Accounting
• MGT 111 Organizational Behavior
• MIS 201 Fundamentals of Information Systems
• MIS 440 Information Networks
• MIS 460 Managing the IT resource
• BT 353 Project Management

Humanities

Students must take at least eight humanities courses, following the undergraduate core requirements. Humanities courses must include HSS 371 Computers and Society and MGT 244 Microeconomics.

Electives

The IS major includes four electives: two free electives and two electives that must be from CS or BT.

You may qualify for a minor in information systems by taking the courses indicated below. Enrollment in a minor means you must meet the Institute's requirements for minor programs.

Requirements for a Minor in Information Systems (not available to majors in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, and Service-Oriented Computing):

• CS 115 Introduction to Computer Science
• CS 135 Discrete Structures
• CS 284 Data Structures
• CS 347 Software Development Process
• CS 385 Algorithms
• CS 442 Database Management Systems
• BT 353 Project Management

Several types of graduate degrees are offered:

• Master of Science in Computer Science: The MS/CS is the flagship graduate program. It is designed to be flexible in allowing students to combine several areas of concentration, such as software engineering, cybersecurity, and databases and service-oriented architecture. Ph.D. students who do not already have a M.S. degree should consider pursuing a M.S. in Computer Science to develop breadth before their Ph.D. studies.
• Master of Science in Service-Oriented Computing: The MS/SOC is an accelerated professional education program that develops the skills set required for developing Web and internet applications, particularly tailored for those with little or no previous programming experience. An optional introductory course teaches introductory programming using a language such as Visual Basic. Subsequent courses teach Web programming using PHP and Javascript, and distributed programming using frameworks such as .NET. Other courses teach software requirements engineering, human computer interction, information architecture for Web site design, and service-oriented archtecture (SOA).
• Master of Science in Enterprise Computing: The MS/EC is intended to educate high-end IT professionals with an interest in enterprise computing. Students learn about distributed computing from both the reliability and security points of view, including service-oriented architecture (SOA). This program has a particular emphasis on systems administration and governance. A typical back-end setup will involve several virtualized servers, running heterogeneous guest operating systems on top of hypervisors, organized in a highly available cluster. Data processing and Web service applications will have service level agreements (SLAs) that must be honored. This program develops the skills sets for the professionals who administer such operations.
• Master of Science in Security and Privacy: The MS/SP is a rigorous program in the art and practice of security and privacy, including fundamentals of cryptography, and threats and defenses for secure systems. The emphasis in this program is on deep technical skills that may be complemented with courses in security management, as opposed to the security courses suggested for the MS/CS that emphasize broad principles and security administration.
• Master of Science in Multimedia Experience and Management: The MS/MEM brings together two elements of user interfaces and information presentation: multimedia content experience and content management. Graduates of the program will have a firm grounding in computer graphics, human computer interaction, and software engineering. Beyond this, they can choose to specialize in multimedia experience (advanced graphics and visual analytics) or multimedia management (distributed computing). Both tracks include courses in software engineering (user experience engineering and software architecture).
• Master of Science in Security Management and Forensics: An interdisciplinary program between Computer Science and the Howe School of Technology Management, the M.S. in Security Management and Forensics provides master's level education in security operations, security risk management, security forensics, as well as a formal means for recognition of skills in these areas. Students who complete the program receive an Interdisciplinary Computer Science/Technology Management Master's degree with a concentration in Security Management and Forensics, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Security Management and Forensics.
• Master of Science in Game Design and Simulation Programming: This degree exposes students to the fundamentals of interactive game design, state-of-the-art graphics and animation and behavior modeling, and the methodologies for game development. The program also provides the skills and environment needed to be a successful member of the gaming community. The program prepares students for positions in the gaming industry as well as in industrial, government, education and research organizations involved in simulation, visualization, training and "edutainment". Furthermore, the program will prepare students for entry in elite PhD programs in Computer Science, Remote Sensing, and Geographic Information Systems.
• Graduate Certificate: A graduate certificate typically consists of four graduate courses. The courses for a graduate certificate also may be used towards another graduate degree, such as a master's degree.
• Ph.D. in Computer Science.

Requirements for the completion of the MS/CS are:

1. Completion of at least thirty credit-hours of study at the graduate level (500-level and above), with a minimum grade of "C" and a minimum GPA of 3.0.
2. At least twenty one credit hours must be from computer science courses, identified by the CS or SSW prefix.
3. At least one of the courses must be any one of the following core computer science courses:
• CS 510 Programming Languages
• CS 520 Operating Systems
• CS 561 Database Management Systems
• CS 573 Fundamentals of Cybersecurity
• CS 600 Advanced Algorithm Design and Implementation
4. The remaining nine credit-hours can be from computer science or any other disciplines.

Several suggested concentrations, include:

• Databases
• Databases, Security, and Privacy
• Health Informatics
• Network and Systems Administration
• Mobile and Embedded Systems
• Software and Security Engineering
• Software Engineering and Databases
• Web Application Development

See the Computer Science department web site for definition of these focus areas.

Admissions Requirements

The departmental requirement for admission into the master's degree program in computer science is a bachelor's degree in computer science or computer engineering with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a four-point scale.

Applicants whose undergraduate degree is not in computer science or computer engineering must take the GRE General Test. In addition, such applicants must have completed at least one year of calculus and at least one programming course; they may be conditionally admitted subject to the completion of some or all of the following "foundation" courses with a grade of "B" or better:

• CS 570 Introduction to C++
• CS 590 Algorithms
• MA 502 Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science
• CS 550 Computer Organization and Programming

In addition, students without a computer science background wishing to take advanced systems courses, such as operating systems, may be required to take:

• CS 550 Computer Organization and Programming

All foundation courses may be used as credit towards the degree.

International students must demonstrate their proficiency in English by scoring at least 550 (or 210 for the computer-based test) on the TOEFL. Also, international students must take the GRE general examination and submit their scores before they enter the program. Applicants desiring financial assistance are required to submit all application documents to Office of Graduate Admissions before February 1 for fall admission, and before September 1 for spring admission.

As IT becomes more and more ubiquitous, in e-commerce and e-government, there is an exploding demand for the wide range of expertise in IT and software development that is needed to meet the demands of the modern information economy. In particular, there is a need for domain-specific experts who are conversant both in information technology and software skills, and also have a facility for the appropriate applications of these technologies in a particular field.

Technologies such as Web services are facilitating a view of software as “services,” much more fine-grain than the normal view of software libraries, that may be used for heavyweight inter-enterprise application integration, but may also be used for very flexible lightweight rapid development of new applications. We are seeing the emergence of frameworks that domain experts in that sector can use, not just to compose together services, but also to synthesize new applications. This synthesis may be done using scripting languages or domain-specific programming languages and protocols. This is related to an emerging phenomenon of “situational programming,” where lightweight applications must be developed rapidly and relatively easily. This goes somewhat beyond simple “mash-ups” on the Web, but such applications often do not require the depth of skill and management that large software projects entail.

The Master of Science in Service-Oriented Computing, program is an accelerated professional education program that provides domain experts with the skill sets that they need in order to use and manage the IT that is being deployed globally today. Students may have little or no background in software development, but they are already, or want to be, a professional in a particular field with IT skills. The program provides very focused training in the skill sets that are required to make students technically capable of taking existing frameworks and using them to develop new client-specific applications.

The focus of the program is very much on front-end skills:

• Requirements acquisition and analysis
• Human-computer interaction
• Web design and information architecture
• Ethical and privacy issues

The kinds of tasks that students pursue range all the way from designing and implementing Web pages, to developing distributed collaborative applications with sophisticated database back-ends.

The program provides a very focused path for obtaining the basic software development skills that graduates will require. The sequence starts with an optional introductory programming course, SOC 605, that teaches fundamental problem-solving skills in the context of learning a programming language that is geared to end-user applications (e.g., C#). This course may be omitted for those that have already had an introductory programming course, although students with such a background may still be interested in taking the course in order to learn C#. A successor course, SOC 606, teaches basic software engineering skills and best practices for Web-Based applications, particularly for three-tier client-server applications using a Web Server as a front-end to a database, using C# and .NET. Other core courses teach the fundamentals of a service oriented architecture (SOA) and workflow, for modern enterprise systems with Web service frontends, as well as the fundamentals of human computer interface design and information architecture. Elective courses are available in privacy, data mining, health informatics and enterprise security. Up to three elective courses may be taken in other disciplines to which students wish to apply the principles of service oriented computing.

This is termed a program in service-oriented computing (informatics is also a term that is sometimes used) because service-oriented architectures (SOA) are the emerging basis for the frameworks that graduates will be using to develop domain-specific end-user applications. Web and distributed programming, along with basic software engineering and human-computer interaction (HCI) skills, are an important part of the necessary skills sets.

Degree Requirements for Graduation

• Completion of at least thirty credit-hours of study at the graduate level (500-level and above), with a minimum grade of "C" and a minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Completion of all of the core courses. Note that SOC 605 may be required as a prerequisite to SOC 606, depending on the students' background.

Core Courses

• SOC 510 Human-Computer Interaction
• SOC 542 Engineering of Enterprise Software Systems
• SOC 606 Introduction to Internet Applications 
• SOC 611 Web Fundamentals
• SOC 641 Distributed Application Development

Admissions Requirements
An undergraduate education in computer science or computer engineering is not required. Applicants who have not taken programming courses as undergraduates are advised to take the GRE General Test.

A student who has gained admission to one of the other Computer Science graduate programs may transfer to the MS/SOC program. However, a student in the MS/SOC program may not transfer to another graduate program in the Computer Science department without permission.

The MS/EC program is intended to educate high-end IT professionals with an interest in enterprise computing. Students will learn about distributed computing from both the reliability and the security points of view. They will learn about distributed computing "in the large," including enterprise application integration and service-oriented architectures (SOA). They will build on skills learned in courses in databases and systems programming for enterprise computing to learn how to administer server back-ends that are the crux of modern SOA. This will involve ensuring that applications meet their goals in terms of performance, reliability, security, and privacy. A typical back-end setup will involve several virtualized servers, running heterogeneous guest operating systems on top of hypervisors, organized in a highly available cluster. Data processing and Web service applications will have service level agreements (SLAs) that must be honored. The administrator must be able to respond to performance issues by dynamically reallocating resources between applications, while at the same time responding to component failures, and potentially also security attacks. They will also need to ensure that procedures are followed for ensuring privacy guarantees, some of which will be mandated by legislation. They may work with company lawyers to define what these procedures are. The MS/EC program includes a course in security administration that covers technical, management, and legal aspects of enterprise security and privacy, including security governance, privacy concerns, and best practices for secure systems.

As well as developing technical skills, students will develop skills in client-facing, business cases, and project management. Such skills are expected in general, and particularly for enterprise IT professionals. A course in enterprise software engineering exposes students to best practices in enterprise architecture integration and SOA. Courses in software engineering teach the principles and theory of programming-in-the-large, including teamwork, problem solving, and agile software development methods. The courses are modeled on business software development practices, so that students experience a transition from academia to business. Students produce useful, well-engineered software products, applying software engineering techniques, ethical principles, and generally accepted software practices.

Requirements for Degree Completion

1. Completion of at least thirty credit-hours of study at the graduate level (500-level and above), with a minimum grade of "C" and a minimum GPA of 3.0.
2. All of the core courses must be completed. The remaining courses should come from a list of approved electives, or with the approval of the program director.
3. At least twenty-one credit hours must be from computer science courses, identified by the CS prefix.
4. The remaining nine credit-hours can be from computer science or any other disciplines.

Core Courses

• CS 526 Systems Programming for Enterprise Computing
• CS 548 Engineering of Enterprise Software Systems
• CS 549 Distributed Systems
• CS 561 Database Management Systems

Elective Courses

Other electives may be allowed with the approval of the program director. Up to three courses may be taken outside of computer science.

Data Management and SOA

• CS 513 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining
• CS 551 Health Informatics

Management

• MGT 600 Managerial Accounting
• MGT 607 Managerial Economics
• MGT 623 Financial Management   
• MIS 662 Legal Issues in a Wired World

Security and Privacy

• CS 573 Fundamentals of Cybersecurity
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• CS 594 Entrprise Security and Information Assurance
• CS 612 Enterprise Security and Privacy

Systems Administration

• CS 611 Systems Administration for Enterprise Computing
• CS 615 Systems Administration
• CS 666 Information Networks
• CS 669 Network Management

Admissions Requirements

Admissions requirements are the same as for the MS/CS.

Security breaches such as the Code Red, Sobig, and MyDoom worms have cost several billion dollars to the global economy in recent years. Millions of residential computers are assumed to be “zombies,” taken over by attackers unbeknownst to their owners, organized into "bot-nets," and used routinely for spamming everyone that uses the Internet. Denial of service attacks have been staged against major corporations that rely on network access, such as Ebay, as well as against the root servers for the internet Domain Naming System (DNS), using bot-nets that can be purchased on the black market for just a few hundred dollars. Criminal gangs are hiring expert programmers to break into law enforcement databases to learn the names of informants. Consumers are becoming more and more reliant on computer systems, for example, for home banking, while companies and governments are exposing themselves to potential attacks due to the need for a “Web presence.” On the legislative level, increasing privacy concerns are giving rise to legislation that companies must be aware of and be able to adapt to.

In response to these trends, Stevens has developed a graduate program in security and privacy that provides deep and rigorous training in cybersecurity to IT professionals who already have a background in computer science. It is intended that this be a nationally-recognized credential for cybersecurity professionals. Graduates of this program will also be well-poised to pursue Ph.D. study in security and privacy, should they so choose. The program provides a rigorous education in the foundations of security and privacy, including cryptography and secure systems.

Degree Requirements

Completion of at least thirty credit-hours of study at the graduate level (500-level and above), with a minimum grade of "C" and a minimum GPA of 3.0. The seven core courses listed below must be completed.

At least twenty-one credit-hours must be from computer science courses, identified by the CS prefix. The remaining nine credit-hours can be from computer science or any other disciplines.

Core Courses

• CS 520 Operating Systems
• CS 503 Discrete Mathematics for Cryptography
• CS 573 Fundamentals of Cybersecurity
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• CS 579 Foundations of Cryptography
• CS 600 Advanced Algorithm Design and Implementation
• CS 675 Secure Computer Systems
  • or CS 665 Network Forensics

CS 520 and CS 600 may be replaced by electives if the student already has taken these courses as an undergraduate.

Admissions Requirements

Admissions requirements are the same as for the MS/CS.

A computer is made up of three parts: computation, storage, and display. As computation and storage become increasingly ubiquitous and free, display (the presentation of information) becomes an increasingly important part of any application. Devices such as computers, televisions, and cell phones are increasingly becoming rich thin clients for screen access and data entry, and where increasingly the visualization and auditory components are regarded as portable and morphable. Many advanced forms of interfaces are being developed in the entertainment industry based on these principles, as well as in scientific and information visualization. The entertainment industry has pioneered techniques for developing rich user interfaces, focusing on engineering the entire user experience with multimedia content.

This program brings together two elements of user interfaces and information presentation: multimedia content experience and content management. Graduates of the program will have a firm grounding in computer graphics, human-computer interaction, and software engineering. Beyond this, they can choose to specialize in multimedia experience (advanced graphics and visual analytics) or multimedia management (distributed computing). Both tracks include courses in software engineering (user experience engineering and software architecture). Students can choose further specialization in either area, or greater breadth by choosing courses across the tracks or from other electives that are relevant.

Degree Requirements

1. Completion of at least thirty credit-hours of study at the graduate level (500-level and above), with a minimum grade of "C" and a minimum GPA of 3.0.
2. All of the core courses must be completed. The remaining courses should come from a list of approved electives, or with the approval of the program director.
3. At least twenty-one credit-hours must be from computer science courses, identified by the CS prefix.
4. The remaining nine credit-hours can be from computer science or any other disciplines.

Core Courses

All of the following courses must be taken:

• CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics
• CS 540 Fundamentals of Quantitative Software Engineering
• CS 545 Human-Computer Interaction

In addition, students should take courses from one of the following focus areas:

Multimedia Experience

Pick two of the following courses:

• CS 538 Visual Analytics
• CS 539 Real-Time Rendering, Gaming, Simulation
• CS 541 Artificial Intelligence
• CS 543 Principles of Computer-Mediated Entertainment
• CS 558 Computer Vision
• CS 559 Machine Learning

Multimedia Management

• CS 520 Operating Systems

Pick one of the following courses:

• CS 548 Engineering of Enterprise Software Systems
• SSW 565 Software Architecture and Design

Pick one of the following courses:

• CS 549 Distributed Systems
• CS 522 Mobile and Pervasive Computing

Electives

Any of the above courses may be taken as an elective, as well as the following. Other electives may be approved by the program director. Up to three courses may be outside of computer science.

• CS 513 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining
• CS 546 Web Programming
• CS 561 Database Management Systems
• CS 573 Fundamentals of Cybersecurity
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• CS 636 Integrated Services – Multimedia
• CPE 591 Introduction to Multimedia Networking 
• MIS 662 Legal Issues for a Wired World

An interdisciplinary program between the Department of Computer Science and the Howe School of Technology Management, the M.S. in Security Management and Forensics provides master’s level training in security operations, security risk management and security forensics, as well as a formal means for recognition of skills in these areas. Students who successfully complete the program receive an Interdisciplinary Computer Science/Technology Management master’s degree with a concentration in Security Management and Forensics, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Security Management and Forensics.  Applicants should have a B.S. degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Telecom Management or a similar field. A GPA of at least 3.0 is required. The program includes 12 courses, as follows:

Core Courses

• CS 590 Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms
• SSW 540 Introduction to Software Engineering
• TM 601 Principles of Applied Telecommunications Technology
• TM 675 Security Economics
• CS 573 Fundamentals of CyberSecurity
• CS 594 Enterprise Security and Information Assurance
• CS 665 Network Forensics
• MGT 710 Risk Management Methods and Applications

Elective Courses (choose four from the following, subject to advisor approval)

• CS 520 Introduction to Operating Systems
• CS/TM 513 Knowledge Discovery & Data Mining
• CS 561 Database Management Systems I
  • or CS 521 TCP/IP Networking
• CS 579 Foundations of Cryptography
• CS 693 Cryptographic Protocols
• MIS 645 Cybersecurity Principles for Managers
• MIS 646 Enterprise Architectures for Information Security
• MIS 647 Information Security and the Law
• MGT 690 Organization Theory and Design
• SYS 611 Modeling and Simulation

This degree exposes students to the fundamentals of interactive game design, state-of-the-art graphics and animation and behavior modeling, and the methodologies for game development. The program also provides the skills and environment needed to be a successful member of the gaming community. The program prepares students for positions in the gaming industry as well as in industrial, government, education and research organizations involved in simulation, visualization, training and “edutainment”. Furthermore, the program will prepare students for entry in elite PhD programs in Computer Science, Remote Sensing, and Geographic Information Systems. The degree is appropriate for recent graduates in computer science, persons working electronic media and entertainment, current gaming studio and government employees involved in computer simulations and training, as well as people going after their dream to “start a gaming company”.

The degree includes 10 required courses:

• CS 522 Mobile and Pervasive Computing
• CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics
• CS 539 Real time Rendering, Gaming, and Simulation Programming
• CS 541 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
• CS 543 Principles of Computer Mediated Entertainment
• CS 545 Human Computer Interaction
• CS 585 Introduction to Game Development
• CS 586 Game Engine Design
• CS 587 Machine Learning for Game Design
• CS 638 Advanced Computer Graphics

The Computer Science department offers graduate certificate programs to students meeting the regular admission requirements for the master's program. Each certificate program is self-contained and highly focused, comprising 12 or more credits. Most of the courses may be used toward the master's degree, as well as for the certificate.

Databases

This program provides a firm grounding in enterprise architecture, particularly as they are supported by modern database management systems and platforms such as Web services. Students may also focus on data mining, including both algorithms and applications of existing data mining tool

• CS 561 Database Management Systems
• CS 562 Database Management Systems II
• CS 546 Web Programming
• CS 574 Object-Oriented Analysis and Design
  • or CS 513 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining

Related M.S. degrees:

    M.S. in Computer Science, particularly the focus areas in:

• Databases, Security, and Privacy
• Software Engineering and Databases
• Databases and Service-Oriented Architecture
• Health Informatics
• Web Application Development

Security and Privacy

Students will obtain a deep technical background in security and privacy, particularly in the cryptographic foundations of the tools that the security specialist will need to use. They know that cryptographic tools require a deep understanding of their properties to be deployed properly, rather than simply treated as black boxes. They will obtain a background in algorithm design and implementation, and discrete mathematics for cryptography, prior to learning about the most popular cryptographic algorithms and protocols. They will also learn about both the technical and the social aspects of privacy, where legislation is still grappling with how to resolve individuals' privacy rights with the immense benefits to be gained from vast on-line information resources, and where technical solutions can inform the legal and social debate.

• CS 503 Discrete Mathematics for Cryptography
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• CS 579 Foundations of Cryptography
• CS 600 Advanced Algorithm Design and Implementation

Related M.S. degrees:

    M.S. in Security and Privacy

Enterprise Security and Information Assurance

This program is for students interested in security and privacy, particularly as it pertains to businesses, governments, and other forms of enterprises. They will get a basic grounding in security concepts, including the various forms of threats and defenses. Students will learn how enterprises can protect themselves against attacks and exploits both from inside and outside the organization, including ensuring that critical data survives such attacks. Security governance is an important part of such mechanisms. They will learn how to recover from a security attack, determining the cause and sometimes the source of the exploit. Finally, students will also learn about both the technical and the social aspects of privacy, where legislation is still grappling with how to resolve individuals' privacy rights with the immense benefits to be gained from vast on-line information resources, and where technical solutions can inform the legal and social debate.

• CS 548 Engineering of Enterprise Software Systems
• CS 578 Privacy in a Networked World
• CS 594 Enterprise Security and Information Assurance
• CS 573 Fundamentals of Cybersecurity 
  • or CS 506 Introduction to IT Security

Related M.S. degrees:

    M.S. in Computer Science
    M.S. in Security and Privacy

    M.S. in Service-Oriented Computing

Service-Oriented Computing

This program is for students who are working in an existing domain where they see the growing use of and need for IT skills. The program provides an accelerated professional education program that provides them with the skill sets that they need in order to use and manage the IT that is being deployed globally today. Students may have little or no background in software development, but they want to be a professional in a particular field with IT skills. This program will provide students with very focused training in the skill sets that are required to make them technically capable of taking existing frameworks and using them to develop new client-specific applications. The focus of the program is very much on front-end skills:

• Requirements acquisition and analysis
• Human-computer interaction
• Web design and information architecture
• Ethical and privacy issues

The kinds of tasks that students will pursue will range all the way from designing and implementing web pages, to developing distributed collaborative applications with sophisticated database back-ends using frameworks, such as Websphere and .NET.

• SOC 510/CS 545 Human-Computer Interaction
• SOC 542/CS 548 Engineering of Enterprise Software Systems
• SOC 611 Web Fundamentals
• SOC 606 Introduction to Internet Applications
  • or CS 546 Web Programming
  • or CS 549 Distributed Systems

Related M.S. Degrees:

    M.S. in Service-Oriented Computing

Enterprise Computing

This program is for students who want to become high-end IT professionals with an interest in enterprise computing. Students will learn about distributed computing from both the reliability and the security points of view. They will learn about distributed computing "in the large," including enterprise application integration and service-oriented architectures (SOA). They will build on skills learned in courses in operating systems, databases, and systems programming for enterprise computing, to learn how to administer server back-ends that are the crux of modern SOA. This will involve ensuring that applications meet their goals in terms of performance, reliability, security, and privacy. A typical backend setup will involve several virtualized servers, running heterogeneous guest operating systems on top of hypervisors, organized in a highly available cluster. Data processing and Web service applications will have service level agreements (SLAs) that must be honored. The administrator must be able to respond to performance issues by dynamically reallocating resources between applications, while at the same time responding to component failures, and potentially also security attacks.

• CS 526 Systems Programming for Enterprise Computing
• CS 548 Engineering of Enterprise Software Systems
• CS 549 Distributed Systems
• CS 561 Database Management Systems

Related M.S. Degrees:

    M.S. in Enterprise Computing

Networks and Systems Administration

This program is for network or systems administrators responsible for maintaining computers and the networks that connect them. It is very likely some of the machines run database servers, for example for three-tier Web applications. Students will gain a deep understanding of the Internet protocols for setting up routers and diagnosing network problems. They will be responsible for setting up firewalls and administering critical applications, such as email and Web service, for which you will need to be familiar with protocols, such as SMTP and HTTP. They may also be responsible for intrusion detection systems and other aspects of security administration.

Required Courses:

• CS 520 Operating Systems
• CS 521 TCP/IP Networking
• CS 615 Systems Administration
• CS 669 Network Management

Related M.S. Degrees:

    M.S. in Computer Science, particularly the focus area in:
        Network and Systems Administration

Health Informatics

Students of this program will learn to use data mining methods to derive, in an exploratory manner, valuable healthcare knowledge in terms of associations, sequential patterns, classifications, predictions and symbolic rules. They will be able to describe and use tools for preserving the privacy of confidential data, as well as explain some of the social and legal aspects of privacy. Students will be able to explain health care IT standards such as UDEF and HL7, explain health care terminology, and perform system selection and evaluation in the areas of telemedicine, dental informatics, consumer health informatics, and hospital/clinical informatics. Special attention is given to web services and mobile computing as they relate to the health care industry.

• CS 513/SOC 550 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining
• CS 544/SOC 552 Health Informatics
• CS 548/SOC 542 Engineering of Enterprise Software Systems
• CS 578/SOC 551 Privacy in a Networked World

Related M.S. degrees:

    M.S. in Computer Science, particularly the focus areas in:

• Databases, Security and Privacy
• Software Engineering and Databases
• Databases and Service-Oriented Architecture
• Health Informatics

Al for Gaming

• CS 541 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
• CS 585 Introduction to Game Development
• CS 586 Game Engine Design
• CS 587 Machine Learning for Game Design

Related M.S. degrees:

    M.S. in Game Design and Simulation Programming

Graphics for Gaming

• CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics
• CS 539 Real time Rendering, Gaming, and Simulation Programming
• CS 585 Introduction to Game Development
• CS 586 Game Engine Design
• CS 638 Advanced Computer Graphics

Related M.S. degrees:

    M.S. in Game Design and Simulation Programming

Security Management and Forensics (Interdisciplinary)

• CS 573 Fundamentals of CyberSecurity
• CS 594 Enterprise Security and Information Assurance
• CS 665 Network Forensics
• MGT 710 Risk Management Methods and Applications

Related M.S. degree:

    Interdisciplinary M.S. in Security Management and Forensics

Distributed Systems

Required Course

• CS 521 TCP/IP Networking
• CS 549 Distributed Systems

and any two of the following courses:

• CS 511 Concurrent Programming
• CS 520 Operating Systems
• CS 522 Mobile and Pervasive Computing
• CS 546 Web Programming

Related M.S. Degrees:

    M.S. in Computer Science, particularly the focus areas in:
        Databases and Service-Oriented Architecture or Computer Systems

Computer Systems

Required Courses:

• CS 514 Computer Architecture
• CS 520 Operating Systems

plus any two of the following courses:

• CS 511 Concurrent Programming
• CS 516 Compiler Design
• CS 521 TCP/IP Networks
• CS 522 Mobile and Pervasive Computing
• CS 549 Distributed Systems

Computer Graphics

Required Courses:

• CS 600 Advanced Algorithm Design and Implementation
• CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics
• CS 638 Advanced Computer Graphics
  • or CS 539 Real time Rendering, Gaming, and Simulation Programming
• CS 558 Computer Vision
  • or CS 539 Real time Rendering, Gaming, and Simulation Programming

Foundations of Computer Science

Required Courses:

• CS 550 Computer Organization and Programming
• CS 570 Programming in C++
• CS 590 Algorithms
• MA 502 Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science

Multimedia Experience and Management

Required Courses:

• CS 537 Interactive Computer Graphics
• SSW 540 Introduction to Software Engineering
• CS 545 Human Computer Interaction
• CS 538 Visual Analytics
  • or CS 539 Gaming
  • or CS 638 Advanced Graphics

Related M.S. degree:

M.S. in Multimedia Experience and Management

The purpose of the Ph.D. program is to educate students for a career in computer science research. The goal is for the quality of Stevens graduates to be on par with those produced by the best Computer Science departments in the country.

Full-time study. To make progress on leading-edge subjects in a fast moving field like computer science requires full-time study. It is nearly impossible to do work that is important, timely, and novel at the pace afforded by part-time effort—either one's result will be "scooped" or conditions will change within the field, rendering the work no longer current. Accordingly, Ph.D. students will be admitted only for full-time on-campus study. The department is committed to provide support (tuition and stipend) for all full-time doctoral students. Such support may come either as a research assistantship or a teaching assistantship. Students are also encouraged to apply for outside scholarships.

Advised study. Each doctoral student must at all times have a single advisor who is a tenured or tenure-track Stevens faculty member. The relationship between advisor and student is not merely an administrative one. Starting early in his/her career, the student will work on research projects to be determined by the advisor and student. Through this day-to-day interaction, the student will learn the form and content of high quality research. The student's advisor will also guide the student through the program, e.g., advising on such matters as which courses to take, when to attempt the qualifying exam, what dissertation topic to pursue, etc.

Advisor-advisee relationship. The department aims to admit only students whose background and interests match those of the faculty. Each admitted student will be assigned an advisor whose expertise is well matched to the student. It is hoped that most students will remain with their initial advisors throughout their career, performing research with him/her. However, the advisor-advisee relationship is a voluntary one. If either the student or the faculty member becomes dissatisfied with the relationship, then the student must seek another advisor among the faculty. A student can change advisors at any time provided that the student's new advisor is willing to accept the student.

Requirements. The Ph.D. degree requires 90 credits beyond the Bachelor's degree. Students who already possess a Master's degree may be granted up to 30 credits. The 90 credits may be fulfilled by some combination of: prior MS degree, enrollment in classroom courses, and enrollment in research participation (course CS 960). The division of a student's effort between classroom courses and research participation will vary from case to case, and is a decision that should be made by the student in consultation with and with the approval of the student's advisor. There is no minimum number of classroom courses for the doctorate.

Progress review. Each student's progress is reviewed by the entire computer science faculty near the end of the fall and spring semesters. Preparatory to this review, the student must submit a brief progress report describing the student's progress since the last review, as well as his/her plans for the time up to the next review. After drafting the report, the student must submit it to his/her advisor for approval. Once approved, the report must be submitted to the Computer Science department office.

Students who are doctoral "candidates" must also submit a second, separate, report to the Dean of Graduate Academics' office. The definition of the term "candidate" is left to each department, and the Computer Science department defines candidates to be students who have passed the qualifying exam, both written and oral parts. The report for the graduate dean must be submitted on a special form—the "Doctoral Activity Report," (DAR)—available at www.stevens.edu/registrar/forms/Doctoral_Activity.pdf. It is acceptable to write a single report and submit the DAR to the department, as well as to the graduate office.

The outcome of the progress review meeting is that a student is placed into one of three categories: good standing, probation, or terminated. A student in good standing is making satisfactory progress toward his/her degree, and is expected to follow through on the plans outlined in his/her progress report. A student on probation is making inadequate progress toward his/her degree. A student on probation will receive a letter from the faculty that explains what remedial actions he/she must take to return to good standing, and by what time each action must be taken. No student will be terminated without spending at least the preceding semester on probation.

Qualifying Exam. Each student must pass the qualifying exam early in his/her career. The exam has two purposes: to certify that the student is broadly educated in key areas of computer science and to demonstrate that the student has become acquainted with the process of performing original research.

Accordingly, the qualifying exam has two parts, written and oral. The written portion of the qualifying exam tests the student's knowledge of fundamental computer science at an elementary level, akin to that achieved in a Bachelor's program. The written exam tests three subjects: algorithms, programming languages, and operating systems. A student must pass all three subjects in order to pass the written exam. The exam is offered near the end of fall and spring semesters, timed so that grades are available at the progress review meeting. A student may take the written exam at most twice. Any subjects passed the first time need not be taken the second time. The written exam should be taken during the student's first two semesters in the program. The written exam must be completely passed during the student's first four semesters in the program.

The purpose of the oral portion of the qualifying exam is for the student to demonstrate promise in doing independent original research. The student will perform some work as specified by, and under the supervision of, his/her advisor. Ideally, this work would consist of the actual production of publishable research results; however, depending on circumstances, it may be more appropriate for the student to perform some type of pre-research work. The student will write a report detailing his/her effort and accomplishments. The student will give a public, announced talk detailing his/her effort and accomplishments. The paper will be read, and the talk attended, by the student's advisor and two other pre-selected regular Stevens faculty members. These three faculty will decide whether the student has passed the oral exam. In style, the report and the talk must be similar to research presentations given by experienced researchers. If either the report or the talk is judged to be inadequate in either content or presentation, this fact will be taken into account during the faculty's evaluation of the student that semester. The student may be terminated, placed on probation, required to prepare a new report or talk, perform further research, or some other remedial action(s).

The oral qualifying exam must be passed no more than 12 months after passage of the written qualifying exam, or by the end of student's 5th semester in the program, whichever is earlier.

Thesis proposal. To demonstrate that he/she is ready to undertake dissertation research, the student must write and present a thesis proposal. The written document must describe the proposed research so that an appropriately informed computer scientist—although not necessarily someone who is an expert in the topic—can understand the proposal. The written proposal should contain an explanation of the problem and why it is important, a sketch of the proposed solution, and background information that serves to indicate that the problem is unsolved and what prior or related approaches to this or similar problems have already been investigated. After writing the document, the student must make a public presentation of the proposed work. The document must be read—and the presentation should be attended—by the persons who are expected to form the student's dissertation defense committee. The presentation must allow reasonable time for appropriate questions by any person in attendance. After the presentation, the dissertation committee will decide whether the student's proposal indicates that he/she is ready to do the proposed work successfully.

If the proposal is judged to be inadequate in either content or presentation, this fact will be taken into account during the faculty's evaluation of the student that semester. The student may be terminated, placed on probation, required to prepare a new talk, perform further research, or some other remedial action(s).

Dissertation defense. The department follows the Stevens-wide procedures for the dissertation defense, including committee composition.

Required rate of progress. Stevens imposes certain deadlines on the student:

• Students who have a Master's degree must complete the doctoral degree within six years.
• The thesis proposal must be presented at least 12 months before the degree is awarded.
• It is "recommended" that the qualifying exam be attempted no more than one year after entry to the program or after receipt of the master's degree, whichever comes first.
• In addition, a certain rate of progress through the program is typical and expected:
  • The written qualifying exam should be attempted in the first two semesters.
  • The written qualifying exam must be passed by the end of the fourth semester.
  • The oral qualifying exam must be passed by the end of the fifth semester (or no more than 12 months after passage of the written exam, whichever is earlier).
  • The thesis proposal should be presented by the end of the sixth semester.
  • These are only guidelines: meeting all these targets does not necessarily constitute satisfactory progress, nor does failing to meet any necessarily constitute unsatisfactory progress.

Leave. It is expected that students, once enrolled in the doctoral program, will remain enrolled full-time without interruption until graduation. However, sometimes it is necessary for a student to take a leave for a reason, such as personal difficulty, health, etc. If such a situation arises, the student must petition the faculty in writing for a leave, which, if granted, will last for one semester. To extend the leave, a new petition must be filed. Neither indefinite leave nor excessive repetition of leave is permitted. While the student is on leave, any time limit he/she faces (e.g., completing the qualifying exam within two years) is suspended for the length of the leave.

Exceptions. The faculty reserve the right to make exceptions to any of the rules and procedures described above in order to promote and preserve the health of the doctoral program and to ensure each student's prompt and effective progress through the program.