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Student Background
Students in the Ph.D. program in Computation, Organization and Society
(COS) are expected to come from industry, government or directly from
undergraduate programs. Students must have an undergraduate and/or master
level degree in any of the following areas: computer science,
computational social science, physics, information science/technology,
biology, mathematics, or a mathematical/computational government or
policy program. In other words, students are expected to already have
had a solid exposure to computation and math/science. Students apply
to the program because of their desire to do research at the confluence
of computer science, management, social science, law and/or policy.
Students are expected to generally be pioneers who are unsatisfied with
traditional degree programs and have strong interest in interdisciplinary
resarch incorporating vigorous computational approaches.
Prerequisites
Students come from disparate backgrounds, thus depending on the background,
a student may have to take additional courses to gain competency sufficient
to enroll in star courses. Particular attention is paid to programming
and data structures.
The general prerequisites are as follows:
- Evidence of proficiency in computer science at an undergraduate
level with emphasis on software or hardware systems.
- Evidence of intellectual ability to succeed in a rigorous, high-quality
doctoral program, primarily demonstrated through transcripts and standardized
test scores (such as GREs).
- Intense desire to explore the computational problems within a complex
real-world system of people, organizations, and policies. This should
be demonstrated by your statement of purpose, practical experience,
background and/or real-world experience.
Careers
Students are funded through grants and contracts to the individual faculty who serves as the student's advisor. A few students are self funded. The COS PhD program is committed to providing full tuition and stipend support for the academic year, for each full-time COS Ph.D.
student, for a period of 5 years. Research opportunities are constrained by funding availability. In most cases, the student's advisor also covers summer stipend from grants and contracts. The program's funding commitment assumes that the student is making satisfactory progress, as reported to the student at the end of each academic term. In general, no funding is available for summer tuition. Students are encouraged to compete for outside fellowships and other sources of financial support.
COS will supplement these outside awards in order to fulfill its obligations for tuition and stipend support - through research grants.
If these outside awards are less than full tuition and stipend, efforts will be made to supplement these awards through either an research or teaching assistantship.
Funding and Stipends
The COS PhD program is committed to providing full tuition and
stipend support for the academic year, for each full-time COS Ph.D. student,
for a period of 5 years. Research opportunities are constrained by funding
availability. The program’s funding commitment assumes that the
student is making satisfactory progress, as reported to the student at
the end of each academic term. Students are strongly encouraged to compete
for outside fellowships and other sources of financial support. COS will
supplement these outside awards in order to fulfill its obligations for
tuition and stipend support - through research grants. If these outside awards are less than full tuition and stipend, efforts will be made to supplement these awards through either an research or teaching assistantship.
- FELLOWSHIP INFORMATION -NOW AVAILABLE!
- 1. DoD fellowships- known as "NDSEG" (National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate fellowship). More details can be found [Here]
- 2. NASA fellowships- it's up to the grad student to work with the department's admin to write a proposal. More information available [Here]
- 3. Department of Energy has a fellowship, too. It's run through "Krell Institute". More information available [Here]
- 4. At the University level there is "FRAC" which is the Fellowship Resource & Advicing Center. Contact information for the FRAC staff can be found [Here]
- Barbara Lazarus - Women@IT Fellowships
Advising
Each student will be assigned an advisor from the day he or she
enters the program. Assignments will be based on preferences indicated
by both students and faculty, taking into account available funding. Overall
progress will be reviewed by the Program faculty at the end of each semester.
How to Apply
Please make applications to the Ph.D. program in Computation,
Organizations and Society (COS) through the regular admissions process
at the School of Computer Science (SCS). Read the following instructions
carefully and make certain that you have met all requirements before
you submit your application.
Admissions are made once a year in February.
Complete the Ph.D.
application form.
You may print it and fill out the hardcopy. The form should be typed
or clearly printed. If you need more space for your answers, attach
additional sheets of paper.
Write Ph.D. in Computation, Organizations and Society
on the form!
Click
here for general SCS application form.
Check the box on the form for Ph.D. in Computation, Organizations
and Society. If no such box is present on the form, write Ph.D.
in Computation, Organizations and Society on the form. Make
it clear your application is to be considered for the Ph.D. Program
in COS.
- Prepare a Statement of Purpose. Type or print neatly a concise
one- or two-page statement in the following format:
Part I. Briefly state your primary interest of study within computation,
organizations and society. Be as specific as possible in describing
your interests.
Part II. State your objective in pursuing a Ph.D. and why you
are applying to Carnegie Mellon. Explain how your objective requires
studies in computation, organization and society and is not realizable
by other Ph.D. programs.
Part III. Describe your background as it relates to your objective.
List any relevant industrial, organizational, governmental or commercial
experience, and describe how these past experiences prepare you
for the Ph.D. program in COS.
Part IV. Include any additional information you wish to supply
to the admissions committee.
- Enclose your current resume.
Include a summary of your research experience and/or practical experience,
and a list of publications, if any. Include copies of any publications
(in English only) that you may have.
- Submit transcripts.
Have official transcripts submitted directly to SCS from all undergraduate
or graduate training.
- Request three letters of recommendation.
Recommendations should be completed by people who know you and your
work. Recommendation forms should be sent directly to SCS by the
people who complete them. You are permitted to include the letter
of recommendation with your application if they are in sealed envelopes
with the recommender's signature over the seal.
Click
here for the recommendation form.
- Take the Graduate Record Examination
The GRE general (or aptitude) test is required, but upon special
request, GMAT scores may be used instead of GRE scores. A request
to substitute GMAT scores for GRE scores must be made in writing,
along with an explanation as to why the GMAT scores are more appropriate
to your objectives and background. Include this request in your
application packet upon submission. If you have additional questions
concerning the ability to substitute GMAT scores, send email to cos-phd@cs.cmu.edu.
The GRE computer science subject test is not required, although
your application may become stronger by including it.
Have your standardized scores sent to SCS (Institution Code: 2074,
Department Code: 0402). Applications will not be processed without
current GRE (or GMAT) scores. Be sure to report your scores informally,
on the application, as well as through the Educational Testing
Service. To ensure that the GRE scores reach us in time, the GRE
must be taken by December.
- Take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Non-native speakers of English should take the TOEFL examination
and have the scores sent directly to SCS (Institution Code: 2074,
Department Code: 78). Scores should also be reported informally
on the application.
Minimum Acceptable TOEFL Score:
- 18 - Reading
- 18 - Listening
- 16 - Speaking (19 Strongly Preferred)
- 16 - Writing
- Mail all materials, including application fee, to:
Martha Clarke, Admissions Coordinator
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3891
USA
The application
fee is $75 for one program and and $50 for each additional program.
- It is your responsibility to make certain that all items listed
above and any additional materials not included with your application
reach the Admissions Committee by January 3rd, 2007.
Frequently asked Questions
- What address should I use when sending overnight or express packages?
Martha Clarke, Admissions Coordinator
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3891
USA
- May I send GMAT scores instead of GRE?
The GRE general (or aptitude) test is required, but upon special request,
GMAT scores may be used instead of GRE scores. A request to substitute
GMAT scores for GRE scores must be made in writing, along with an
explanation as to why the GMAT scores are more appropriate to your
objectives and background. This should be included in your application.
The GRE computer science subject test is not required, although your
application may become stronger by including it.
- Do I have to take a GRE Subject test?
The GRE computer science subject test is not required, though it is
recommended and may improve your chances of being accepted.
- Am I permitted to send the transcripts and recommendation letters
along with my application?
Yes, you may send transcripts with the application. You are also permitted
to include the letters of recommendation with your application provided
they are in sealed envelopes with the recommender's signature over
the seal.
- Should I apply?
The decision to accept a student is complicated and the applications
are looked at as a whole package with research experience and recommendation
letters bearing on the decision to accept a student along with test
scores and transcripts.
While the Ph.D. Program in COS is a new program, we expect our
accepted students will all have a GPA of 3.85 or higher and their
GRE scores will generally be 750 and above for Analytical and Quantitative.
For foreign students we would like to see a TOEFL score of 620 or
above to make sure the student will be able to communicate with
faculty and students. With this information in mind you can make
your decision of whether to apply.
- What about Financial Aid?
Ph.D. students in COS receive full tuition and a monthly living expense
stipend.
- What kind of knowledge are incoming students expected to have?
The general prerequisites for incoming students are:
- Evidence of proficiency in computer science at an undergraduate
level with emphasis on software or hardware systems.
- Evidence of intellectual ability to succeed in a rigorous, high-quality
doctoral program, primarily demonstrated through transcripts and
standardized test scores (such as GREs).
- Intense desire to explore the computational problems within
a complex real-world system of people, organizations, and policies.
This should be demonstrated by your statement of purpose, practical
experience, background and/or real-world experience.
- What kind of background did the early admitted students have?
Students who have already been admitted to the inaugural class of
the Ph.D. program in COS, through a one-time, early admissions process,
have the following backgrounds:
- biology
- business management
- computer science
- economics
- information systems
- physics
- policy
- statistics
- computational sociology
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