1. Typical PhD progression Take courses Pass PhD preliminary exam (written) Find thesis topic Pass PhD proposal exam (oral) Complete thesis Pass PhD defense (oral) All About the PhD Preliminary Exam

2. What is the PhD Preliminary Exam? a 6 hour closed book exam, given over 3 days in late January tests breadth of knowledge in core computer science must be passed to earn a PhD; proposal exam cannot be taken until the preliminary exam has been passed Information sources on the prelims found in: http://www.cis.udel.edu/graduate/ PhD Preliminary Exam Format PhD Preliminary Exam Reading List Previous Preliminary Exam Questions (1997 thru 2007) What is the Preliminary Exam?

3. Area 1: Systems (Day 1) Subarea Computer Architecture: Relevant Courses CISC 662 Subarea Operating Systems: Relevant Courses CISC 663 Subarea Networks: Relevant Course CISC 650 Area 2: Software (Day 2) Subarea Computer Graphics: Relevant Course CISC 640 Subarea Compilers: Relevant Courses CISC 672 Subarea Artificial Intelligence: Relevant Course CISC 681 Area 3: Theory (Day 3) Subarea Design and Analysis of Algorithms: Relevant Courses CISC 621 Subarea Theory of Computation: Relevant Course CISC 601 Subarea Logic in Computer Science: Relevant Course CISC 604 PhD Preliminary Exam Format

4. Area 1: Systems (Day 1) Subarea Computer Architecture: Relevant Courses CISC 662 Subarea Operating Systems: Relevant Courses CISC 663 Subarea Networks: Relevant Course CISC 650 Subareas may change from year to year, but rarely do. Each subarea exam contains four problems. Students answer 2 questions from each of 2 preselected subareas. Each problem is intended to take about 1/2 hour. Codes are used to make answers anonymous to the faculty graders Each problem is graded by 2 faculty Conditional passes are not uncommon (e.g. retake & pass Area 3 next year) A student may attempt the prelims at most 2 times PhD Preliminary Exam Format cont’d

5. Email from the CIS Graduate Committee inviting applications Due roughly in early December Application contains: The 2 subareas you select in each Area Describe: research experiences (+ publications) dissertation area(s) of interest potential research advisor(s) -- go talk with them beforehand! Questions to CIS Graduate Committee: cisgpc@cis.udel.edu How to Apply for the “Prelims”

6. Prelims Panelists James Atlas Dan Blanchard Emily Gibson Peng Wu