About the course

A student pursuing the Ph.D. degree is expected to exhibit a comprehensive knowledge of a broad cross section of the computer science discipline and to contribute significant new knowledge to the discipline through the research contribution contained in the doctoral dissertation. A PhD student must complete a minimum of 90 credits of graduate study, of which at least 27 must derive from graded courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The PhD program is intended to be completed in about five years from entering the graduate program with a BS degree in Computer Science or a related field, or about four years if the student already has an MS degree in Computer Science or a related field. Scholarships - View all scholarships Internships

　　

Start dates and prices

Course fees are indicative and should be used as a guide. Speak to a counsellor to get an accurate price.

　　Duration: 10 Semester(s)Fees: Not available

Intake	Location
Spring (January), 2024	Blacksburg
Fall (August), 2024	Blacksburg
Fall (September), 2024	Blacksburg
Spring (January), 2025	Blacksburg
Fall (September), 2025	Blacksburg
Spring (January), 2026	Blacksburg

　　

How to apply

Entry requirements for Virginia Tech

Our primary admissions criterion is our expectation regarding your ability to have a productive career as a research-track graduate student. We base this assessment on the academic record, proficiency in English speaking and writing, letters of recommendation, research experiences such as independent study projects, and prior internship/work experience. All of these are imperfect indicators of the real trait that we are interested in assessing, namely ability to succeed in research. If you have direct evidence, such as research publications in competitive conferences, or if your letter writers can speak to these abilities, that is considered more valuable than any score cutoffs.

　　Our department accepts students from a variety of backgrounds besides computer science, such as mathematics, many branches of engineering, physics, biology, and many art disciplines. We require a background equivalent to two years of undergraduate training in Computer Science, including at least:

　　an introductory course on programming and beginning data structures (typically referred to as CS2),

　　a sophomore or junior-level course in data structures (i.e., something that goes beyond the data structures content normally expected from a standard CS2 course), and

　　a course in operating systems.

　　Graduate School online application form, including the CS applicant information which is part of that form.

　　Non-refundable application fee.

　　Three letters of recommendation. These should be sent electronically using the on-line form to ensure that the letters are correctly matched to your application.

　　Official GRE scores from ETS. The general exam is required.

　　Official TOEFL scores from ETS for international students whose native language is not English and who have not earned a bachelor or master's degree from an anglophone univerisity (American, Canadian, British, or Australian). Departmental minimum scores are 550 (paper), 213 (computer), and 90 (internet).

　　Copy of transcripts of your undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) studies. You must upload a scanned copy of your official transcripts at the time you apply for admissions. If you are admitted to Virginia Tech, you must provide an official paper copy of your transcripts when you come to campus.

　　

English language requirements

　　6.5

　　Overall IELTS band score

　　Book IELTS

　　About IELTS

　　Practice and prepare

　　TOEFL Internet based overall score: 90.0

　　

Application deadline:

This date isn’t available – speak to an IDP counsellor to get detailed information.

　　

Further information

Career outcomesIf you aren’t eligible for the above entry requirements, you might want to explore pathway options at Virginia Tech. If you want to find out more, please speak to our counsellors.

　　Pathway options to study at this institution

　　

Reviews and rankings

World ranking

　　251st / 1250

　　THE World ranking

　　

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