A Quick Guide to the Graduate Comprehensive Examination in Computer Science

(Effective Fall 1998)

Florida Institute of Technology

This document: http://www.cs.fit.edu/~pkc/dept/comps-guide.html
More details: http://www.cs.fit.edu/~wds/comps/policy/policy.html

Introduction

The graduate comprehensive examination in computer science has two parts:
  1. Broad foundation knowledge (breadth): taken by MS-CIS, non-thesis MS-CS, and PhD students.
  2. Detail background knowledge (depth): taken by PhD students only.

Part 1 (MS-CIS, non-thesis MS-CS, and PhD Students)

Part 1 (breadth) is a written exam that evaluates the student's broad foundation knowledge of computer science. Each student needs to obtain a pass in a specific number of different areas according to the following table:

Degree Program # of Areas Areas
MS-CIS 3 Data Structures and Algorithms,
one area from the Systems category,
and one area from the Software category
MS-CS 4 one area from each of the four categories
PhD 8 two areas from each of the four categories

The four categories are Theory, Systems, Software, and Applied Software as shown in the table below. The materials covered by an area roughly correspond to the indicated course and are described in study guides (click on the areas in the table). Students should follow the study guides in preparation for the exams.

Area Course number (New/Old)
Data Structures and Alogrithms (MS-CIS only) 5100/5020
Theory Category
Analysis of Algorithms 5210/5081
Formal Languages and Automata 5211/5083
Discrete Mathematics MTH 5051
Systems Category
Computer Architecture 5220/5030
Operating Systems 5230/5045
Computer Networks 5231/5145 or ECE 5534
Software Category
Programming Languages 5250/5040
Compilers 5251/5120
Software Engineering 5270/5035
Applied Software Category
Database Systems 5260/5025
Computer Graphics 5280/5255
Artificial Intelligence 5290/5371

The exam is offered every regular semester. Each exam in an area lasts an hour. The exams can be retaken in accordance with Graduate School Policy.


Part 2 (PhD Students Only)

Part 2 (depth) evaluates the student's background knowledge for dissertation research. In this exam we focus on these two areas of knowledge:
  1. Related work in the student's research interests (so that the student will not "reinvent the wheel")
  2. Techniques that support the student's research (so that the student is competent in using the techniques for research)
The format and content are determined by the student's doctoral committee. Possible formats are:
  1. Written exam on related work and supporting techniques (additional oral exam needs Graduate School notification for opening it to the Graduate Faculty)
  2. Critical survey paper on related work and supporting techniques (helps thesis writing later on; like a take-home exam) (presentation/oral exam needs Graduate School notification for opening it to the Graduate Faculty)


Philip Chan, pkc@cs.fit.edu
Last modified: Wed Aug 19 13:47:48 EST 1998