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CS Graduate Orientation August 22, 2006 Slides from today are available at

Welcome. CS Graduate Orientation August 22, 2006 Slides from today are available at http://www.cs.rpi.edu/admissions/ grad/orientation06f/. Agenda, p. 1. Introductions Degree Requirements, Administrative Information -Terry Hayden GCC Chair’s Welcome – Boleslaw Szymanski

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CS Graduate Orientation August 22, 2006 Slides from today are available at

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  1. Welcome CS Graduate Orientation August 22, 2006 Slides from today are available at http://www.cs.rpi.edu/admissions/ grad/orientation06f/

  2. Agenda, p. 1 • Introductions • Degree Requirements, Administrative Information -Terry Hayden • GCC Chair’s Welcome – Boleslaw Szymanski • Computer Systems – Jon Chen • Break

  3. Agenda, p. 2 • Research PresentationsWorldwide Computing – C. VarelaWireless Sensor Networks - B. SzymanskiConcepts in Software Engineering - D. MusserVision, Graphics, and Robotics Research – V. IslerBarb Cutler • Peer advisor meetings • Pizza

  4. Introductions • Where are you from? (country, school, job, etc.) • Are you here for MS or PhD? • What is your intended research area? • Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?

  5. People: Students • 23 new students • About 100 total CS students • About 85% are PhD students. • 16 female • Students from about 20 countries. • Highest numbers from US, China, India, Turkey.

  6. Life as a grad student • Take initiative • Involvement in department life • Exceptions to rules

  7. People: Administrative Staff • http://www.cs.rpi.edu/people/staff.html • Terry Hayden, Manager of Student Affairs • Bob Ingalls, Executive Officer • Chris Coonrad, Lally, Dept Secretary • Shannon Carrothers, MRC, grad. adm. • Pam Paslow, Amos Eaton, payroll • Jacky Carley, Assistant to Chair

  8. People: Labstaff • Jon Chen • David Cross • Steven Lindsey

  9. People: Advisors • Role of advisor • Research advisor vs. CS advisor • If you want to change advisors, talk to the advisor you want to switch to. If he/she agrees to the change, let me know and I’ll make the change. You should also inform your original advisor about the switch.

  10. People: Faculty • http://www.cs.rpi.edu/people/faculty.html • Jeffrey Trinkle, Chair • Mark Goldberg, Interim Graduate Advisor • Boleslaw Szymanski, Chair, GCC • Graduate students often call faculty by their first names, but if in doubt, faculty can be addressed as Professor [last name]

  11. PhD Requirements • Emphasis is on milestones (exams) and research rather than specific course requirements. • Requires 45-60 course credits and 30-45 research credits. • If you have MS already, requires 15-30 course credits and 30-45 research credits. • 2 public talks

  12. PhD Tracks • Most students are in the general CS program, but there are also tracks for Computational Molecular Biology and Computational Science and Engineering. • The qualifying exam courses are different for the different tracks. • There are no required courses for the general PhD program, but there are some for the tracks.

  13. PhD Qualifying Exam • The PhD qualifying exam must be passed by the end of the first year. • The five components of the exam, based on the content of five courses, are taken separately. • You may pass the each component by course or by oral. • You have two chances at each component.

  14. Qualifying Exam Courses • CSCI-4020 Computer Algorithms • CSCI-4250 Computer Architecture • CSCI-4430 Programming Languages • CSCI-6050 Computability and Complexity • CSCI-6140 Operating Systems

  15. Qualifying Exams: Taking the courses • Must get final grade of A and meet additional criteria defined by instructor. • You may not take the course twice as a grad student. (May take as grad if you have taken previously as undergrad)

  16. Oral qualifying exams • Offered at start of Fall & Spring semesters. • You will meet with 3 faculty examiners. • You will be asked one or several questions from a list available in advance. • Password to view questions online: 5components • Some components give you time to prepare after you are told the questions; others don’t.

  17. Other PhD milestones • End of second year: research qualifying exam • End of third year: candidacy exam • End of everything: defense

  18. MS Requirements • CSCI-4210 Operating Systems • CSCI-6050 Computability and Complexity • 2 systems courses • 1 course each in theory and applications • 6 credit thesis • 30 credits total

  19. How many credits to take • TAs must take at least 9 credits. • Others must take at least 12 credits to maintain full-time status. • Flat rate tuition allows up to 15 credits, but RAships only pay for 12 credits. • You can use research credits to take more credits without taking more classes.

  20. What to take • Most new PhD students will take:CSCI-4250 Computer ArchitectureCSCI-6050 Computability and ComplexityCSCI-6140 Computer Operating Systems • MS students may want to takeCSCI-4210 Operating Systems CSCI-6050 Computability and Complexitya breadth course • You might also take a few research credits

  21. Registration issues • If you can’t register for a class because it is full, contact the professor and/or go to class the first day to find out if you can get it in anyway. • If you register for an independent study, you must fill out the corresponding form, otherwise your registration will be dropped.

  22. Research Credits • Research credits are graded IP (in progress) until you submit your thesis, so it’s more important that you finish your thesis eventually than that the amount of work done in a semester corresponds to the number of research credits taken. • You need 30-45 credits of CSCI-9990 to get a PhD. • You need 6 credits of CSCI-6990 to get an MS.

  23. Maintaining your status • If you enter as full-time, you can’t change to part-time when you have few credits left. Instead, you must take as many credits as needed to attain full-time status. • You can’t just not register for a semester. If you aren’t going to be taking any credits, you need to have some status such as in absentia, on leave, etc.

  24. Semiannual review of students • Graduate students are reviewed at the end of each semester. • You will need to fill out an online form to report your progress. • You will receive a letter about how you are doing and expectations for the coming semester.

  25. Plan of Study • In your packet, available online too. • Certifies department approval of your courses and research credits. • Can re-do as often as needed if you change your plans. • Could do once near beginning and once near end. • Credits must total 90 for PhD or 30 for MS. • Signed by you, advisor, and Terry Hayden.

  26. If you are getting aid • Please register ASAP if on payroll • International studentsSee Judy Sawyer Call x2385.Bring Passport. • Domestic studentsSee Pam Paslow in AE 123B, 7:00am 2:30pm M-F.Bring photo ID and social security card. • Pick up check in Academy Hall every other Friday or get direct deposit (see Pam Paslow).

  27. International TAs • If you are required to do microteaching tomorrow, make sure you got the e-mail about the schedule change, or see Terry for more information.

  28. If you are not getting aid • TA waiting list

  29. Places • Rest rooms in Lally • Amos Eaton, Lally and MRC buildings. • Dept. office, faculty/staff mailboxes • Student mailboxes, lounge • Conference rooms, kitchenettes • Department library

  30. Student offices, p. 1 • You will share an office with others in your research group. (see blue form in packet) • If your research advisor is in a different department, your advisor should provide space there. If not, contact Terry Hayden to see if you can get space in CS. • Use AE 217 for TA office hours.

  31. Student offices, p. 2 • Talk with your officemates about sharing space, who sits at which desk. • Make your office nice. Check with Chris Coonrad, Pam Paslow, Shannon Carrothers, Bob Ingalls, or Terry Hayden if your office needs anything.

  32. Student offices, p. 3 • Check with all your officemates, and if you find things that belong to none of the occupants, throw them away. Or if you think someone may want them, check with Terry Hayden. • When you move out, be courteous to future occupants and remove your stuff.

  33. Keys, Part 1 • Key rings available • Staff have master keys • You have no keys in packet if you got them before • Everyone else has: • KA48 lab, lounge, coffee room, xerox • 1B59 Amos Eaton building

  34. Keys, Part 2 • Most people also have an office key • If your office is in Lally, you also have MOA25 for Lally building • If your office is in MRC, you will have card access to the building and MG15 for conference room. • If your advisor is outside CS, get office assignment and key through advisor

  35. To do • Fill out yellow form with your local address, phone number, etc. • Fill out evaluation form • Return these forms to Terry Hayden during break, end of session, or another day. • Get your photo taken at the mixer or stop by Bob Ingalls’ office.

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