Research Committees

Master's Degree Committee
By the end of the first semester of study, the student should formulate a plan of research and identify members of the Master's Degree Committee. The student should present a written proposal in the form of a letter to the Graduate Officer (via the graduate secretary) of the department. This letter should include the names of faculty willing to serve on the committee; should clearly identify the chairperson of the committee; and the supervisor of the research, if other than the chairperson. The letter should specify whether the student is seeking an M.Engr. degree with a technical paper, or whether he/she is seeking an M.S. degree with the thesis requirement. The research proposal should consist of the following:

i) Proposed title
ii) Summary of the investigation proposed
iii) A timetable for completion of the work

The committee chairperson or co-chairperson must be a member of the graduate faculty of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. A second member of the committee must be a member of the graduate faculty of the CSE department as well. A committee must consist of at least two members. There may be additional members, including a co-chairperson, who are members of the graduate faculty at large. It is understood that the proposal is preliminary and modifications to the research plan will occur. If significant deviations occur, an addendum should be filed with the Graduate Officer (via the graduate secretary).

a) M.S. Thesis
The work need not necessarily be an in-depth investigation to extend the state of the art in some specialty area. However, mere application of some existing theory or technology is generally not sufficient. A public thesis defense is required.

b) M.Engr. Paper
The paper should be an investigation of some specialty area of computer science and engineering. A novel application of some existing theory or technology is sufficient. With committee approval, a published paper may also meet the requirement. The work must be accomplished while the student is enrolled in the M.Eng. program at Penn State (not prior to that enrollment). A public presentation of the M.Eng. paper is required.

Ph.D. Committee
During the semester in which a student is admitted to candidacy, he/she is expected to form the doctoral committee, which will consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty of the CSE department and one graduate faculty member from outside the department. The chairperson or a co-chairperson must be a member of the CSE department. Either the chairperson or co-chairperson will be the primary research consultant.

The student requests the appointment of their committee by obtaining the signature of each graduate faculty member on the Committee Appointment Signature form (available from the graduate secretary) and returning it to the graduate secretary for submission to the Graduate Enrollment Services office, and submitting in letter form to the Graduate Officer (via the graduate secretary), the following:

i) Proposed title of dissertation
ii) An appropriately worded summary of the investigation for the dissertation
iii) The name of the proposed doctoral committee members and the role each member will play

It is understood that the proposal is preliminary and that modifications will occur. If significant modifications do occur, the Graduate Officer should be notified (via the graduate secretary). A public thesis defense is required.