Faculty of Science

Objectives

To assess the breadth and depth of knowledge, understanding and skills a student has in order to embark on a PhD research in Computer Science.

Contents

The student is examined, on a predefined syllabus, in order to establish breadth of knowledge, understanding and skills, typically at the intellectual level of final year Computer Science Major or introductory postgraduate computer science courses, as well as to establish reasonable depth in his/her chosen area(s) of research. The multi-part evaluation shall cover these facets of Computer Science: Theoretical Computer Science, Systems (e.g., database Systems), applications (e.g., Artificial Intelligence), and practical hardware/software or systems development skills usual to Computer Science. Exceptionally, an application domain wholly outside Computer Science (e.g., Geography, Biology) may be considered as a part – not the whole – of the student's applications area. The practical development skills requirement typically asserts aspects of practical, industry, technology and/or engineering skills used in Computer Science. The syllabus itself usually overlaps with material and skills from prior credits earned and a circumscribed area for research. The partitioning of the above evaluation should thus capture the formal (Mathematical), Science, Engineering & Technology and, where applicable, the Social Science aspects of Computer Science. Participation in activities counting towards this course starts at least a semester before the one the student is evaluated in.