Recognized Research Doctorates

The following information is extracted from a report from the U.S. Department of Education:

“The best-known research doctorate title awarded in the United States is the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). However, there are a number of other doctoral titles that enjoy the same status and represent variants of the Ph.D. within certain fields. All of them have similar content requirements.”

“The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) recognizes the following degrees as equivalent to the Ph.D.:

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Why Consider the Doctor Of Professional Studies in Computing?

• Enhance effectiveness as an information technology professional
• Implement new knowledge and skills immediately
• Pursue applied research
• Evaluate, create, develop and implement contemporary solutions to an organization's computing and information technology needs
• Conceptualize and create new products

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Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing Versus Other Programs?

• Advance the practice of computing through applied research and development
• Integrate computing and professional cultures
• Participate in doctoral study while maintaining a professional career
• Enter as a class of about 20 students, and graduate as a class in 3 or 4 years
• Enthusiastic and dedicated faculty committed to the student’s successful and timely completion

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Who Should Apply?

• Can devote frequent and substantial time to doctoral study
• Have an independent learning style
• Are self-motivated and self-disciplined
• Seek part-time doctoral education while full-time employed information technology professionals
• Cannot attend regularly scheduled classes

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What Are Requirements for Admission?

• Master's degree in computing/information technology, or master’s degree in a closely related field and very strong technical professional computing experience
• Generally 5 or more years of advanced professional information technology experience
• Strong performance in a graduate admissions test (GRE preferred, GMAT acceptable)
• Demonstrated ability to learn in both a formal academic environment and through independent study

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What Is the Necessary Commitment for the Student and the Employer?

• 15 - 20 hours of study per week in addition to the on-campus weekends
• Support and understanding of the employer will facilitate student’s ability to devote the necessary time and effort
• Program of study be of high priority among personal and professional commitments
• Dissertation research may be more meaningful if it were related to an area of the student's current or future professional endeavors

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What Is the Educational Mission of Doctor of Professional Studies in Computing?

• To discover and investigate the frontiers of information technology employing the emerging technologies of systems, software engineering, software design and implementation, and networking in a distributed architecture accessible via the internet
• To develop professionals who are aware of the current state-of-the-practice and who will be able to advance the state-of-the practice
• To expand and enrich the knowledge base
• To conceptualize and enhance the student’s experience
• To extend and sharpen the student’s skills
• To promote creativity

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What Is the Nature of the Program?

• Breadth across applied computer science, information systems, software engineering, telecommunications, and emerging information technologies, as well as depth through applied research and development
• Intensive, 48-credit post-master's degree program that can be completed through part-time study in 3 or 4 years with a minimal disruption of work, including the completion of the dissertation
• Integrated preparation for the dissertation research with close and continuous interaction with the faculty
• Integration of monthly on-campus weekend meetings with remote interaction via internet technologies
• Students have a wide range of professional expertise in computing and information technology
• Interaction with other students is an important component of the learning experience
• Integrative core provides a holistic understanding of computing as a coherent discipline and the environments in which computer-based systems operate
• Proceed through the curriculum as a class
• The integration of academic and professional aspects of computing
• The dissertation committee ideally will be composed of two faculty members and one industry member
• While not a requirement, dissertation research may be more meaningful if it were related to an area of current or future professional endeavor

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Curriculum Structure

• First year integrated core curriculum is project-based
• Second year consists of elective study in areas that support the projected dissertation research
• Third year involves the dissertation research

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Degree Requirements

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Core Curriculum Course Descriptions

Software Design and Implementation
DCS 801, 802, 803 - (2 credits each)

1. Cutting-edge software design and implementation methodologies
2. Design patterns
3. Unified Modeling Language (UML)
4. Object-oriented development and Java
5. Overall environment in which software is built and used
6. GUI programming, Java applets
7. Ethics, human factors, security and privacy issues
8. Persistence, concurrency, tools, component software
9. Client server computing, networks and distributed applications
10. Significant software development project in conjunction with DCS 821, 822, 823

Systems Development - Analysis, Design, Engineering
DCS 821, 822, 823 - (2 credits each)

1. Tool-rich development environments
2. Team software development process
3. Software engineering problems of scale, cost, schedule, quality and consistency
4. Analysis patterns and generic models
5. Structured analysis – process model, data flow diagrams
6. Object-oriented analysis
7. Design patterns
8. Structured design – coupling, cohesion, structure charts
9. Object-oriented design
10. Organizational patterns
11. Software process – processes, projects, process improvement
12. Project management; risk analysis
13. Software process assessment – capability maturity model (CMM), ISO 9001

.Data Communications, Networking, Internet Applications
DCS 833, 834, 835 (2 credits each)

1. Models of communications and layered architectures
2. Signals and transmission capacity
3. Digital voice and video
4. Link protocols and error control
5. Planning and management of network facilities
6. Issues and techniques for computer networking
7. Internetworking via TCP/IP, and the internet
8. Design and implementation of web-based applications
9. Current and emerging Internet services and protocols
10. Domain Name System, FTP, and SNMP
11. Security and e-commerce
12. Multicasting, multimedia, quality of service (QOS) protocols and internet telephony

Research Seminar Sequence
DCS 891A, B, C, D, E, F (1 credit each)

1. Introduce methods and styles of computing research
2. Study selected computing research documents
3. Identify new computing research problems
4. Formulate research proposals
5. Preparation for dissertation research

Advanced Elective Sequence.

Topics in Computing and Information Technology
DCS 860, DCS 861 (6 credits each)

• These courses consist of topics of current interest to students. Cutting edge issues and emerging information technology areas will be explored. Students will register for two or three topics per semester.
• Suggested topics include:
  • Small computing devices – pen computing and handwriting recognition, speech recognition techniques and applications
  • Data security – cryptography, intrusion detection, corporate vital defense strategy
  • Internet and high-volume web serving technologies
  • Data mining and data warehousing
  • Emerging e-commerce/e-business issues
  • Emerging telecommunication technologies

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What Is the Nature of the Dissertation?

• Distinguishes the doctorate from other graduate degrees
• 25% of the credit hours
• Process actually begins in the first semester of study as part of the Research Seminar sequence that continues throughout the first two years
• Select an appropriate topic with the help and guidance of an advisor
• Register for dissertation research in the third year of study
• Dissertation is an original, rigorous, independent applied research product that may
  • Advance knowledge
  • Improve professional practice
  • Contribute to the understanding of computing
  • Be a disciplined and systematic inquiry for the purpose of discovery, establishing or extending the field of study
• Research methods used depend upon the nature of the research
  • Controlled experiment
  • Project development
  • Empirical studies
  • Theoretical analyses
  • Other methods as appropriate

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Software / Hardware Requirements

• Program depends heavily upon internet access
• Student-student and student-faculty document exchange
• Downloading of readings
• Library and other information searches
• Utilization of software residing on various servers
• Document exchange will be accomplished using HTML, Adobe Acrobat (reader only), Microsoft Word documents
• Ftp client such as WS-FTP (ipswitch.com)
• Internet access (56K or better is recommended) with a browser (Netscape preferred)
• Software development (programming) will be done in Java (Java Development Kit (JDK) 1.3.0 or later)
• Integrated development tool such as KAWA (tek-tools.com), Visual Café (symantec.com) or CodeWarrior (metroworks.com)
• System modeling will be done using the Visible Analyst (Visible Systems)
• PC (Windows 95, 98, NT)
• Eemail, ftp server and web page support on the Pace servers

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On-campus and Remote Instruction

• Optional Java workshop - on-campus July 25 & 26, 2005
• Online activity - via the Internet - begins August 25, 2005
• On-campus at start of first semester
  • 4 days ,Wed. - Sat., September 10-13, 2005
• On-campus weekends every 3 or 4 weeks
  • Fri. Evening 5:00 - 9:00 PM and Sat. 8:30 - 5:30
• Synchronous and asynchronous distance learning
  • Discussion forums
  • Chat sessions & active white board
  • Listserve & email
  • Teleconferencing

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Tuition and Financial Aid

• Total tuition is $50,000 for the three year program
  • $17,000 for each of years one and two, $16,000 for year three
  • Payable in two payments per year - fall and spring
  • Does not include travel and lodging
• Students may not be able to meet their educational expenses without some type of financial assistance
  • Employer tuition support
  • Student loan programs available

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How to Apply

• Online application (csis.pace.edu/dps)
• Application fee ($65.00)
• Resume
• Personal statement
• Two letters of recommendation (1 from current manager) Download Form
• All official transcripts
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Interview and supplemental information
• Application deadline - June 1, 2005
• Notification of admission decision - June 15, 2005
• Deposit ($200.00) due - July 1, 2005

Link toonline application

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