PhDQualifier Exam

PhD Qualifier Exam in CS

The CS PhD Qualifier Exam has two parts, namely, a written exam and an oral exam. The purpose of the written part is to test the breadth of knowledge in the general field of computer science while the goal of the oral part is to test the depth of knowledge in particular areas of computer science. The student must first pass the written exam to be eligible for taking the oral exam. The student must register to CS 900 - Ph.D. Qualifier Exam, course until the last day of add/drops.

1) Written phase: The students take the exam from the first four areas listed below. If they want to take the exam from different areas, they must select four areas out of 8 from the list and inform the Chairperson of the CS Ph.D. Qualifier Exam Committee (the Committee) at least one month before the date of the written exam.

1. Data Structures and Algorithms (CS333, CS201)
2. Database Management Systems (CS202)
3. Programming Languages (CS321)
4. Operating Systems (CS350)
5. Computer Architecture (CS240)
6. Software Engineering (CS320)
7. Automata Theory and Formal Languages (CS410)
8. Computer Networks (CS447)

A student must get at least 50% from at least three of the four selected areas of the written exam. The three areas with the highest scores are used for grading (even though the student answers questions from all four selected areas) and each area contributes equally to the written exam score. The overall passing grade for the written exam is 60%.

2) Oral phase: A student who passes the written exam is eligible to take the oral exam. The oral exam must be taken within one month after the written exam. The earliest date to take the oral exam is one week after the written exam.

During the oral exam, the student is asked technical questions within the scope of three graduate-level courses. The titles of these courses are determined by the Committee considering the input of the student in this regard. The evaluation is based on the student’s depth of knowledge in the fields covered by these courses and his/her ability of presenting knowledge in front of the oral exam jury.

The student must present the titles of three graduate-level courses for the oral exam to the Chairperson of the Committee by the date of the written exam. These courses must be either previously or currently offered at Ozyegin University or must have been taken by the student (as evidenced in his/her transcript). The student also indicates which one of these courses is closest to his/her research field. The course information presented by the student is evaluated by the Committee. Based on its evaluation, the Committee may change some (or all) of the courses. If the student fails to present the course information in due time, the Committee chooses three default courses as it sees fit. The student can contact the Chairperson of the Committee one week after the written exam to learn the titles of the three gradute-level courses that he/she will be responsible for during the oral exam.

The oral exam jury consists of at least five faculty members (2 of the jury members must be from another University). The student’s Ph.D. advisor may participate in the oral exam jury. If a student has 2 advisors, co-advisor of the student may participate to the jury as the 6th member but he/she does not have the right to vote. Each faculty taking part in the oral exam must give either a Pass or a Fail grade. The student passes the oral exam if he/she gets more Pass than Fail grades.

A failed written and/or oral exam must be repeated in the following semester. If a student passes the written exam, he/she does not need to retake the written exam in case of failing the oral exam. The student passes the Ph.D. Qualifier Exam when he/she passes both the written and the oral exam.

CS PhD Qualification Exam dates

The written exam for the 2024-25 Fall semester will be on December 09, 2024 - Monday.

CS PhD Qualification Exam Committee
Assist. Prof. İlknur Karadeniz (Chairperson)
Prof. Prof. Hasan Sözer
Assist. Prof. İsmail Arı
Assist. Prof. M. Furkan Kıraç
Assist. Prof. Kübra Kalkan Çakmakçı