BS to PhD Direct Path Program

The usual degree path for an engineer or computer science student at FAU is first a BS degree, then a master's degree and then a PhD degree. All of this can take up to 10 years of study. The BS to PhD Direct-Path program gives highly-qualified bachelor and master's students the opportunity to move rapidly into research activities with the simultaneous completion of the MS and PhD degrees. Admission to the direct-path Ph.D. program may be granted to students entering or already in a graduate engineering or computer science program, including students selected for the Joint BS/MS program. Admission and degree requirements are listed below.

Students in the BS program Admission Requirements

  • Satisfaction of the department’s minimum GPA requirement, normally in the 3.2 -3.3 range in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate coursework.
  • A combined score (verbal+quantitative) of at least 310 on the GRE.
  • Two letters of recommendation (minimum) which should address the student's qualifications for research.

Students in the MS Program Admission Requirements

  • Satisfaction of the department’s minimum GPA requirement, normally in the 3.2 -3.3 range in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate coursework.
  • GPA of 3.5 (minimum) in the graduate program at FAU
  • A combined score (verbal+quantitative) of at least 310 on the GRE.
  • Apply to the Direct-Path Ph.D. program in the first year of the MS program.
  • Students who do not satisfy the GRE or GPA requirements stated above must obtain approval from the following before being admitted in to the Direct-Path Program
    • the department
    • the college graduate committee
    • the Division of Graduate Studies

Degree Requirements

  • Successful completion of the department's doctoral qualifying/candidacy exam. This exam will be scheduled according to the departmental guidelines
  • A minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the B.S. degree as follows*
    1. A minimum of 42 graduate credits of coursework from which a minimum of 27 coursework credit hours must be in the doctorate-granting department (excluding directed independent study credits) and a minimum of 18 credits of 6000-level courses must be completed. 
    2. Except under unusual circumstances, no more than 6 credits are allowed for directed independent study and/or advanced research graduate courses. 
    3. Three credit hours (minimum) in mathematics or a technical field closely related to the student's research, as determined by departmental criteria.
    4. 30 dissertation credit hours (minimum).
    5. No 4000 level courses allowed towards the degree. Courses taken to make-up for the deficiencies will not be counted toward the degree. 
  • Successful completion and defense of the dissertation.

Degree Granting

Students admitted to the program that do not complete the Ph.D. degree requirements will be allowed, upon completion of normal departmental requirements, receive the M.S. degree.

*Changes are effective for students admitted to the program in Spring 2020 or later.