This program is intended for students who will make extensive use of large-scale computation, computational methods, or algorithms for advanced computer architectures in their doctoral studies. A firm knowledge of the scientific discipline is essential.

This is not a stand-alone degree; it is a joint degree program. Students must be accepted into the PhD program of a home department. The actual degree name will have “…and Scientific Computing” appended to the the normal title, e.g., “Ph.D. Degree in Aerospace Engineering and Scientific Computing.”

Students may apply to the program after having completed one term, but prior to being promoted to candidacy status.

Graduation Requirements

Students are expected to complete the normal doctoral requirements of their home department as well as meet additional requirements in the area of scientific computation. The specific requirements will vary with the choice of home department; however, there are a few general course requirements for all students in this program. The student must elect:

• nine (9) credit hours in numerical analysis, and
• nine (9) credit hours in computer science and applications in scientific computation outside the home department.

The Center for Advanced Computing

The Center for Advanced Computing (CAC) administrates the doctoral degree program in Scientific Computing, in cooperation with the student’s home department. The CAC was created in 2002 in response to the increased emphasis on scientific computation in nearly all applications areas, and is intended to foster and encourage research and instructional activities in scientific computation at the university.

Department of Energy Fellowship in Scientific Computing

Many of the students in the Scientific Computing PhD degree program have found that they are also well-positioned for consideration for the Department of Energy’s Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF). This program is designed to support outstanding science and engineering students interested in pursuing doctoral study in applied science or engineering disciplines with applications in high-performance computing. This four-year renewable fellowship provides:

• a $36,000 yearly stipend
• payment of all tuition and fees
• yearly conferences
• $5,000 academic allowance in the first fellowship year
• $1,000 academic allowance each renewed year
• 12-week research practicum

This program is sponsored and administrated by the Krell Institute. For more information, visit krellinst.org/csgf.

Students should apply to their home departments for other financial assistance, including research or teaching assistantships.

Areas of Research