computer science phd cornell

Computer Science

As a computer science major, you’ll learn algorithmic ways of thinking and study the elements of computing and information technology such as system design, problem specification, programming, and the modeling, analysis and evaluation of complex systems. You’ll also learn the many applications of computing in science, engineering and business, and have the opportunity to take classes and do research in such areas as artificial intelligence, robotics, computational logic, computer architecture, computer graphics, computer vision, computing systems, databases and digital libraries, machine learning, natural language processing, networks, programming languages and compilation, scientific computing, security and theory of computation.

Sample classes

• Advanced Topics in Computer Game Architecture
• Machine Learning
• Cloud Computing
• Algorithmic Game Theory

All information below is based on the 2022 First-Destination Survey. Lists are not exhaustive; rather, they are a sampling of the data. If you would like more information, please email  [email protected]

What can you do with a degree in Computer Science?

Graduate school:.

In 2022, 29% of computer science majors embarked on graduate school journeys. They pursued various advanced degrees, with 58% focusing on their MEng, 19% working towards an MS, 14% dedicated to a PhD, and more. Their graduate field interest ranges from Computer Science (74%) to Engineering Management (5%) and Information Sciences (5%).

These ambitious individuals have chosen to continue their education at prestigious institutions like Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Employment:

69% of computer science graduates secured employment, and the majority entered sectors in technology (60%) and financial services (19%). Meta and Google were the top 2022 employers.

Where 2022 Computer Science Graduates Work

• Department website
• The CS major
• The CS minor
• CS graduate program

Associated interests

• Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality
• Computer Science and Programming
• Game design
• Human behavior
• Statistics and data science

Related disciplines

• Sciences and Mathematics

Full list of majors and minors

Computer Science

An engine for change through world-class research across all aspects of the computer science.

The Department was organized in 1965 and is one of the oldest departments of its kind in the country. The history of the department, including major events and when faculty joined, appears in the CS Timeline . It has a full-time faculty of over 60 members, approximately 200 resident Ph.D. graduate students, about 140 masters students, and just over 1,000 undergraduate CS majors, with over 300 students graduating each year.

Cornell University is located in Ithaca , New York, a city of about 30,000 people in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. Both Cornell and Ithaca offer a wide range of cultural activities, sports, and outdoor activities with the pleasures of both city and country close at hand. Ithaca is Gorges!

Information on Visiting Cornell is available from the main Cornell website.

Contact Information:

Department of Computer Science 402 Gates Hall Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853-7501 Phone: 607-255-0983 Fax: 607-255-9143

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Ready to Apply?

Same Cornell PhD program. Different location.

PhD students at Cornell Tech in New York City pursue the same degree programs as their peers in Ithaca. They belong to the same PhD programs, are members of the same graduate fields, follow the same application process, and have the same course and research requirements. They graduate with PhD degrees from Cornell University. The location of a student is determined by the location of their advisor; a Cornell PhD student whose advisor is located at Cornell Tech is located in New York City and, in addition to their degree affiliation, is considered a PhD student at Cornell Tech.

Why, then, do some PhD students pursue their degrees in NYC?

The PhD students in NYC are those who do their research with Cornell Tech faculty advisors. Cornell Tech faculty belong to the same departments and fields as their Ithaca counterparts, and their research similarly spans a rich range of topics from theory to applications. Students can spend time on both campuses, joining Ithaca-based classes, faculty, and graduate colleagues through a combination of remote and in-person means.

For PhD students, how does New York City compare with Ithaca?

New York City has long been a global economic and cultural hub; it is now a leading city for tech innovation. Just like other top universities located in tech hubs, such as Silicon Valley, the students at Cornell Tech are in a unique position to engage with the community and explore opportunities for impact outside academia. However, such engagement solely depends on the student’s interest, and is not part of the degree program or requirements, which are identical across campuses. The application requirements remain the same whether the student intends to finalize their research in Ithaca or NYC.

While other fields and departments are represented, the Cornell Tech campus mainly supports PhD students in five Cornell University PhD programs :

• Computer Science
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Information Science
• Operations Research
• Operations, Technology, and Information Management

Ready to apply?

PhD students at Cornell Tech are part of the Cornell PhD program, and are admitted through Cornell’s PhD admissions process . A PhD student is affiliated with Cornell Tech when their thesis advisor is a Cornell Tech faculty member.

Departments

Computer science.

• Information Science
• Statistics and Data Science

Ranked among the best in the word, Cornell's computer science department explores theoretical computer science, programming languages, distributed systems, artificial intelligence, information retrieval, scientific computing, and visual computing. 

B.a. in computer science from the college of arts and sciences.

As a computer science major, you’ll learn algorithmic ways of thinking and study the elements of computing and information technology such as system design, problem specification, programming, and the modeling, analysis and evaluation of complex systems. You’ll also learn the many applications of computing in science, engineering and business, and have the opportunity to take classes and do research in such areas as artificial intelligence, robotics, computational logic, computer architecture, computer graphics, computer vision, computing systems, databases and digital libraries, machine learning, natural language processing, networks, programming languages and compilation, scientific computing, security and theory of computation.

B.S. IN COMPUTER SCIENCE FROM THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

The computer science curriculum covers both the theory of algorithms and computing and their many applications in science, engineering, and business. The program is broad and rigorous, but it is structured in a way that supports in-depth study of outside areas. Computer Science majors learn about algorithms, data structures, programming languages, operating systems, and the theory of computation, and can explore many different areas of interest, including artificial intelligence, scientific computing, computational biology, computer graphics, computer vision, databases, and networks. A wide variety of exciting professional and academic opportunities exist for graduates, including software engineering, computational finance, modeling, game design, computer graphics, robotics, artificial intelligence, internet systems and technology, security, hardware development, animation, medicine, biotechnology, business management and consulting, as well as masters and doctoral studies in computing-related fields. 

Learn more about all the majors and minors offered in Cornell Bowers CIS . 

Ideal for students interested in:

Animation, app development, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, computational finance, computer graphics, game design, hardware design, internet systems and technology, programming languages, machine learning, modeling, robotics, security, software engineering.

Degree paths

College of Arts & Sciences — Bachelor of Arts (BA)

College of Engineering  — Bachelor of Science (BS)

How are the Computer Science BA and BS different?

The CS major requirements, core coursework, and elective course options are identical. The only differences are in the admitting college's foundational requirements.

Where should I apply?

Students should apply to the admitting college that best fits their overall academic interests and strengths. 

For more infomation visit  https://www.cs.cornell.edu/undergrad

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Master of Science Degree Program

You are here.

The CS MS is a very small, highly selective, four-semester program for students who wish to deepen their knowledge of computer science through advanced coursework, research, writing, and teaching. The program is ideal for self-motivated students who have expository skills, enjoy the research environment, and like working with undergraduates in introductory courses. Students in the program serve as teaching assistants and receive full tuition plus a stipend.

Summary of Degree Requirements

At least thirty-four credit hours of work is required. Six to twelve credit hours must be associated with thesis research (CS 7999). The remainder of the credit-hour requirement is fulfilled by taking between six and eight graduate-level courses. At least four of these courses must be CS courses at the 5000-level (or higher) and at least one of these must be at the 6000-level. An outside minor is required and that typically involves two or three graduate-level courses. A written thesis and oral presentation are also required.

Financial Support

Students who are admitted into the program serve as full time teaching assistants (TA’s) during each of the four semesters. This involves a fifteen-hour commitment to TA duties each week. In exchange, the student receives full tuition, a stipend to cover basic living expenses, and health insurance. Summer instructorships, TA-ships, and research assistantships are available but are not guaranteed. Serving as a TA is an integral part of the program. To remain in good standing in the program, students have to be among the top TAs in their assigned courses. TA performance is evaluated at the end of each semester.

If you have questions regarding the MS in CS, please first check our FAQ . If you do not find the information you are looking for, feel free to send e-mail to the general information e-mail address [email protected]

Students wishing to earn a Ph.D. should apply directly to the Ph.D. program.

All application material must be submitted through the graduate school's online application system.

Click HERE to establish an account .

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1st-year Ph.D. Student Reimbursement for a Computer Purchase

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All new to Cornell first year Information Science Ph.D. students are allowed a reimbursement for up to $1,500 USD toward the purchase of a laptop computer. This is a  one-time  reimbursement and cannot be used towards any other expenses. Students are eligible to request a reimbursement only after they have matriculated, registered and enrolled in classes, which is typically at the end of August. Students have up to one year from the response deadline of April 15 to purchase a laptop computer and request a reimbursement. After this date the reimbursement offer is voided.

If the computer equipment total is less than $1,500 you will not be given the balance, and for equipment that is more than $1,500 you will be responsible for the amount over the $1,500 cap. All equipment must be purchased at one time, and the receipt(s) submitted all together. Receipts must be in English and if the item(s) are purchased using foreign currency, please convert the amount to US currency.  

For reference, our students in the past have received a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (1.4GHz quadcore Intel Core i5 processor; 256GB SSD storage). This is just a suggestion on the type of laptop you may want to consider purchasing. Students should consult with their advisors if they have doubts on what specifications will be needed to support their research. We expect students to use this money to purchase equipment such as the items listed below:

• Laptop computer
• Desktop computer
• Monitor for a computer
• External Hard Drive
• Noise Canceling Headphones

Items that we will  not  reimburse for are listed below, but this is not limited to this list.  Again, please contact us if you are unsure before purchasing anything. 

• Parts to build your own computer
• Replacement of a stolen or broken piece of technology
• Service contracts (e.g., AppleCare)

A receipt with the total cost of the approved equipment and the  laptop policy form  need to be submitted to Seamus Buxton, [email protected], and the receipt(s) must be in English.

Note:  Students who are currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Cornell and are admitted through the Change of Program petition process are not eligible for this reimbursement.  Students should work with their advisor for any equipment purchases that are needed. 

If you are interested in applying, and have questions not answered above, please contact

us at:  [email protected] .  

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="computer science phd cornell"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Computer science m.eng. (ithaca), field of study.

Computer Science

Program Description

The Field of Computer Science is intended for students who are primarily interested in the general aspects of computational processes, both theoretical and practical. Areas of research in the field include algorithms, architecture, artificial intelligence, computer vision, computational biology, concurrency and distributed computing, database systems, machine learning, machine vision, natural language processing, networks, numerical analysis, programming environments, programming languages and methodology, robotics, and theory of computation. Research facilities: The department makes use of a mix of computing platforms, with about three-quarters of our research and instructional computing taking place on Microsoft's Windows operating systems and Intel Architecture processors and the remaining quarter on Red Hat Linux desktop and Red Hat Linux and Sun Solaris back-end servers. The department has more than1,200 computers ranging from desktops to high-end parallel processing servers, more than 15 terabytes of online disk storage, and a backbone network based on switched Gigabit Ethernet. In addition to the resources directly owned and operated by the department, computer science students and researchers have access to a number of university facilities. The university provides extensive campus-wide networking, including RedRover, an 802.11b wireless campus network. National and international access is provided by three OC3 connections to the global Internet. High-speed community access is available through Time-Warner's RoadRunner cable modem system and several DSL providers. Finally, through the Cornell Theory Center and the Program in Computer Graphics, computer science researchers have access to a wide range of advanced parallel processing and supercomputer systems, as well as advanced graphics and visualization systems.

Contact Information

110D Gates Hall Cornell University Ithaca, NY  14853

Concentrations by Subject

• artificial intelligence
• computer science
• programming languages and logics
• scientific computing and applications
• theory of computation

The Bursar's office updates the  tuition rate for M.Eng.  degrees each academic year. M.Eng. degrees are considered Tier 1.

Application Requirements and Deadlines

Fall: Feb. 1; Spring: Oct. 1

Requirements Summary:

To permit immediate enrollment in graduate-level courses, applicants are expected to have an appropriate background in the major subject chosen. Please visit our Web site for more information on the field.

The M.Eng. in Computer Science is offered in two sites-Cornell's main campus in Ithaca and the Cornell NYC Tech campus in New York City. Students are admitted to the program at a specific campus and take all courses at that location.

For more information on the M.Eng. program in Ithaca, please vis it http://www.cs.cornell.edu/grad/MEngProgram/MEngAdmissions/index.htm .

For information on the M.Eng. program in New York City, please visit: http://blogs.cornell.edu/tech

• Please review the requirements on the M.Eng Program  Application Guide
• M.Eng. - for general questions regarding the M.Eng. application, email [email protected] or see the Admissions home page Admissions home page . For specific questions related to the program in New York City, email [email protected] .

Learning Outcomes

• Mastery and Application of Core Disciplinary Knowledge
• Problem Formulation, Organization, and Planning of the Solution Process
• Collaborative Problem Solving and Issue Resolution
• Communication of Knowledge, Ideas, and Decision Justification
• Self-directed Learning and Professional Development

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CISE Graduate Fellowships

Directorate for computer and information science and engineering (cise), application deadline.

Applications are due June 7, 2024.

The Computer and Information Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships (CSGrad4US) program aims to increase the number and diversity of domestic graduate students pursuing careers in computer and information science and engineering fields.

The program helps bachelor’s degree holders return to academia and pursue their research interests, enabling them to engage in innovative and high-impact projects without the burden of financial constraints.

Each year, a diverse cohort of CSGrad4US fellows is selected based on their demonstrated interest and potential in pursuing a doctorate in a CISE field. As of spring 2023, a total of 71 fellows have enrolled in a qualifying doctorate program.

On this page

Why become a fellow.

Credit: John T. Consoli/University of Maryland

CSGrad4US fellowships make graduate school more accessible through:

• Mentorship . All fellows participate in a year-long preparation program. Mentors and coaches help the fellows identify a graduate program, find a research mentor, and apply to graduate programs. Fellows also form a network with one another and with faculty advisors.
• $37,000 stipend
• $16,000 per year cost-of-education allowance.

Who is eligible

To be eligible for the CSGrad4US program, applicants must :

• Be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident.
• Intend to apply for full-time enrollment in a research-based doctoral degree program in a CISE field within two years.
• Have graduated with a bachelor's degree before December 31 of the previous year.
• Demonstrate CISE core competency (Read more Guidance on CISE Ph.D. Programs and Expected Background ).

Applicants are not eligible for the CSGrad4US program if they:

• Have ever enrolled in or have a pending application or offer of admission for a doctoral degree-granting program in a CISE discipline.
• Have been enrolled in any degree-granting program after January 1 of the current year.
• Have previously accepted an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship grant.

Credit: from ATE Centers Impact 2016-2017 ( www.atecenters.org )

How to apply

The fellowship application is open January 15 – May 31, 2024. Those accepted will have access to the mentoring program August – December, 2024.

Application materials

To apply for the CSGrad4US program, you will need:

• Personal statement #1 describing relevant background experience.
• Personal statement #2 describing contributions to addressing underrepresentation in CISE disciplines.
• Reference letter.
• Academic transcripts.
• Resume (two pages).

Read the full description of eligibility and application requirements in the Dear Colleague Letter.

• Apply for program: Early summer.
• Receive notification of award: Late summer.
• Participate in mentored preparation program: Fall through the following summer.
• Enroll in doctoral degree-granting programs: Next fall.

Featured fellows

Four CSGrad4US fellows share their experience and how the program impacted their education.

Credit: Brown University

Alyssa Cantu

Alyssa Cantu, who concentrated in computational biology at Brown University, transitioned from experimental lab-focused research as an undergraduate to computational research at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Inspired by her supportive environment and colleagues, Cantu applied for the CSGrad4US fellowship. Cantu is pursuing a computer science doctorate at Rice University, where she explores alternative splicing differences across Alzheimer's disease-associated cell types.  

Read the Brown Computer Science News story .

Steven Shi, who concentrated in computer science and mathematics at Brown University, worked as a software engineer at SingleStore and Google. Despite his success in industry, Shi's ambition to become a professor led him to the CSGrad4US fellowship, allowing him to pursue a computer science doctorate at The University of Texas at Austin, where he researches high performance multi-agent reinforcement learning simulations.  

Credit: Cornell University Graduate School

Leah Lackey

Leah Lackey, who is focusing on motion planning and machine learning in robotics, highlights the program's role not only in securing funding but also in establishing a supportive network through group meetings, panels and one-on-one mentoring.

Read the Cornell Graduate School announcement .

Travis Lloyd

Travis Lloyd, who studies how new technologies influence power dynamics in society, credits the fellowship for helping him clarify his goals and present himself as a strong applicant. He emphasizes the invaluable encouragement and guidance he received during the application process, making the prospect of a doctorate more accessible.

Contact information

The CSGrad4US program is administered by the Computer Research Association . 

For questions about the application process, please email [email protected] .