The Ph.D. in Computer Science

Students decide to attend Florida Tech for a computer science education for a variety of reasons. It begins with having a reputation as a top science and engineering school that offers a challenging curriculum based on the latest topics in the field. Add to that a world-class faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, a location in the middle of Central Florida's high-tech corridor (surrounded by 5,000 high-tech companies), and hands-on internships and research opportunities, and there is no better place than Florida Tech for a PhD in computer science.

Advanced Professor Mentorship

Graduates seeking a PhD in computer science gain a strong background in supercomputers, model computation, algorithmic thinking, and information system design. Florida Tech delivers the type of world-class education students expect to find at larger universities, but in small class sizes with low faculty-to-student ratios. This tight-knit learning community for graduates provides nearly individualized attention from professors, who mentor and collaborate with students on their research. A student-centered culture like this encourages graduates to challenge themselves, particularly if they happen to be working professionals who can bring work-oriented experience to the classroom for study and problem-solving.

Florida Tech's faculty are internationally known researchers with expertise in computer security, intelligent systems, computer vision, complex networks, software testing, biologically inspired computing, cyber security, and more.

Research Recap

As a top tier research institute, Florida Tech provides vast hands-on fieldwork opportunities involving modern topics facing the industry. Students in the PhD in computer science program cover their own doctoral study topics as well as other research related to machine learning, computer vision, biologically inspired computing, data mining, cybersecurity, and more.

Cutting-Edge Computing Facilities

The state-of-the-art F.W. Olin Engineering Complex attracts students for its computing laboratories and advanced tools for student learning and research. Computers at Florida Tech are upgraded every three years to ensure they are always capable of running the most up-to-date software, and a full suite of software development tools is freely available to all computer science students.

Additionally, the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET accredits Florida Tech's computer science program–a distinction that is recognized among employers, giving Florida Tech grads with a computer science doctorate a job placement advantage.

Harris Institute for Assured Information

Founded in 2009, the Harris Institute brings together computer science, psychology, business and biology to carry out cutting-edge research in computer security. A partnership with the technology giant Harris Corp., a corporate leader in cyber security based in Melbourne, Florida, near the Florida Tech campus, the institute is one of the primary sources for graduate-level information assurance and cybersecurity research at Florida Tech for solving real-world cybersecurity problems. In addition to their own resources, the Harris Institute for Assured Information actively collaborates with the Institute for Human Machine Cognition in Pensacola and Ocala, Florida, to offer additional resources.

Many PhD in computer science students find internship and employment opportunities with Harris Corp.

Great Florida Location

When considering a university's location, Florida Tech's location can't be beat. The campus is in the heart of Florida's Space Coast, near one of the nation's largest high-tech workforces with 5,000 high-tech companies in the Florida High Tech corridor, including NASA Kennedy Space Center, Grumman, Harris Corp., Leonardo DRS, research laboratories, and more.

Careers

With a PhD in computer science, graduates have the expertise and leadership skills they need to continue their career or find new opportunities in the fast-paced and diverse technology arena. Jobs are available in nearly every segment of the economy from industry and product development to medical services and the cars we drive.

Florida Tech graduates have begun their careers with companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, GE, Google, Zynga, and Texas Instruments. Doctoral students also find lifelong positions in research and development, contributing to the industry with data about the use and design of technology as well as creating new products, innovative software and cutting-edge applications. According to the United State Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in computer science are expected to grow 19% through 2020, and a PhD in computer science may provide life-long salary benefits. The demand for computing experts will increase as firms continue to expand the use of wireless and mobile networks. Additional employment growth will also come from the demands of cybersecurity concerns, new technologies in healthcare recordkeeping, cloud computing advances, and changes in the systems and processes in the financial industry.