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Doctoral Programs

The Computer Science Department offers the Ph.D. in Computer Science at our Pittsburgh campus and a selection of interdisciplinary degrees.

Ph.D. in Computer Science

Our program is frequently named one of the best in the country and among our alumni are numerous pioneers in the field. 

Carnegie Mellon's Ph.D. in Computer Science is, above all, a research degree. When the faculty award a degree, they certify that the student has a broad foundation and awareness of core concepts in computer science, has advanced the field by performing significant original research and has reported that work in a scholarly fashion.

Full Program Information

Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Programs

In addition to our Ph.D. in Computer Science and the dual degree with Portugal, we also offer three interdisciplinary programs:

Ph.D. in Computer Science with Certificate in Neural Basis of Cognition — with the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC). The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition Training Program is an interdisciplinary graduate training program operated jointly by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Students interested in this track should also consider applying to the Ph.D. in Neural Computation at the Neuroscience Institute.

Ph.D. in Algorithms, Combinatorics and Optimization (ACO) — administered jointly by the Computer Science Department (Algorithms and Complexity group), the Tepper School of Business (Operations Research group), and the Department of Mathematical Sciences (Discrete Mathematics group).  

Ph.D. in Pure and Applied Logic (PAL) — administered by the Computer Science Department, the Department of Mathematical Sciences, and the Department of Philosophy.  

Ph.D. Dual Degree Portugal - By enrolling in the dual degree Ph.D. Program in Computer Science, students experience the advantages of collaborative research between top-tier research institutions. The program’s high scientific standards serve to educate high-quality researchers, instructors, and innovators in the field of Computer Science.

In-residence Participation Required

All doctoral programs offered by the Computer Science Department require in-person attendance on our Pittsburgh Campus. No remote doctoral degrees are available from the department.