phd computer science notre dame

University of Notre Dame

Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics

College of Science

PhD Programs

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Breakthroughs often occur at the intersection of disciplines. At the nation’s best universities, researchers in applied and computational mathematics are collaborating with biologists, engineers, physicians, chemists, physicists, economists, and others on multifaceted problems that require mathematical modeling and computational simulation.  Students trained in modeling and having experience as multidisciplinary team members have extraordinary potential. As in experimental research, graduate students have a primary role in computational and statistical analysis. The student has responsibility for carrying out the detailed steps and integrating the input from faculty in multiple areas. Additional information regarding the doctoral program, faculty research areas, recent graduate student placements, information about the Notre Dame Graduate School and the City of South Bend may be found in the ACMS doctoral program flyer .

Application Requirements

The application deadline for the PhD program is  Jan. 15 .

For application information, please visit the following links on the  Graduate School's  website:

• Graduate School application requirements
• ACMS Doctoral program application requirements
• Tips for preparing your application

Details and rules of the ACMS doctoral program

• ACMS Doctoral Student Handbook
• Academic Code of the Graduate School

Information on Written Qualifying Exams

The information is only accessible to ACMS doctoral students and ACMS regular faculty

• Written Qualifying Exam Guidelines (Restricted Access)
• Written Qualifying Exams (Restricted Access)

Recent Placements

• Research & Development Engineer Synopsys, Inc.
• Reliability & Statistics Engineer The Aerospace Corporation
• Reliability and Statistics Engineer The Aerospace Corporation
• Research Assistant Professor Temple University
• Assistant Professor Babson College
• Management Consultant Boston Consulting Group
• Applied AI/ML Senior Associate JP Morgan Chase & Co.
• Assistant Professor Augsburg University
• Postdoctoral Associate Vanderbilt University
• Applied Scientist Amazon Web Services
• Risk Validation Officer Comerica Bank
• Quant Modeler / Data Scientist JP Morgan Chase
• Data Scientist Urban Institute
• Postdoctoral Associate Penn State University
• Quantitative Strategies Associate BMO Financial Group
• Data Scientist Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Postdoctoral Researcher Sandia National Laboratories
• Junior Developer / CMS Administrator University of New England

Master's Program (Research)

Students in ACMS will satisfy the requirements of the master degree en route to their doctorates, and students in other doctoral programs at the University may obtain the degree by taking ACMS courses and passing the written and oral examinations described in the degree requirements.

University of Notre Dame

College of Engineering

• Departments and Programs

All Graduate Programs

Learn more + apply

• Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Ph.D. in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
• Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
• Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
• Master of Engineering (Professional degree)
• Computer Science and Engineering
• Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering
• M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering (non-Ph.D. track)
• Electrical Engineering
• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering

Interdisciplinary graduate programs

• Ph.D. in Bioengineering
• Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering
• Graduate Minor in High Performance and Scientific Computing

If you are interested in one of our engineering graduate programs at Notre Dame, please feel free to email Amber Li , Director of Graduate Programs, at  [email protected]  to schedule a one-on-one consultation to discuss your application.

Related links

• Increased Stipends for Doctoral Students with Fellowships
• Research Overview

Departments

Interdisciplinary programs.

• Bioengineering
• Materials Science and Engineering

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University of Notre Dame

Human Computer Interaction

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• People ›
• Ph.D. Students ›
• Chaoran Chen

Ph.D. Student

Personal Websites

Recent publications:.

• Chaoran Chen, Weijun Li, Wenxin Song, Yanfang Ye, Yaxing Yao, Toby Jia-Jun Li: An Empathy-Based Sandbox Approach to Bridge Attitudes, Goals, Knowledge, and Behaviors in the Privacy Paradox. CoRR abs/2309.14510 (2023)

Empathy privacy: We present an empathy-based solution to the "privacy paradox," using artificially generated personas in a risk-free sandbox, enhancing user understanding and promoting privacy behavior changes.

Malware propagation through in-app ads: This study uses dynamic program analysis and graph learning to examine malware risks in app-promotion ads within the Android ecosystem, revealing increased security threats in the Google Play market.

I’m a second-year PhD student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. I am co-advised by Dr. Toby Jia-Jun Li and Dr. Fanny Yanfang Ye. Before joining ND, I received my M.S degrees in Educational Technology and Applied Learning Science from Carnegie Mellon University. I received B.Eng in Industrial Design from Tongji University.

My work falls in the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction, Cybersecurity, Graph Learning, and Usable Privacy, where I use human-centered methods to design, build, and evaluate human-AI collaborative systems to strengthen the trustworthiness and explainability, ranging from mobile ads promotion to privacy paradox. Besides, I’m also passionate about leveraging the state-of-the-art AI techniques (e.g. generative models) to benefit a variety of human needs and optimizing user experience accordingly.

Research Interests:

Human-AI Interaction, Human-centered AI, Usable Privacy, Graph Learning, Large Language Models

• Master in Educational Technology and Applied Learning Science, Carnegie Mellon University
• B.Eng in Industrial Design, Tongji University

University of Notre Dame

Graduate Programs

• › Academics
• › Graduate Programs

School of Architecture

• Architecture
• Architectural Design and Urbanism

Mendoza College of Business

• One Year M.B.A.
• Two Year M.B.A.
• Executive M.B.A.
• Executive M.B.A. - Chicago
• Dual Degree: M.B.A. / M.S.B.A.
• Accountancy: M.S.
• Business Analytics: M.S.
• Business Analytics: M.S. - Chicago
• Finance: M.S. - Chicago
• Management: M.S.
• Master in Nonprofit Administration
• Executive Master in Nonprofit Administration

The Graduate School

College of Arts and Letters

• ACE: Teaching Fellows: M.Ed.
• ACE: Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program: M.A.E.L.
• Anthropology: Ph.D.
• Classics: M.A.  
• Creative Writing: M.F.A.  
• Design: M.F.A.
• Early Christian Studies: M.A.  
• Echo/Theology: M.A.
• Economics: Ph.D.
• English: M.A.
• English: Ph.D.
• French and Francophone Studies
• Gender Studies: Minor
• History Doctoral Program
• History and Philosophy of Science, Technology, & Medicine: Minor
• History and Philosophy of Science
• Irish Studies: Minor
• Italian: Ph.D.
• Master of Sacred Music: M.S.M.
• Medieval Studies
• Political Science: Ph.D.
• Sacred Music (Conducting): D.M.A.
• Sacred Music (Organ): D.M.A.
• Screen Cultures: Minor
• Sociology: Ph.D.
• Spanish: Ph.D.
• Studio Art: M.F.A.
• Theology: Ph.D.
• Theology: M.A.  
• Theology: M.Div.
• Theology: M.T.S.
• Quantitative Psychology: Minor
• Analytics: PhD
• Management: PhD

College of Engineering

• Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering: Ph.D.
• Aerospace Engineering: M.S.A.E.
• Bioengineering
• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Ph.D.
• Civil Engineering: M.S.C.E.
• Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
• Computer Science and Engineering: Ph.D.
• Computational Science and Engineering: Minor
• Earth Sciences: M.S.E.S.
• Electrical Engineering: Ph.D.
• Electrical Engineering: M.S.E.E.
• Environmental Engineering: M.S.Env.E.
• Mechanical Engineering: M.S.M.E.
• Engineering, Science and Technology Entrepreneurship (ESTEEM): M.S.

College of Science

• Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics: M.S.
• Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics: Ph.D.
• Biophysics: Ph.D.
• Biological Sciences
• Biochemistry
• Data Sciences: M.S.
• Global Health: M.S.
• Interdisciplinary Mathematics: M.S.I.M.
• Integrated Biomedical Sciences
• International Doctoral Program in Science
• Mathematics

Keough School for Global Affairs

• Master of Global Affairs
• Peace Studies and Anthropology: Ph.D.
• Peace Studies and History: Ph.D.
• Peace Studies and Political Science: Ph.D.
• Peace Studies and Psychology: Ph.D.
• Peace Studies and Sociology: Ph.D.
• Peace Studies and Theology: Ph.D.

The Law School

• The LL.M. Program at Notre Dame in South Bend
• The LL.M. Program in London
• The LL.M. Program in International Human Rights Law

University of Notre Dame

College of Science

• Home ›
• Academics ›
• Degree Programs

Science-Computing

The Science-Computing collegiate sequence is an individualized course of study which incorporates courses from the four basic areas of science along with a sequence of computing courses. The program will give the student working knowledge of various computer languages and experience using current computer technology. By choosing science electives appropriately, the student has the option of focusing in an area of science of particular interest. Graduates of this program have the knowledge and skills to enter the scientific computing job market immediately upon graduation.

The Graduate School

• Home ›
• Funding & Awards

Funding & Awards

The office of grants and fellowships.

From identifying potential funding sources to offering individual consultations, in-depth proposal reviews, workshops, and more, the Graduate School's Office of Grants and Fellowships provides game-changing guidance and resources to current graduate students and postdocs applying for external funding.

The University offers three types of primary educational funding to graduate students: tuition scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships. For the policy governing funding, please see the posted financial support policy . The University additionally supports students’ pursuit of external and internal awards through the Office of Grants and Fellowships .

Please note: the Graduate School has separate and distinct funding models for doctoral programs, master’s programs, and professional master’s programs. Students should consult their individual program’s funding structures, as well as resources offered by the  Office of Financial Aid , for more information.

The Graduate School gives out annual awards during commencement for students, alumni, faculty and staff. Visit the award pages for descriptions and past winners. 

Tuition Scholarship

Almost 100% of doctoral students in the Graduate School receive full-tuition scholarships that include all fees except for a small student activity fee. For the 2024-2025 academic year, tuition is $64,756, including Health and Technology fees. Refer to the Student Accounts website for the breakdown of tuition and fees for Graduate School programs.

Master’s programs offer varying levels of support, ranging from tuition assistantship to full tuition plus a stipend. Students should check with their individual program to learn what level of funding is available. Professional master’s programs normally do not cover tuition, meaning that the student is responsible for payment. (Merit-based scholarships are occasionally available.)

Tuition Scholarships are also available for summer courses. See eligibility and application .

University Fellowships and Assistantships

Of our doctoral students, 94% receive multi-year fellowships or assistantships that provide stipends. For the 2024-2025 academic year, Notre Dame’s standard stipend for doctoral students on a twelve-month basis is $35,000 for humanities and social science students (up to $42,000 for select fellows ); for science and engineering students: $34,479 to $37,440 (up to $45,000 for select fellows); and, $42,000 for Mendoza PhDs (up to $45,000 for select fellows). The Notre Dame/South Bend community has a very low cost-of-living index. Learn more>

The Graduate School also offers a number of select fellowships that provide support up to $45,000/year as well as other advantages. Learn more>

In addition, the Graduate School’s Office of Grants and Fellowships assists students in applying for both internal and external funding.

Health Insurance

The Graduate School provides a subsidy toward the cost of the health insurance premium for full-time, fully-funded students who are enrolled in the University sponsored health insurance plan. Eligibility for the health insurance subsidy has three threshold levels: master's, DMA, and Ph.D. Levels are set at the lowest standard 9-month stipend for each. Students must also receive a full academic year tuition scholarship to qualify. Master’s students must be in their first 5 years of study; DMA in the first 4.5 years; and Ph.D. students in the first 8 years to be eligible. Architecture, law, and professional master's students, including Mendoza, are ineligible. For information on eligibility criteria and current stipend threshold levels, please refer to the Health Subsidy Eligibility Policy . For the 2023-2024 academic year, the standard subsidy will cover the full cost of the premium. Additional information on the plan and the cost for spouses and dependents* can be found on the University Health Services website. *Beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, spouses and dependents of subsidy eligible graduate students will also be covered by the health insurance subsidy.

Competitive Funding and Awards Resources

The Graduate School prides itself on its proven track record of empowering students to win competitive funding to further support research and professional development. Through our Office of Grants and Fellowships we help students identify potential funding sources and develop competitive applications. Our multidisciplinary support team guides students through the application process, training them to communicate their research's significance to a wide audience. Learn more about winning competitive funding through the Office of Grants and Fellowships .

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(08) 9433 0533 - WA (02) 8204 4404 - NSW

• Duration 3 years full-time or equivalent part-time
• Duration type Full time; Part time
• Location Fremantle; Sydney; Broome
• Study mode External; On campus
• Commencement Semester 1; Semester 2
• Program code 6502
• CRICOS code 011396F
• Fee International Full Fees; Research Training Program (RTP)
• Doctor of Philosophy

Are you a professional with a topic you wish to research to the highest academic level? The University of Notre Dame Australia is proud to offer the opportunity to work on a PhD to students who have achieved outstanding results in their Honours or Masters. Completed over three years of full-time study, your PhD will require you to work closely with two academic supervisors as you undertake a significant piece of research, which may include a substantial new discovery or an original adaptation, application or interpretation of existing knowledge. Start your learning journey today.

Why study this degree?

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a thesis-based research degree. It has been individually designed and built around the research methodology required, the nature of your thesis topic and the candidate’s background. If necessary, you may also be required to undertake research training or further coursework as part of your PhD program. Candidates will benefit from ongoing support, mentoring or involvement in our research culture.

A PhD may be completed as a traditional thesis or a thesis by publication or as a non-traditional thesis (exegesis) and creative artefact. Your PhD should be based on an advanced investigation into a significant question related to your current field. The thesis should make an original and substantial contribution to the humanities, social sciences, applied sciences or Aboriginal studies.

Before submitting your application to enrol in a Doctor of Philosophy, you must discuss your application with a suitably qualified member of the academic staff, preferably one you wish to be your principal research supervisor.

The Commonwealth Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) provides financial support for domestic candidates. Meanwhile, international students are required to pay full fees but may apply for a wide range of scholarships made available to candidates of exceptional potential.

Program summary

The Doctor of Philosophy is a thesis-based research degree, normally comprised exclusively of supervised research, but which can include research training coursework if appropriate.

Full details of the program requirements are contained in the Program Requirements .

Entry requirements

The following criteria are required for a student to be admitted to the PhD program:

• Completion of a research Master's degree (by research or coursework and thesis), appropriate to the professional field of the applicant (or equivalent) at a high level of achievement; or
• A Bachelor’s degree with Honours (Class 1 or Class 2A Honours level or equivalent); or
• In exceptional circumstance, an equivalent academic or professional background that is considered by the Dean of the School and the PVC-R to be an appropriate preparation for independent study and research at a doctoral level.

An applicant may be required to demonstrate an ability to understand and communicate in both written and spoken English at a level adequate for the purpose of pursuing the program of study or as deemed appropriate by the Dean of the School.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Doctor of Philosophy, graduates will be able to:

• Apply expert, specialised cognitive and technical skills in the design and execution of a substantial research project that makes a significant and original contribution to knowledge, professional practice and/or creative practice
• Synthesise, evaluate, and critically analyse a substantial and complex body of knowledge and/or practice at the frontier of a field/s of research
• Communicate research findings clearly and fluently, to both peers and the community
• Apply knowledge of research integrity, ethics and the rights and safety of others in the conduct of research and dissemination of research findings; and
• Conduct research with intellectual independence, creativity, adaptability, responsibility, and accountability.

Career opportunities

A Doctor of Philosophy can lead to careers in academia, industry, government and non-government organisations, scientific research, specialist consultancy, research management, and executive-level management.

Real-world experience

You will learn from our academics, who are leaders in their field. There are no practicum requirements for this program.

Fees and costs

This Program has the following loan scheme(s) available for eligible students:

International Full-Fee Paying Tuition costs depend on an international student’s study load and discipline. Fees are payable each semester at least four weeks prior to the commencement of your program.

Research Training Program (RTP) The Research Training Program (RTP) provides block grants to support students who are undertaking a Higher Degree by Research such as a Research Doctorate or Research Masters degree. You will receive support for a maximum of two years for a Research Masters and a maximum of four years for a Research Doctorate degree. Your offer will specify for which purpose(s) your grant may be used. This may include offset of your tuition fees, as a stipend for general living costs or as an allowance related to the ancillary cost of research degrees.

For indicative fees and information on Postgraduate and Research Scholarships available, please visit our HDR Scholarships page.

For indicative fees and information on how to pay, including Government loan schemes and our online calculator, visit our Fees, costs and scholarships page .

More information

Considering your uni options?

Talk to one of our career advisors for a personalised advice session . Our advisors provide support while choosing a program of study and completing our application process. Book my session.

For more information, please contact our Prospective Students Office.

All international enquiries should contact the International Students Office on  [email protected] .

Other programs you may like

• Master of Philosophy (Philosophy & Theology)
• Master of Theology (Research)

Student Stories

PhD graduate

“My Notre Dame degree helps me to look at things with rigour and apply a more research-based approach to determine what matters when it comes to teaching and learning.”

Read more...

PhD student

“Notre Dame has enabled me to achieve well beyond my own expectations, and I attribute this fully to the unique one-on-one support I have received throughout my post-graduate experience."

Our students give us top marks

No.1 in WA Overall Satisfaction*

No.1 in WA Full-time Employment*

No.1 in WA Overall Employment*

No.1 uni in Australia Overall Employment**

No.1 uni in WA Skills Development ***

No.1 uni in NSW & WA Learner Engagement ****

*2021 Graduate Outcomes Survey, undergraduate and postgraduate coursework categories, **2021 Graduate Outcomes Survey-Longitudinal (medium term outcome), undergraduate category, ***2021 Student Experience Survey, postgraduate category and ****2021 Student Experience Survey, postgraduate category -  qilt.edu.au

University of Notre Dame

• Computer Science and Engineering

College of Engineering

Undergraduate

We offer two undergraduate degrees — Computer Science and Computer Engineering. Either track is a great choice to prepare you for a successful career.

Accreditation – ABET

Why Study Computer Science or Computer Engineering at Notre Dame?

Graduates of our undergraduate programs are highly sought after by top companies — our placement rate has been at or near 100% for many years.

Our graduates take up careers in the computing industry, the finance industry, large engineering companies, startup companies, consulting firms, medical informatics companies, and government. Others enter doctoral programs at leading universities. Still others pursue startup opportunities, contributing to the burgeoning innovation culture surrounding computer science and engineering.

Our programs do not assume that you come to Notre Dame with any previous experience in programming. You can become an expert software engineer through your time and experience at Notre Dame.

Detailed information about Computer Science and Computer Engineering is available in the  CSE Undergraduate Handbook (pdf)  and  CSE Course Map (pdf)

Computer Science

This program focuses on the application of computers to real-world problems, especially in the design, development, and use of software. The program fosters understanding of the key properties of algorithms and how to recognize and design good algorithms efficiently. You’ll also develop the ability to engineer large, efficient, portable and scalable pieces of software that implements good algorithms in ways that are useful to end users. Computer Science Curriculum

Computer Engineering

This program focuses on understanding the basic nature of the electronic devices that go into the creation of modern computers and on the detailed architecture and organization of such systems, both within the central processing unit and in how larger systems are assembled. Modern design tools and techniques are introduced very early in the program and used throughout to design, analyze, and prototype real digital computing systems. Computer Engineering Curriculum

Minors and concentrations

Minors are available through the College of Engineering as well as in other units of the University. The Minor in Engineering Corporate Practice is a career-building collaboration among the College of Engineering, Mendoza College of Business, and the College of Arts and Letters that explores the intersection of engineering and business. The Collaborative Innovation Minor is a five-course sequence that includes design thinking, research methods, visualization and entrepreneurship.

Concentrations (structured sets of elective courses organized around a theme) are available in: Bioinformatics and Computational Biology; Cloud Computing; Cyber Security; Mobile Computing; and Media Computing.

Research and internships

You’ll have opportunities to conduct research during the semester, either for course credit or for pay. Research is a great way to boost your learning and credentials. Your advisor can help you determine the best path.

There are ample opportunities to find summer internships, including two major recruiting events during the academic year, the Fall Career Expo and the Winter Career Expo. Participating in these events is the easiest way to meet potential employers. ND Undergraduate Career Development

Study abroad

The College of Engineering organizes study abroad experiences each summer in London, Rome and many other locations. Students in CSE also can choose Notre Dame’s semester-long program in Ireland at Dublin City University, a tech-focused institution.

Student groups and organizations

Extend your learning by engaging with groups such as:

• The Notre Dame Computer Club , the student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery;
• The Notre Dame Linux Users Group , which promotes open source projects; and
• CS for Good , a student club focused on applying computing to positive social impact.

Explore many other clubs and organizations for engineering students at Notre Dame.

Prof. Ramzi Bualuan Director of Undergraduate Studies [email protected]

Departments

• Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
• Electrical Engineering

Interdisciplinary programs

• Bioengineering
• Materials Science and Engineering