UNC Greensboro today announced that the College of Arts & Sciences has received approval from the UNC System to launch a new PhD program in computer science.
Starting in fall of 2022, the computer science PhD program fills a statewide need for this rapidly growing area of scholarship and employment. Last year, nearly 1,000 students applied for admission across the five related doctoral programs in North Carolina, but only 261 were admitted, and labor market data project a 20.6 percent increase in demand for computer scientist doctorates in North Carolina between 2019 and 2029, with median earnings of $88,200 per year.
“The PhD program in computer science supports UNCG’s role as a high-research university with a strong arts and sciences background,” said Interim Provost Terri Shelton. “We can further leverage our nationally-recognized computer science department and existing depth of expertise to address the growing demand among students and employers for these skills. We are also in a unique position to offer an in-person degree at an affordable cost.”
Currently the Department of Computer Science serves more than 500 undergraduate students and 40 master’s degree students. The PhD program, which will take approximately four years for students to complete, plans to admit six doctoral students when it starts next fall. Research specialties include algorithms, artificial intelligence, data science and machine learning, database systems, extended reality, image processing, networking, and security.
“I am delighted that the PhD program in computer science was approved,” said Dr. John Z. Kiss, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. “This program will enhance an already strong department and raise the research profile as well as the scholarly activity in the College of Arts & Sciences. In the long term, adding a doctoral program will allow us to continue to recruit and retain high quality faculty, which in turn benefits both graduate and undergraduate students.”
The new addition, pending SACSCOC approval, brings UNCG’s total doctoral program offerings to 30. The application for the computer science PhD program is coming soon. For more information about the program, contact department head, Dr. Jing Deng, at jing.deng@uncg.edu.
