Suggested Ph.D. Course Curriculum for SSL Students

The UNM Ph.D. curriculum is focused on providing students a combination breadth in graduate-level computer science, specialized knowledge in the student's area of research emphasis, and the skills needed to conduct independent research under the supervision of their research advisor. This curriculum is created in colloboration with the student's advisor, and is expected to be studied at the same time the student gains research experience working with other students in the lab under the research supervision of their advisor.

For students in the Scalable Systems Lab, this course of study focuses first on building knowledge in computer systems and emperical research methods in the appropriate subfields the student is interested in, and then additional breadth in computer science areas that will assist in research in the field. One such course of study with potential options for specialization is shown below.

  • First Fall Semester
    • 1 of CS564 Introduction to Big Data, CS585 Foundations of Computer Networking, or CS587 Foundations of Computer Systems
    • CS5XX Empirical Methods in Computer Science
    • CS592 Colloquium
    • CS691 Scalable Systems Seminar
  • First Spring Semester
    • 2 of CS542 Parallel Computing Systems, CS544 Cybersecurity, and CS554 Compiler Construction
    • CS592 Colloquium
    • CS691 Scalable Systems Seminar
  • Second Fall Semester
    • 1 of CS564 Introduction to Big Data, CS585 Foundations of Computer Networking, or CS587 Foundations of Computer Systems
    • 1 of CS530 Geometric and Probabilistic Methods in Computer Science, CS558 Foundations or Programming Systems, or CS561 Data Structures and Algorithms
    • CS5XX Research Practicum
    • CS691 Scalable Systems Seminar
  • Second Spring Semester
    • CS500 Theory of Computation or CS550 Theory of Programming Languages and Systems
    • CS591 Special Topics
    • CS592 Colloquium
    • CS691 Scalable Systems Seminar
  • Third Fall Semester
    • 1 of CS530 Geometric and Probabilistic Methods in Computer Science, CS558 Foundations or Programming Systems, or CS561 Data Structures and Algorithms
    • Additional courses and special topics based on student interests
    • CS592 Colloqium
    • CS691 Scalable Systems Seminar
  • Third Spring Semester
    • Additional courses and special topics based on student interests
    • CS691 Scalable Systems Seminar