Timelines & Requirements PHDCO
The online Doctor of Philosophy in Cyber Operations program accepts students for the Fall and Spring semesters, although classes are offered in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.
Dakota State University seeks highly motivated individuals with education and professional credentials that will enable them to be successful doctoral students. Students must have a bachelors or master’s degree in computer science to apply.
Only US citizens and permanent card holders are eligible to apply to this program.
Admission requirements
Requirements to apply
- A master’s degree from an institution of higher education with full accreditation for that degree.
- Students must have either bachelors or master’s degree in computer science to apply.
- Minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent on an alternative grading system).
- Knowledge/academic experience in low-level programming including assembly language. Practical, academic, or a general understanding of reverse engineering, malware analysis, or software exploitation are helpful.
- No GRE scores required
Application deadline
- April 15 for admission to the following Fall semester
- September 15 for admission to the following Spring semester
All application materials must be received by the deadlines to be considered for admission.
Admission decisions will not be communicated until after the application deadline and may take up to several weeks after the deadline.
Apply Now Academic calendar
Application materials checklist
- Completed online application
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Submit the $35 application fee.
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After submitting your online application, you can log into your application portal to complete any remaining application documents and check the status of your application.
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- Purpose Statement (in online application)
- In 200 to 300 words, share your purpose for choosing this graduate degree and how you feel prepared. Our admissions committee wants to know:
- Why are you choosing to pursue this degree?
- What role does this degree program play in your career objectives?
- What special knowledge, skills, or experiences prepare you to succeed in this program?
- This is also an opportunity to expand on how you meet the program admission requirements.
- In 200 to 300 words, share your purpose for choosing this graduate degree and how you feel prepared. Our admissions committee wants to know:
- Official Transcripts
Official trancripts can be submitted to DSU-GraduateAdmissions@dsu.edu.
FAQS
Are assistantship awards available?
Not currently. Since this is an online program only, assistantship awards are not available for students in this program.
How long does the degree typically take to complete?
For part-time students who take 1 class at time, the program coursework can take 3-4 years to complete. For full-time students who take 2 or more classes at a time, the program coursework can take 2-3 years to complete. The dissertation phase takes doctoral students at least 1.5 years to complete. This program can look different to each student, it all depends on how much or little time you’d like to take to complete the degree. The DSU Graduate Office and faculty are here to support you in all your academic endeavors and guide you at whatever pace works for you.
Can I review what research or dissertation topics DSU doctoral students are currently working on?
Absolutely! The DSU Beadle Scholar Archive has an extensive backlog of recent Dissertation/Research Topics completed by DSU Doctoral and Master’s Students.
Does this program require the GRE to apply?
No, DSU does not require a GRE score for graduate program applications.
How much does the program cost?
DSU bills tuition per credit hour. You can review the breakdown of costs per credit here: DSU Tuition Costs The PhD in Cyber Operations program is a CSC program with different costs associated for the online coursework modality.
Can the application fee be waived?
The $35 application fee is required for all programs and cannot be waived by University Policy.
When can I expect to hear if my application has been accepted?
Depending on the program, admission decisions may take up to several weeks after submitting all application materials or after the application deadline.
You can always refer back to the portal to check on your application status, or if there are any remaining requirements needed: apply.dsu.edu/apply.
Have a question not answered here?
Contact GradOffice@dsu.edu for additional support.