Welcome!

Nova Southeastern University’s

Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences

Hosts:

Doctoral Information Session – March 2014

Presented by:

Melissa Ruidiaz, M.B.A.

Director of Marketing

&

Amon Seagull, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Housekeeping Items

Slides:

You can view the slides to today’s presentation here:

http://www.slideshare.net/NSUGSCIS

Google Hangout:

Please reference #NSUGSCIS, when chatting about this

online Hangout.

Q&A:

You can ask questions directly underneath the video or we

will open up the Q&A during the last 30 minutes to address

any questions.

Agenda

NSU & GSCIS Overview

Ph.D. Degree Programs

Degree Formats

Program Structure

Length of Ph.D. Program

Why choose NSU?

Doctoral Application Process

Financial Aid

Upcoming Terms and Dates

Helpful Resources

Q&A

#NSUGSCIS

NSU & GSCIS Overview Nova Southeastern University &

the Graduate School of Computer and

Information Sciences (GSCIS)

NSU was founded in 1964.

The nation’s ninth-largest, not-for-profit university, with

more than 27,000 students and 150,000 alumni

Has a sprawling 300-acre Fort Lauderdale-Davie campus;

and a presence in nine countries around the world.

Regionally accredited by the Southern Association of

Colleges and Schools (SACS).

GSCIS pioneered distance education and began offering

programs in 1983.

Designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in

Information Assurance Education by the U.S. National

Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security.

Doctoral Degree Programs

Ph.D. Degree Programs:

Computer Science, Ph.D. (CISD)

Information Assurance, Ph.D. (DIA)

Information Systems, Ph.D. (DISS)

Optional concentration in Information Security

Optional concentration in Learning Technology

#NSUGSCIS

Ph.D. Degree Formats

Students taking courses attend four cluster sessions per year, held quarterly

over an extended weekend (Friday and Saturday) at the university.

These sessions bring together students and faculty for:

participation in classes

seminars

dissertation counseling

student-faculty interaction

student-student interaction

There are two 16-week terms a year. The fall term starts in August and the

winter term starts in January.

#NSUGSCIS

Ph.D. Program Structure

700-level courses are where you are exposed to a variety of faculty

members and research areas. (You will take eight of these courses.)

Research registrations are where you follow up one of these research

areas with more intensive research with a faculty member. You will take two

of these Directed Research courses before entering candidacy.

Dissertation registrations are for students who have succeeded to doctoral

candidacy and are working on their dissertations. You will take at minimum

24 credits (one year) of dissertation registrations. Most students require

multiple additional terms (4 credits each).

#NSUGSCIS

Campus attendance (cluster sessions) required

Length of Program

Students can complete the required course work in 2-3 years,

and should expect to spend 2-3 additional years on the

dissertation. (A minimum of one year is required.)

Students register for Continuing Dissertation until they have

completed the dissertation.

On average students complete the degree in 4 to 7 years.

Students have 10 years from the date of their first registration to

complete the degree program requirements.

#NSUGSCIS

Why choose NSU?

Leaders in online education since 1983.

Degree programs are offered in a dynamic, flexible format, utilizing

online and on-campus meetings – without career interruption.

Distinguished faculty members from Purdue, Virginia Commonwealth,

Wayne State, Carnegie Mellon, University of Rochester, Princeton,

SUNY, Columbia, and more.

Graduates are achieving success in the military, government

departments, and universities nationwide, including institutions

University of Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Carolina

State University, Old Dominion University, Pace University, Temple

University, and many more.

As well as top companies including American Express, Apple, AT&T,

Boeing, Booz Allen Hamilton, Cisco Systems, Google, Microsoft,

NASA, and many more.

#NSUGSCIS

Ph.D. Application Process

An earned master’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.25 from a regionally accredited institution and

with an appropriate major.

Online application and non-refundable application $50 application fee.

Research Topic and Personal Essay.

Evaluation forms or letters of recommendation from three people who are familiar with your academic

and/or professional capabilities and able to assess your intellectual abilities, maturity, and motivation.

Evaluations from your professors are preferred. Evaluations are unacceptable if they are unrelated to

your doctoral application, or from family members, friends, those without experience in the research-

based doctorate, or from those unable to evaluate your academic potential to succeed in the program

to which you are applying.

A curriculum vitae (CV) that provides a short account of your academic background and professional

experience.

Proficiency in the English language. No test is required, but this is crucial to the students success in

the program, as students will be expected to write numerous papers and a dissertation.

RECOMMENDED APPLICATION DEADLINE: TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE DESIRED START.

#NSUGSCIS

International Application

Requirements

Pursuant to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations, international students who

are granted full admission to the Ph.D. program will require an I-20 in order to obtain a student (F-1) visa

for traveling to the U.S. only to attend our mandatory cluster meetings. Our doctoral program is a limited-

residency program and therefore, a student visa cannot be issued to live in the United States, but only to

attend our mandatory weekend meetings.

For international applicant’s applying to the doctoral program, please be aware of the following:

An I-20 cannot be issued to a provisionally admitted student.

If the degree was completed outside of the United States, it is required to submit a course-by-course

transcript evaluation with a GPA calculation by an agency that is a member of the National Association

of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). For current information on evaluation agencies visit

www.naces.org/members.htm.

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency. The

following standardized tests satisfy the university’s English requirement for nonnative English

speakers: (1) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (www.ets.org/toefl): 550 on the paper-

based test, 213 on the computer-based test or 80 on the Internet-based test; and (2) International

English Language Testing System (IELTS) (www.ielts.org): 6.0 on the test module. Official test results

must be sent directly from the testing agency to Nova Southeastern University.

For more information on how to obtain a student visa, click here.

For more information, visit the university’s Office of International Students web site at

www.nova.edu/internationalstudents

#NSUGSCIS

Tuition & Fees

#NSUGSCIS

2014 – 2015 Academic Calendar Year

$975 per credit hour, each course is 4 credits

$30 Registration fee (per semester)

$300 Student service fee (over 3 credit hours)

$100 Degree application fee

$100 Late registration fee

Therefore, if a student is enrolled for two courses for this upcoming

winter semester, here is a sample of expenses*:

Tuition cost: $975 x 8 = $7,800

Registration fee: $30

Student service fee: $300

Estimated semester cost: $8,130

Rates are subject to change.

Financial Aid

If you are applying for federal aid, you must complete the Free Application

for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the easiest way is online at

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov

NSU School Code: 001509

Federal Direct Loans

Money students borrow to help pay for educational expenses

Repayment usually begins six months after enrollment is reduced to

less than half-time

Only borrow what is really needed

Unsubsidized loan available

Non-need based federal loan

Fixed interest rate 5.14%

Must be enrolled at least half time to be eligible

Graduate PLUS Loan (Private Loan)

#NSUGSCIS

Additional Information

Yellow Ribbon Scholarship / Post 911 GI Bill

Doctoral students can get $2,000 each per year (up to $4,000

including the VA match)

Scholarships

External scholarships

International scholarships

Remember be PROACTIVE, do research on scholarship and grant

opportunities that relate to the technology field, keyword “STEM”

Payment Plans

3 –month or 10-month payment plans available

Employer Tuition Assistance Plans

#NSUGSCIS

Upcoming Terms and Dates

Fall 2014

Term starts: August 25, 2014

New Student Orientation: August 28, 2014

First Cluster meeting: August 29-30, 2014

Second Cluster meeting: October 17-18, 2014

Winter 2014

Term starts: January 5, 2015

New student orientation: January 16, 2015

First Cluster meeting dates: January 2015

Second Cluster meeting dates: March 2015

#NSUGSCIS

Faculty Viewbook

Resources

FAQ’s

Traveling to campus

Dissertation Guide

Graduate Catalog

Completed dissertation list

Request a tour or appointment

Get Social with GSCIS

@NSU_GSCIS

Upcoming Event: Financial Aid Information Session

April 17 at 12p - RSVP here.

Q&A

Thank you for attending the Doctoral Information Session!

Contact us:

Melissa Ruidiaz, ruidiaz@nova.edu

Dr. Amon Seagull, amons@nova.edu

Office of Student Financial Assistance, finaid@nova.edu

by phone: (954) 262-3380 or toll-free number (800) 806-3680

3301 College Avenue

Carl DeSantis Bldg. 4th Floor

Fort Lauderdale-Davie, FL 33314-7796

Email: scisinfo@nova.edu

www.scis.nova.edu