Course Requirements

Students in the CMSP program can obtain either a PhD or master’s degree in computational Modeling and Simulation. In addition to requirements specific to the program, students must satisfy the requirements in a concentration area in one of the participating schools.

The University requirement for a PhD is 72 credits. At least 30 credits will be satisfied by the core program, including the concentration area as described below. The remaining credits will be met by directed study as described below.

A student finishing with a master’s degree will need to satisfy the 30 credits required by the CMS core program.

I. Two courses (3 credits each) in Numerical Methods

II. Two courses (3 credits each) in Scientific Computing/Programming

III. Two courses (3 credits each) from a participating department outside Computer Science, Math, and Statistics, in the School of Arts and Sciences or the Swanson School of Engineering

IV. 12 credits in a concentration area in a participating department in the School of Arts and Sciences or in the Swanson School of Engineering

A minimum of 30 credits of graduate level courses from categories I-IV will be required. There can be overlap in courses satisfying category IV and those satisfying the category I, II and III requirements. It is anticipated that students entering the program will be able to complete the six core courses in categories I – III in their first year and the concentration requirements in the second year.

University Credit Requirement: All students in the program must satisfy the University’s requirement of a minimum of 72 credits for a PhD. At least 30 of these credits will be satisfied by the core program, including the concentration area, described above. The remaining credits will be met by directed study (i.e., research).

Preliminary Exam: A student will satisfy the preliminary exam requirements by passing (grade B or higher) the six courses in areas I-III described above. In the case that a student received one grade below B in one of the three main areas, he/she can counter that with a grade of B or above in an additional approved course in that area. If a student receives two grades below B, he/she will no longer be able to continue in the program. Students who do not meet these requirements but who have an overall grade average of B or better, have the option of doing a literature-based Master’s Thesis. All Students receiving a Master’s degree, must meet the minimum requirement of 30 credits. This includes six courses in areas I-III listed above, and 12 credits in area IV. Up to six credits can be met in section IV by Thesis Research credits.

Comprehensive Exam: The comprehensive exam will be taken by the end of the student’s seventh semester at the University of Pittsburgh, and will focus on the progress that the student has made to date on his/her research. The comprehensive exam will consist of a written report prepared by the student on his/her research, followed by an oral examination. The exam will be administered by a committee of four faculty members, at least two of whom (including the student’s advisor) will be from the Department of the student’s concentration, and at least one of whom will be from an outside department. If a student does not pass the comprehensive exam, he/she will have the option of continuing in the program for another semester, completing the minimum required 30 credits, and submitting a Master’s thesis based on independent research. The student’s committee will decide on whether the thesis warrants awarding the Master’s degree.

Dissertations/Theses: Every graduate student has to write a thesis or dissertation before being awarded a MS or PhD degree. Browse our publications section for recently posted theses, dissertations, and presentation. All theses and dissertations are submitted online. Visit the EDT web site for more information on the process.

Advising/Choosing a Plan of Study

Most students entering the program will choose an advisor (with the faculty member’s consent) at the time they are accepted. In the case that a student does not choose an advisor when admitted, the student will be assigned a temporary advisor in the department of the concentration. In such cases, the student will choose a permanent advisor by the end of the first term in the program. The choice of permanent advisor is made with the consent of the faculty member, who then agrees to support the student after the first year in the program.

The plan of study will be designed in consultation with the advisor, with approval of the Director of the program. Because the students entering the program will have very diverse backgrounds, particular care will be exercised to make sure that they have the prerequisites to be successful in the core courses that they choose to take. By the end of the first year, each participating student will choose a four-person Comprehensive Committee, the make-up of which is described above.

Courses that can meet the CMS requirements:

Science/Engineering

Numerical methods (Courses are 3 credits each)

MATH 2070 Numerical Methods in Scientific Computing 1

MATH 2071 Numerical Methods in Scientific Computing 2

MATH 2090 Numerical Solution of Ordinary Differential Equations

MATH 3071 Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations

ME 2060 Numerical Methods

Scientific computing/programming (Courses are 3 credits each)

PHYS 2274 Computational Methods

CS 2010 Algorithm Design

CS 2045 Introduction to High Performance Computing Systems

CS 2150 Design and Analysis of Algorithms

CS 2450 Parallel Computing

CS 2620 Interdisciplinary Modeling and Visualization

Concentration Areas:

Bioengineering

Students doing a concentration in Bioengineering need to take a minimum of 12 credits from the following list.  All listed courses are 3 credits except MS CMP 3780 which is 2 credits and BIOE 2095 which can be for one, two, or three credits.

BIOE 2035 Biomechanics Modeling of Movement

BIOE 2064 Biomechanics of Organs, Tissues, and Cells

BIOE 2067 Musculoskeletal Biomechanics

BIOE 2310 Hemodynamics and Biotransport

BIOE 2515 Cardiovascular System Dynamics and Modeling

BIOE 2696 Control Theory in Neuroscience

MSCMP 3780 Systems Approach to Inflammation

BIOE 2095 Independent/Directed Study

Biological Sciences

Students doing a concentration in Biological Sciences are required to take all of the following 2 credit courses.  (BIOSC 2011-2013 are taken together in one term and BIOSC 2021-2023 are taken together in the following term.)  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

BIOSC 2011 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

BIOSC 2012 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

BIOSC 2013 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

BIOSC 2021 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

BIOSC 2022 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

BIOSC 2023 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 

 

Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

Students doing a concentration in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering should take the following four courses.  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

ChE 2101 Fundamentals of Thermodynamics

ChE 2201 Fundamentals of Reaction Processes

ChE 2301 Fundamentals of Transport Processes I

ChE 3902 Directed Study

Chemistry

Students doing a concentration in Chemistry must take two core courses, one additional 3-credit chemistry graduate course, and 3 credits of directed study.  Courses that meet the core course requirements are listed below.  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

CHEM 2110 Physical Inorganic Chemistry

CHEM 2120 Inorganic Synthesis

CHEM 2210 Electrochemistry

CHEM 2220 Chemical Separations

CHEM 2230 Analytical Spectroscopy

CHEM 2410 Mechanistic Organic Chemistry

CHEM 2420 Advanced Organic Synthesis

CHEM 2430 Quantum Mechanics and Kinetics

CHEM 2440 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

CHEM 2810 Biological Chemistry I

CHEM 2820 Biological Chemistry II

CHEM 3902 Directed Study

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Students doing a concentration in Civil and Environmental Engineering should take four courses from the following list of courses.  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

CEE 2100 Numerical Methods 3

CEE 2105 Advanced Civil Engineering Materials

CEE 2320 Advanced Mechanics of Materials 3

CEE 2322 Fatigue and Fracture of Metal Structures

CEE 2324 Computational Nanomechanics

CEE 2333 Fundamentals of the Finite Element Method

CEE 2330 Advanced Structural Analysis

CEE 2360 Dynamics of Structures

CEE 2408 Advanced Environmental Fluid Mechanics

CEE 3320 Continuum Mechanics

CEE 3321 Applied Plasticity

CEE 3322 Fracture Mechanics

CEE 3330 Structural Stability

CEE 3331 Plate and Shell Structures

CEE 3332 Energy Methods in Structural Analysis

CEE 3333 Advanced Finite Elements

CEE 3414 Advanced Hydrology

CEE 3420 Hydrologic Modeling

CEE 3997 Special Investigation

Computer Science

Students doing a concentration in Computer Science should take four courses from the following list of courses. Each of these courses is 3 credits.

CS 2010 Introduction to Algorithms

CS 2150 Algorithms

CS 2045 Introduction to High Performance Computing Systems

CS 2450 Parallel Computing

CS 2620 Modeling and Visualization

CS 2410 Computer Architecture

CS 2210 Compilers

CS 2550 Database

CS 2510 Operating Systems

CS 2750 Machine Learning

Economics

Students doing a concentration in Economics should choose one of the following course sequences. Each of these courses is 3 credits.

ECON 2100 Advanced Microeconomic Theory I

ECON 2120 Advanced Microeconomic Theory II

ECON 2600 Computational Methods in Economics

ECON 3902 Directed Study

or

ECON 2110 Advanced Macroeconomic Theory I

ECON 2130 Advanced Macroeconomic Theory II

ECON 2600 Computational Methods in Economics

ECON 3902 Directed Study

or

ECON 2260 Advanced Econometrics I

ECON 2270 Advanced Econometrics II

ECON 2600 Computational Methods in Economics

ECON 3902 Directed Study

Geology and Environmental Sciences

Students doing a concentration in Geology and Environmental Sciences should choose four courses from the following list.  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

GEOL 2021 Advanced Igneous Petrology

GEOL 2129 Basin Analysis

GEOL 2151 Groundwater Geology

GEOL 2449 GIS, GPS, and Computer Methods

GEOL 2446 Adv GIS Systems & Computer Methods

GEOL 2460 Applied Rem9ote Sensing & GPS Techniques

GEOL 2461 Advance Remote Sensing

GEOL 2640 Advanced Geohazards and Risk Management

GEOL 3410 Exploration Geophysics

Mathematics

Students doing a concentration in Mathematics should choose four courses from the following list.  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

MATH 2070 Numerical Methods in Scientific Computing I

MATH 2071 Numerical Methods in Scientific Computing II

MATH 2090 Numerical Solution of Ordinary Differential Equations

MATH 3071 Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations

MATH 2030 Iterative Methods for Linear and Nonlinear Systems

MATH 2950 Methods of Applied Mathematics

MATH 3072 The Finite Element Method

MATH 3380 Mathematical Biology

MATH 2960 Computational Fluid Mechanics

MATH 2601 Advanced Scientific Computing I

MATH 2602 Advanced Scientific Computing II

MATH 3375 Computational Neuroscience

MATH 2603 Advanced Scientific Computing III

MATH 2604 Advanced Scientific Computing IV

MATH 3040 Topics in Scientific Computing: High-Performance Computing

MATH 3902 Directed Study

Mechanical Engineering

Students doing a concentration in Mechanical Engineering should take four courses from the following list.  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

ME 2016 Nonlinear Dynamical Systems I

ME 2027 Advanced Dynamics

ME 2033 Fracture Mechanics for Production Design & MFG

ME 2041 Experimental Mechanics

ME 2043 Machinge Learning-Based Methods for Dynamics and Control

ME 2045 Linear Control Systems

ME 2046 Digital Control Systems

ME 2050 Thermodynamics

ME 2055 Computer Aided Analysis in Transportation Phenomena

ME 2056 Introduction to Combustion Theory

ME 2064 Introduction to Cell Mechanobiology

ME 2067 Musculoskeletal Biomechanics (3)

ME 2080 Introduction to Micro Electric Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

ME 2082 Principles of Electromechanical Sensors & Actuators ME 3003 Theory of Continuous Media ME 3004 Advanced Elasticity ME 3006 Inelasticity

ME 3007 Energetics

ME 3021 Mechanical Vibrations II

ME 3023 Composite

ME 3036 Advanced Fracture Mechanics

ME 3047 Advanced Finite Element Analysis

ME 3052 Conduction Heat Transfer

ME 3054 Convection Heat Transfer

ME 3055 Multiphase Flow

ME 3075 Hydrodynamic Stability

ME 3078 Viscous Fluids ME 3079 Turbulence

ME 3081 Non-Newtonian Fluids

Physics and Astronomy

Students choosing to do a concentration in Physics will choose from one of the following five thematic areas.  Example course groupings within each thematic area are also listed.  Exact courses taken by each students will be determined by the student and his/her advisor.  In some cases the advisory may require more than four Physics courses to fulfill the concentration requirement.  Each of these courses is 3 credits, with the exception of PHYS 2555, which is 4 credits.

Computational Elementary Particle Physics:

PHYS 2373 Mathematical Methods

PHYS 2555 Electricity and Magnetism

PHYS 2565 Quantum Mechanics I

PHYS 2566 Quantum Mechanics II

PHYS 3717 Particle Physics

PHYS 3718 Advanced Particle Physics

PHYS 3765 Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

PHYS 3766 Field Theory I

Computational Cosmology and Extragalactic Astronomy:

PHYS 2373 Mathematical Methods

PHYS 2555 Electricity and Magnetism

PHYS 3750 Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy

PHYS 3785 Cosmology

Computational Stellar Astronomy:

PHYS 2373 Mathematical Methods

PHYS 2555 Electricity and Magnetism

PHYS 3780 Stellar Structure

PHYS 3751 Interstellar Medium

PHYS 3784 Radiative Processes in Astrophysics

Survey Astronomy:

PHYS 3752 Astronomical Techniques

PHYS 3750 Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy

PHYS 3780 Stellar Structure

PHYS 3751 Interstellar Medium

PHYS 3784 Radiative Processes in Astrophysics

Computational Nanoscience:

PHYS 2373 Mathematical Methods

PHYS 2555 Electricity and Magnetism

PHYS 2565 Quantum Mechanics I

PHYS 2566 Quantum Mechanics II

PHYS 3715 Solid-state Physics

Psychology

Students doing a concentration in Psychology need to complete the following courses.  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

PSYC 2476 Topics Seminar: Computational Modeling

PSYC 2450 Problem Solving and Reasoning

PSYC 2465 Perception and Attention

PSYC 2470 Skill Acquisition Statistics 

Students doing a concentration in Statistics need to complete the following courses.  Each of these courses is 3 credits.

STAT 2270 Data Mining

STAT 3341 Advanced Modern Statistical Computing (Monte Carlo Methods)

STAT 3342 Advanced Modern Statistical Computing

STAT 3731 Topics in Stochastic Processes (Stochastic Differential Equations)

STAT 3732 Topics in Stochastic Processes