PhD in Computer Science
Preparing students to become expert researchers across interdisciplinary fields
Situated within the McCormick School of Engineering and driven by the CS+X initiative, the Department of Computer Science (CS) at Northwestern University prepares students to perform impactful and future-focused computer science research by building technological expertise through work with leading interdisciplinary researchers across Northwestern’s top-ranked schools.
Conducting original transformational research in extant and emerging computer science areas, our students are both advancing the core CS fields from theory to AI to systems and networking, as well as expanding CS into new areas through unique collaborations with CS+X faculty jointly appointed with disciplines including business, law, economics, journalism, and medicine.
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PhD Tracks
Students choose from one of 5 tracks, corresponding to on one of our areas of research excellence. Within each track, students explore many related areas of interest, including programming languages, security and privacy and human-computer interaction.
Click on a research area to learn more about the faculty and their work.
Why Northwestern?
Benefit from our culture, community, and proximity to Chicago’s growing tech sector
Broaden your view of computer science
In our CS+X environment, you’ll have the opportunity to uncover new areas of study while taking advantage of our robust research connections across Northwestern’s top-ranked schools including medicine, business, journalism, music, and more.
Find community at social events and in student groups
When you join Northwestern CS, you’re entering a community, not just a classroom. You’ll not only find ample opportunities to network with fellow students, faculty members, staff, and even professionals in the CS field, but you’ll also to form supportive friendships.
Easy access to Chicagoland research and industry partners
Situated along Lake Michigan, 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, Northwestern’s unique location offers unsurpassed access to research partnerships and networking opportunities at neighboring tech organizations.
Jessica Hullman
Ginni Rometty Professor
“I see exciting new research opportunities related to supporting understanding of statistical model results and technology-aided decision making under uncertainty.”
Other Opportunities
Complement your area of study with skills or experience to ensure your success
Cognitive Science Certificate
Earn this specialization by taking six cognitive science courses. You’ll also have the opportunity to attend cognitive science events and lectures, to receive conference travel support, and to be exposed to cross-disciplinary exchanges.
Management for PhDs Certificate Program
Jointly offered by The Graduate School and Kellogg School of Management, this program provides post-candidacy doctoral students with a basic understanding of strategy, finance, risk and uncertainty, marketing, accounting and leadership. You’ll be introduced to business concepts and specific frameworks for effective management strategies for both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.
The Crown Family Graduate Internship Program
This internship program will provide you with the opportunity to gain practical experience in industry or in national research laboratories in areas closely related to your research.
Funding Your Degree
We provide financial support for all CS PhD students in the form of assistantships or fellowships, unless support is not desired.
Fully-Funded
All PhD students are given support in the form of assistantships or fellowships.
First-Year Fellowship
All PhD students start with a first-year fellowship.
Career Paths
Prepare for a career in academia or industry
Recent graduates of the computer science PhD program are pursuing careers in industry and research labs, academia, and startups. At Northwestern, you’ll have opportunities including laboratory research experience, teaching, and conferences and workshops. In addition, our career advisors in Engineering Career Development and Northwestern Career Advancement assist students with career development and placement.
Where our alumni work in academia
Where our alumni work in industry
Request Your Program & Application Guide
Request a customized program guide about the PhD in computer science.