Student Research

Illinois Tech’s College of Computing offers research opportunities to graduate and undergraduate students alike. Whether it's through a summer stipend, a Research Experience for Undergraduates grant from the National Science Foundation, or internships, undergraduates can find themselves on the cutting edge of research. Funding support through grants from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Air Force, Argonne National Laboratory, the National Security Agency, and other entities gives graduate students access to research opportunities in a variety of computational fields.

Computer Science Honors Research Program

Overview

Get involved in research early in your career with the Department of Computer Science’s CS Honors Research Program. Undertake challenging upper‐level graduate coursework, work in close contact with CS faculty, and conclude the program with the completion of an ambitious research project and an honors thesis. CS faculty will work with you to publish a paper at a top research venue, prepare for graduate school, and accelerate your start to a career in research. 

Benefits

Get involved early in research, challenge yourself with advanced upper-level courses, and conduct world-class CS research with faculty. Multiple opportunities are available for undergraduates to get involved in cutting edge computing and interdisciplinary research. 

Curriculum

This program expands the set of courses available to undergraduates to include advanced graduate coursework, and an additional course (CS 492) introducing them to research generally and faculty research in the department. Additionally, students will take independent research credits to work towards their honors thesis.

Outcomes

Students completing this program will receive a degree specialization, and will complete an honors thesis. It is expected that these students will go on to prestigious industry positions and top Ph.D. programs after graduation. 

Requirements and How to Get Involved

Prospective honors students should be in their first or second year, and should have a minimum major GPA of 3.6 and at least a 3.5 overall GPA. Certain exceptions, however, are possible provided department approval. To apply, students should reach out to the department.

The requirements for granting the degree specialization are:

• Maintenance of a 3.6 GPA in the CS major, and a 3.5 GPA overall
• CS492 ‐ Introduction to Computer Science Research (students take this in their first or second year; it is usually offered one semester per year) 
• At least 2 advisor approved, 500‐level CS courses (6 credit hours)
• Completion of an ambitious research project and associated honors thesis, advised by a CS faculty member. The thesis/project will culminate in a presentation to a committee for approval in the final semester
• 6 credit hours of CS491 or CS497 (independent research)

Learn more details on the degree specialization.