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Ph.D. in Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization (ACO)

The ACO program is a multidisciplinary effort, sponsored jointly with the School of Mathematics and the College of Computing. The intent of this program is to provide a formal vehicle for graduate education and research that builds on the close relationships between combinatorial mathematics, the analysis of algorithms, and fundamentals of optimization and that takes advantage of the resources at Georgia Tech in these areas. The Program is directed by an ACO Coordinating Committee drawn from the participating faculty and representing all of the participating units. Each student in the Program has a single home department and although students apply for admission to ACO independently, through the Coordinating Committee, they must first be admitted as Ph.D. students in their home unit which ultimately recommends the student's degree.

Students must satisfy the Institute requirements as described in the General Catalog. However, specific requirements of the ACO Program may vary significantly from those of other programs in the home department.

The requirements for each ACO student will include the satisfactory completion of a set of core courses shown below.

PROGRAM CORE

• CS 6550 Analysis of Algorithms
• ISyE 7661 Theory of Linear Inequalities
• ISyE 7686 Advanced Combinatorial Optimization
• Math 6014 Graph Theory
• Math 6121 Algebra I
• Math 6221 Advanced Classical Probability Theory

ADDITIONAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Each ACO student must also complete at least 18 hours of course work at the 6000 level or higher in addition to the courses that constitute the core. Additional departmental requirements may be imposed and apply only to students who have the indicated department as their home unit. For ACO students from ISyE, the following additional course requirements must be satisfied:

• ISyE/Math 6761 Stochastics I
• Math 6021 Topology of Euclidean Spaces
• CS 6520 Complexity
• ISyE 6663 Nonlinear Optimization

MINOR REQUIREMENT

Each ACO student must satisfy the Institute requirement of a minor program of study consisting of at least 9 hours of course work chosen to the satisfaction of the Coordinating Committee and the student's home department. Courses in the program core may not be used as part of a minor program.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

Typically, by the end of the third semester in residence, each ACO student will be required to take a written Comprehensive Examination. This examination will be based primarily on the contents of the courses in the program core and one additional course selected from CS 7520, CS 7530, CS 6520, or CS 7510. Based on the results of this test and other measures of the student's performance, the Coordinating Committee may pass the candidate, fail the candidate with the recommendation that the test be readministered in part or in whole after allowing at most one year for remediation of the student's deficiencies, or fail the student unconditionally. Upon passing the examination, students will be advised that they will be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. upon satisfactory completion of all requirements and filing a statement naming the dissertation advisor and research topic.

THE DISSERTATION AND FINAL DOCTORAL EXAMINATION

The dissertation and final doctoral examination must meet the usual criteria of the Institute. Dissertation advisory committees and doctoral examination committees must represent the home department and at least one other participating unit in the Program. The dissertation advisor may reside in any of the participating units.