CDS orientation

Notes for CDS orientation with first year students

1. Introductions
2. Overview of the PhD program
   1. Year 1: courses + qualifying exam + choose an advisor; summer research
   2. Year 2: courses + candidacy exam (research based)
   3. Years 3-5: research + thesis defense
3. Overview of courses
   1. First year courses: give main tracks + dependencies
   2. Advanced and intermittent courses
   3. The focus requirement: 27 units outside of CDS/math
4. Funding
   1. General principle: all CDS students receive same stipend, independent of source of funds
   2. First year fellowships (internal or external): no specific teaching or project responsibilities
   3. GTA funding: 12 hours/week + GRA augment
   4. After first year, funding is handled through your advisor (contact option rep if there are any issues)
   5. If you are eligible for external fellowships (NSF, NDSEG, etc), please apply! These help us enroll more students.
5. Honor system
6. Additional procedures and activities
   1. English language requirement
   2. Teaching assistantship: not required for CDS, though some faculty expect this. Typically no additional funding while TAing
   3. CDS department activities:
      1. CDS tea: Wednesday, 3 pm
      2. CDS seminars: cds-mailer announcments
      3. cds-all, cds-mailer: should get set up automatically
   4. Computer accounts: IMSS, CMS, CDS
   5. CDS laptops, CMS desktops
   6. Annenberg facilities, keys, safety training (if not covered in CMS orientation)
7. Questions?