Designated Emphasis Program

To augment their training, PhD students may choose to add a designated emphasis (DE) to their program. A DE is a specialization, such as a new method of inquiry or an important field of application, which is relevant to two or more existing doctoral degree programs. If a student is accepted and the program requirements are met, the student will receive a DE distinction as part of their PhD degree. Each DE program has its own set of course and program requirements, and interested students are responsible form their own application and admission to the DE program. DE programs require that a DE-affiliated faculty member be a member of the student’s qualifying exam committee.

Example DE Programs

Computational and Data Science and Engineering
Computational and Genomic Biology
Nanoscale Science and Engineering

More DEs are available and the list is expanding.

Case for Inclusion

At this time, the Vision Science Graduate Group is not officially included in all DEs. If a student is interested in a specific DE for which VS is not included, that student should make a case for inclusion in that DE to the VS Chair.