LTI Graduate Programs Robert Frederking Chair of Graduate Programs Language Technologies Institute Carnegie Mellon University August 2001

LTI student body: Master of Language Technologies: –Intended primarily as a professional degree –Curriculum designed for maximum flexibility; students allowed to be narrow in focus –14 MLT students as of August expected to graduate by Spring 2002 PhD in Language Technologies: –Intended to create new LT researchers –Designed to give broad, deep education; requires demonstration of research competence –43 LTI PhD students as of August 2001 Several expected to graduate by Spring 2002 (8 in “thesis mode”)

General issues: Come see Chris or me at the start of each semester Everyone gets an advisor in first semester –new this year: Marriage Process (next slide) Register for at least 48 units every semester (new!) –See LTI web pages for available courses: –At least 24 units of Directed Research ( “at least ½ time on research”). New version of : Directed Research. –ABD in absentia (ABS) is 5 units, after you defend New 40-unit Summer Research course LTI Department Handbook is online (under “Education”) –Reasonable Person Principle

LTI “Marriage Process” Formalizes a previously informal process Does not apply to already-funded MLTs Initial plan: –Student goes to all research talks, meets one-to- one with faculty of interest as soon as possible –Student indicates 1 st, 2 nd, and maybe 3 rd choice for advisor –Faculty indicates number of new students desired and preferences –Whole faculty meets as “Marriage Committee” to find optimum match

Masters in Language Technologies: LTI MS Requirements: –120 units of senior-to-graduate courses Including at least 6 LTI courses and 2 other SCS Can include 12 units of Directed Research –Within those units, student must pass: Both Alg for NLP and SoftEng I, and Either one lab, SoftEng II, or a project Masters Thesis One “Task Orientation Focus” class –Masters Thesis is optional!! My recommendations: –If you want a PhD, research results are the most important thing Either in directed research or

PhD in Language Technologies: LTI PhD Requirements: –Course work: No more than 2 courses per semester (new!) At least 6 LTI courses and 2 other SCS courses Of those, at least one from each “Focus Area”, and at least two 6-unit lab courses (which are ½ course each) Senior level courses do not count –Proficiencies: Writing, Presentation, Programming, Teaching (2 TAs) –Thesis Proposal Committee: advisor, two other LTI, one external –Thesis Defense

PhD in Language Technologies (cont ): My recommendations: –Pick your advisor carefully –Spend at least ½ time on research, starting this semester –Do not try to conquer the world in your thesis

Semi-Annual Student Evaluation (“Black Friday”) Whole LTI faculty meets, discusses each student’s progress A letter is sent to each student; short is good. Your advisor is your advocate –It’s important that your advisor think you are doing well!