GWU Online Doctorate in AI and ML — Comprehensive Notes

GWU Online Doctorate in AI and ML — Comprehensive Notes

• Welcome and program context

  • Welcome to George Washington University (GWU) Online Doctorate in AI and ML, fifth cohort.

  • Program directors mentioned: Dr. Mizuki and Dr. Sarkhan (Sarkhani) guiding the online engineering program.

  • Orientation and logistics: students were asked to join an upcoming meeting; instructor notes about attendance and verification of who attended.

  • Communication channels: primary contact email for questions about privacy/procedures is seizedoc@gw.edu; later references include csoc@gwu.edu for general inquiries.

Program structure and timeline

• Two distinct phases over roughly two years:

  • Phase 1: Classroom phase

  • Phase 2: Research phase

• Classroom phase details

  • Duration: about $11$ months.

  • Schedule: classes meet weekly; attendance is required for all lectures.

  • Accessibility: lectures are recorded and available within a couple of hours after each class on Blackboard.

  • Cohort format: all students take the same six courses; cohort moves together through the same sequence for about $11$ months.

  • Timeline: starts today and ends around July; then transitions to the research phase.

• Research phase details

  • Meets with an assigned adviser based on the chosen two-year research topic.

  • Meeting cadence: every other Saturday or Friday evening for about 30 minutes (longer if needed); more frequent meetings if progress is not being made.

  • Deliverable: a practice document of roughly $75-100$ pages (though some have been longer, up to ~300 pages in rare cases).

  • End goal: defend the practice document in front of a committee of three faculty members; aim to complete by September 2027 for degree conferral.

  • Outcome: successful defense leads to the Doctorate in AI and ML.

Coursework (six required courses; 24 total credits)

• Credit structure

  • Six courses, each worth $4$ credits → total of $24$ credits.

• Schedule and format

  • Classes meet on Saturdays, 9:00–12:00 a.m. Eastern and 1:00–4:00 p.m. Eastern (two sessions per week on Saturdays).

  • Each course is 14 weeks long.

  • Live attendance is required; lectures are also recorded for later review.

  • Exams: midterm and final are two hours each and occur during the class period.

• Course progression by semester

  • Fall (current semester): Analytical Methods for Machine Learning; Applied Machine Intelligence.

  • Spring: Data Engineering; Deep Learning and NLP.

  • Summer: Computer Vision; Generative AI; Praxis Development (topic development with faculty to shape a research topic).

• Course description and policy

  • Course descriptions are in the GWU bulletin; GWU reserves the right to modify courses due to AI field changes (but they emphasize they do not heavily modify content).

Praxis Development and research orientation

• Praxis Development course

  • Purpose: help students come with ideas and work with professors to develop them into real research topics.

  • Rationale: unlike traditional doctoral programs where you may spend time finding an adviser and a topic, this program accelerates that process so you can hit the ground running.

• Research phase expectations

  • After coursework: you begin active research with your adviser.

  • Regular adviser meetings (every other week; more often if needed).

  • Documentation: your Praxis Research paper; length typically 75–100 pages, occasionally longer; defense before a committee.

  • Defense: one-hour examination in front of your adviser (as advocate) and two other faculty members.

Academic requirements and performance metrics

• GPA and grading standards

  • Academic requirement: cumulative GPA ≥ $3.2$ across the six courses.

  • Grade discipline: no more than one grade below B− (i.e., at most one C or worse).

  • GWU grade scale (approximate): A− = $3.7$, B+ = $3.3$, B = $3.0$, B− = $2.7$.

  • Target: maintain a GPA around the B to B+ range; overall class average typically aimed between B+ and A− to preserve a fair grading curve.

• Progress and probation

  • If cumulative GPA falls below $3.2$, the student is placed on probation and notified by email; student must raise GPA back to at least $3.2$ by the conclusion of six courses.

  • About 90% of students complete coursework successfully; some leave for various reasons.

• Progress into research phase

  • A strong track record: about 90% pass the first-stage requirements and move into the research phase; remaining students may complete in an extension semester.

Assessments, exams, and integrity

• Course assessments

  • Each course includes regular homework and two major exams (midterm and final).

  • Homework due: 11:59 PM on the Friday before the Saturday class (designed to avoid late-night deadlines directly before class).

  • Grading composition: roughly one-third homework, one-third midterm, one-third final (distribution is approximate).

• HonorLock and integrity measures

  • Exams require HonorLock proctoring.

  • You must enable your webcam and desktop camera as part of the proctoring setup; you may be required to purchase a side camera for approximately $50$.

  • You must be logged in to Zoom during the exam.

  • A practice exam is available on Blackboard to familiarize yourself with procedures.

• Exam scheduling and format

  • Midterm: scheduled over two consecutive weeks (to accommodate different sections).

  • Final: scheduled on the same day for all sections; two-hour duration.

  • Exam formats: mix of multiple choice and short-answer questions (no long-form essay due to time constraints).

• Side camera and integrity rationale

  • Side camera requirement ensures uniform exam conditions and preserves grading integrity and a fair curve for all students.

  • Estimated cost: under $50$; guidance provided to acquire a compatible camera and tripod.

• Practice vs. real exam environment

  • Practice defense: a short ~20-minute presentation with ~20–25 minutes of Q&A from two committee members.

  • Real defense: approximately a one-hour examination with a more extensive Q&A from the committee.

  • The practice environment is designed to mirror the real exam environment to reduce surprises.

Tuition, discounts, and financial policies

• Tuition and billing

  • The program uses a per-credit cost; the main campus rate is around $2{,}200$ per credit; the online program offers a ~20% reduction via a per-credit discount, effectively around $1{,}750$ per credit.

  • Internal recommended payment deadline: November 1 to avoid late fees; university deadline may be earlier; failure to pay can block registration access.

• Scholarships and discounts

  • There are no separate scholarships; instead, every student receives a 20% tuition discount on the main campus rate, resulting in a uniform per-credit charge for all students.

• Research phase tuition structure

  • During the research phase, you are registered for $24$ credits total: typically $9$ credits for Fall, $9$ credits for Spring, and $6$ credits for the following period (2027).

• Drops, withdrawals, and leaves of absence

  • Drop policy: you may drop a course through the day after the second class without financial or academic penalty; after that date, you are responsible for tuition and receive a grade of W; no withdrawals after Week 9 (roughly late September).

  • If you drop, you must reapply to join the following cohort to continue.

  • Leaves of absence: generally not permitted, but exceptions exist for health issues (up to one semester) or family health issues; longer leaves require re-entry into a future cohort and possible course rescheduling.

• Academic and administrative responsibilities

  • Students must respond to official emails within 48 hours; all communications originate from seasoc@gw.edu or similar GWU addresses.

  • Tuition bills must be paid in full by internal deadlines; failure to do so can block registration and access to courses.

Resources, software, and student services

• Training and software access

  • GWU provides training resources for Blackboard, Zoom, HonorLock, Proctoring, GWEP (student portal for registration, grades, and tuition).

  • Software packages available to students include MS Word, Minitab, Adobe, and other tools; access provided via campus software portals.

• Textbooks and library

  • Textbooks are provided online via links in syllabi; students can access them without additional purchases.

  • Library orientation sessions are recorded and available for review; Praxis research materials are stored in the GW library system.

• Networking and career support

  • Career services are available; cohort members are encouraged to network within their own class to find job opportunities.

  • Alumni and employer connections include major tech firms (Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, Adobe, etc.).

• Campus presence and ID

  • A GW ID can be issued; steps will be provided after enrollment.

  • Campus visits are possible if desired; the degree is delivered online but the diploma is the same degree as campus programs.

Program reputation and delivery format

• Online doctorate accreditation and delivery

  • Degree: Doctorate in AI and ML; online delivery with same credential as campus program.

  • US News ranking: online graduate engineering program ranked high (8th nationwide in some contexts); main campus program ranking differs; overall, the online program is positioned competitively within GWU’s engineering offerings.

• In-person requirements

  • The program emphasizes that most activities are remote; in-person attendance is not required for the defense, except for the graduation ceremony, which is optional and typically held in May 2028.

• Job outcomes and practicality

  • The program highlights strong employment outcomes with graduates working at top tech companies; the cohort environment is touted as a primary networking and job-search resource.

• Accessibility and accommodations

  • Disability accommodations handled by GWU Disability Services (DSS); HonorLock is a requirement, but accommodations can be arranged if needed.

Practical and logistical Q&A highlights

• How to connect with other students

  • Students can see classmates on Blackboard and can email peers to form study groups or Slack channels; sharing personal contact information is restricted by privacy laws.

• Defense logistics

  • Defenses are remote; in-person attendance is not required except for optional graduation attendance.

• Certificates, IDs, and campus resources

  • GW ID provisioning and access to campus systems will be explained and issued after enrollment.

• Topics and research scope

  • Students propose topics during Praxis Development; advisers help shape topics into a rigorous research plan; topics should be AI/ML relevant and address real-world problems.

• Can you work on a topic from your current job?

  • Yes; research can be closely tied to an AI/ML problem in your work.

• Textbook access and learning materials

  • Textbooks are provided online; no separate purchase is required beyond platform access.

• Scholarships and cost considerations

  • The program emphasizes a uniform 20% discount rather than individual scholarships; overall affordability is framed as a reduced tuition relative to main campus rates.

• Disability accommodations and HonorLock alternatives

  • If a student has documented disabilities preventing HonorLock use, they should contact Disability Services; accommodations are available to ensure accessibility while maintaining exam integrity.

• Graduation and degree conformance

  • Degree conferred in 2027 with diploma dated 2027; in-person graduation ceremony may occur in May 2028; participation is optional.

Contacts and next steps

• Primary inquiries

  • For general questions: CSOC@gwu.edu; for privacy/questions: seizedoc@gw.edu.

• Next steps for admitted students

  • Review Blackboard and course syllabi for the exact textbook links and course schedules.

  • Prepare to purchase the required side camera if not already available; review HonorLock setup before exams.

  • Connect with classmates via Blackboard or email to form study groups and communication channels.

• Summary takeaway

  • GWU’s online Doctorate in AI and ML is a structured, two-phase program designed to accelerate topic development through Praxis Development, with six 4-credit courses in a cohort format, followed by a rigorous 13-month research phase culminating in a defense. The program emphasizes integrity with proctoring, a uniform grading curve, and robust student support, while delivering an online degree equivalent to the on-campus program. Documented accessibility options exist through the Disability Services office. A strong emphasis is placed on networking within the cohort and leveraging career services and alumni connections for employment opportunities.

If you’d like, I can tailor these notes further to focus on specific sections (e.g., academic policies, exam logistics, or research expectations) or convert any section into a quick-reference cheat sheet for exam prep.