Here are some general suggestions for starting a PhD program ...

More details are given in "My Thoughts on Choosing an Advisor" and
"My Thoughts on Forming a PhD Committee".

First, a PhD is primarily about the research, not the courses. It's
easy to forget about that since you spend the first 2 or 3 years
taking courses and exams, but the research leading to a dissertation
is the primary goal.

The biggest problem in getting a PhD is solving a 2-variable
optimization problem - finding a research topic and and advisor
(called "dissertation director" in GMU-speak). The topic should be
something that excites you, has important problems, and that you have
a strong background in. The advisor must be someone who you respect,
who respects you, who knows the topic you want to work on, and is
research-active and competent at advising PhD students. Expect this
to be a life-long professional / personal relationship.

Starting now, every class you take should be viewed as a shopping
expedition - shopping for a topic and an advisor. Avoid taking
courses from teachers who cannot be your advisor (don't take courses
from adjuncts, faculty who are not research-active, and people you
know you cannot get along with).

That said, your first goal is to pass the qualifying exams. You might
need to take courses that violate the advice above, but *try* not to!
If you have a choice of 2 sections, take it from the full-time,
regular professor, and preferably who writes the qual exam. If you
don't know, look in the catalog, their websites, and ask other
students - they know.

Take your 8 "advanced emphasis" courses around your prep for the
quals. Remember that most 600-level courses are offered regularly,
but the 700-level and 800-level courses are very irregular. For
example, I'm teaching swe 763 in fall 2008; its last offering was in
fall 2005. So if you see an advanced course you really want, take it
early if you can.

It's too early to set your plan of study - your advisor and committee
has to approve it.

Your goal should be to have your PhD topic and your advisor about the
time you take your quals. The best way to approach a potential
advisor is to get the top grade in one of his or her courses, then
send an email and say "I just took your course and I'd like to come
talk with you about a PhD in topic XXX. When are you available next
week". You don't have to wait, but if you just got an A+ from the
prof, then you've already built a prerequisite for advising a PhD -
respect.

Plan the rest of your advanced emphasis courses around your research
goals, with the advice of your PhD advisor.

The first step is to decide which qualifying exams you want to take,
when, and what courses you need to take to prepare for them. The IT
program has lots and lots of qualifying exams
(http://ite.gmu.edu/PhDprogr/qualifying_examinations.php), and some
concentrations recommend choosing from a smaller set (for example,
the software engineering concentration is described at
http://cs.gmu.edu/programs/phd/it/swe/).

- Jeff Offutt
May 2008