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New doctoral students begin as precandidates. The Ph.D. qualifying process, usually finished within the initial two years, must be completed. Students advance to candidate status after fulfilling all requirements except the dissertation. Those starting with a bachelor's degree generally reach candidacy by year three and are advised to finish within five years. These students typically earn a master's degree en route to their Ph.D., with the thesis being optional. Students entering with a relevant master's degree usually achieve candidacy in their second year and are encouraged to graduate within four years, though they typically don't qualify for an additional CSE master's. The University of Michigan's Interactive Systems group explores Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Educational Technology, Multimedia, and Social Computing. HCI encompasses a broad spectrum, with faculty expertise ranging from core principles to emerging technologies. Foundational research areas include human perception, cognition, social dynamics, and learning processes. Applications span diverse fields: interface design methodologies, audio and music systems, collaborative platforms, K-12 educational technology, with particular focus on mobile and ubiquitous computing solutions.