Application information for new students

Admission Requirements

Applications will be considered from candidates who have met the following minimum admission requirements. 

• A four-year BSc (Honours preferred) degree in Computer Science with a minimum of high B (75) average.
• Overseas applicants must take an English language competency examination (e.g. TOEFL).

All applicants are required to have completed undergraduate courses in the following list of fundamental computer science and mathematics topics:

• Calculus
• Linear Algebra
• Statistics and/or Probability
• Discrete Mathematics
• Computer Organization
• Operating Systems
• File Structures and Data Management
• Programming Languages
• Data Structures and Algorithms
• Software Engineering
• Formal Languages and Automata
• at least 4 upper-level half-courses in topics in computer science

After successful admission, candidates lacking sufficient background in the area of the intended Masters thesis research may be required to complete additional preparatory courses in consultation with their supervisor, before commencing with their regular graduate courses.

Note that we currently do not admit students for a qualifying year of preparatory studies prior to admission to the Masters programme.  

Application procedure 

New students begin their studies in the Fall (September) semester. We will start reviewing applications after January 15 for the Fall semester. Applicants should indicate whether they are interested in the thesis-based or project-based MSc.  International applicants are recommended to begin the application process at least six months in advance, in order to obtain the necessary visa documents. Please see the Graduate Studies website for detailed information about the application process. All applications are submitted to, and processed by, the Graduate Studies office.

Identification of Potential Supervisors, and Statement of Research Interests 

Applicants are asked to submit this research interest form with the application. It identifies up to two faculty members who could be potential supervisors. Applicants should peruse faculty research web pages, in order to become familiar with the research activities in the department. Applicants should email faculty members to discuss shared research interests, and whether the faculty member is interested in supervising new students. Please realize that a positive response from a faculty member does not imply a guarantee of admission, since we receive many more applications than can be supported in our program. Graduate school admissions are highly competitive, and many qualified applicants cannot be admitted due to limited space and resources. Also note that faculty members will not pre-assess your credentials, and therefore you should not send your CV or transcript via email as they will be ignored. Your completed online application will be formally assessed by an admissions committee.

Included with the research interest form is a written statement of research interests. This is a concise one page summary of the research that the applicant wishes to undertake during their Master's degree. It describes the applicant's research interests in a reasonable level of technical detail. It may also include a brief discussion of previous experience in course work, research and industry related to the proposed research. Please keep your statement technical and to the point, and do not write a personal biography.