Master of Science (Computing Science)

Program Requirements

Two routes to the MSc degree are available, a thesis-based route and a course-based route.

Course-based Route:

Students are required to complete 30 units in graduate-level courses, including a 6-unit capstone course.

Coursework (24 units)

Courses are to be chosen in consultation with an advisor and approved by the Associate Chair (Graduate).

Seven 3-unit graduate-level (500 or 600 level) courses
CMPUT 603 - Teaching and Research Methods

Capstone course (6 units)

CMPUT 701 - Essay in Computing Science I

Thesis-based Route:

Students are required to complete 15 units in coursework and a thesis.

Coursework (15 units)

Courses are to be chosen in consultation with an advisor/supervisor and approved by the Associate Chair (Graduate)

Four 3-unit graduate-level (500 or 600 level) computing science courses. This may include one 3-unit Special Topics course (CMPUT 605 )
CMPUT 603 - Teaching and Research Methods

Thesis

Registration in 900-level THES. Students must complete and successfully defend a thesis. The thesis topic is to be approved by the supervisor.

Seminar

Thesis-based Master’s students are required to present a technical seminar based on their research, prior to their final defense.

Residence Requirement

The minimum period of residence for the thesis-based MSc is two four-month terms of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta. There is no full-time residence requirement for a course-based MSc.

Length of Program

Master’s students are expected to complete their program in less than two years.

The maximum time to complete the course-based MSc program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is six years.

The maximum time to complete the thesis-based MSc program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is four years.