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Degree Requirements Before Fall 2023
Students are expected to acquire breadth of knowledge through a sequence of courses and depth of knowledge through completion and defense of a thesis or a project. Under normal circumstances, an MSc program should be completed within six semesters.
Breadth Requirement
MSc Thesis
Thesis based MSc students must complete a breadth requirement consisting of six graduate courses. This is equivalent to 18 course credits with an 18 credit thesis for a total credit requirement of 36 credits.
Students must complete
- CMPT 700 - Technical Writing and Research Communication (3)
- and three courses from three different Computing Science breadth areas (ie. Area I, III, V) (9)
- and an additional six units of graduate courses (6)
- and CMPT 898 - MSc Thesis (18)
*( ) Number of Credits
- MSc Thesis students can use a maximum of 1 directed reading course towards their breadth.
- MSc Thesis students must enroll in CMPT 898 every semester in which they are conducting thesis research in order to maintain enrollment status in the program.
MSc Project
Not available to new students.
Project based MSc students must complete a breadth requirement consisting of eight graduate courses. This is equivalent to 24 course credits with a 10 credit project for a total credit requirement of 34 credits.
Students must complete
- CMPT 700 - Technical Writing and Research Communication (3)
- Three courses from three different Computing Science breadth areas (ie. Area I, III, V) (9)
- and an additional 12 units of graduate courses (12)
- and CMPT 897 - MSc Project (10)
*( ) Number of Credits
- MSc Project students can use a maximum of 2 directed reading courses towards their breadth.
MSc Course
Not available to new students.
Course based MSc students must complete a breadth requirement consisting of ten graduate courses. This is equivalent to 30 course credits.
Students must complete
- CMPT 700 - Technical Writing and Research Communication (3)
- Three courses from three different Computing Science breadth areas (ie. Area I, III, V) (9)
- and an additional 18 units of graduate courses (18)
- and CMPT 896 - MSc Course Option Portfolio (0)
*( ) Number of Credits
- MSc Course students can use a maximum of 2 directed reading courses courses towards their breadth.
Depth Requirement
Thesis MSc students are required to demonstrate depth of knowledge in their research area through a thesis seminar and defense based on their independent work. Students should consult with members of their supervisory committee, and formulate and submit a written thesis proposal for approval. This should not be done any later than the end of the third term semester.
Project MSc students must choose an area of specialization and submit a project report. Project topics may include a comprehensive survey of the literature of some computing science related research areas; implementation and evaluation of existing techniques/algorithms; development of interesting software/hardware applications.
Regulations specifying the examining committee's composition and procedures for the final thesis or project exam appear in the Graduate General Regulations.
Breadth Requirement
PhD with MSc
PhD students that already have an MSc in Computing Science or a related field must complete a breadth requirement consisting of five graduate courses. This is equivalent to 15 course credits with an 18 credit Thesis for a total credit requirement of 33 credits.
Students must complete
- CMPT 700 - Technical Writing and Research Communication (3)
- Three courses from three different Computing Science breadth areas (ie. Area I, III, V) (9)
- and an additional three units of graduate courses (3)
- and CMPT 899 - PhD Thesis (18)
*( ) Number of Credits
- PhD students with a Master's degree can use a maximum of 1 directed reading course towards their breadth.
- PhD students must enroll in CMPT 899 every semester in which they are conducting thesis research in order to maintain enrollment status in the program.
PhD without MSc
PhD students that do not have an MSc in Computing Science or a related field must complete a breadth requirement consisting of nine graduate courses. This is equivalent to 27 course credits with an 18 credit Thesis for a total credit requirement of 42 credits.
Students must complete
- CMPT 700 - Technical Writing and Research Communication (3)
- Three courses from three different Computing Science breadth areas (ie. Area I, III, V) (9)
- and an additional fifteen units of graduate courses (15)
- and CMPT 899 - PhD Thesis (18)
*( ) Number of Credits
- PhD students without a Master's degree can use a maximum of 2 directed reading courses towards their breadth.
- PhD students must enroll in CMPT 899 every semester in which they are conducting thesis research in order to maintain enrollment status in the program.
A PhD student must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.4 and passing marks in all courses.
Depth Requirement
PhD students demonstrate depth of knowledge in their research area through a public depth seminar and oral examination. Once the depth exam is passed, students then write their thesis proposal, after which they are required to defend its originality and feasibility within a second seminar and oral examination. Finally, students submit and defend a thesis based on their independent work which makes an original contribution to computing science.
DEPTH EXAMINATION
The depth examination generally takes place between the fifth and eighth semesters of a PhD student's program. An examining committee needs to be elected, composing of the student's supervisory committee and a minimum of one additional examiner. The depth exam centres on the student's research up to that point. The examining committee, in consultation with the student, specifies the topics in the examination. The student prepares a written survey and gives a public depth seminar; the oral examination follows, and then the committee meets to evaluate the student's performance and progress in the program. The committee's evaluation is diagnostic, specifying additional work in weak areas if such exists. A second depth examination or withdrawal from the program may be recommended in extreme cases.
THESIS PROPOSAL
The student, in consultation with their supervisory committee, formulates and submits, for approval, a written thesis proposal consisting of a research plan and preliminary results. The student gives a seminar and defends the originality and feasibility of the proposed thesis to the supervisory committee. The thesis proposal is normally presented and defended within three semesters of the depth examination.
THESIS DEFENSE
Regulations specifying the examining committee composition and procedures for final public thesis defence are in sections 1.9 and 1.10 of the Graduate General Regulations. PhD students give a seminar; typically this will be about their thesis research and is presented in the interval between distribution of the thesis to the committee and the defense.