Office of the Registrar and Student Awards

205

Graduate Programs

205.17 Computing Science

Department of Computing Science

221 Athabasca Hall

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E8

E-mail: gradinfo@cs.ualberta.ca

205.17.1 General Information

    The Computing Science Department offers programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in a number of fields, including Advanced Man-Machine Interfaces, Algorithmics, Artificial Intelligence, Bioinformatics, Communication Networks, Computer Games, Computer Graphics, Computer Vision and Multimedia Communications, Database Systems, Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Robotics, Software Engineering, Software Systems and Statistical Machine Learning.

    The Department owns and operates a network of computers, including several CPU servers and a large number of workstations. All graduate student offices are wired with high speed and/or wireless network. In addition the research laboratories contain specialized equipment. Access to campus-wide and regional computing facilities is provided by computer networks.

    Further information may be obtained from the Graduate Program Coordinator, Department of Computing Science.

Entrance Requirements

    The Department's minimum admission requirements are a University of Alberta undergraduate degree with an average of 3.0 in the last two years of study, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution, and a TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based) or a total score of 100 with a score of at least 20 on each section (internet-based), where applicable (see §203.2.4). Students entering the graduate program are expected to have adequate background in computing science, similar to a four-year undergraduate degree.

    A departmental admission requirement for non-Canadians, as well as Canadians with a degree from a non-Canadian university, is that they write the Graduate Record Examinations (verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing components) administered by the Educational Testing Service (Princeton, NJ) and have the results sent directly to the Computing Science Department. The GRE is also recommended for students with backgrounds unrelated to Computing Science. The examinations should be written early enough so that scores will be available by the time the applicant's other supporting documents arrive.

    MSc and PhD students will be expected to satisfy the requirements currently in force with respect to attendance at departmental colloquia and seminars, and the public presentation of students' research results.

Financial Assistance

    Financial assistance is available throughout the calendar year in the form of graduate teaching assistantships and research assistantships and is limited to students in the PhD program and the thesis-based MSc program. In order to be considered for assistance, students must maintain satisfactory academic performance.

205.17.2 The Degree of MSc

Entrance Requirements

    Candidates for the MSc degree in computing science should have a four-year undergraduate degree or the equivalent from a recognized university, with adequate background in computing science and mathematics. Students who do not meet these requirements must take additional courses to those required in the MSc program, either concurrently with the graduate program or in a year of study prior to admission as MSc candidates. The department does not admit students directly to an MSc course-based program.

Program Requirements

    Two routes to the MSc degree are available, a thesis-based route and a course-based route. Students in the thesis-based MSc program are required to complete a minimum of *15 in graduate-level courses (*18 for the Statistical Machine Learning specialization) including CMPUT603 and write a dissertation. Students must have a background similar to the University of Alberta BSc Specialization in Computing Science program. Students in the course-based MSc program are required to complete *30 in graduate-level courses, including CMPUT 603 and a *6 essay course. Students who do not obtain an average of 2.7 overall in the first year of study may be asked to withdraw from the graduate program.

    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 limit for thesis-based students is four years and for course-based students is six years.

205.17.3 The Degree of PhD

Entrance Requirements

    To be admitted as a provisional candidate for the PhD, a student must normally have an MSc degree in computing science or a related field. Unusually qualified applicants having the equivalent of a First-Class Honors BSc degree, or MSc candidates who perform unusually well in their first session (eight months) of studies, may be admitted directly into the PhD program.

Program Requirements

    A PhD candidate with an MSc degree will be required to take a minimum of *9 in graduate-level courses (excluding CMPUT 603) and satisfy the departmental breadth requirements (*12 from the designated core courses, excluding CMPUT 603, for the Statistical Machine Learning specialization). PhD candidates must also take CMPUT 603, if not taken during the master’s program. The background of the PhD candidate must be similar to the University of Alberta BSc Honors program. A PhD candidate who does not obtain an average of 3.3, with no grade lower than B-, over the best three courses (excluding CMPUT 603) in the first year of studies may be asked to withdraw from the doctoral program, but may be admitted to the MSc program. The major part of the student's program will consist of original research, the result of which will be presented in a doctoral dissertation.

    The minimum period of residence is two academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.

Length of Program

    The time required to complete the PhD will vary according to the previous training of the applicant and the nature of the research undertaken; however, a minimum of 32 months is normally required. Candidates must complete all requirements for the degree within six years.

205.17.4 Graduate Courses

    Graduate courses can be found in §231, Course Listings, under the subject heading Computing Science (CMPUT).

Search the Calendar:

Table of Contents

Calendar Home Page
Notices, Errata, Addendum, 2012-2013 PDF Calendar, 2011-2012 Calendar, Previous Calendars, University Policy Gateway

Welcome from the President

Inquiries

Academic Schedule
 11Major Deadlines from the 2012-2013 Academic Schedule
 11.1Academic Schedule 2012-2013 (monthly listing of academic events on campus)

Undergraduate Application Deadlines for Admission and Readmission

Undergraduate Admission
 13Admission to Undergraduate Programs
 14General Admission Requirements
 15Admission Requirements by Faculty
 16Admission for International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement Students
 17Admission from Outside Alberta

University Regulations and Information for Students
 20General University Policies
 21Classification of Students
 22Registration and Fees
 23Academic Regulations
 24Student Services
 25Code of Student Behaviour
 26Code of Applicant Behaviour

Programs
30Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences
40Faculty of Arts
50Augustana Faculty
60Faculty of Business
70Faculty of Education
80Faculty of Engineering
90Faculty of Extension
100Faculty of Law
110Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
120Faculty of Native Studies
130Faculty of Nursing
140Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
150Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation
160School of Public Health
170Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
180Faculté Saint-Jean
191Faculty of Science

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 200The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 201Members of the Faculty
 202General Information
 203Regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 204Graduate Program Regulations
 205Graduate Programs
 210Graduate Financial Aid

Open Studies

Course Listings
 230Details of Courses
 231Course Listings

Glossary

General Information
 241University History and Traditions
 242Constitution of the University
 243University Libraries
 244Alumni Association
 245Affiliated Colleges

University Staff
 250Continuing Academic Staff
 251Emeriti
 252Associate and Adjunct Staff
 253Honorary Degree Recipients