205
Graduate Programs
205.17
Computing Science
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).
