Carleton University Computer Science Graduate Admission Requirements

Located in the capital city of Ottawa in Canada, Carleton University, was established in the year 1942 and is one of the most famous public university in Ontario, Canada. The university is named after the former Carleton County, which used to be a part of Ottawa at the time of the establishment of this university. Carleton County itself was named after Guy Carleton, who was the 1st Baron Dorchester.
Carleton offers a wide range of courses in more than 65 academic programs. The university is well-known for its engineering, international business, humanities, and industrial design courses. The university currently has more than 22,000 undergraduates and around 3,500 postgraduates from all over the world.

Course Description

• This program is a joint program offered by the School of Computer Science (SCS) at Carleton University and the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• The program provides students the increase their knowledge and expertise by combining coursework and through research in a wide range of areas, e.g., algorithms, computer security, distributed and parallel computing, computer gaming etc.
• Students can choose one specialization from algorithms and Complexity, Knowledge Based and Intelligent Systems, Software Engineering, Parallel and Distributed Systems, Information Systems Security and Applied Cryptography, and Bioinformatics and Biomedical Computing
• Students have a large range of employment opportunities from research to development in areas such as designing new software security products, creation of computer games, designing animation software and many more

The Master of Computer Science (MCS) degree is a joint program offered by the School of Computer Science (SCS) at Carleton University and the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Ottawa under the auspices of the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Computer Science (OCICS). We offer graduate students an opportunity to augment  their knowledge and expertise by combining course work and through research in a wide range of areas, e.g., algorithms, computer security, distributed and parallel computing, computer gaming, computer graphics, robotics and GIS. Learn more about Ottawa-Carleton Joint Institutes.

Graduate students in the MCS program can select from over 50 courses that are offered by the OCICS either at the School of Computer Science or at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Typically graduate students will engage in a one year in-depth research, in which the student specializes in their area of interest.  Students enrolled in our co-op program can apply to work at a local high tech company for work up to eight months

The School of Computer Science also offers a MCS in Human-Computer Interaction and a MASC in Biomedical Engineering.

A Collaborative Specialization in Data Science is also available.

Capital Advantage

A large number of high technology companies, e.g., Alactel, IBM, Mitel, Thales, Cognos (IBM),  Research Labs, e.g., National Research Council, Communication Research Centre, and a large number of Government of Canada departments are located in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. The technology cluster provides students with an opportunity to conduct joint research with the private and public sector. Graduating students have a large range of employment opportunities from research to development in areas such as designing new software security products, creation of computer games, designing animation software, building robot, medical imaging and devices and data mining and business intelligence.

Fields of Specialization

• Algorithms and Complexity
• Knowledge Based and Intelligent Systems
• Software Engineering
• Parallel and Distributed Systems
• Information Systems Security and Applied Cryptography

Faculty Research Highlights

• Building recommender systems in social networks
• Secure and usable software installation on smartphones
• Mapping the human protein interaction network
• Games of hide & seek and black holes

Program Information

• Degree: Master of Computer Science
• Co-op Option: yes

Length: 2 years

Entry Terms: Fall, Winter

Fall Application Deadline: January 15, September 15 (Winter)

Eligibility and Application Requirements

The following is a list of requirements applicants must fulfill in order to successfully apply for the MS degree in Computer Science at the Carleton University, Ottawa:

• Possess the following:
  1. A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or other related areas of discipline.
  2. A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent on other scales.
• Complete the online registration before the given DEADLINE.
• Submit the following during or after the online application.
  1. Letters of recommendation (from reputable academic sources).
  2. Resume/CV.
  3. Statement of purpose.
  4. Official transcripts of previously attended tertiary institutions.
  5. GRE scores.
  6. TOFEL or IELTS scores.
• Pay the application fee.

It is important to note that fulfilling these requirements does not grant you automatic admission into the Carleton University, Ottawa, however, failure to comply with any of the given requirements might lead to the automatic decline of your application. It is not unheard of for student who do not fully satisfy the basic requirements to gain admission. If you fall into this category, make sure to contact the department about this and seek information on how to proceed.