There are three patterns within the Master's program in the School of Computing: research-based, project-based and course-based. The majority of students enrol in the research-based option, which is typically completed in less than two years and is fully funded (i.e., students receive financial support and avoid accruing student debt). Project-based and course-based patterns are also available, which are typically completed in less time and are not funded.
To complete a research-based Master's, a student must meet the following requirements:
The following timeline is recommended for research-based graduate students:
Month | Milestone |
---|---|
1-4 | Take three graduate courses |
4-6 | A proposal of some sort? |
5-8 | Take one graduate course |
5-20 | Conduct research and write thesis |
20-21 | Submit thesis, schedule and prepare for defence |
21-24 | Defend and make final revisions before program completion |
Although "conducting research", "writing a thesis" and "defending" may sound intimidating, graduate students receive guidance and support from their supervisors throughout the process. Moreover, there is no expectation that a Master's student's research will result in a novel, fully-functioning and significant contribution to the field (i.e., a PhD). Instead, the goal of a Master's thesis is to demonstrate that a Master's student could produce that level of research in a PhD program following this experience.
A research-based Master's student may receive funding from a number of sources:
To complete a project-based Master's, a student must meet the following requirements:
The following timeline is recommended for project-based graduate students:
Month | Milestone |
---|---|
1-4 | Take four graduate courses |
4-6 | Consult with supervisor and plan project |
5-8 | Take two graduate courses |
9-12 | Complete project and written report, submit written report for evaluation and make final revisions before program completion |
To complete a course-based Master's, a student must complete eight graduate-level courses, the selection of which must be approved by the School. The following timeline is recommended for course-based graduate students:
Month | Milestone |
---|---|
0-1 | Determine course plan and submit to the School for approval |
1-4 | Take four graduate courses (Sept-Dec) |
5-8 | Take four graduate courses(Jan-Apr) |