The regular MASc, an on-campus program, may be pursued through a research/design paper or thesis option. Admission requirements for students admitted to the regular master's program are as follows:
- An Honours Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least a B+ standing (78%)
- Two letters of reference (on forms provided in application package), at least two of which must be from academic sources
- Proof of competency in English (if applicable). A score of at least 550 is required in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of at least 213 is required on the computer version of the TOEFL . (See Academic Regulations - English Language Proficiency Certification for other acceptable tests of English)
Also...
- All applicants must submit a copy of their resume
- All applicants must submit a "Graduate Student Information Form"
Students who do not meet the requirements outlined above may be considered for admission to a transitional, probationary or qualifying program depending on their academic backgrounds. (See Graduate Studies Calendar - Academic Regulations - Categories of Admission to the Master's Program).
Deadlines for applications to the regular master's program vary. (For students applying outside Canada, applications should be received on or before November 1, to be considered for Fall admission. Students within Canada should have their application submitted by February 1, to be considered for Fall admission).
The objective of the Master of Applied Science (MASc) degree program in Electrical Engineering is to demonstrate individual accomplishment of high professional and academic standard. The candidate, with the approval of the supervisor, may elect to submit either a research thesis as a portion of the requirements, or a research/design paper of a professional calibre on a design or theoretical application problem.
The complete program submitted for the MASc degree must consist of at least five courses (0.5 unit weight per course) of graduate credit plus a thesis, and a seminar, or eight courses (0.5 unit weight per course) of graduate credit plus a research/design paper. The thesis counts as four (0.5 unit weight)courses; and the research/design paper as one (0.5 unit weight) course.
The topic of the thesis and the choice of the required five courses of graduate coursework are arranged by students and their faculty supervisor. Each student's program is subject to approval by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department. Students registered for the Master's Thesis must maintain continuous active registration until the thesis requirements are completed. The research work leading to the thesis must be performed under the direction of the faculty supervisor and is finally approved and accepted by at least three readers.
The topic of the research/design paper and the eight units of graduate coursework are arranged by the student and the faculty supervisor for approval by the Graduate Studies Committee. The work leading to the research/design paper must be performed under the direction of the supervisor and be acceptable to him and one other reader.
The minimum period of registration for the Master's degree is two terms after an Honours Bachelor's degree or equivalent. The maximum time limits are six terms for the regular program and fifteen terms for the part-time program.
Students are normally expected to take graduate courses at 600 or 700 level as noted in this calendar. One advanced undergraduate Electrical or Computer Engineering course may be allowed for Graduate credit for a student writing a thesis, or two advanced Electrical and/or Computer Engineering undergraduate courses may be permitted for a student undertaking the research/design paper. Under exceptional circumstances a maximum of two advanced undergraduate Electrical and Computer Engineering courses may be considered for credit for a student writing a thesis. It is expected that both the student and supervisor should provide adequate justification before any undergraduate course is approved for credit.
The advanced undergraduate courses must be at the 400 level as given in the E&CE undergraduate calendar and must be approved for graduate credit and confirmed in writing by the Department Associate Chair for Graduate Studies at the time of registration.
Students may be required at any time to withdraw from the program if they fail to maintain a cumulative average grade of at least 70% (B-) in the coursework portion of their approved study program or if they fail to receive satisfactory progress reports regarding their research activities.
The Department may recommend that credit be allowed for courses taken at other institutions. In special cases, up to two courses (0.5 unit weight) for a research/design paper and one course (0.5 unit weight) for a thesis may be approved.
It is important that all graduate students in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department become familiar with the "blue book" which can be obtained from the E&CE department and outlines additional departmental requirements for the E&CE graduate program.
In the case of a MASc program involving a thesis, the candidate is required to present a seminar on the thesis topic as part of this degree program; the seminar is not an oral examination of the thesis. The seminar should be held during the term the thesis is submitted to the readers. The purpose of this seminar is to develop the student's ability to communicate the results of a research work in an organized and informative manner.