Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
The program information below was valid for the fall 2020 term (September 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.
The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.
The Accelerated Master's Program in Computer Science is intended to shorten the time required to obtain a Master's when compared to the usual route for graduate studies. The accelerated admission streamlines the process by allowing a student in a University of Waterloo Bachelor of Mathematics (BMath) program to complete two graduate courses during their 4A/4B terms that will count towards the Master of Mathematics (MMath) degree. This is particularly useful for those students who have taken extra courses during their first three years of study, either during their school or work terms.
There are two groups of BMath students that are targeted for accelerated admission - students who have extra room in their fourth year of study for graduate courses and students who already have a good idea of a research project for a master's degree. The first category includes students who have accumulated extra course credits during their program. The second category includes those students who have done some research already - either during their done work terms at a research and development lab or with Undergraduate Research Awards (URA) or other research involvement at universities.
Eligibility for this program requires an overall average of at least 80%.
Students are encouraged to apply for the accelerated Master's program during their 3B academic term. Applications will also be considered during the 3A term or, in exceptional circumstances, at the start of the 4A term. In addition to three letters of reference, the student will need to submit a plan of study to the School's Graduate Office that includes:
- a preferred supervisor
- the two graduate courses to be taken in 4A/4B
- an outline of proposed research topic
Students may choose to work at a Research and Development lab for one term after completing their 4B academic term. Such work should be related to the student's MMath research, even though they will not be registered as a student during this term.