Computational Science and Engineering, M.Sc.

Master’s Degrees

The Master’s programs emphasize industry relevant academic research and development. The degree (M.Sc.) may be earned either with a thesis option, or a course-and-project option. A strong bachelor’s degree with an average of at least B+ (equivalent to a McMaster GPA of 8.5) in physical sciences, mathematics or engineering that included a substantial computational component is generally required to enter the Master’s programs with thesis option. For the course-and-project option an average of at least a B is required.

Students who can demonstrate adequate training may request to replace a core course with a different (more advanced) course. This can be done in exceptional cases only and the decision will be made by the Program Director after consulting with the student’s Supervisor.

Master’s students in the first year of their degree are required to attend at least 75% of the biweekly seminars (rounded up) in addition to the annual CSE Symposium held in the spring.

Master’s Degrees with Thesis

A candidate for the M.A.Sc.or M.Sc degree with thesis is required to complete a minimum of four half courses and to successfully defend a thesis (thesis topic is chosen in consultation with the supervisor). Two of the four half courses must be the two core courses (CSE 700, CSE 701) offered by the School. The remaining two half courses are normally chosen from the list of the courses approved by the School. Students may be required to take more courses as judged by the supervisor and the graduate committee.

Master’s Degrees with Project

A candidate for the M.Eng. and M.Sc. degrees with the coursework and project option is required to complete a minimum of six half courses and successfully complete a research project written under the supervision of a faculty member. The project topic is chosen in consultation with the supervisor. Of the six required half courses, two must be the two core courses (CSE 700 CSE 701 ), one must be chosen as either CSE 745 (Parallel and High-Performance Computing) or CSE 780 (Data Science), whereas the remaining three courses may be chosen from those listed by the School, in consultation with the project supervisor. Up to two of the half courses may be at the 600-level.

Dual Degree Stream

Students accepted to the Computational Science and Engineering M.A.Sc and M.Sc. Thesis programs may apply to concurrently earn a Master of Science in Industrial and Applied Mathematics at the Universite Grenoble Alpes (France). After completing the minimum course requirements in their first year and choosing a principal supervisor in McMaster, students will complete their second academic year in Grenoble completing additional coursework and carrying out research under the supervision of a Grenoble faculty member.