Computer Science

WHAT IS COMPUTER SCIENCE?

Computer science is concerned in the broadest sense with the study of computation and applications of computing. Collaborations with many areas, including engineering, the physical and life sciences, mathematics and statistics, and commerce have stimulated its development.

Course offerings in the Computer Science program are intended to serve a wide variety of students, ranging from those whose primary interest is in information processing to those interested in applying computing to other fields.

ADMISSION ELIGIBILITY

The Academic Calendar contains the requirements for entry into all CS programs. The CS major, CS specialist, and information security specialist are all restricted enrollment programs that require minimum marks in particular courses (CSC148H5 and MAT102H5) and a minimum CGPA. Please note:

  • Entry to the Computer Science, Mathematics & Statistics admission category is gained directly from high school. Applicants who have completed any postsecondary studies (including studies at other divisions at the University of Toronto) are not eligible for admission.
  • We do not include CR/NCR grades when calculating CGPA.
  • Note that only CSC148H5 and MAT102H5, taken at the UTM campus, will be accepted for the purposes of program enrolment.
  • Note: We will refuse students with a pending Academic Offense Case. If you meet the entry requirements once the case is resolved and any penalties have been applied, please contact us. 

Visit this page to see the program application and acceptance deadline. (In ACORN, you will see an option to request programs with these codes and program codes ending in “X.” Please select the program codes without the X.)

2024 POSt ENROLMENT PROCESS

  • The requirements in August 2024 will be 80 percent in CSC148H5, 75 percent in MAT102H5, and a 3.0 CGPA. 

These requirements are lower than what was used in May 2024 (which was 80 percent in CSC148H5, 80 percent in MAT102H5, and a 3.3 CGPA). We are able to lower these requirements due to a lower than usual number of applicants in the August 2024 round.

We recognize that a handful of students could have met these reduced requirements in May 2024, but did not reapply in August 2024. If you are one of these students, you will be invited to the CS POSt that you applied to in the May 2024 round. Please remember to accept the invitations if you are still interested. Accepting May applicants who did not re-apply in August is something we are doing for this year only. You should always apply to both rounds if interested. 

We also recognize that this has been an unusually turbulent year for POSt, and that this uncertainty negatively impacts students. We are working closely with the Dean’s office to explore solutions so that we are able to support the students who wish to take our CS courses.

If you have not been admitted to CS POSt, you are encouraged to view the webinar Considering Alternative Programs. This webinar will help you plan your next steps and develop strategies to help you reach your academic and career goals. After watching the webinar, if you still have questions, speak to an academic advisor in the Office of the Registrar, a career counsellor in the Career Centre and/or your CS Academic Advisor (Yvette Ye).  

We want to remind you that enrolling in a CS POSt is not necessary to have an amazing career in computing fields. For example, many of our CS faculty have undergraduate degrees in other fields such as math, physics, linguistics, and Earth Sciences. Stats is also a great option if you're interested in Data Science. It's also possible to do a graduate degree in CS even if your undergraduate degree is not in CS.

For academic advising, please contact the CS undergraduate advisor, Yvette Ye.

We understand that this may be a stressful situation for you. If you are experiencing undue levels of stress or have mental health concerns, we encourage you to reach out to UofT Support Services, including:

For the August 2024 enrollment round, we previously guaranteed that the requirements will not exceed 85 percent in CSC148H5, 80 percent in MAT102H5, and a 3.3 CGPA. 

POSt ADMISSION FAQ:

Q1. What are my chances of being admitted to a CS program? What marks will make me a competitive applicant? How many students will be admitted to each program?

This information could change yearly depending on the number of applicants, so it’s hard for us to provide a specific answer. The minimum CGPA and grade required in CSC148H5 and MAT102H5 are determined annually. Generally speaking, admission to CS programs is very competitive, so you should have a plan to complete your degree that does not involve enrolling in a CS program (see Q4 below for further suggestions).

In other words, about 40-45% of students who meet the requirements to apply to a CS program have been admitted to a CS program (excluding the CS Minor) in the past few years.

300 students are admitted to CS Specialist, IS Specialist and CS Major programs each year, with additional students admitted to the CS Minor. 

Q2. Can I still apply if I defer my exam or term work in courses, or have an ongoing academic integrity case?

Yes, apply during the current program admission cycle following deadlines for that cycle, and you will be considered for program admission once your petition or academic integrity case is resolved, provided space is available in the program at that time. Please contact us when your case is resolved to ask us to review your application.

Q3. Can I repeat courses as ‘Extra’ to improve my chances of getting into the computer science program?

Students may repeat a course they have already passed to attempt a higher grade for admission to a computer science program. Students may only repeat a passed course only once. 

For more information on repeating passed courses and making SAC requests, please see the Academic Calendar or MCS FAQ.

Q4. What if I am not admitted?

It is possible to reapply to a Computer Science program by retaking CSC148H5 and/or MAT102H5 or improving the CGPA. 

However, this can delay your graduation, so we recommend exploring all your options before you decide to reapply.  If you do not meet the requirements for entry to a CS program in your first year, the department strongly recommends that you plan as if you will graduate with a CS minor. The alternative programs options would pair well with CS, meaning you will stay on schedule to graduate. 

SATISFYING THE COMPUTER SCIENCE WRITING REQUIREMENT

All CS majors and specialists have a half-credit writing requirement to satisfy by taking ISP100H5. As of 2021-2022, this course is required for program entry (not just program completion).

Students who entered UTM before the 2021-2022 academic year can satisfy the writing requirement with any of ISP100H5, CSC290H5, CCT110H5, ENG100H5, HSC200H5, HSC300H5, LIN204H5, WRI203H5, WRI173H5.

NON-MAJORS ENROLLED IN UPPER-YEAR COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES

Students not enrolled in a computer science major or specialist program are limited to 1.5 credits of computer science courses at the 300/400 level. Every term, the department removes these students from courses that exceed this limit.

MORE QUESTIONS?

For more information about course selection or CS program requirements, please see the MCS FAQ or contact yvette.ye@utoronto.ca

 

Last updated 14-November-24