M.Sc. (Computer Science, work term)

The work term route Master’s program in Computer Science is onlyavailable to those student who have already started their program of studies in Computer Science at Memorial. There is no direct admission to the work term route. You would first need to secure admission to the course-based route and then, in the first year at Memorial, you would need to apply for admission to the Work term route.

In addition to courses, students in the work term route are required to complete a work term of 4 or 8 months duration (COMP 601W) with a single employer as part of their program requirements.

Admission to the work term route is limited, competitive, and selective. The criteria used in reaching decisions on applications for admission are academic achievement at Memorial, relevant experience and the quality of the application (including resume). Students may be required to participate in an interview as part of the selection process.

Applications to the work term route are accepted 4-5 months prior to the intended work term start date. Work terms begin in January, May and September.  Students are eligible to start the work term after completion of four courses (12 credit hours), usually following successful completion of term three or four of the academic program. Students must have at least one course remaining to complete after the work term.

The work term route Master’s program in Computer Science is a two-year program intended for students who wish to further develop their knowledge in Computer Science by expanding their expertise across a wide variety of fields, including Computer Graphics, Computational Theory, Algorithms, Data Visualization and Advanced Interaction Techniques, and be exposed to experience in applied computing as an student employee in a company within the information technology sector. Thus, students in this program are expected to have a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, or a similar degree in a related field, such as computer engineering, information technology, and other computing-related sciences.

The program requires the completion of 8 courses, including a Master’s project course (Comp6999), and allows for up to two CS-related electives on top of the work term course (Comp 601W). The Master’s project can focus on applications of computer science, or more research-intensive projects.   The electives courses include computing-related courses in other departments. The program distinguishes itself from the thesis and course-based routes MSc in Computer Science by providing a wider exposure to different areas of computer science and an emphasis on obtaining work experience in IT, technical and related roles leaving the door open for graduates to integrate into the information technology workforce, or to continue towards a Ph.D. in Computer Science. This program does not have special fees on top of tuition, the work term component is required, and there are no funding or scholarships for this route, which is meant for self-funded applicants, be it private, family, institutional, or governmental funds. Upon starting their program at MUN, applicants in this route become eligible for applied research scholarship opportunities, such as MITACS, and are expected to work as part of their degree requirements.