Data is essential in today’s industries, science and government, and data scientists are in high demand. Data plays a vital role in decision making in many areas such as social sciences, business, biomedical science, and government policy. Our Data-centric Computing stream will prepare students to deal with data at every step of the data processing cycle to transform data into useful information.

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• Admission requirements - entry to the university
• Your first year
• Admission requirements - admission to the major
• Sample courses
• Career opportunities

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Admission requirements - entry to the university

Applications are considered on a rolling basis. You are encouraged to apply by:

You may apply for admission into the Faculty of Science by indicating bachelor of science as your program choice on the undergraduate application for admission.

Direct entry into the Faculty of Science from high school is subject to meeting the general admission requirements for Memorial University, including appropriate courses in mathematics and a laboratory science for bachelor of science.

Important to know: You cannot choose a computer science major at the time of application. Admission into the major requires the completion of university level courses. Follow the information listed below under your first year and admission to the major for further details.

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Your first year

Admission into the computer science major requires the completion of university-level courses. Have a look at the courses you need to complete before applying to the major.

This is a sample only. Meet with an academic advisor to create a plan that aligns with your specific needs and goals.

These recommendations are the same for all bachelor of science Computer Science majors, including Data-centric Computing, Smart Systems and Visual Computing and Games.

1. Selection of a mathematics course depends on your background and ability. You should refer to the math course criteria chart prior to selecting your first-semester course. If you are completing Mathematics 1090/1000, you will be required to complete Mathematics 1001 as well. 
   
   
2. Electives can be in any subject, including science courses.
   
   Note: It is not required to take Computer Science 1003 in the second semester, students will not fall behind in their degree if this course is taken in the third semester. Both Computer Science 1001 and 1002 introduce many concepts and skills that may be new to students who have not previously studied computer science. With each course having a 3 hour weekly lab session, in addition to regular classes, we often recommend that students take these courses in separate semesters to maximize their development, achievement and to smooth their workload.

Further assistance

For assistance with course selection, contact the Academic Advising Centre.

For additional program information, visit the Department of Computer Science or contact the Undergraduate Advisor.

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Admission requirements - admission to the major

Current Memorial students

Entry into the computer science major is competitive and selective. Selection is based on students' cumulative average in all courses across all subjects.

To be eligible for admission to the computer science major, you must complete the following 24 credit hours (8 courses):

• Computer Science 1001 and 1002, a minimum of 65% in both courses is required
• six credit hours in critical reading and writing (CRW) courses, including at least three credit hours in English courses
• Mathematics 1000 and 1001 (or 1090 and 1000)
• six credit hours in other courses

There are a limited number of spaces available. There is no minimum average grade that can guarantee acceptance as it depends on the grades of others who apply, but it is likely to be at least an 'A' average (80 per cent or higher).

Apply for the major

Students who wish to major in computer science must submit a completed online application form on the Department of Computer Science website. The application form is available from March 1 to May 31 for students applying for fall admission, and from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31 for students applying for winter admission. Further details can be found on Department of Computer Science website.

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Sample courses

COMP 3202 - Introduction to Machine Learning
COMP 3401 - Introduction to Data Mining
COMP 4304 - Data Visualization

The Department of Computer Science has a full list of undergraduate courses on their website.

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Career opportunities

A bachelor of science degree, with a major in data centric computing, prepares students for a variety of careers including:

• data analyst
• business analyst
• data mining specialist
• database administrator

Note: some of these careers may call for supplementary education or preparation in the form of graduate studies, experiential learning or professional courses and exams.

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