After completing a 4-Year Degree in Computer Science, many students continue on to do a Master’s degree in Computer Science. The MSc in Computer Science program at the University of Saskatchewan involves conducting new research that contributes towards computer science. This work is done with the help of a supervisor who is typically a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science, and the contributions are written in the form of a thesis. There are also 12 credit units of required graduate courses to be taken. The MSc program is ideally suited to students wishing to become senior professionals in the technology industry or seeking to prepare for a career in research. Graduates of this program often become senior programmers, or project leaders at companies that develop commercial software or at game design studios. It is also an important step towards taking the PhD program.

The normal expected time to complete the MSc in Computer Science program is 20 months. However, the Department of Computer Science has developed a new option only for students who are in the process of completing a 4-Year Honours BSc in Computer Science (or the Software Engineering Option, or Applied Computing) at the University of Saskatchewan. It is called the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway. This new option will allow for the completion of two separate degrees: a 4-Year Honours BSc in Computer Science degree plus a MSc in Computer Science degree, using a shorter timeline than taking both degrees separately. The 4-Year Honours degree is still awarded with the standard timeline (typically 4 years), but the MSc in Computer Science degree can be completed in as little as one additional year, after the undergraduate degree has been completed. To help accomplish this accelerated timeline, while the student is still in their undergraduate program, they will do one or two summers of research within an Undergraduate Summer Research Assistantship (USRA) position. Each USRA position will reduce the number of graduate courses that will eventually need to be taken once their Master’s program starts, and it will also give them a head start in research. If the student does one USRA position during their undergraduate program, the expected time to complete the Master’s program will be 16 months. If the student does two USRA positions during their undergraduate program, the expected time to complete the Master’s program will be 12 months.

This new pathway was approved in January 2024, and we are able to run it this year with a slightly different method of applying from future years, because it was approved late.

All students who are admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway can work as a full-time USRA from May to August 2024. During this time, they will register in a new 3 credit unit course CMPT 886 that will be available by May 2024. The credits from this class can count towards their future Master’s degree requirements but not their undergraduate degree requirements. If this is not the student’s last year of their undergraduate degree, they can also take one other summer USRA position by taking the course CMPT 887 in a future summer.

Altogether, if a student does two summer USRAs (while taking CMPT 886 and 887), then once the Master’s program has been started, then they will already have 6 credit units of graduate coursework completed, and they will only need to take an additional 6 credit units of graduate coursework as part of their Master’s program. They will also need to complete the other degree requirements of the MSc in Computer Science program, mainly consisting of the Master’s thesis. If instead, a student does only one summer USRA (while taking CMPT 886), then once the Master’s program has started, they will already have 3 credit units of graduate coursework completed, and they will only need an additional 9 credit units of graduate coursework as part of their Master’s program in addition to the other MSc degree requirements.

Eligibility Requirements and Application Process for 2023-2024

The minimum eligibility requirements for the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway are as follows at the time of their application:

  • Students must be registered in at least their third year of a 4-Year Honours Degree in either Computer Science, or the Software Engineering Option, or Applied Computing at the University of Saskatchewan. Students who are not in an Honours program are not eligible.
  • It is required that students have at least an 80% cumulative average in all computer science courses taken.

For this year only, to apply for the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway:

  • All students must apply for a USRA using the standard USRA application form and in response to one of the questions, answer that they would like to participate in the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway. The deadline to complete this form is January 15, 2024.
  • All eligible students must also apply for a NSERC USRA. The deadline to apply for NSERC USRA is January 31, 2024. The eligibility requirements for NSERC USRA are that they must be a Canadian Citizen, a Permanent Resident, or have Protected Status, and must have a cumulative average of at least 70%. If not eligible, then this step should be skipped.
  • If the student is in their final year of their undergraduate program, then they need to apply to the normal Master’s program. The deadline for this application is January 10, 2024. If this is not the student’s final year of their undergraduate program, then they should not apply.

In future years, we will have a condensed Master’s application form only for Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway students, but we cannot do so yet this year as it will not be officially approved until after the Master’s deadline.

Admission Criteria

We will decide on acceptance to the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway based on meeting the minimum admission criteria outlined above, based on a faculty member in Computer Science agreeing to supervise and help fund the student, and based on departmental funding resources.

After the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway has been approved, we will contact all students who indicated on the USRA application that they would like to take part in the Accelerated Master’s with further information regarding applying to the program.

Conditional Acceptance

Students who are accepted using the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway will receive a conditional admission to the MSc in Computer Science program to start the September after their undergraduate degree should be completed. The conditions will be as follows:

  • The student must have completed their 4-Year Honours Degree in either Computer Science, or the Software Engineering Option, or Applied Computing.
  • The student must receive at least 80% in each of CMPT 886, CMPT 887 (if taken), and one of CMPT 400/405/407 (this is the Honours project course that is required to be taken as part of our Honours programs).
  • If the student took both CMPT 886 and CMPT 887, it is required that as part of the student’s undergraduate program, they take at least 6 credit units of classes with a CMPT prefix between the numbers 408 and 498. If the student took only CMPT 886 and not CMPT 887, it is required that during the student’s undergraduate program, they take at least 3 credit units of 4th year classes with a CMPT prefix between the numbers 408 and 498. This condition is to verify that there is enough breadth obtained in advanced computer science courses.
  • At least an 80% cumulative average in all computer science courses is required.
  • if the student is eligible, they must apply for NSERC CGS-M (this is the Master’s scholarship from NSERC) in their last year of their undergraduate program. However, for those in their final year of their undergraduate program this year, the NSERC CGS-M deadline has already passed, and so we will not require it this year. The eligibility requirements for NSERC CGS-M is that the student must be a Canadian Citizen, a Permanent Resident, or have Protected Status, and must have a cumulative average of at least 70%. This condition can be skipped if not eligible.

Funding and Tuition

All students accepted to the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway will be offered a USRA position for the upcoming summer at the standard funding rate. The current rates are up to $11,644.50 depending on the student’s year in their undergraduate program. They will be required to register for CMPT 886 during this USRA. If they have at least one more year remaining in their undergraduate program, they will also be offered one more USRA position for the following summer (after the upcoming summer) also at the standard funding rate, where they will be required to register for CMPT 887. This potential second USRA position and continued conditional admission to the MSc will only be given on condition of receiving at least 80% in CMPT 886.

For all students accepted to the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway who took both CMPT 886 and CMPT 887 and who satisfied all the conditions of the conditional acceptance in the previous section, they will be offered 12 months of Master’s funding at the standard MSc funding rate in the Department of Computer Science. For all those students who took only CMPT 886 but not CMPT 887 and satisfied all the conditions of the conditional acceptance in the previous section, they will be offered 16 months of Master’s funding at the standard MSc funding rate in the Department of Computer Science. In both cases, the standard rate to be given during the duration of the MSc funding period is enough to cover MSc tuition during that period, plus provide an extra $18,000/year. This standard funding amount includes some work as a teaching assistant. Current MSc tuition amounts are available here. Even though International Master's tuition rates are higher than domestic tuition, the funding package provides funds to cover the appropriate type of tuition.

While taking each of CMPT 886 and CMPT 887 (optional), 3 credit units of non-degree graduate tuition must be paid. This is currently $797.40 for domestic students and $1794.15 for international students. 

Frequently Asked Questions

For this year only, because the new pathway has not been formally approved, the application can only be completed after the USRA application has been completed. As part of the USRA application, there is a matching of student to supervisor. We recommend but do not require talking with potential supervisors before applying for the USRA. By the time of the Accelerated Master’s application, there needs to be a supervisor in place.

It is required that each student be in an Honours program. It is possible to register in an Honours program in the third year of the undergraduate program, after taking the major second year computer science courses. It is therefore impossible to register for the Accelerated Master’s or take CMPT 886/887 before the third year of a 4-Year Honours program.

Yes, you can withdraw at any point without penalty. Tuition already paid for any of CMPT 886/887 will not be refunded.

Yes, you can switch supervisors. However, you would be responsible for finding another supervisor who agrees to supervise you and who agrees to honour the remaining funding commitments made in your conditional offer letter.

No, these credit units cannot be used to count towards your undergraduate program requirements (and are not used towards your undergraduate average). They will only count towards a future Master’s program in Computer Science at the University of Saskatchewan.

We cannot help in this case, and it is not possible to obtain credit for these courses to help towards reducing graduate program requirements.

Mostly, these courses will involve conducting summer research in your supervisor’s lab, and meeting with them regularly. However, there will also be some joint meetings for everyone taking the class. Syllabi will be released before the classes start.

Yes! The undergraduate internship program involves either a 12 month internship or a 16 month internship. With a 12 month internship during a student’s fourth year, the student could just pause their undergraduate degree for one year, and still have two remaining summers for USRA positions starting in at least their third year. With a 16 month internship, the student could easily take one USRA during their final summer during their final year of the undergraduate degree before starting the Master’s program resulting in a 16 month expected completion time for the Master’s.

Yes, both use the existing MSc in Computer Science program, and the degree parchment will be identical in both cases.

Yes, both can apply. However, international students are not required to apply for either NSERC USRA or NSERC CGS-M. There are also differences in terms of tuition, and in terms of funding at the Master’s level as outlined above.

Yes, students can obtain a USRA without participating in the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway. NSERC USRA awards are decided without knowledge of whether students are participating in the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway. However, some Departmental (non-NSERC) USRAs will be given out specifically to those participating in the Accelerated Master’s Admission Pathway.

Yes, and it is not necessary to take CMPT 886/887.

No, but you can apply to the standard Master’s program.