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• McConnell Engineering Building, Room 318
• 3480 University Street
• Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9
• Telephone: 514-398-7071
• Fax: 514-398-3883

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Office
• Lorne Trottier Building, Room 2060
• 3630 University Street
• Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C6
• Telephone: 514-398-7071 ext. 00739
• Fax: 514-398-4653

• Email: ugrad-sec [at] cs.mcgill.ca
• Website:

Computer Science covers the theory and practice behind the design and implementation of computer and information systems. Fundamental to computer science are questions about how to describe, process, manage, and analyze information and computation. A fundamental building block is the study of algorithms. An algorithm presents a detailed sequence of actions solving a particular task. A computer program is the implementation of an algorithm in a specific programming language, which enables a computer to execute the algorithm. Software generally refers to a computer program or a set of related computer programs.

Based on the building blocks of computational thinking and programming, computer science is split into many different areas such as the study of algorithms and data structures, programming languages and methodology, theory of computation, software engineering (the design of large software systems), computer architecture (the structure of the hardware), communication between computers, operating systems (the software that shields users from the underlying hardware), database systems (software that handles large amounts of data efficiently), artificial intelligence (algorithms inspired by human information processing), computer vision (algorithms that let computers see and recognize their environment), computer graphics, robotics (algorithms that control robots), and computational biology (algorithms and methods that address problems inspired by biology). Computer science also plays an important role in many other fields, including Biology, Physics, Engineering, Business, Music, and Neuroscience, where it is necessary to process and reason about large amounts of data. Computer Science is strongly related to mathematics, linguistics, and engineering.

A degree in Computer Science offers excellent job prospects. As the use of computers and specialized software plays a crucial role in business, science, and our personal life, computer science graduates are in high demand. Computer scientists find jobs in software development, in consulting, in research, and in project management. As computer scientists often develop the software for a specific application domain (e.g., business, engineering, medicine), they must be prepared and willing to get to know their application area.

The School of Computer Science offers a wide range of programs. Most programs start with the same set of basic courses allowing students to decide on their exact program once they get a basic understanding of the discipline. Within the Faculty of Science, there are a major, an honours, a liberal, and a minor program in Computer Science, a major and a liberal program in Software Engineering, a major in Computer Science: Computer Games Option, a joint major and a joint honours program in Mathematics and Computer Science (see Mathematics and Statistics (MATH)), a joint major and a joint honours program in Statistics and Computer Science (see Mathematics and Statistics (MATH)), a joint major in Physics and Computer Science (see Physics (PHYS)), and a joint major in Computer Science and Biology (see Biology (BIOL)). The School also offers a major concentration and minor concentrations in Computer Science, and a major concentration in Software Engineering through the Faculty of Arts (see Programs, Courses and University Regulations > Faculties & Schools > Faculty of Arts > Undergraduate > Academic Programs > Computer Science (COMP)) or as part of a Bachelor of Arts and Science (see Programs, Courses and University Regulations > Faculties & Schools > Bachelor of Arts and Science > Undergraduate > Academic Programs > Computer Science (COMP)).

The School's courses are available as electives to Engineering students. Engineering students interested in a minor in Computer Science should consult Programs, Courses and University Regulations > Faculties & Schools > Faculty of Engineering > Undergraduate > Academic Programs > Minor Programs > Computer Science Courses and Minor Program.

Most course instructors are Faculty members of the School that do research in the areas they teach. Students will learn in a small classroom environment, get to know their professors and have opportunity to do cutting-edge research. Some graduate courses in Computer Science are available to suitably qualified senior undergraduates. The School offers large computing labs in the Lorne Trottier Building, which is dedicated to undergraduate students.

All students planning to enter Computer Science programs are encouraged to make an appointment with an academic adviser through the School's Undergraduate Student Affairs Office.

Students who want to get practical experience in industry before graduation are encouraged to participate in one of the following internship programs:

The Internship Year in Science (IYS) is an academic program offered for a duration of 8, 12, or 16 months. It will be reflected on your transcript and is included in your program name (Bachelor of Science – Internship Program).

The Industrial Practicum (IP) has a duration of four months and is usually carried out starting in May. It will appear as a 0-credit, Pass/Fail course on your transcript. If you complete two IPs, the name of your program will change to include the word "internship."

For more information on these programs, consult Industrial Practicum (IP) and Internship Year in Science (IYS) or www.mcgill.ca/science/student/internships-field.

Computer science undergraduates have excellent opportunities to participate in research. Each summer, several awards are available, such as the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards; these offer financial support for a research experience in an academic setting. Other research assistantship and volunteering opportunities in research labs are also available. Students may also take undergraduate research project courses such as COMP 396 Undergraduate Research Project, COMP 400 Honours Project in Computer Science, and COMP 401 Project in Biology and Computer Science. Students who have participated in substantial and broad undergraduate research may qualify for the Dean's Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research List at graduation time. For more information, consult Programs, Courses and University Regulations > University Regulations and Resources > Undergraduate > Graduation > Graduation Honours: Faculty of Science Dean's Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research List.

Students intending to pursue a major in Computer Science or Software Engineering should have a reasonable mathematical background and should have completed MATH 140 (or MATH 150), MATH 141 (or MATH 151), and MATH 133, or their CEGEP equivalents. These three Mathematics courses should have been completed with at least an average of B-. A background in computer science is not necessary as students may start their studies with the introductory course COMP 202. However, taking COMP 202 in the Freshman year, or completing an equivalent course in CEGEP, would be an asset and allows students to take more advanced courses earlier in their program.

More information about the admission process and the programs is available at .