Computer Science

McMaster University

Computing and Software: blue ink subject illustration

4 years
Duration (years)
4 years
McMaster Computer Science degree and career pathways
Optional co-op
Work experience
Optional co-op
McMaster undergraduate co-op requirements
90% minimum
Academic minimum
The university publishes a 90% academic minimum, not an entering-average range.
McMaster Computer Science admissions selector, Ontario high school

Deadlines

November 2026

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Next deadlineThursday, November 19, 2026

OUAC. Ontario high schools report midterm/final 4U/M grades
2027 entry
School deadline, not a student task. Universities receive these grades by November 26. Verbatim: "Deadline for the OUAC to receive all midterm or final grades available for 4U/M courses from Ontario high schools. Schools may report in-progress grades for full-year courses as soon as they are available." Universities receive these by the target date of November 26, 2026. This is a deadline on the high school, not on the student, but it governs which grades a university sees in the first round.
Official deadline

Other deadline details

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by programOUAC Undergraduate application, applicants who are not Ontario high school students (Group B)2026 entry

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by program
No single OUAC deadline
University, program, transcript, portfolio, interview, and audition dates still apply

Full source wording

Verbatim: "There is no specific Undergraduate application deadline if you are a Group B applicant. Deadlines vary at each university and sometimes depend on the program. Visit the university websites or contact the universities directly for their deadlines. If you are interested in a program but the deadline has passed, you may contact the university's admission office for help. Be aware of university-specific deadlines for submitting transcripts and portfolios, if required, and for arranging interviews and auditions. You must ensure the OUAC has enough time to process your choices before the universities' program deadlines." OUAC defines Group B as anyone who does not meet the Group A criteria, e.g. not currently taking an Ontario high school course, a Canadian outside Ontario, an international applicant, a postsecondary transfer student, or a mature applicant.

SourceChecked Aug 14, 2026

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites

ENG4UEnglish
MCV4UCalculus and Vectors

Ontario applicants complete the OSSD and six Grade 12 U/M courses.
The 90% Ontario academic minimum is for consideration. McMaster selects students using the supplementary application as well.

Application steps

Entry terms · Fall 2027

Published direct entry for the 2027 admission cycle

Step 1Check the admission requirements
- Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
McMaster Computer Science admissions selector, Ontario high schoolMcMaster Computer Science admissions selector, Ontario high school
Step 2Apply through OUAC
- Create your application and select this program.
OUACOUAC
Step 3Academic documents for your applicant category
- Canadian high school applicants outside Ontario upload the requested records to the Applicant Portal. Uploaded records can support initial review; accepted conditional offers require final official transcripts. Current Ontario high school applicants follow the separate instructions rather than sending unrequested records.
McMaster transcripts and documentsMcMaster transcripts and documents
Step 4English test results, if required
- When English proficiency evidence is required, IELTS, TOEFL and other accepted test results must come directly from the testing centre.
McMaster direct submission of language resultsMcMaster direct submission of language results
Step 5Kira Talent supplement with three video responses and one written response. The video responses allow 10 seconds to prepare and two minutes to answer. The written response allows seven minutes.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Computer Science admissions selector, Ontario high schoolMcMaster Computer Science admissions selector, Ontario high school
Step 6One $50 fee and one supplementary application cover the applicant’s Faculty of Engineering choices.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Computer Science admissions selector, Ontario high schoolMcMaster Computer Science admissions selector, Ontario high school

Required for first-year Computer Science applicants.

Applicant pathways

Ontario

Ontario high school applicants

Complete the OSSD and six Grade 12 U/M courses.
Include English 4U (ENG4U) and Calculus and Vectors 4U (MCV4U).

Alberta and Nunavut

Alberta and Nunavut high school applicants

Complete high school and five academic courses numbered 30 or 31.
Include English Language Arts 30-1 and Math 31 or AP Calculus.
McMaster uses the blended English Language Arts mark. Submit first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Yukon

British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Yukon high school applicants

Complete high school and five academic Grade 12 courses.
Include English Studies 12, English 12 or English First Peoples 12, and Calculus 12 or AP Calculus.
McMaster excludes applied design, skills and technologies, career education, physical and health education, and faith-based courses, except Economics 12. Submit first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

Manitoba

Manitoba high school applicants

Complete high school and five academic 40S courses.
Include English Language Arts 40S and Calculus 45S, 42U, 42S or AP Calculus.
Submit first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

New Brunswick

New Brunswick high school applicants

Complete high school and five academic courses numbered 120, 121 or 122.
Include English 121, English 122 or ESL 22411, and Calculus 120 or AP Calculus.
Submit first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador high school applicants

Complete high school and ten acceptable Grade 12 academic credits at the 3000 level.
Include English 3201 and Math 3208 or AP Calculus.
Submit first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia high school applicants

Complete high school and five Grade 12 academic courses.
Include English 12 and Calculus 12 or AP Calculus.
Submit first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island high school applicants

Complete high school and five Grade 12 academic courses numbered 611 or 621.
Include English 611 or 621 and Math 611B or AP Calculus.
Submit first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

Québec

Québec high school applicants

Complete high school and six academic courses equivalent to Ontario requirements.
Include Grade 12 English and Calculus and Vectors.
McMaster recommends submitting first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

Québec CEGEP

Québec CEGEP applicants

Complete at least one year of CEGEP with 12 academic courses.
Include two English 603 or 604 courses and Calculus I (201).
McMaster uses the R score. Current CEGEP students submit fall final grades and winter registration. Applicants with a DEC after Year III may be considered for advanced standing.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan high school applicants

Complete high school and five academic Grade 12 courses numbered 30.
Include English A30 or B30 and Calculus 30 or AP Calculus.
Submit first-semester marks and your full-year course list by February 15.

Degree requirements

Required courses and electives

Level I includes 24 units of required courses, six elective units and zero-unit WHMIS training.
Level II includes four computer science courses, two logic and computability courses, two practice courses and two open electives.
Levels III and IV together include six core courses, six technical electives, a full-year capstone and six open electives.

References

Program facts

Academic minimum

Co-opOptional co-op

Students can start optional co-op as early as the summer after Level I. The co-op stream requires at least 12 months of approved work experience.

Check work experience options

Courses

Published Level I requirements and known term placements. The upper-year summary combines Levels III and IV where McMaster publishes them together.

Level I fall requirements4 listed

COMPSCI 1JC3Introduction to Computational Thinking3 units
McMaster Computer Science I academic advising
COMPSCI 1MD3Introduction to Programming3 units
McMaster Computer Science I academic advising
MATH 1ZA3Engineering Mathematics I3 units
McMaster Computer Science I academic advising
WHMIS 1A00Introduction to Health and Safety0 units
Complete the online safety course before the first laboratory.
McMaster 2026–27 WHMIS 1A00 course description

Level I winter requirements4 listed

COMPSCI 1DM3Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science3 units
McMaster Computer Science I academic advising
COMPSCI 1XC3Computer Science Practice and Experience: Development Basics3 units
McMaster Computer Science I academic advising
COMPSCI 1XD3Computer Science Practice and Experience: Introduction to Software Design Using Web Programming3 units
McMaster Computer Science I academic advising
MATH 1ZB3Engineering Mathematics II – A3 units
McMaster Computer Science I academic advising