Prospective Students

How to Apply

Graduate student applications should be submitted to the Graduate Programme in Computer Science and Engineering through York University's Faculty of Graduate Studies. If you are interested in working with the DisCoVeri group, your application should mention distributed computing, concurrency or verification as one of your areas of interest. More information about the application process is available at the URL http://www.cse.yorku.ca/csprosp_students/grad/.

The formal application deadline for studies commencing in September 2012 is February 15 for 2012, but applications submitted after that date may also be considered.

If you have questions about applying, feel free to contact us.

 

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the DisCoVeri group as a MSc candidate, you are required to meet the following requirements:

  • you have an undergraduate honours degree in computer science, with at least (the equivalent of) a B+ average in your last two years of study, and
  • you have successfully completed a senior level course in theoretical computer science.

To be considered for admission to the DisCoVeri group as a PhD candidate, you are required to meet the following requirements:

  • you have a Master's degree in computer science, with at least (the equivalent of) a B+ average on all your course work and
  • the topic of your Master's thesis falls within areas of distributed computing, concurrency, or verification.

The language of instruction is English so you should be proficient in English. You are required to meet one of the following criteria:

  • English is your first language, or
  • you have completed at least one year of full-time study at an accredited university in an country or institution where English is the official language of instruction, or
  • your TOEFL score is at least 577 (paper-based) / 233 (computer-based) / 88-91 (Internet-based), or
  • your IELTS score is at least Band 7, or
  • YELT (York English Language Test) is at least Band 4.
 

Financial Support

All full-time MSc candidates are normally given financial support for their first 20 months. The minimal level of support is currently $23,000 per year. Students who are awarded an external scholarship can receive up to $33,000 per year.

All full-time PhD candidates are normally given financial support for their first 48 months. The minimal level of support is currently $25,000 per year. Students who are awarded an external scholarship can receive up to $35,000 per year.

Tuition

The tuition and supplementary fees for domestic students, that is, those that are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, are roughly $5,500 per year. For international students it is roughly $12,000 per year. International students normally get a $4,800 tuition scholarship. More precise numbers and additional information can be found at the URL http://sfs.yorku.ca/.

 

Timeline

A MSc candidate will typically complete the programme in 20 months as follows. Each term lasts four months, and Term 1 normally begins on September 1.

  • Term 1: Take 3 graduate courses.
  • Term 2: Take 2 graduate courses and identify research topic.
  • Term 3: Do research for thesis.
  • Term 4: Do research for thesis.
  • Term 5: Write thesis and defend it.

Some students take a little longer, but most complete the programme within 24 months.

A PhD candidate can complete the programme in four years as follows.

  • Year 1: Take graduate courses and select area of research.
  • Year 2: Prepare a literature review and submit it to dissertation supervisory committee (three professors). The committee gives you a qualifying exam based on the literature review. Begin dissertation research.
  • Year 3: Continue dissertation research. Present dissertation proposal to supervisory committee. Teach one course or do a short industrial internship.
  • Year 4: Complete dissertation and defend it.
 

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