Academic planning
Stay on track during your McMaster journey.
Visit the “Your First Year” page for your particular Level 1 program above to learn more information.
General summary:
- Students are automatically enrolled in required courses (classes, labs, tutorials)
- Due to the complexity of the schedules, students are unable to make any adjustments
- Student must enrol into electives. Please visit the “Your First Year” page for your program details.
A step-by-step process on how to enrol in classes is available online.
Every student will have a specific enrolment appointment, which is the designated time you’re allowed to go into Mosaic and enrol into each of your courses. You can find your enrolment appointment in the Student Centre on the right-hand side. Click on “open enrolment dates” to find your specific enrolment appointment.
You may enrol any time after your enrolment appointment date/time opens. You will be unable to change your enrolment time.
Please note: you can continue to update, add and change your courses up until the add/drop date.
We suggest you are prepared with a couple of options for your electives as it is not guaranteed that you will be given a seat for those courses.
Engineering is an accredited program which requires students to take courses that meet the complementary studies requirement. Not all electives satisfy this specific requirement. Please refer to the complementary studies elective list for approved courses.
Please note that this specific requirement does not apply to Bachelor of Technology students or Computer Science students.
Engineering, iBioMed, and computer science students may receive transfer credit for AP, IB, and GCE courses, but it is Faculty of Engineering policy that no math or science courses are eligible. Therefore, you may apply to receive transfer credit for electives only.
Unfortunately, BTech students are unable to receive transfer credit, as they have no electives in their first-year curriculum.
We suggest you connect with our Academic Advising team in July/August to be reviewed for transfer credit.
Please refer to admission requirements website for further information on transfer credit policy.
Incoming first-year students are unable to take any courses prior to starting in September; however, you will have access to take spring/summer courses the summer after your first year.
We highly recommend that you consider enrolling in EMBER which is our 3-week free online summer bridging program that will cover topics in Physics, Chemistry, and Math. Please visit the EMBER page for full details.
All incoming first-year students will automatically be admitted to the Archway Program. Archway is a support team at McMaster that works with all incoming first-year students from the day they are accepted and right up until second-year. You will be connected with an Archway Coach and Mentor who will take the time to understand your goals and what you want out of your McMaster experience. This professional team will partner with you throughout the year to make sure you are connected to the right information, people and fellow students to make your year a success.
Students should book an appointment with the Student Accessibility Office in the summer to set up their accommodations.
Effective 2024-2025
The Faculty of Engineering will admit a limited number of students each academic year to the minor in computer science. Admission decisions are made on behalf of the Faculty of Engineering Admissions Committee.
How to apply
To apply for admission into the minor, students must email their interest to the Faculty of Engineering’s Associate Dean’s Office (Undergraduate Studies) at engadmin@mcmaster.ca before April 30 each year. Please include full name and student number.
Students must have a Grade Point Average of at least 7.0 to be considered for entry into the minor.
Students seeking a minor in computer science must have completed) the two courses COMPSCI 1DM3 and 1JC3, each with a grade of at least B. Completion of these courses may potentially take place during the spring/summer session, after submitting their expression of interest.
Please Note: A CS Minor is not open to students registered in any computer science, software engineering, mechatronics engineering, or computer engineering program.
Completion requirements
To complete a minor in computer science, the student must complete 30 units as indicated:
3 units from:
- COMPSCI 1MD3 – Introduction to Programming
- MATH 1MP3 – Introduction to Mathematical Scientific Computation
18 units
- COMPSCII 1DM3 – Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
- COMPSCI 1JC3 – Introduction to Computational Thinking
- COMPSCI 1XC3 – Computer Science Practice and Experience: Development Basics
- COMPSCI 2C03 – Data Structures and Algorithms
- COMPSCI 2LC3 – Logical Reasoning for Computer Science
- COMPSCI 2ME3 – Introduction to Software Development
9 units from:
- Levels II, III, IV Computer Science
We encourage you to review the specific requirements for registration (if required) and courses for the minor(s) you are interested in pursuing in the undergraduate academic calendar.
Minors consist of a minimum of 24 units of course work. Please speak with your academic advisor for assistance with course planning.
You cannot do a concurrent degree in two Faculty of Engineering programs. However, there may be an option of pursuing a concurrent degree with a second degree in a different faculty. Please visit the specialized programs & minors page for more details.
You cannot do a dual degree in both Software Engineering and Computer Science. They are separate programs covering similar content, but have different degree requirements. Please note that you also cannot do a minor in Computer Science if enrolled in the Software Engineering program.
There is a max of 21 units per term for engineering and iBioMed, 18 units per term for Computer Science, and 15 units per term for Bachelor of Technology programs.
Once you have submitted your LOP request, please follow up with your academic advisor through email for approval and ensure that your LOP is usable towards your degree requirements. If you do not know who your advisor is or are in Eng 1, please email engserv@mcmaster.ca.
- Up to six units of Transfer Credits (identified as “T” on transcript) can be used towards the completion of a minor, inclusive of LOP.
- Students in Management cannot take Commerce courses on LOP.
- Students in the Computer Science Second Degree program cannot take LOPs; all courses must be taken at the university.
Students are responsible for ensuring official transcripts for courses taken at another institution are sent directly from the host institution to the Office of the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies), Faculty of Engineering to ensure their record is updated with the result of the course.
- Physical transcripts should be addressed to your academic advisor with our office address
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to your academic advisor’s email or to engserv@mcmaster.ca.
- If you are using MyCreds – do not select Organization; select the Email option as it will allow you to input the correct email address.
- Transcripts are not to be sent to the Office of the Registrar.
Final-year students expecting to graduate: transcripts for LOP courses must be received in the Office of the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies), Faculty of Engineering, no later than:
- Spring Convocation – May 15
- Fall Convocation – October 15