i Please note:
To view the current calendar, go to
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calendar | Fall 2013
Information Systems in Business Administration and Computing Science Joint Major
This program is offered co-operatively by the Beedie School of Business and the School of Computing Science. In general, students are expected to meet the requirements of both the department and the school with respect to admission, continuation and graduation requirements.
Students must qualify for, and receive admission to the program, must remain qualified for continuance in the Beedie School of Business, and must be accepted as a joint major in the School of Computing Science.
Students may opt for a bachelor of science from the Faculty of Applied Sciences, or a bachelor of business administration from the Beedie School of Business. Faculty requirements will be governed by the faculty from which the student chooses to complete a degree.
In general, students are expected to meet the requirements of both the department and school with respect to admission and continuation requirements.
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements
Criteria
For admission to the Beedie School of Business, students will be selected competitively from one of the following two streams. To be considered for admission to the faculty, students in categories 3 and 4 must have completed each lower division required course with a minimum C- grade.
Category 3 – all courses at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV
A portion of the annual admission will be selected from students who have completed all of their courses at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV including the lower division requirement courses (except BUS 254 which may be completed after faculty admission). Students will be selected competitively based on the grades achieved in the eight lower division required courses,** with a maximum of two repeated courses on those eight lower division courses. Note that a minimum ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.4 is required.
Category 4 – some ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV and other post-secondary courses
A portion of the annual admission will be selected from students who have completed some courses at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV and some at other post-secondary institutions including the lower division requirement courses (except BUS 254 which may be completed after faculty admission). Students will be selected competitively based on the grades achieved in the eight lower division required courses earned at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV and other institutions,** with a maximum of two repeated courses on those eight lower division courses. Note that a minimum ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.4 is required.
**eight lower division courses are as follows:
- BUS 251 Financial Accounting I (3)
- BUS 272 Behavior in Organizations (3)
- ECON 103 Principles of Microeconomics (4)
- ECON 105 Principles of Macroeconomics (4)
and one of
- BUEC 232 Data and Decisions I (4)
- STAT 270 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3)
and one of
- MATH 150 Calculus I with Review (4)
- MATH 151 Calculus I (3)
- MATH 157 Calculus I for the Social Sciences (3)
and two of
- ENGL 101W Introduction to Fiction (3)
- ENGL 102W Introduction to Poetry (3)
- ENGL 103W Introduction to Drama (3)
- ENGL 104W Introduction to Prose Genres (3)
- ENGL 105W Introduction to Issues in Literature and Culture (3)
- ENGL 199W Introduction to University Writing (3)
- PHIL XX1 Critical Thinking (3)
- PHIL 100W Knowledge and Reality (3)
- PHIL 120W Introduction to Moral Philosophy (3)
- WL 101W Writing About Literature (3)
- WL 103W Pre-Modern World Literature (3)
- WL 104W Modern World Literature (3)
Application Procedures
Category 3 or 4 applicants should apply to the faculty after completing the 30th unit. Students should apply during the term in which the lower division requirements (except BUS 254) are completed. Students not accepted upon initial application may reapply. Unsuccessful applicants may appeal through the faculty admissions appeals committee.
Application Deadlines
Visit for application deadlines.
Grade Requirements
In addition to normal university grade point average requirements, the Beedie School of Business requires a minimum 2.40 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) for entry into all 300 and 400 division business administration courses.
For a course to be accepted as fulfilling a prerequisite, or for a lower division requirement, or for a core course to be accepted in a student’s program in business administration, a student must have obtained a minimum grade of C- (C minus).
Course Limit
Students with fewer than 60 units may enrol in a maximum of 16 units per term. Those with 60 or more may enrol in a maximum of 18 units.
Letters of Permission
The Beedie School of Business does not normally approve letters of permission for students already enrolled at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV.
Program Requirements
Students complete 120 units, as specified below.
Lower Division Requirements
Students complete one of
An introduction to business statistics with a heavy emphasis on applications and the use of EXCEL. Students will be required to use statistical applications to solve business problems. STAT 270, Introduction to Probability and Statistics, will be accepted in lieu of BUEC 232. Prerequisite: MATH 157 and 15 units. MATH 157 may be taken concurrently with BUEC 232. Students with credit for STAT 270 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Basic laws of probability, sample distributions. Introduction to statistical inference and applications. Corequisite: MATH 152 or 155 or 158. Students wishing an intuitive appreciation of a broad range of statistical strategies may wish to take STAT 100 first. Quantitative. Prerequisite: COREQ-MATH 152 or 155 or 158. Students wishing an intuitive appreciation of a broad range of statistical strategies may wish to take STAT 100 first. Equivalent Courses: STAT102 STAT103 STAT201 STAT203 STAT301. Quantitative.
and either
A rigorous introduction to computing science and computer programming, suitable for students who already have substantial programming background. This course provides a condensed version of the two-course sequence of CMPT 120/125, with the primary focus on computing science and object oriented programming. Topics include: fundamental algorithms and problem solving; abstract data types and elementary data structures; basic object-oriented programming and software design; elements of empirical and theoretical algorithmics; computation and computability; specification and program correctness; and history of computing science. Prerequisite: BC Math 12 (or equivalent, or any of MATH 100, 150, 151, 154, or 157). Students with credit for CMPT 120, 125, 128, 130, 135 or higher may not take CMPT 126 for further credit. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.
or both of
An elementary introduction to computing science and computer programming, suitable for students with little or no programming background. Students will learn fundamental concepts and terminology of computing science, acquire elementary skills for programming in a high-level language and be exposed to diverse fields within, and applications of computing science. Topics will include: pseudocode, data types and control structures, fundamental algorithms, computability and complexity, computer architecture, and history of computing science. Treatment is informal and programming is presented as a problem-solving tool. Students should consult with the self-evaluation on the School of Computing Science website to decide whether they should follow the CMPT 120/125 course sequence or enrol in CMPT 126. Prerequisite: BC Math 12 or equivalent is recommended. Students with credit for CMPT 102, 125, 126, 128 or CMPT 200 or higher may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.
A rigorous introduction to computing science and computer programming, suitable for students who already have some backgrounds in computing science and programming. Intended for students who will major in computing science or a related program. Topics include: fundamental algorithms; elements of empirical and theoretical algorithmics; abstract data types and elementary data structures; basic object-oriented programming and software design; computation and computability; specification and program correctness; and history of computing science. Prerequisite: BC Math 12 (or equivalent, or any of MATH 100, 150, 151, 154, or 157) and CMPT 120. Students with credit for CMPT 126, 128, 135 or CMPT 200 or higher may not take for further credit. Quantitative.
and all of
An introduction to financial accounting, including accounting terminology, understanding financial statements, analysis of a business entity using financial statements. Includes also time value of money and a critical review of the conventional accounting system. Prerequisite: 12 units. Students with credit for BUS 221 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Theory and methods of cost compilation for managerial planning, control and decision making; the use of budgets and analysis in planning and controlling operations, establishing supervisory and departmental responsibility, and various techniques of measuring results. Prerequisite: BUS 251; 15 units. Students with credit for BUS 324, BUS 328, or COMM 324 may not take BUS 254 for further credit. Quantitative.
Theories, concepts and issues in the field of organizational behavior with an emphasis on individual and team processes. Core topics include employee motivation and performance, stress management, communication, work perceptions and attitudes, decision-making, team dynamics, employee involvement and conflict management. Prerequisite: 12 units.
Digital design concepts are presented in such a way that students will learn how basic logic blocks of a simple computer are designed. Topics covered include: basic Von Neumann computer architecture; an introduction to assembly language programming; combinational logic design; and sequential logic design. Prerequisite: Strongly recommended: MACM 101 and either CMPT 120 or equivalent programming. Students with credit for ENSC 150 or CMPT 290 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Introduction to a variety of practical and important data structures and methods for implementation and for experimental and analytical evaluation. Topics include: stacks, queues and lists; search trees; hash tables and algorithms; efficient sorting; object-oriented programming; time and space efficiency analysis; and experimental evaluation. Prerequisite: MACM 101 and one of CMPT 125, 126 or 128; or CMPT 128 and approval as a Biomedical Engineering Major. Students with credit for CMPT 201 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Introduction to software engineering techniques used in analysis/design and in software project management. The course centres on a team project involving requirements gathering, object analysis and simple data normalization, use-case-driven user documentation and design followed by implementation and testing. Additionally, there is an introduction to project planning, metrics, quality assurance, configuration management, and people issues. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, MACM 101, MATH 151 (or MATH 150), one W course. MATH 154 or 157 with a grade of at least B+ may be substituted for MATH 151 (or MATH 150). Students with credit for CMPT 275 may not take this course for further credit.
The principal elements of theory concerning utility and value, price and costs, factor analysis, productivity, labor organization, competition and monopoly, and the theory of the firm. Students with credit for ECON 200 cannot take ECON 103 for further credit. Quantitative/Breadth-Soc.
The principal elements of theory concerning money and income, distribution, social accounts, public finance, international trade, comparative systems, and development and growth. Students with credit for ECON 205 cannot take ECON 105 for further credit. Quantitative/Breadth-Soc.
Introduction to counting, induction, automata theory, formal reasoning, modular arithmetic. Prerequisite: BC Math 12 (or equivalent, or any of MATH 100, 150, 151, 154, 157. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.
A continuation of MACM 101. Topics covered include graph theory, trees, inclusion-exclusion, generating functions, recurrence relations, and optimization and matching. Prerequisite: MACM 101. Quantitative.
and one of
Designed for students specializing in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computing science and engineering. Topics as for Math 151 with a more extensive review of functions, their properties and their graphs. Recommended for students with no previous knowledge of Calculus. In addition to regularly scheduled lectures, students enrolled in this course are encouraged to come for assistance to the Calculus Workshop (Burnaby), or Math Open Lab (Surrey). Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus 12 (or equivalent) with a grade of at least B+, or MATH 100 with a grade of at least B-, or achieving a satisfactory grade on the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calculus Readiness Test. Students with credit for either MATH 151, 154 or 157 may not take MATH 150 for further credit. Quantitative.
Designed for students specializing in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computing science and engineering. Logarithmic and exponential functions, trigonometric functions, inverse functions. Limits, continuity, and derivatives. Techniques of differentiation, including logarithmic and implicit differentiation. The Mean Value Theorem. Applications of Differentiation including extrema, curve sketching, related rates, Newton's method. Antiderivatives and applications. Conic sections, polar coordinates, parametric curves. Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus 12 (or equivalent) with a grade of at least A, or MATH 100 with a grade of at least B, or achieving a satisfactory grade on the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calculus Readiness Test. Students with credit for either MATH 150, 154 or 157 may not take MATH 151 for further credit. Quantitative.
Designed for students specializing in business or the social sciences. Topics include: limits, growth rate and the derivative; logarithmic exponential and trigonometric functions and their application to business, economics, optimization and approximation methods; functions of several variables. Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus 12 (or equivalent) with a grade of at least B, or MATH 100 with a grade of at least C, or achieving a satisfactory grade on the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calculus Readiness Test. Students with credit for either MATH 150, 151 or 154 may not take MATH 157 for further credit. Quantitative.
and one of
Riemann sum, Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, definite, indefinite and improper integrals, approximate integration, integration techniques, applications of integration. First-order separable differential equations. Sequences and series, series tests, power series, convergence and applications of power series. Prerequisite: MATH 150 or 151; or MATH 154 or 157 with a grade of at least B. Students with credit for MATH 155 or 158 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Theory of integration and its applications; introduction to multivariable calculus with emphasis on partial derivatives and their applications; introduction to differential equations with emphasis on some special first-order equations and their applications to economics and social sciences; continuous probability models; sequences and series. Prerequisite: MATH 150 or 151 or 154 or 157. Students with credit for MATH 152 or 155 may not take MATH 158 for further credit. Quantitative.
and one of
Linear equations, matrices, determinants. Introduction to vector spaces and linear transformations and bases. Complex numbers. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors; diagonalization. Inner products and orthogonality; least squares problems. An emphasis on applications involving matrix and vector calculations. Prerequisite: MATH 150 or 151; or MACM 101; or MATH 154 or 157, both with a grade of at least B. Students with credit for MATH 240 make not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Linear equations, matrices, determinants. Real and abstract vector spaces, subspaces and linear transformations; basis and change of basis. Complex numbers. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors; diagonalization. Inner products and orthogonality; least squares problems. Applications. Subject is presented with an abstract emphais and includes proofs of the basic theorems. Prerequisite: MATH 150 or 151; or MACM 101; or MATH 154 or 157, both with a grade of at least B. Students with credit for MATH 232 cannot take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
and two of the following writing courses
Examines selected works of literature in order to develop a critical awareness of literary techniques and contexts in the representation of experience. May include the comparative study of works in related literary and artistic genres, and will pay some attention to literature of the Twentieth century. Includes attention to writing skills. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Prerequisite: . Equivalent Courses: ENGL101. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
Examines selected works of literature in order to develop a critical awareness of literary techniques and contexts in the representation of experience. May include the comparative study of works in related literary and artistic genres, and will pay some attention to literature of the Twentieth century. Includes attention to writing skills. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Prerequisite: . Equivalent Courses: ENGL102. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
Examines selected works of literature in order to develop a critical awareness of literary techniques and contexts in the representation of experience. May include the comparative study of works in related literary and artistic genres, and will pay some attention to literature of the Twentieth century. Includes attention to writing skills. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Prerequisite: . Equivalent Courses: ENGL103. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
The literary study of a variety of prose genres, such as the essay, biography, autobiography, travel narrative, and journalistic writing. May include works which challenge the boundary between fiction and non-fiction. The course is intended to develop a critical awareness of literary techniques and contexts in the representation of experience. Includes attention to writing skills. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Prerequisite: . Equivalent Courses: ENGL104. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
An introduction to the study of literature within the wider cultural field, with a focus on contemporary issues across genres and media. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Prerequisite: . Equivalent Courses: ENGL105. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
An introduction to reading and writing in the academic disciplines. Prerequisite: 12 units. Students with credit for ENGL 199 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.
An introduction to the evaluation of arguments as they are encountered in everyday life. The central aim will be to sharpen skills of reasoning and argumentation by understanding how arguments work and learning to distinguish those which actually prove what they set out to show from those which do not. Open to all students. Quantitative.
An introduction to some of the central problems of philosophy. Topics to be discussed include the different theories of reality; the nature and sources of knowledge, truth, evidence, and reason; the justification of belief and knowledge about the universe. These topics and problems will be considered as they arise in the context of issues such as: relativism versus absolutism; the existence of God; personal identity; the nature of the mind and its relation to the body; free will and determinism; the possibility of moral knowledge. Open to all students. Students with credit for PHIL 100 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
An introduction to the central problems of ethics: for example, the nature of right and wrong, the objectivity or subjectivity of moral judgments, the relativity or absolutism of values, the nature of human freedom and responsibility. The course will also consider general moral views such as utilitarianism, theories of rights and specific obligations, and the ethics of virtue. These theories will be applied to particular moral problems such as abortion, punishment, distributive justice, freedom of speech, and racial and sexual equality. Sometimes the course will also focus on important historical figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Kant and Mill. Open to all students. Students with credit for PHIL 120 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
Examines international migrancy, cultural identities, or cross-cultural influence in world literatures, while introducing the fundamentals of literary analysis and expository writing. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
Surveys pre-modern texts of world literature. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Prerequisite: . Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
Surveys poetry and prose from the seventeenth-century to the present, with a focus on the literary exploration of issues of humanity. Writing/Breadth-Humanities. Prerequisite: . Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
* to aid your choice, prior to enrolment, consult a Beedie School of Business Advisor
** may be completed following admission to the Beedie School of Business
Upper Division Requirements
Students complete all of
Role and function of financial managers, financial analysis, compound interest valuation and capital budgeting, management of current assets, introduction to financial instruments and institutions. Prerequisite: BUS 254 (or 324); 60 units. Recommended: BUS 207, ECON 201, or ECON 301. Quantitative.
This course is an extension of BUEC 232. It develops and applies the quantitative models that are most directly relevant to business decisions. Beginning with material on multiple regression and forecasting modeling, the course moves on to decision analysis, business simulation, quality control, and an introduction to optimization. Prerequisite: MATH 157 and BUEC 232, 60 units. Quantitative.
The environment of marketing; relation of social sciences to marketing; evaluation of marketing theory and research; assessment of demand, consumer behavior analysis; market institutions; method and mechanics of distribution in domestic, foreign and overseas markets; sales organization; advertising; new product development, publicity and promotion; marketing programs. Prerequisite: 60 units. Students with credit for COMM 343 may not take this course for further credit.
Introduction to the hard and soft skills of project management. Management software and techniques such as work breakdown, estimation, budgeting and status reporting are used. Applies structured processes and develops team-based skills and knowledge. Assumes no prior computing or technical knowledge. Prerequisite: 60 units.
Focuses both on current issues (e.g. build/buy, outsourcing, alignment) and emerging issues (e.g. social networking, utility computing, knowledge management and privacy) in obtaining value from information technology. Prerequisite: Prerequisite: BUS 237, 360W; 90 units. Recommended: BUS 362.
Integration of the various areas of business for the purpose of analysing and recommending strategies for planning and decision-making within the firm and a defined environment. Prerequisite: BUS 207 (or ECON 201 or ECON 301), BUS 312, 343, 360W and either BUS 374 or 381; 90 units.
This course aims to give the student an understanding of what a modern operating system is, and the services it provides. It also discusses some basic issues in operating systems and provides solutions. Topics include multiprogramming, process management, memory management, and file systems. Prerequisite: CMPT 225 and MACM 101.
Analysis and design of data structures for lists, sets, trees, dictionaries, and priority queues. A selection of topics chosen from sorting, memory management, graphs and graph algorithms. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, MACM 201, MATH 151 (or MATH 150), and MATH 232 or 240.
An examination of social processes that are being automated and implications for good and evil, that may be entailed in the automation of procedures by which goods and services are allocated. Examination of what are dehumanizing and humanizing parts of systems and how systems can be designed to have a humanizing effect. Prerequisite: A CMPT course and 45 units. Breadth-Science.
Logical representations of data records. Data models. Studies of some popular file and database systems. Document retrieval. Other related issues such as database administration, data dictionary and security. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, MACM 101.
This course focuses on the computer-related problems of information system design and procedures of design implementation. Well-established design methodologies will be discussed, and case studies will be used to illustrate various techniques of system design. Prerequisite: CMPT 275 or 276; CMPT 354.
and one of
This course will examine theories of organization which use the organization as a basic unit of analysis. It will show how the structure and internal processes of an organization are linked to and partially determined by forces in the external environment of the organization. Contextual factors such as the technology and corporate strategy of the organization will also be examined. Prerequisite: 60 units; BUS 272 (or 372).
Subjects include human resource planning, job analysis and design, recruitment, employment equity, selection and placement, performance appraisal, compensation and benefits, training and development, occupational health and safety, and industrial relations. For each subject an overview of current Canadian issues and practices is presented. Prerequisite: BUS 272 (or 372); 60 units.
and one of
Explores strategic issues and technologies in contemporary web-based business, from the evolution of business applications on the Internet through to contemporary Open Source and Web 2.0 applications. In depth exploration of new technology and business applications related to these technologies. Prerequisite: BUS 237, 360W; 60 units.
Data communication fundamentals (data types, rates, and transmission media). Network architectures for local and wide areas. Communications protocols suitable for various architectures. ISO protocols and internetworking. Performance analysis under various loadings and channel error rates. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, CMPT/ENSC 150 and MATH 151 (MATH 150). MATH 154 or 157 with a grade of at least B+ may be substituted for MATH 151 (MATH 150).
and nine additional upper division CMPT units, excluding CMPT 301. At least one of the courses must be at the 400 division or above.
^ to be completed at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV
Degree Choice
Upon successful completion of the above requirements, students will be awarded a bachelor of business administration degree, offered by the Beedie School of Business.
To be eligible for a bachelor of science degree, offered by the Faculty of Applied Sciences, students complete all of the requirements listed above and two additional courses: MACM 316 and a course from the School of Computing Science’s table I, II, or III (excluding CMPT 301).
Table I -
Artificial Intelligence
Provides a unified discussion of the fundamental approaches to the problems in artificial intelligence. The topics considered are: representational typology and search methods; game playing, heuristic programming; pattern recognition and classification; theorem-proving; question-answering systems; natural language understanding; computer vision. Prerequisite: CMPT 225 and MACM 101. Students with credit for CMPT 410 may not take this course for further credit.
The principles involved in using computers for data acquisition, real-time processing, pattern recognition and experimental control in biology and medicine will be developed. The use of large data bases and simulation will be explored. Prerequisite: Completion of 60 units including CMPT 125, 126 or 128 (or 102 with a grade of B or higher).
Formal and foundational issues dealing with the representation of knowledge in artificial intelligence systems are covered. Questions of semantics, incompleteness, non-monotonicity and others will be examined. As well, particular approaches, such as procedural or semantic network, may be discussed. Prerequisite: Completion of nine units in Computing Science upper division courses or, in exceptional cases, permission of the instructor.
Computational approaches to image understanding will be discussed in relation to theories about the operation of the human visual system and with respect to practical applications in robotics. Topics will include edge detection, shape from shading, stereopsis, optical flow, Fourier methods, gradient space, three-dimensional object representation and constraint satisfaction. Prerequisite: MATH 152, and nine units in Computing upper division courses or permission of the instructor.
This course examines the theoretical and applied problems of constructing and modelling systems, which aim to extract and represent the meaning of natural language sentences or of whole discourses, but drawing on contributions from the fields of linguistics, cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence and computing science. Prerequisite: Completion of nine units in Computing Science upper division courses or, in exceptional cases, permission of the instructor.
This course covers various topics in computer vision with the emphasis on the model-based approach. Main subjects include 2-D and 3-D representations, matching, constraint relaxation, model-based vision systems. State-of-the-art robot vision systems will be used extensively as study cases. The solid modelling and CAD aspects of this course should also interest students of computer graphics. Prerequisite: MATH 152 and nine units in CMPT upper division courses, or permission of the instructor.
Intelligent Systems using modern constraint programming and heuristic search methods. A survey of this rapidly advancing technology as applied to scheduling, planning, design and configuration. An introduction to constraint programming, heuristic search, constructive (backtrack) search, iterative improvement (local) search, mixed-initiative systems and combinatorial optimization. Prerequisite: CMPT 225.
Computationally-oriented theories of human cognitive architecture are explored, beginning with neurologically inspired (neural network) models of "low-level" brain processes, and progressing upwards to higher-level symbolic processing, of the kind that occurs in rule-following and problem solving. Arguments concerning the need for modular processing and combinatorially adequate forms of mental representation are examined at length. Prerequisite: CMPT 225. Recommended: CMPT 310.
Current topics in artificial intelligence depending on faculty and student interest.
Computer Graphics and Multimedia
This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of computer graphics. Topics include graphics display and interaction hardware, basic algorithms for 2D primitives, anti-aliasing, 2D and 3D geometrical transformations, 3D projections/viewing, Polygonal and hierarchical models, hidden-surface removal, basic rendering techniques (color, shading, raytracing, radiosity), and interaction techniques. Prerequisite: CMPT 225 and MATH 232 or 240.
This course provides a comprehensive study of user interface design. Topics include: goals and principles of UI design (systems engineering and human factors), historical perspective, current paradigms (widget-based, mental model, graphic design, ergonomics, metaphor, constructivist/iterative approach, and visual languages) and their evaluation, existing tools and packages (dialogue models, event-based systems, prototyping), future paradigms, and the social impact of UI. Prerequisite: CMPT 225.
Multimedia systems design, multimedia hardware and software, issues in effectively representing, processing, and retrieving multimedia data such as text, graphics, sound and music, image and video. Prerequisite: CMPT 225.
Covers advanced topics and techniques in computer graphics with a focus on image synthesis. Topics include photorealistic rendering, advanced ray tracing, Monte Carlo methods, photon maps, radiosity, light fields, participating media, as well as tone reproduction. Prerequisite: CMPT 361, MACM 201 and 316. Students with credit for CMPT 451 may not take this course for further credit.
Covers advanced topics in geometric modelling and processing for computer graphics, such as Bezier and B-spline techniques, subdivision curves and surfaces, solid modelling, implicit representation, surface reconstruction, multi-resolution modelling, digital geometry processing (e.g. mesh smoothing, compression, and parameterization), point-based representation, and procedural modelling. Prerequisite: CMPT 361, MACM 316. Students with credit for CMPT 469 between 2003 and 2007 or equivalent may not take this course for further credit.
Topics and techniques in animation, including: The history of animation, computers in animation, traditional animation approaches, and computer animation techniques such as geometric modelling, interpolation, camera controls, kinematics, dynamics, constraint-based animation, realistic motion, temporal aliasing, digital effects and post production. Prerequisite: CMPT 361 and MACM 316 or permission of the instructor.
Presents advanced topics in the field of scientific and information visualization. Topics include an introduction to visualization (importance, basic approaches, and existing tools), abstract visualization concepts, human perception, visualization methodology, data representation, 2D and 3D display, interactive visualization, and their use in medical, scientific, and business applications. Prerequisite: CMPT 361, MACM 316.
An introduction to the fundamentals of digital audio, computer music, basic sound synthesis algorithms, and digital audio effects and processing. Topics include concepts of sound and digital audio representation, basic concepts of digital filtering, fundamentals of spectrum analysis, and sound synthesis techniques. Understanding of theoretical concepts will be consolidated through practical programming assignments in Matlab, however there will also be exposure to various freeware real-time audio programming and sound editing environments. Prerequisite: MATH 152 and one of CMPT 125, 126 or 128 (or permission of instructor).
Current topics in computer graphics depending on faculty and student interest. Prerequisite: CMPT 361.
Computing Systems
This course aims to give the student an understanding of what a modern operating system is, and the services it provides. It also discusses some basic issues in operating systems and provides solutions. Topics include multiprogramming, process management, memory management, and file systems. Prerequisite: CMPT 225 and MACM 101.
This course is an introduction to the modelling, analysis, and computer simulation of complex systems. Topics include analytic modelling, discrete event simulation, experimental design, random number generation, and statistical analysis. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, MACM 101, STAT 270.
Data communication fundamentals (data types, rates, and transmission media). Network architectures for local and wide areas. Communications protocols suitable for various architectures. ISO protocols and internetworking. Performance analysis under various loadings and channel error rates. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, CMPT/ENSC 150 and MATH 151 (MATH 150). MATH 154 or 157 with a grade of at least B+ may be substituted for MATH 151 (MATH 150).
This course covers the key components of a compiler for a high level programming language. Topics include lexical analysis, parsing, type checking, code generation and optimization. Students will work in teams to design and implement an actual compiler making use of tools such as lex and yacc. Prerequisite: MACM 201, (CMPT 150 or ENSC 215) and CMPT 225.
An introduction to distributed systems: systems consisting of multiple physical components connected over a network. Architectures of such systems, ranging from client-server to peer-to-peer. Distributed systems are analyzed via case studies of real network file systems, replicated systems, sensor networks and peer-to-peer systems. Hands-on experience designing and implementing a complex distributed system. Prerequisite: CMPT 300, 371. Students with credit for CMPT 401 before September 2008 may not take this course for further credit.
The basics of embedded system organization, hardware-software co-design, and programmable chip technologies are studied. Formal models and specification languages for capturing and analyzing the behavior of embedded systems. The design and use of tools for system partitioning and hardware/software co-design implementation, validation, and verification are also studied. Prerequisite: CMPT 250, 300.
This course covers the fundamentals of higher level network functionality such as remote procedure/object calls, name/address resolution, network file systems, network security and high speed connectivity/bridging/switching. Prerequisite: CMPT 300 and 371.
Current topics in computing systems depending on faculty and student interest. Prerequisite: CMPT 401 or 431.
Current topics in computer hardware depending on faculty and student interest. Prerequisite: CMPT/ENSC 250.
Information Systems
Topics include strategic planning and use of information systems, current ad future technologies, technology assimilation, organizational learning, end-user computing, managing projects and people, managing production operations and networks, evaluating performance and benefits, crisis management and disaster recovery, security and control, financial accountability, and proactive management techniques for a changing environment. Prerequisite: CMPT 225.
Logical representations of data records. Data models. Studies of some popular file and database systems. Document retrieval. Other related issues such as database administration, data dictionary and security. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, MACM 101.
This course focuses on the computer-related problems of information system design and procedures of design implementation. Well-established design methodologies will be discussed, and case studies will be used to illustrate various techniques of system design. Prerequisite: CMPT 275 or 276; CMPT 354.
This course introduces students to the computing science principles underlying computational biology. The emphasis is on the design, analysis and implementation of computational techniques. Possible topics include algorithms for sequence alignment, database searching, gene finding, phylogeny and structure analysis. Prerequisite: CMPT 307. Students with credit for CMPT 341 may not take this course for further credit.
An advanced course on database systems which covers crash recovery, concurrency control, transaction processing, distributed database systems as the core material and a set of selected topics based on the new developments and research interests, such as object-oriented data models and systems, extended relational systems, deductive database systems, and security and integrity. Prerequisite: CMPT 300 and 354.
Introduction to the essentials of information retrieval and the applications of information retrieval in web search and web information systems. Topics include the major models of information retrieval, similarity search, text content search, link structures and web graphics, web mining and applications, crawling, search engines, and some advanced topics such as spam detection, online advertisement, and fraud detection in online auctions. Prerequisite: CMPT 354.
Current topics in database and information systems depending on faculty and student interest. Prerequisite: CMPT 354.
This course examines: two-tier/multi-tier client/server architectures; the architecture of a Web-based information system; web servers/browser; programming/scripting tools for clients and servers; database access; transport of programming objects; messaging systems; security; and applications (such as e-commerce and on-line learning). Prerequisite: CMPT 354.
Web service based systems are fundamentally different from traditional software systems. The conceptual and methodological differences between a standard software development process and the development of a web service based information system. The technology involved during the construction of their own web service based application in an extensive project. Prerequisite: CMPT 371.
Programming Languages and Software
Survey of modern software development methodology. Several software development process models will be examined, as will the general principles behind such models. Provides experience with different programming paradigms and their advantages and disadvantages during software development. Prerequisite: CMPT 276 or 275. Students with credit for CMPT 475 may not complete this course for further credit.
Abstraction principles and formalization techniques for modelling software systems in early design phases. Design is a creative activity calling for abstract models that facilitate reasoning about the key system attributes to ensure that these attributes are properly established prior to actually building a system. The focus is on specification and validation techniques rather than on formal verification. Prerequisite: MACM 101, 201. Recommended: CMPT 275.
Various concepts and principles underlying the design and use of modern programming languages are considered in the context of procedural, object-oriented, functional and logic programming languages. Topics include data and control structuring constructs, facilities for modularity and data abstraction, polymorphism, syntax, and formal semantics. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, MACM 101.
This course considers modelling and programming techniques appropriate for symbolic data domains such as mathematical expressions, logical formulas, grammars and programming languages. Topics include recursive and functional programming style, grammar-based data abstraction, simplification and reduction transformations, conversions to canonical form, environment data structures and interpreters, metaprogramming, pattern matching and theorem proving. Prerequisite: CMPT 225; MACM 101.
Factors in software quality include functionality, reliability, usability, efficiency, maintainability, and portability. Techniques for assessing the quality of software with respect to such factors, and methods for improving the quality of both software products and software development processes. Prerequisite: CMPT 373.
Students will study in-depth the techniques, tools and standards needed in the management of software development. Topics will include software process and quality standards, life cycle models, requirements specification issues, project estimation, planning and tracking, project management tools, team dynamics and management, configuration and change management techniques and tools, metrics, quality assurance and test techniques, professional and legal issues. Prerequisite: CMPT 275 or 276 and 15 units of upper division courses. Recommended: co-op experience. Students with credit for CMPT 373 may not take this course for further credit.
Introduces, at an accessible level, a formal framework for symbolic model checking, one of the most important verification methods. The techniques are illustrated with examples of verification of reactive systems and communication protocols. Students learn to work with a model checking tool. Prerequisite: CMPT 275 or 276.
Current topics in programming languages depending on faculty and student interest. Prerequisite: CMPT 383.
Theoretical Computing Science
Analysis and design of data structures for lists, sets, trees, dictionaries, and priority queues. A selection of topics chosen from sorting, memory management, graphs and graph algorithms. Prerequisite: CMPT 225, MACM 201, MATH 151 (or MATH 150), and MATH 232 or 240.
This course introduces students to formal models of computations such as Turing machines and RAMs. Notions of tractability and intractability are discusses both with respect to computability and resource requirements. The relationship of these concepts to logic is also covered. Prerequisite: MACM 201.
The main cryptographic tools and primitives, their use in cryptographic applications; security and weaknesses of the current protocols. The notion of security, standard encryption schemes, digital signatures, zero-knowledge, selected other topics. Prerequisite: MACM 201. CMPT 307 and 308 are recommended.
Models of computation, methods of algorithm design; complexity of algorithms; algorithms on graphs, NP-completeness, approximation algorithms, selected topics. Prerequisite: CMPT 307.
Machine models and their equivalences, complexity classes, separation theorems, reductions, Cook's theorem, NP-completeness, the polynomial time hierarchy, boolean circuit models and parallel complexity theory, other topics of interest to the students and instructor. Prerequisite: CMPT 307.
Network design parameters and goals, dynamic networks and permutations, routing in direct networks, structured communication in direct networks, other topics of interest to the students and instructor. Prerequisite: CMPT 307 and 371.
Current topics in theoretical computing science depending on faculty and student interest. Prerequisite: CMPT 307.
Languages, grammars, automata and their applications to natural and formal language processing. Prerequisite: MACM 201. Quantitative.
Table II – Application Courses
Currently no courses.
Table III – Computing Mathematics Courses
A presentation of the problems commonly arising in numerical analysis and scientific computing and the basic methods for their solutions. Prerequisite: MATH 152 or 155 or 158, and MATH 232 or 240, and computing experience. Quantitative.
A first course in computer algebra also called symbolic computation. It covers data-structures and algorithms for mathematical objects, including polynomials, general mathematical formulae, long integer arithmetic, polynomial greatest common divisors, the Risch integration algorithm. Other topics include symbolic differentiation, simplification of formulae, and polynomial factorization. Students will learn Maple for use on assignments. Prerequisite: CMPT 307 or MATH 332 or MATH 340. Quantitative.
Linear programming modelling. The simplex method and its variants. Duality theory. Post-optimality analysis. Applications and software. Additional topics may include: game theory, network simplex algorithm, and convex sets. Prerequisite: MATH 150, 151, 154, or 157 and MATH 240 or 232. Quantitative.
The integers and mathematical proof. Relations and modular arithmetic. Rings and fields, polynomial rings, the Euclidean algorithm. The complex numbers and the fundamental theorem of algebra. Construction of finite fields, primitive elements in finite fields, and their application. Prerequisite: MATH 240 (or MATH 232 with a grade of at least B). Students with credit for MATH 332 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Structures and algorithms, generating elementary combinatorial objects, counting (integer partitions, set partitions, Catalan families), backtracking algorithms, branch and bound, heuristic search algorithms. Prerequisite: MACM 201 (with a grade of at least B-). Recommended: knowledge of a programming language. Quantitative.
An introduction to the subject of modern cryptography. Classical methods for cryptography and how to break them, the data encryption standard (DES), the advanced encryption standard (AES), the RSA and ElGammal public key cryptosystems, digital signatures, secure hash functions and pseudo-random number generation. Algorithms for computing with long integers including the use of probabilistic algorithms. Prerequisite: (CMPT 201 or 225) and one of (MATH 340 or 332 or 342); or CMPT 405. Students with credit for MACM 498 between Fall 2003 and Spring 2006 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements
Students admitted to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See for university-wide information.
WQB Graduation Requirements
A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit
Requirement |
Units |
Notes | |
W - Writing |
6 |
Must include at least one upper division course, taken at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV within the student’s major subject | |
Q - Quantitative |
6 |
Q courses may be lower or upper division | |
B - Breadth |
18 |
Designated Breadth | Must be outside the student’s major subject, and may be lower or upper division 6 units Social Sciences: B-Soc 6 units Humanities: B-Hum 6 units Sciences: B-Sci |
6 |
Additional Breadth | 6 units outside the student’s major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements) |
Business Career Passport Requirements
Students who are admitted to the Beedie School of Business beginning in the fall 2012 term will complete the Business Career Passport.
During the BBA program, students register in and complete six mandatory Business Career Passport workshops. The workshops may be completed in any order. However, it is recommended that students complete the self-assessment workshop sometime within their first 60 units of study.
Enrolment and participation in workshops must be recorded with the Career Management Centre. For more information about the workshops, or to register, visit on the .
Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit
The University’s residency requirement stipulates that, in most cases, total transfer and course challenge credit may not exceed 60 units, and may not include more than 15 as upper division work.
Co-operative Education and Work Experience
All computing science students are strongly encouraged to explore the opportunities that Work Integrated Learning (WIL) can offer. Please contact a computing science co-op advisor during your first year of studies to ensure that you have all of the necessary courses and information to help plan for a successful co-op experience.
For calendar technical problems or errors, contact calendar-sfu@sfu.ca | Calendar Changes and Corrections