UFV launching new master’s degree in computer science  

The University of the Fraser Valley is launching a new master’s degree in computer science. The Master of Science in Computer Science is aimed at graduates from bachelor’s degree programs in computer science or a closely related field.

It has been specifically designed to give students opportunities to apply the technologies they will learn about to the Fraser Valley’s agriculture sector, in areas such as smart farming, crop yield prediction, and other emerging industry needs. The MSc in Computer Science program will prepare students to address real-world challenges through artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, data science, and software development

The program is scheduled to welcome its first intake of students in September 2027. Applications are open now via the EducationPlannerBC central application system at www.educationplannerbc.ca/.

UFV’s new program will provide local access to a graduate degree in computer science to people in the Fraser Valley and give students the opportunity to make connections with business and industry in the region. It is UFV’s first master’s degree program in the computer science field.

Advanced computer science skills can open doors across industry, the public sector, and research. Graduates of the program may pursue a variety of roles in academia and industry. Examples include software or computer systems developer, cybersecurity specialist, data scientist, artificial intelligence (AI) developer, and computer and information systems manager.

 

The 30-credit UFV MSc in Computer Science will have two streams: a thesis stream for students who want to focus on research and/or plan to pursue a doctorate afterwards, and a project stream for students who want to focus on industry. Students in the project stream will complete an applied, industry-oriented project that addresses a real-world computing problem under faculty mentorship. The thesis stream will take a minimum of 20 months, and the project stream will take a minimum of 16 months.

Elective courses will be offered from a list of 12 courses specifically tailored to equip graduates with in-demand skills that meet the evolving needs of today’s computing field.

Students who complete the thesis stream option of the new MSc degree will also be well prepared to pursue doctoral studies in computer science or a related field.

Demand for computing expertise remains strong in B.C. The 2024 BC Labour Market Outlook projects 70,400 computer-science-related job openings in the Lower Mainland through 2034, with annual employment growth of 4.3%. High-opportunity occupations include roles such as software developers and programmers, computer systems developers and programmers, cybersecurity specialists, and data scientists.

Graduates of the MSc program will be able to:

• design scalable and sustainable solutions to complex computing problems across diverse domains with a focus on agriculture, cybersecurity and data science
• leverage emerging computer science technologies for evolving interdisciplinary business needs that prioritize ethical, responsive, and inclusive design principles, and
• conduct research using appropriate methodologies, including experimental design, data-driven analysis, and computational simulations to applied and/or theoretical problems.

The MSc in Computer Science at UFV is open to both domestic and international students.

For more information about the new MSc in Computer Science at UFV, contact computing.assistant@ufv.ca and check the program details at: www.ufv.ca/programs/computing/computer-science-msc.