Offered by St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Canada, MA/MS in Computer Science is a master's degree in Computer Sciences programme. The programme is delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 13,932 per year (CAD 6,966 per year for local students).
Also offered as: Bachelor's Degree
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Computer Sciences
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 6,966 / year
International tuition: CAD 13,932 / year
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Master of Science in Computer Science at St. Francis Xavier University is a limited-enrolment, thesis-based graduate program delivered in person through the Faculty of Science. It centers on original research undertaken with a faculty supervisor, and admission requires identifying and securing agreement from a potential supervisor before an application is considered complete. Alongside coursework, students take on mentoring roles, working as teaching assistants in undergraduate classes and supporting undergraduate research assistants in labs. Admission normally requires an undergraduate honours degree or equivalent concentration in the subject area, a minimum 70 percent average, and, for applicants requiring proof of English proficiency, an IELTS score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0; admission is competitive and meeting minimum standards does not guarantee acceptance. Most accepted students receive a funding package covering tuition and a portion of living expenses, drawn from sources such as StFX graduate scholarships, teaching assistantships, the Ally Heaps Graduate Scholarship for thesis-based computer science, Canada Graduate Scholarships, or MITACS awards. A separate, course-based Master of Applied Computer Science is available for students who prefer not to pursue a thesis. The program suits students with strong academic records who want to pursue supervised research in computer science and gain experience presenting and publishing their work.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:70.00 / %
Admission Requirements: The Master of Science in Computer Science publishes its own admission requirements directly on its program page. Applicants normally need an undergraduate Honours degree, or an equivalent concentration of about twenty undergraduate courses, in Computer Science, with a minimum overall average of 70%. Admission is competitive, and meeting the minimum standard does not guarantee acceptance, since MSc places go to students who demonstrate strong scholarly potential and have identified a supervisor willing to take them on. Applicants whose first language is not English must meet StFX's graduate language requirement: an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 is the stated minimum, and the program page notes graduate study demands strong English skills, so a higher score can strengthen an application. Applicants must submit official transcripts, two reference letters emailed directly by their referees, and evidence of English-language proficiency where required, after first securing a faculty supervisor in the Department of Computer Science.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply directly to StFX: for September 2027 entry, applications open 15 September 2026 and the general deadline is 1 September 2027, though competitive programmes such as the 4-year BScN (3 March 2027) and Bachelor of Education (1 December 2026) close much earlier; January 2027 entry closes 9 December 2026 and May 2027 entry closes 12 April 2027. International applicants must apply by 30 May 2027 for September 2027 entry (late applications reviewed case-by-case depending on visa timing) and by 30 September 2026 for January 2027 entry, confirming by 30 October 2026. Admission is not open-ended rolling; each intake has a firm published deadline, though the general Fall deadline stays open until 1 September while seats in non-competitive programmes remain. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
