General Considerations for deciding if changing to the new versions of the streams is useful

If you change to a new version of a stream or indeed if you change streams you become subject to the calendar requirements of the new stream. If you choose to remain in the current version of your stream the rules of the calendar in effect when you came into the stream remain in effect, which means that the old rules still apply to you. However, if you elect to change to the new version of the stream there is no going back to the old version since the old version no longer exists.

In general the new versions of the streams give greater flexibility with more free electives. However, it is essential that you compare the two versions of your stream to see if it is useful for you to remain in the stream as it currently exists or change to the new version of the stream. Remember that once you change, you cannot change back to options that no longer exist so you have to decide carefully on what's best for you.

For each of the streams I have isolated a couple of the key issues that you may take into consideration but finally, you must make the decision based on your own specific situation.

The two basic issues are flexibility and a possible surprise change of your major CGPA as defined in the new versions of the streams. For example if there are fewer Computer Science courses required in the new stream you may benefit if your grade on a course that is no longer in the major CGPA was low and you maybe sadly surprised to find that you have a lower major CGPA if a course in which you had a high mark is no longer in the calculatio.

We now look at the options on a stream by stream basis.

Software and Computing

There are substantial changes to the Computer Science requirements in this stream. The number of Computer Science requirements have been reduced from 10.5 credits to 9 credits. Other requirements have been dropped as well. This gives the student much greater freedom to choose courses. Thus there are extra free electives which may be any courses including Computer Science or Math courses. There is also more freedom in choosing electives which are not Computer Science.

The students should be very careful in making a decision to switch to the new version of the stream particularly in the upper years because given that the grades of 3 Computer Science courses are now no longer in the major CGPA, a switch to the new version of the stream could result in a lower major CGPA. This might happen depending on the grades achieved in the specific courses. The major CGPA of course, may go up or down depending on the specific grades achieved so there may be an improved major CGPA in any particular case.

Accordingly, based on the particular situation the student must decide if the increased freedom of choice is worthwhile.

Software Engineering

There are substantial changes to the Computer Science requirements in this stream. The number of Computer Science requirements have been reduced from 11.0 credits to 10.0 credits. Other requirements have been dropped as well. This gives the student much greater freedom to choose courses. Thus there are extra free electives which may be any courses including Computer Science or Math courses. There is also more freedom in choosing electives which are not Computer Science.

The students should be very careful in making a decision to switch to the new version of the stream particularly in the upper years because given that the grades of 2 Computer Science courses are now no longer in the major CGPA, a switch to the new version of the stream could result in a lower major CGPA. This might happen depending on the grades achieved in the specific courses. The major CGPA of course, may go up or down depending on the specific grades achieved so there may be an improved major CGPA in any particular case.

Accordingly, based on the particular situation the student must decide if the increased freedom of choice is worthwhile.

Network Computing

Note: a newly required course for this stream is COMP 4203 which will not be offered in 2007-2008. Accordingly students expecting to graduate next year should not switch to the new version of this stream.

There are substantial changes to the Computer Science requirements in this stream. However, the number of Computer Science requirements has remained the same at 11.0. It should be noted that 2 Computer Science courses (1 credit) have been replaced by 2 others. Other non Computer Science requirements have been dropped as well. This gives the student greater freedom to choose courses. There are NO extra free electives which may be any courses including Computer Science or Math courses, However, there is more freedom in choosing electives which are not Computer Science.

The students should be very careful in making a decision to switch to the new version of the stream particularly in the upper years because, given that there has been a switch in 2 Computer Science courses required in the major CGPA, the student may find that the overall Computer Science requirement which may have been satisfied in the old version of the stream is now not satisfied in the new version of the stream due to the new Computer Science courses in the requirements.

Also, a switch to the new version of the stream could result in a lower major CGPA due to the new CGPA requirements with courses in the old requirements not being counted any more in the new CGPA calculation. This might happen depending on the grades achieved in the specific courses. The major CGPA of course, may go up or down depending on the specific grades achieved so there may be an improved major CGPA in any particular case.

In this stream, therefore, there are a number of factors which should be taken into account. Namely, extra freedom, new Computer Science requirements and the effect on the major CGPA.

Information Systems Security

Note: a newly required course for this stream is COMP 4203 which will not be offered in 2007-2008. Accordingly students expecting to graduate next year should not switch to the new version of this stream.

There are substantial changes to the Computer Science requirements in this stream. The number of Computer Science requirements have been reduced from 11.0 credits to 10.5 credits. Also, It should be noted that some Computer Science courses have been replaced by others. Other non Computer Science requirements have been dropped as well. This gives the student greater freedom to choose courses. There is an extra half credit of free electives which may be any courses including Computer Science or Math courses, However, there is also more freedom in choosing electives which are not Computer Science.

The students should be very careful in making a decision to switch to the new version of the stream particularly in the upper years because, given that there has been a switch Computer Science courses required in the major CGPA, the student may find that the overall Computer Science requirement which may have been satisfied in the old version of the stream is now not satisfied in the new version of the stream due to the new Computer Science courses in the requirements.

Also, a switch to the new version of the stream could result in a lower major CGPA due to the new CGPA requirements with courses in the old requirements not being counted any more in the new CGPA calculation. This might happen depending on the grades achieved in the specific courses. The major CGPA of course, may go up or down depending on the specific grades achieved so there may be an improved major CGPA in any particular case.

In this stream, therefore, there are a number of factors which should be taken into account. Namely, extra freedom, new Computer Science requirements and the effect on the major CGPA.

Biomedical Computing

There has been a name change of the stream from Bioinformatics to Biomedical Computing. Also two required courses BIOC 3008 and BIOC 4008 are now cross listed as COMP 3308 and COMP 4308. The requirements for these courses are the same.

There are other changes to the Computer Science requirements in this stream. The number of Computer Science requirements in the major CGPA has been reduced from 9.5 credits to 9.0 credits. There is now 1.5 credits of free electives which may be any courses, including Computer Science or Math courses and 0.5 credits less in the Arts and Social Sciences electives.

The students should be careful in making a decision to switch to the new version of the stream particularly in the upper years because given that there is a half credit less required in the major CGPA, a switch to the new version of the stream could result in a lower major CGPA. This might happen depending on the grades achieved in the specific courses. The major CGPA of course, may go up or down depending on the specific grades achieved so there may be an improved major CGPA in any particular case.

The main feature in this stream is more freedom in choosing electives.

Management and Business Systems

There are no changes to the Computer Science requirements and so there are no changes to the major CGPA requirements. Some Mathematics and Statistics requirements have been dropped and replaced by free electives. Accordingly there is more flexibility in choosing courses. Any current Mathematics and Statistics requirements that you have already taken would simply become free electives in computing the overall CGPA.

Note that in planning all electives prerequisites must be kept in mind.

Psychology

There are no changes to the Computer Science requirements and so there are no changes to the major CGPA requirements. Some Mathematics and Statistics requirements have been dropped and replaced by free electives. Accordingly there is more flexibility in choosing courses. Any current Mathematics and Statistics requirements that you have already taken would simply become free electives in computing the overall CGPA.

Note that in planning all electives prerequisites must be kept in mind.

Law

There are no changes to the Computer Science requirements and so there are no changes to the major CGPA requirements. Some Mathematics and Statistics requirements have been dropped and replaced by free electives. Accordingly there is more flexibility in choosing courses. Any current Mathematics and Statistics requirements that you have already taken would simply become free electives in computing the overall CGPA.

Note that in planning all electives prerequisites must be kept in mind.