Research-Based Courses
Students in our Honours or Combined Honours programs should consider CPSC 349 and 449. Students in other programs should consider CPSC 448.
CPSC 349 – Honours Research Seminar
This 0-credit course consists of a series of weekly seminars given by faculty in the department, which exposes students to various areas of computer science research. This will help students choose a topic and supervisor for their honours thesis (CPSC 449). By the following September, students are expected to have a project and supervisor identified. To complete CPSC 349, students need to attend at least 75% of the seminars, and submit a brief (2 to 3 page) review or critique of one of the talks. Link to UBC Calendar entry for CPSC 349.
CPSC 449 – Honours Thesis
This is the undergraduate computer science thesis course. Like 449s in other departments in the Faculty of Science, the main objective is to engage the student in research, under the supervision of a faculty member. CPSC 449 is an excellent choice for students who are considering a research career: the experience of doing an undergraduate thesis will help students make informed decisions about what to do after their BSc, including whether or not to go to graduate school.
CPSC students in a MATH or STAT combined honours program don’t have to write a thesis. Other combined honours students can choose to write their thesis in either the CPSC department or the other department. Additional honours program requirements are found in the Degrees section.
CPSC 448 – Directed Studies
Non-honours students can also engage in research. CPSC 448 is available to students who have at least a 72% average. CPSC 448 can be either one or two terms long (i.e. 3-6 credits), depending on the type of study and project involved. For some students, the scope and quality of a 448 project is similar to an honours thesis. Like CPSC 449, this course can offer invaluable research exposure for students considering graduate school. More information
An ideal CPSC 448 candidate is an academically strong student who has a keen interest in investigating a particular topic. CPSC 448 projects can even branch out from an earlier USRA internship (see above).