Joint Honours in Physics and Computer Science

(78 - 81 credits)

This program provides essential background in physics and computer science at a level sufficient to pursue courses at the 400- and 500-level in either discipline. The program is intended to be flexible to allow students to take either more physics or more computer science courses at the advanced level.

Students entering this Joint Honours program should have high standing in mathematics, physics, and computer science. To continue in this Joint Honours program, an average GPA of 3.00 in required and complementary courses is required. For Honours standing, the CGPA at graduation must be at least 3.00; for First-Class Honours, the CGPA must be above 3.50.

Note: COMP 202-or an equivalent introduction to computer programming course- is a program prerequisite. U0 students may take COMP 202 as a Foundation Science course; new U1 students should take it as an elective in their first semester

Joint Physics CS Map

A program flowchart can be found here.

Required Courses (63 credits)

COMP 206 (3) Introduction to Software Systems

COMP 250 (3) Introduction to Computer Science

COMP 252 (3) Honours Algorithms and Data Structures

COMP 273 (3) Introduction to Computer Systems

COMP 302 (3) Programming Languages and Paradigms

COMP 350 (3) Numerical Computing

MATH 240 (3) Discrete Structures 1

MATH 247 (3) Honours Applied Linear Algebra

MATH 248 (3) Honours Advanced Calculus *

MATH 249 (3) Honours Complex Variables

MATH 314 (3) Advanced Calculus *

MATH 325 (3) Honours Ordinary Differential Equations

PHYS 241 (3) Signal Processing

PHYS 251 (3) Honours Classical Mechanics 1

PHYS 253 (3) Thermal Physics

PHYS 257 (3) Experimental Methods 1

PHYS 258 (3) Experimental Methods 2

PHYS 350 (3) Honours Electricity and Magnetism

PHYS 352 (3) Honours Electromagnetic Waves **

PHYS 357 (3) Honours Quantum Physics 1

PHYS 362 (3) Statistical Mechanics

PHYS 457 (3) Honours Quantum Physics 2

* Note: A student who has not taken MATH 222 (or equivalent) prior to entering the program must take it in their first semester, increasing the program credits from 78 to 81. The student must then take MATH 314 in their second semester instead of MATH 248, if scheduling requires it.

** PHYS 342 Majors Electromagnetic Waves may be substituted for PHYS 352 Honours Electromagnetic Waves with written permission of an advisor.

Complementary Courses (15 credits)

At least 6 of the 15 complementary credits must come from a course at the 400- or 500-level (excluding COMP 400 and PHYS 479), and of these at least 3 must be from a COMP course.

3 or 4 credits selected from:

COMP 400 (4) Project in Computer Science

PHYS 479 (3) Honours Research Project

6 or 7 credits selected from:

COMP 303 (3) Software Design

COMP 310 (3) Operating Systems

COMP 330 (3) Theory of Computation

COMP 362 (3) Honours Algorithm Design

Any COMP course at the 400- or 500-level (excluding COMP 400) (3 or 4 credits)

At least 4 credits selected from:

MATH 323 (3) Probability

MATH 340 (3) Discrete Structures 2

PHYS 351 (3) Honours Classical Mechanics 2

PHYS 359 (3) Honours Laboratory in Modern Physics 1

PHYS 404 (3) Climate Physics

PHYS 432 (3) Physics of Fluids

PHYS 434 (3) Optics

Any number of PHYS courses at the 500 level (3 credits each)

Any number of COMP courses at the 400 or 500-level (excluding COMP 400) (3 or 4 credits each)