3 programs, side by side

Rows marked with a dot are where these differ. Everything is each university’s own published wording; the “your average” row is yours, calculated the way each program does it.

	Carleton Cognitive Science – Non-Honours (3 years) OUAC CGG Remove	Ottawa Computer Engineering (4 years) OUAC OBE Remove	McMaster Social Sciences I OUAC ML Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	75%	80%	80–87%“Low-to mid-80s”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	ENG4U	MCV4U MHF4U SCH4U SPH4U	ENG4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	—	one of ENG4U, FRA4U	—
Prerequisitesas published	English (ENG4U) 5 best 4U/M courses Alternative Offers Find more information about alternative offers .	ENG4U or FRA4U MHF4U MCV4U SPH4U SCH4U +2 more on the program page	English 4U * Completion of Advanced Functions 4U and Calculus & Vectors 4U are strongly recommended for students interested in Economics. * Completion of Calculus & Vectors 4U and Biology 4U are strongly recommended for students interested in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour.
More than marks?supplementary application	Marks only	Marks only	Marks only
Co-op	No	Available	Available
Degree	—	Bachelor of Applied Science, BASc, Bachelor of Engineering (Co-op), BEng (Co-op)	Bachelor of Arts, BA, Bachelor of Social Work, BSW
First-year intakewhere published	—	88	950
What you study	Biological Sciences Computer Science Linguistics Philosophy	Computer Engineering Computer Science General or Integrated Engineering Software Engineering	Anthropology Economics Health Informatics Human Geography
What it is	Cognitive science studies how the mind works by combining insights from psychology, biology, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy. This non-honours version gives you a broader survey of these fields rather than the deeper specialization of an honours degree, so you spend less time on advanced research methods and theory. It suits students curious about how thinking, language, and brain function connect, who want flexibility to explore multiple disciplines without committing to one.	Computer engineering combines the design of computer hardware with the software that runs on it. You'll study circuits, processors, programming, and systems that integrate both. The co-op stream lets you alternate between classroom and paid work terms at tech companies, giving you real industry experience alongside your degree, which sets it apart from the straight four-year option.	Social Sciences I is a first-year entry point where you explore human behaviour, society, and social systems through subjects like economics, sociology, anthropology, politics, and social work. Unlike a specialized program, you sample multiple disciplines before declaring a focus, letting you discover which area — from international development to health policy — matches your interests. It suits students curious about how societies work and drawn to understanding people and social issues from different angles.
The door tomajors you reach through it	Applied to directly	Applied to directly	criminology geography political science psychology sociology
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	16 published, 9 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	22 published, 5 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	5 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 75%See them
Source	Carleton University on OUInfo	University of Ottawa on OUInfo	McMaster University on OUInfo

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