4 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.

Full	Carleton Cognitive Science – Honours (4 years) OUAC CGS Remove	Ottawa Génie informatique (4 ans) OUAC OBD Remove	U of T (Scarborough) Life Sciences - Health Sciences Stream (regular and co-op) OUAC TXD Remove	Waterloo Life Sciences (Regular/Co-op) OUAC WLS Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	75%	78–80%“78%; co-op 80%”	73–80%“Mid-70s (regular), high 70s (co-op)”	80–83%“Low 80s”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	ENG4U	MCV4U MHF4U SCH4U SPH4U	ENG4U SBI4U	ENG4U MCV4U MHF4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	—	one of ENG4U, FRA4U	one of MCV4U, MDM4U, MHF4U	two of MDM4U, SBI4U, SCH4U, SES4U, SPH4U
Prerequisitesas published	English (ENG4U) 5 best 4U/M courses Alternative Offers Find more information about alternative offers .	FRA4U or ENG4U MHF4U MCV4U SPH4U SCH4U +1 more on the program page	ENG4U MCV4U, MHF4U or MDM4U SBI4U SCH4U recommended MCV4U for specific disciplines is required. +2 more on the program page	English (ENG4U – min. 70%) Advanced Functions (min. 70%) Calculus and Vectors (min. 70%) Any two of the following: Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Mathematics of Data Management, or Physics
More than marks?supplementary application	Marks only	Marks only	Marks only	Marks only
Co-op	Available	Available	Available	Available
Degree	—	Bachelor of Engineering (Co-op), BEng (Co-op), Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Applied Science, BSc/BASc	—	—
First-year intakewhere published	—	45	680	570
What you study	Biological Sciences Computer Science Linguistics Philosophy	Computer Science General or Integrated Engineering Software Engineering	Animal Science Biological Sciences Biotechnology Genetics	Animal Science Biological Sciences Biology Biotechnology
What it is	This program combines psychology, biology, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy to study how the mind works and how we think, learn, and use language. Unlike a straight psychology or computer science degree, cognitive science integrates all these viewpoints to understand cognition from multiple angles. It suits people curious about the science of thinking itself, who want breadth across disciplines rather than depth in just one.	You study how to design and build computer software and systems from the ground up, combining computer science theory with practical engineering problem-solving. This is more applied and hardware-focused than a pure computer science degree, and the co-op requirement means you alternate between classroom terms and paid work terms with employers. It suits people who want hands-on experience in real jobs while learning, and who prefer the structured engineering approach to software development.	You study the science of living systems — cells, organisms, genetics, and disease — with flexible depth depending on which specialization you choose. The co-op option lets you alternate between classroom semesters and paid work terms at research labs, hospitals, or biotech companies, building real experience alongside your degree. This stream suits students drawn to biology and chemistry who want either a traditional path or the chance to test careers in health and life sciences before graduating.	Life Sciences is a broad study of living organisms, their cells, genetics, and chemistry at the molecular level. You'll take core courses in biology, chemistry, and biochemistry, then choose a focus like microbiology, biotechnology, or human biology depending on your interests. The co-op option lets you alternate between school and paid work terms in research labs, hospitals, or biotech companies, giving you real experience alongside your degree.
The door tomajors you reach through it	Applied to directly	Applied to directly	Applied to directly	biochemistry biology life sciences microbiology neuroscience
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	16 published, 9 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	22 published, 5 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	4 published, 4 with no applicationfrom 85%See them	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them
Source	Carleton University on OUInfo	University of Ottawa on OUInfo	University of Toronto — Scarborough on OUInfo	University of Waterloo on OUInfo

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Ranges are what each university publishes, not guaranteed cutoffs, and limited-enrolment programs often admit above them. Confirm anything you are about to act on with the university; each column links to its source.