2 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.

	McMaster Integrated Business & Humanities I OUAC MBH Remove	Waterloo Software Engineering (Co-op Only) OUAC WSO Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	88%“A minimum of 88% is required for consideration. Admission is by selection.”Admission by selection — the real bar may sit above this	90–97%“Low- to mid-90s”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	ENG4U MCV4U	ENG4U MCV4U MHF4U SCH4U SPH4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	—	—
Prerequisitesas published	English 4U Calculus & Vectors 4U	English (ENG4U – min. 70%) Advanced Functions (min. 70%) Calculus and Vectors (min. 70%) Chemistry (min. 70%) Physics (min. 70%)
More than marks?supplementary application	Yes OUAC Application Deadline: January 15, 2027 Mandatory supplementary application, due February 1, 2027. Details will be supplied to applicants. Admission is by selection. Alternative Offers Usually closes before January 15	Yes NEW: All Engineering program applications require an online video interview. You will receive more information after you apply. An Admission Information Form is also required. We will send you instructions when we acknowledge your application. Experience in developing well-structured, modular programs is required, as demonstrated by at least 1 of the following: strong performance in a programming course such as ICS3U, ICS4U or equivalent; strong performance in a programming contest; significant work experience; other (must be explained on the Admission Information Form). Usually closes before January 15
Co-op	Available	Available
Degree	Bachelor of Commerce, BCom, Bachelor of Commerce, BComm	—
First-year intakewhere published	60	127
What you study	Business Studies Management Studies Others in Business & Administrative Studies	Artificial Intelligence Computer Science Information Systems Information Technology
What it is	You study business and commerce while also taking significant courses in humanities — literature, history, philosophy, or social sciences — rather than focusing on business alone. This integration means you graduate with both a business foundation and the analytical and communication skills humanities develops, making you different from a straight commerce program. It suits students who want business skills but also value critical thinking across cultures and ideas, and who are comfortable with a broader curriculum.	You study how to design, build, and maintain large software systems using engineering principles and mathematics. This co-op stream requires you to alternate between classroom terms and paid work terms in industry, giving you real project experience alongside your degree. It suits people who want hands-on experience, enjoy problem-solving with code, and are ready to balance school with regular full-time work placements.
The door tomajors you reach through it	Applied to directly	software engineering
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	5 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them
Source	McMaster University 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.