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 Engineering I - Software Engineering OUAC MES Remove	Waterloo Computer Science (Regular/Co-op) OUAC WCS Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	87%“A minimum of 87% 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 SCH4U SPH4U	ENG4U MCV4U MHF4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	—	—
Prerequisitesas published	English 4U Calculus & Vectors 4U Chemistry 4U Physics 4U	Any Grade 12 U English Advanced Functions Calculus and Vectors One other Grade 12 U course
More than marks?supplementary application	Yes OUAC application deadline: January 15, 2027 Mandatory supplementary application Usually closes before January 15	Yes An Admission Information Form (AIF) is required. We will send you instructions when we acknowledge your application. You are strongly encouraged to write the Euclid Mathematics Contest and the Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest. Individual selection may vary. Usually closes before January 15
Co-op	Available	Available
Degree	Bachelor of Engineering, BEng, Bachelor of Engineering and Management, BEng&Mgt, Bachelor of Engineering and Society, BEngSoc	Bachelor of Computer Science, BCS, Bachelor of Mathematics, BMath
First-year intakewhere published	—	360
What you study	Software Engineering	Artificial Intelligence Computer Games Computer Science Health Informatics
What it is	You study how to design, build, and test software systems that solve real problems. Software engineering goes beyond pure coding to include planning, teamwork, and understanding what users actually need. This program includes mandatory co-op work terms where you apply what you learn in paid positions, and you can choose a degree stream that adds management skills or explores the social impact of technology alongside the technical core.	You study the design, development, and theory behind computer software and systems. In the co-op stream, you alternate between classroom terms and paid work terms at tech companies, giving you practical experience alongside your degree. This program suits people who want to build real-world coding skills early and explore whether they prefer software development, artificial intelligence, games, or other computing specializations while earning money.
The door tomajors you reach through it	software engineering	computer science
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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