Prospective Graduate Students

If you are interested in working with me at the University of Calgary, please send me your CV, unofficial academic transcripts, and published papers (if any), with "Prospective Student (MSc)" or "Prospective Student (PhD)" in the email subject. For master's candidates, this initial contact is optional but recommended. For PhD candidates, contacting me to make arrangement is a requirement.

Note for Fall 2026: at this time, due to funding constraint, I will only consider candidates who are Canadian citizens/permanent residents (you are eligible and are applying for NSERC master's scholarship).

Computer Science Graduate Program, Thesis-based M.Sc. and Ph.D. (this is not Computer Engineering):

Admission requirements:

Last two years' undergraduate courses must have a minimum 3.3 GPA out of 4, or 82.5%, or 16.5 out of 20.
PhD applicants need to have a master's degree (with thesis) in computer science.

Admission course requirements if your undergraduate degree is not in computer science: have taken at least one (third-year or above) undergraduate course in each of the 4 computer science categories below:

Theory (Design and Analysis of Algorithms);
Systems (For example, OS, or Compilers, or Networks);
Application (For example, Game AI, or HCI, or Graphics).
Software

If you are an undergraduate student at UCalgary, this is a list of courses you must have taken:

CPSC (217 or 231), (219 or 233), 251,
(313 or 351), (319 or 331), 355,
413, (457 or 411 or 441), (586 or 453 or 481 or another application course*),
SENG 300, MATH 211, 265.

*I teach CPSC 586.

We have a guaranteed minimum full funding package for our thesis-based master's and Ph.D. students. Our graduate students receive health, dental, and vision insurance.

We recognize the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in research and in the professional development of the students in the research group. We encourage people with diverse perspectives and lived experiences to apply to join us.

Transdisciplinary program: Computational Media Design (CMD), Thesis-based M.Sc. and Ph.D.:

CMD is great for students who like both coding and arts/design. Your undergraduate degree does not need to be in computer science, but you should have some related experiences, for example, working in Unreal.
CMD students require two supervisors. They are co-supervised by a faculty member in computer science and a faculty member in arts/design.
For students with an arts/design background applying for the CMD programs: I'm happy to co-supervise but your primary supervisor should be from the departments of arts, architecture, design, etc.

Other degrees we offer:

1-year course-based master's degree in Data Science and Analytics (MDSA): a professional graduate degree that supports career transition into data science.

Prospective students, I would be happy to answer your questions regarding my group. Due to the volume of emails I receive, I may not be able to respond to all applicants.

Finally, here are some notes and advice for prospective graduate students.