Courses and Registration
This page will help you plan your courses and academic career as you complete your Bachelor of Computer Science degree program.
When selecting your courses for the term, it is helpful to review the Program Requirements and your academic audit. If you have questions regarding course selection, please contact our undergraduate advisor team.
At any time you can build a sample timetable within Carleton Central or through the Public Class Schedule.
On this page
- Course Descriptions and Outlines
- Registration
- Electives and Prohibited Courses
- Honours Project, Thesis and Directed Studies
- Course Selection FAQs
- Undergraduate Calendar Change Summaries
Course Descriptions and Outlines
Registration
First Year Registration Guide
Welcome to Carleton and your Bachelor of Computer Science degree program! Please read this degree guide prior to registering.
Registration Priority List
- Fall 2026/Winter 2027 Registration Priority List – Updated May 25, 2026
Computer Science courses are not open to all students. Courses are offered according to priority set by the School of Computer Science each academic year. Please review the registration priority list to confirm your registration window and access eligibility.
Academic Audit
The academic audit is the ‘road map’ to academic success. It lists which courses you are required to take in order to complete your degree at Carleton. The audit will inform you of the progress you have already made, as well as show you the courses that you will need to take in the future. Remember to check your audit regularly to ensure you are fulfilling your degree requirements.
Prerequisites and Restrictions
A prerequisite is a course that must be successfully completed (with a minimum grade of D- or above unless otherwise noted) before you are able to register into the course. A course may also have additional restrictions that require students be in a particular program, and/or have a specific year standing (first, second, third of fourth) in order to register.
The School of Computer Science strictly enforces calendar prerequisites. If you do not meet the prerequisite(s) of a COMP or CSEC course, you will be deregistered. More information on deregistration can be found in Section 2.1.7 of the Undergraduate Calendar. This also applies to DEF (deferred final exam); once the final grade for that course is posted, you will be deregistered from any current course if the prerequisite(s) is not met. As deferred exams are always held after the registration period closes, if you are deregistered you will not be able to add more courses to your class schedule. Please be aware that deregistration can happen at anytime during the term which may affect your status as a full-time student. Please see this link to determine who you should speak with if your student status changes. Please note that students with a GNA (grade not available) in a course may also be affected by this policy.
Before you register
Course registration is done online through Carleton Central. It is your one-stop service for registration, student records, admission, and fee information.
Refer to the Registrar’s Office website for how-to videos to assist you in navigating the Carleton Central registration system. You can find information regarding important registration dates (first day to register, last day to register, last day to drop a class, etc.) on the Registration Dates and Deadlines webpage.
After You Register
Pay your tuition by the payment deadline each term to avoid penalties or late fees. The Student Accounts office has information on how to make a payment.
Electives and Prohibited Courses
Electives are courses required for completion of your 20-credit degree program. Many first-year students find it difficult to choose electives. Our best advice is to choose a topic you enjoyed in high school or are generally interested in studying.
Find course titles and descriptions in the courses section of the undergraduate calendar.
- Read the course descriptions to ensure you have the prerequisites, and then check the Public Class Schedule in Carleton Central to see when the course is offered.
- Be aware of preclusions in the course descriptions. If a course precludes additional credit for another course, that means you cannot get credit for both of those courses. Please note that preclusion does not mean equivalent, though in some cases it may be. Please contact your undergraduate advisor for further clarification.
- If you encounter a restriction when trying to register, please submit a Registration Override Request on Carleton Central, and the department owning the course will get back to you.
Breadth Electives
Breadth Electives are all of the courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs, the Sprott School of Business, and the Faculty of Science. This excludes prohibited courses (see below) and all courses in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Math and Statistics, and courses under the Faculty of Engineering and Design.
- Once you’ve completed your breadth electives, any courses you take that would have been considered breadth are used as free electives (see below).
- Here is a small sample of courses you might choose: PSYC 1001, BUSI 1003, BIOL 1103, BIOL 1902, ERTH 1006, HIST 1001, FILM 1101, JAPA 1010, FOOD 1001, RELI 1710, MUSI 1002, CHEM 1001. Please note that courses may not be offered every term or every year.
- If you take a minor in another discipline (except Math/Stats), most likely all the courses in the minor would count towards this category of electives.
Free Electives
Free Electives are all courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Public Affairs, the Sprott School of Business, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering and Design except for courses in the Prohibited Courses category. Free electives can include COMP, CSEC, DATA, MATH and STAT courses. Engineering courses can also count as Free Electives, but never Breadth. We encourage students to take electives each term.
Prohibited Courses
Prohibited courses cannot be used for credit towards any program requirement (i.e. electives, minors, etc) for students enrolled in Computer Science or any Combined Computer Science program or Minor in Computer Science. Please always refer to the most recent Undergraduate Calendar for the most up-to-date list of prohibited courses, and for all prerequisites and preclusions.
IMPORTANT: Maximum Number of Credits Below the 2000-level.
- A student may count a maximum of 7.0 credits below the 2000-level toward fulfillment of graduation requirements.
- Credits in excess of this limit will be set aside as Extra to the Degree (ETD), No Credit for the Degree (NCD), or Forfeit. This allows students to increase their CGPA by pushing out low grades below the 2000-level through replacement by higher grades at the same level.
Honours Project, Thesis and Directed Studies
As of the Fall 2022 term, the Honours Project (COMP 4905) and Honours Thesis (COMP 4906) courses are optional. They do not need to be taken in order to complete your BCS Honours degree. You may optionally take a 4th year course instead of COMP 4905 or two 4th year courses instead of COMP 4906. Please contact the Undergraduate Advisors with any questions.
A typical project/thesis will require around 100 hours of work per term. There are no classes. Rather, you will work on this project on your own (usually at home or in a lab at the University). Although you work on this project on your own, you will choose a supervisor who will oversee your work, provide guidance along the way and then grade your project/thesis when it is completed. It is strongly suggested that you begin your search for a supervisor the term prior to taking the project or thesis. Registration for either of these courses requires departmental approval. You will typically register for an Honours Thesis in the fall term, whereas an Honours Project or Directed Study can be done during any term, including summer. More details can be found below:
| Honours Project (COMP 4905) | Honours Thesis (COMP 4906) | Directed Studies (COMP 4901) |
|---|---|---|
Related important links:
- Submission Deadlines
- Submission Instructions
- Project/Thesis Repository
- Faculty Access Instructions
- Honours/Project FAQ
Course Selection FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding course selection:
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Some courses require you to take one or more prerequisites in order to get into the course. A prerequisite is a course that must be successfully completed (with a minimum grade of D- or above unless otherwise noted) BEFORE you are able to register into the course. By first taking all of the required prerequisite course(s), this will ensure that your knowledge level is adequate for you to understand the material in the course that you are trying to register into. Always look at the most current Undergraduate Calendar in order to determine which prerequisites are required for the course that you are trying to take. Some COMP courses will require a prerequisite grade that is higher than D-. The School of Computer Science strictly enforces prerequisites as outlined in the calendar.
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When two courses have very similar (or overlapping) material, the calendar often indicates that the courses will preclude one another. This means that you cannot have both of these courses count as credit towards your degree requirements. Precluded courses are not necessarily equivalent. Do not assume that one course can substitute for another simply because it precludes the other course. You should always check with your Undergraduate Advisors to be sure. Note that if you take a course that precludes another course that you have already taken, the most recent grade will count. Preclusions are listed in the course description in the Undergraduate Calendar.
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Below is a list of courses that are required for some BCS programs but are no longer offered. Each item also indicates what the School will accept as a replacement in the affected programs. Always follow your program under the Undergraduate Calendar that corresponds to the “catalog year” on your academic audit. E.g. 202530 catalog year is under the 2025-26 Undergraduate Calendar. However, always consult the most recent Undergraduate Calendar for all prerequisites and preclusions. Please contact your Undergraduate Advisors after your final grade is in so that an audit amendment can be done for any of the course substitution below.
Course Accepted Replacement COMP 3009 COMP 4509 (renumbered in F26) COMP 3109 (and was COMP 4109 prior) COMP 2108 (renumbered in F23) COMP 3308 No longer offered; see SCS undergraduate advisor COMP 3601 COMP 4602 (renumbered in F17). Replace with any course that can be a free elective (for students admitted prior to Fall 2017 only). COMP 3801 COMP 4801 (renumbered in F26) COMP 4105 COMP 3105 (renumbered in F22) COMP 4106 COMP 3106 (renumbered in F21) COMP 4300 any COMP at the 4000-level BUSI 2101
(no longer offered to non-B.Comm students)BUSI 2121 BUSI 2300 BUSI 2301 BUSI 3403 BUSI 3402 ECON 1000 ECON 1001 + 1002
Undergraduate Calendar Change Summaries
The list below contains the previous “Calendar Change Summary” emails compiled by the School of Computer Science Undergraduate advising team. Although we do our best to capture all calendar changes from year to year, previous years’ calendars are accessible via the Carleton University Undergraduate Calendar Archive.
As always, please refer to the most recent Undergraduate Calendar for the most up-to-date course prerequisite and preclusion information. If you have any questions regarding your current program requirements or need any advising, please contact your Undergraduate Advisors.
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Email sent to all active BCS and BCyber students on June 12, 2026:
Dear Computer Science (BCS) and Cybersecurity (B.Cyber) students,
The School of Computer Science (SCS) would like to inform you of changes to the BCS and B.Cyber curriculum as reflected in the 2026-27 Undergraduate Calendar. This email is intended to summarize the main changes, inform you of how your program may be impacted (if applicable), and remind you of other important academic related rules and issues. Please consult the 2026-27 Undergraduate Calendar for all changes, including changes to course descriptions, and preclusion and prerequisite statements.
Please read the following information carefully, as it contains important information. If at any time you need advising or have any questions, please contact your Undergraduate Advisors.
Please note that the School of Computer Science enforces all calendar prerequisites and reserves the right to have students deregistered from COMP and CSEC courses due to lack of prerequisites, after sufficient notice to the student asking them to withdraw. This will also apply to courses not meeting the minimum prerequisite grade after a DEF (deferred final exam). Students with a GNA (grade not available) in a course may also be affected by this policy.
Although the goal of this email is to make you aware of the main calendar changes and to inform you of other matters, please note that it is still the student’s responsibility to be aware of all University rules and regulations as well as those pertaining to their program, as per the Undergraduate Calendar: 1.1 Student Responsibility.
IMPORTANT INFO AND REMINDERS
***Fall 2026/Winter 2027 registration for returning students begins on July 10 (check your time-ticket on Carleton Central). One week prior to your time-ticket opening, please check your draft schedule(s) or your registration course planning tool to make sure nothing has changed and that there are no new conflicts with your course selections. Day/time, room and instructor changes are rare, but still possible. Please also read the “section information” under each course on the Public Class Schedule for important information. Course conflicts are prohibited as per University regulations, unless otherwise noted on the Public Class Schedule.
- Always be aware of important dates and deadlines, including financial and academic withdrawal dates.
- For COMP courses taken on campus, please see theSCS Laptop Requirement.
Your Audit, Program and Calendar Year:
- Run and monitor your academic audit on Carleton Central regularly, especially after any registration activity, to make sure it’s correct and there are no “courses set aside” that should not be. If you are uncertain of something, see any discrepancies or have questions, please contact your Undergraduate Advisors. *Please read the “Important Notice” paragraph at the very bottom of your audit.
- Your audit shows the “Catalog Year” your program is under (e.g. 202530 = 2025-2026 academic year). Refer to the appropriate calendar for your program under Calendar Archives. Your audit should reflect what is in the calendar unless there have been curriculum changes since. Every year, the School informs all students by email of any relevant changes to their programs and what to watch for on their audit.
- For prerequisites and preclusions, regardless of your Catalog Year, always refer to the most recent Undergraduate Calendar.
- Students whose program is under an older Catalog Year and who change their program elements (i.e. add/drop a stream, move from Major to Honours or vice versa), will have their new program under the most recent Catalog Year.
Electives, Prohibited Courses, 1000-level Courses, Prerequisites and Preclusions:
- Be aware of the electives and prohibited courses for the BCS and B.Cyber programs. Also refer to the Computer Science program section of the Undergraduate Calendar for elective definitions, and for the most up-to-date list of prohibited courses. NOTE: BUSI 1401 and BUSI 2401 are prohibited and cannot be used for credit in the BCS and B.Cyber programs, or in any combined Computer Science program. Please see below for information regarding BUSI 1401 for students who currently have or would like to add a Minor in Business.
- The maximum number of credits at the zero and 1000-level that can be used for your entire program is 7.0 credits, as outlined in the calendar section 2.2.1 Maximum Credits Below the 2000 Level. This information also appears on the academic audit, under “summary of program requirements”.
- For prerequisites and preclusions, as stated above, always refer to the most recent Undergraduate Calendar.
- The School enforces all calendar prerequisites. Exceptions, if any, are noted on the Public Class Schedule.
- The School, after notifying students, will deregister any students who fail to meet the prerequisite(s) of a course, including minimum grade requirements as per the Undergraduate Calendar.
- When a course “precludes additional credit” for another course, this means you cannot get credit for both courses. It does not mean that the two courses are equivalent, though in some cases they may be. If two courses that preclude each other are taken, only the most recent attempt can count towards your program and for credit; the other course will be forfeited on your audit under “courses set aside”. Please refer to 2.1.9 Credit for Closely-related Courses.
- When a course is repeated, the best grade is used for CGPA calculations and towards the program requirements. The ‘Best Grade rule’ applies to direct repeated courses and cross-listed courses but not precluded courses. For more details, please see FAQ: Repeating Courses – Academic Advising (carleton.ca).
Additional Notes on Electives and Special Topics COMP Courses:
- Special Topics courses are offered each term under COMP 4900, with different section letters. Students may take multiple Special Topics courses over the years, as long as they do not take the same topic/subject more than once. IMPORTANT: The system will not stop you from registering in the same COMP 4900 course again, so please monitor this on your own. If you are unable to register for a COMP 4900 course, please submit a registration override request on Carleton Central. All details of each COMP 4900 course, including prerequisites, are always listed on the Public Class Schedule.
For all BCS Honours programs:
- As of Fall 2022, COMP 4905 [0.5] Honours Project and COMP 4906 [1.0] Honours Thesis are optional in all BCS Honours programs. In place of COMP 4905 or COMP 4906, you may take any other COMP at the 4000-level course(s) to fulfill the degree requirement as shown in Part C of your academic audit. Please see https://carleton.ca/scs/current-students/undergraduate-students/honours-project-and-directed-studies/ for more details.
BUSI 1401 is prohibited! – For BCS Honours & B.Cyber students who have a Minor in Business or plan to add the Minor in Business in the future:
- BUSI 2400 was replaced by BUSI 1401 in the Minor in Business. If students took BUSI 1401 prior to Fall 2023, the course is usable as credit towards the Minor in Business and also towards the BCS and B.Cyber electives (if any remain to be taken).
- As of Fall 2023, BUSI 1401 is a prohibited course for all BCS and combined Computer Science programs, as well as for the B.Cyber program. Students will not be able to use it as credit towards a Minor in Business or as an elective.
- The Sprott School of Business has agreed to allow BCS and B.Cyber students to use COMP 1005/1405 instead of BUSI 1401 in the Minor in Business. Sprott will have the affected audits amended to reflect this change.
- Please do not register in BUSI 1401—it will not be usable as credit under any circumstances. If you need advising on the Minor in Business, please contact academicadvising@sprott.carleton.ca.
The following is a summary of the calendar changes you need to be aware of, effective Fall 2026. For course descriptions, prerequisites and preclusions, please refer to the 2026-27 Undergraduate Calendar.
See the “section information” notes under each course on the Public Class Schedule for additional information including registration priority and course delivery (where applicable), and the prerequisites for the COMP 4900 Special Topics courses. NOTE: Course conflicts are prohibited unless otherwise noted.
Changes to COMP Courses
COMP 3005 – New course description.
COMP 3008 – Course title changed to Software Structures for User Interfaces (from Human-Computer Interaction).
COMP 3009 – Course deleted. See COMP 4509.
COMP 3308 – Course deleted.
COMP 3501 – COMP 2501 removed as a prerequisite.
COMP 3801 – Course deleted. See COMP 4801.
COMP 4010 – MATH 1004 and DATA 1517 added to prerequisite statement as options.
NEW! COMP 4509 – Computer Graphics. Replaces COMP 3009 with a new course description. Prerequisites remain the same. COMP 4509 precludes additional credit for COMP 3009 (no longer offered).
NEW! COMP 4801— Algorithms for Data Mining, Web, and Social Networks. Replaces COMP 3801 with a new title and course description. Prerequisites remain the same. COMP 4801 precludes additional credit for COMP 3801 (no longer offered).
Changes to BCS Program Requirements
ALL BCS Honours programs
- COMP 4905 (Honours Project) & COMP 4906 (Honours Thesis) are no longer listed as an option in any of the BCS Honours programs but may still be taken as a COMP at 4000-level course.
Algorithms stream
- COMP 4801 replaces COMP 3801 (no longer offered), with a new title and course description. NOTE: For students in Catalog Years prior to 202630 (i.e. 2026-27), COMP 3801 appears on the audit. If COMP 3801 has not been taken, COMP 4801 will slot into the audit where COMP 3801 appears. If it does not, please contact your Undergraduate Advisors.
- 1.0 credit added to free electives for a total of 4.0 credits. NOTE: This applies only to students in Catalog Year 202630 (i.e. 2026-27). For Catalog Years prior to 2026-27, the total number of free electives is 3.0 credits.
Management & Business Systems stream
- BUSI 1800 added, since it’s a prerequisite for BUSI 1001.
- BUSI 2008 replaces BUSI 1002. NOTE: For students in Catalog Years prior to 202630 (i.e. 2026-27), BUSI 1002 appears on the audit. If BUSI 1002 has not been taken, BUSI 2008 will slot into the audit where COMP 3801 appears. If it does not, please contact your Undergraduate Advisors.
- BUSI 2008 precludes additional credit for BUSI 1002 (no longer offered), BUSI 1003, BUSI 1005 and BUSI 2018.
- 0.5 credit removed from free electives for a total of 3.0 credits. NOTE: This applies only to students in Catalog Year 202630 (i.e. 2026-27). For Catalog Years prior to 2026-27, the total number of free electives is 3.5 credits.
Computer Game Development stream
- COMP 4509 replaces COMP 3009 (no longer offered). COMP 4509 is an option in this stream. NOTE: As of Fall 2024, COMP 1501 and COMP 2501 are no longer mandatory, but optional from a list of courses. This only pertains to students whose program is under Catalog Year 202530 (i.e. 2025-26) or later. Otherwise, please follow your audit and the calendar of the year your program is under. If you would like to update your program’s Catalog Year/calendar to 2026-27, please contact please contact your Undergraduate Advisors.
BCS & B.Cyber Programs
- Prohibited courses lists updated. Please consult the Undergraduate Calendar.
- Prohibited Minors: Minor in Business (Information Systems)
This email will also be posted at https://carleton.ca/scs/current-students/undergraduate-students/courses-and-registration/#UG_calendar_change_summaries. Please reach out to your Undergraduate Advisors if you have any questions or need advising.
BCS: scs.ug.advisor@carleton.ca
B.Cyber: bcyber.ug.advisor@carleton.ca
Wishing you all good health and much success in your studies!
Jennifer McCarthy, Gwen Morgan & Edina Storfer
Undergraduate Advisors
School of Computer Science
5302 Herzberg
(613) 520-2600 ext. 4364
carleton.ca/scs
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To view the previous Calendar Change Summary from a previous year, please select the desired year from the list below:
- 2025-26 Undergraduate Calendar Changes Summary
- 2023-24 Undergraduate Calendar Changes Summary
- 2022-23 Undergraduate Calendar Changes Summary
- 2021-22 Undergraduate Calendar Changes Summary
*No Calendar Changes Summary was sent out following the release of the 2024-25 Undergraduate Calendar due to the lack of notable changes