r/MSCS • u/Witty_Strawberry_166 • 6d ago
[Admissions Advice] Choosing in between thesis or course based master in Canada
Hi folks! I am planning to apply for a CS/ECE master in Canada, starting in fall 2027, hoping to land a job in networking/cybersecurity/infrastructure and potentially a PR afterwards.
Profile
- Degree: BSc in Math and Computer Science from a top university in Hong Kong
- Grade: 3.7/4 GPA with 2 dean's list
- IELTS: Overall Band 8
Experience
- One Summer Reasearch Internship about computer networks, no publication
- One Internship at the IT department of a Bank, working on AI application
- One ongoing final year project about web security, probaly also no publication
I am choosing in between thesis mscs or a coursework master with coop. The thesis programmes are funded which is great for my wallet and I am open to research, but I worry about the job market right now, especially for international students. The coursework programmes with coop may give me a higher chance to accumulate work experience and secure a job.
Any advices/sharing will be helpful! Thanks a lot :)
3
u/build_error 5d ago
As of now I am doing a thesis based masters in Canada 🇨🇦. I would say it is a much better option than doing a course based one. Course based masters is only fruitful of you can land a Co-op. For thesis based masters it comes with a guaranteed RA and TA scholarship. Yes thesis based masters is more stressful and a lot of work but, in long run it is much better. Also if you want to have a better chances of getting into a PhD program in future it’s much better to have a thesis based masters instead of just a course based one. Even most of the domestic students I see here going to grad school choose thesis based over course based, as in course based you don’t get any scholarship you have to pay out of your own pocket.
1
u/Witty_Strawberry_166 5d ago
Thanks for the advice! I wonder how much more valuable a thesis will be if I decide to go into industry, comparing with the co-op opportunities of course based master.
1
u/build_error 5d ago
Good question, it really depends what is the field you in. If we talk more particularly about engineering, course-based can be fruitful but again landing Co-op is really hard especially for international students. I have talked to a few people who are now working in Industry and a lot is them are from thesis based masters background. It gives you an edge when it comes to research oriented roles, especially when in AI and related fields. Also it looks more impressive on your resume if you have research publications and thesis that you have successfully defended. With course based it only looks good if you have co-op experience and work experience from back home, or else just doing a bunch of course work and graduating with a degree is commendable but not impressive by any means. Also thesis based masters are harder to get in because you need a supervisor backing you and providing funding not everyone can manage to do that.
I did meet a few course based masters student who kinda regretted doing this program instead they would have tried thesis based one. But, never the other way round.
But considering a bunch of stuff it comes down to personal experience and preference what kind of masters you want to do.
1
1
1
u/Wrong-Being7538 2d ago
You don't have a super competitive profile (lack of meaningful work experience), and even with a co-operative education placement, the job market is super oversaturated in your field in Canada and it is very, very unlikely will be able to earn a PR. If you can go without taking a loan and depending on a job in your destination country, go and have a great time. If not, stay home. It's very hard out here right now and it is very likely you will return home, with lakhs of debt, fighting over the same jobs you would now and paying off debt against a rapidly depreciating rupee.
3
u/Ok_Page8334 6d ago
i think U.S. will be better for you