Studying Software Engineering in Canada: How It Differs from Computer Science

Closely related fields, with curricula worth examining

Computer science and software engineering share foundational subjects, but programs do not necessarily distribute their courses in the same way. In its comparison of its own programs, the University of Waterloo draws parallels between their computer science foundations and describes software engineering in terms of systems design and quality.

However, it would be misleading to conclude that computer science is always theoretical and software engineering always practical. The calendars at Concordia and the University of Toronto Scarborough instead show sets of requirements that are specific to each path. The right question is: What will you actually study, and how much room will you have to make choices?

This last distinction matters: a software focus may be part of a computer science or computer engineering degree. The program title alone does not determine its content or accreditation.

Program accreditation and professional designation: know the difference

In Canada, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board evaluates undergraduate engineering programs. Accreditation applies to a specific program: it is neither a ranking of universities nor an individual licence to practise. If access to the engineering profession is important to you, consult Engineers Canada's registry for the institution, program and period that apply to you.

A degree and a professional designation are two different things. In Quebec, for example, the title of engineer is reserved for people who hold a permit from the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and are registered on its roll. To practise elsewhere, contact the regulatory body in the province or territory you are considering: the Quebec example alone does not describe all Canadian rules.

Finally, seeing the words Software Engineering in the name of a computer science focus is not, by itself, grounds to conclude that the program is accredited in engineering.

Universities and programs

These three examples show different ways of organizing studies around software. They are not a ranking.

A software engineering bachelor’s degree at Concordia University. The BEng in Software Engineering requires a minimum of 120 credits. The calendar describes a four-year full-time path that includes, among other things, an engineering core, a software engineering core and elective courses. The time an individual takes to complete the degree may vary. In the Engineers Canada registry updated on July 7, 2026, Concordia’s Software entry is listed as accredited from 2002 to the present in the registry.

A software focus in computer science at the University of Toronto. At the Scarborough campus, the Specialist (Co-operative) Program in Computer Science - Software Engineering Stream (Science) is a computer science program within the sciences. The calendar provides for 12 months of co-op work terms, with several possible schedules. Admission is limited, and some provisions depend on the cohort: check the calendar that applies to your entry year.

A software option in computer engineering at the University of Alberta. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering Co-op - Software Option is part of computer engineering. Someone entering directly from secondary school first applies to the common first year of engineering. This step does not guarantee a place in the desired option.

For all three paths, check the admission requirements that correspond to your previous education and intended entry year. A program listing does not guarantee admission.

Co-op: an experience to plan for, not a guaranteed job

A co-op program combines studies with periods of work. But the schedule, eligibility requirements and job search are worth examining separately from the program name.

At Toronto Scarborough, the 12 months of work provided for in the program mentioned above may be scheduled, for example, as three four-month terms, as four- and eight-month terms, or as a single 12-month term. Waterloo describes a competitive job search involving applications and interviews: co-op jobs are not guaranteed. This is an institutional example, not a detailed rule that applies to every institution.

Before choosing, ask the program how students access co-op, whether work terms are mandatory, what support is offered and what happens if the job search is unsuccessful. When preparing your budget, also plan for a scenario without the earnings you hope to receive.

International students: check internship requirements

International students should review the work conditions that apply to their circumstances, as well as their program’s academic requirements. Since April 1, 2026, eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for work placements required by their program, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

This change does not automatically authorize every work placement. In particular, check the conditions of your study permit, enrolment and intended work placement with IRCC and the institution’s international student services office. Rules for secondary school students should not be confused with this post-secondary measure.

How much do co-op work terms pay?

Waterloo publishes average hourly earnings for undergraduate co-op work terms completed in Canada in 2025. The groups below provide benchmarks for work terms, not salaries after graduation.

These averages combine several programs, so they do not isolate software engineering and computer science or show that one degree pays better than the other. They also do not guarantee how many work terms a student will obtain or what they will pay. To estimate a budget, distinguish between the hourly rate you expect, the length of the work term and expenses related to the placement.

After graduation: Quebec benchmarks to interpret with care

Quebec’s La relance à l’université 2025 provides a different perspective. It covers bachelor’s degree holders from the 2023 graduating class and looks at their situation during the week of February 16 to 22, 2025, about 20 months after graduation.

For jobs related to their field of study, the survey reports the following averages; salary data exclude self-employed people.

The second category does not measure software engineering separately. These amounts are not necessarily starting salaries and do not represent all of Canada. The response rates also call for caution: the averages do not describe every graduate.

The two tables in this article therefore answer different questions: one covers work terms at Waterloo, while the other covers a situation observed after a bachelor’s degree in Quebec. They do not establish a salary advantage specific to either degree.

A method for choosing

Identify a few programs that interest you, then compare them using the same questions:

1. Courses and projects: Do the required subjects match what you want to learn? How much room do you have to choose?
2. Degree and accreditation: Is it an engineering degree, a computer science degree or an option? If the engineering designation matters to you, have you checked accreditation and the regulator’s requirements?
3. Co-op: When can you access it, how much work is included, and how does the job search work?
4. Admission and day-to-day life: Which prerequisites, language of instruction, program length and budget fit your situation?

If you like the idea of a path centred on software design and quality, examine software engineering curricula. If you would rather keep your specialization choices open, compare the actual flexibility of computer science programs. In either case, ask for the information that applies to your cohort: the best choice is the one whose content and requirements match your plans.