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This is an archived copy of the 2019-2020 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://calendar.carleton.ca.

Computer Science (COMP) Courses

COMP 5001 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5113)
Foundations of Programming Languages

Advanced study of programming paradigms from a practical perspective. Paradigms may include functional, imperative, concurrent, distributed, generative, aspect- and object-oriented, and logic programming. Emphasis on underlying principles. Topics may include: types, modules, inheritance, semantics, continuations, abstraction and reflection.

COMP 5002 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5128)
Swarm Intelligence

Collective computation, collective action, and principles of self-organization in social agent systems. Algorithms for combinatorial optimization problems, division of labour, task allocation, task switching, and task sequencing with applications in security, routing, wireless and ad hoc networks and distributed manufacturing.

COMP 5003 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5308)
Principles of Distributed Computing

Formal models; semantics of distributed computations; theoretical issues in design of distributed algorithms; computational complexity; reducibility and equivalence of distributed problems. Related topics: systolic systems and computations, oligarchical systems and control mechanisms.

COMP 5004 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5134)
Fault Tolerance


COMP 5005 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5390)
Learning Systems for Random Environments

Computerized adaptive learning for random environments and its applications. Topics include a mathematical review, learning automata which are deterministic/stochastic, with fixed/variable structures, of continuous/discretized design, with ergodic/absorbing properties and of estimator families.
Prerequisite(s): SYSC 5503 or equivalent.

COMP 5007 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5149)
Graphic Models


COMP 5008 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5164)
Computational Geometry

Study of design and analysis of algorithms to solve geometric problems; emphasis on applications such as robotics, graphics, and pattern recognition. Topics include: visibility problems, hidden line and surface removal, path planning amidst obstacles, convex hulls, polygon triangulation, point location.

COMP 5100 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5180, CSI 5580)
Topics in Artificial Intelligence

Areas in knowledge-based systems including recent approaches to machine learning and data mining, inference methods, knowledge-based and fuzzy systems, heuristic search, and natural language processing.
Precludes additional credit for COMP 4106.

COMP 5101 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5311)
Distributed Databases and Transaction Processing Systems

Principles in the design and implementation of distributed databases and distributed transaction processing systems. Topics include: distributed computing concepts, computing networks, distributed and multi-database system architectures and models, atomicity, synchronization and distributed concurrency control algorithms, data replication, recovery techniques, reliability in distributed databases.

COMP 5102 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5312)
Distributed Operating Systems

Design issues of advanced multiprocessor distributed operating systems: multiprocessor system architectures; process and object models; synchronization and message passing primitives; memory architectures and management; distributed file systems; protection and security; distributed concurrency control; deadlock; recovery; remote tasking; dynamic reconfiguration; performance measurement, modeling, and system tuning.

COMP 5103 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5148)
Wireless Ad Hoc Networking


COMP 5104 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5314)
Object-Oriented Software Development

Issues in modeling and verifying quality and variability in object-oriented systems. Testable models in model-driven and test-driven approaches. System family engineering. Functional conformance: scenario modeling and verification, design by contract. Conformance to non functional requirements: goals, forces and tradeoffs, metrics.

COMP 5107 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5185)
Statistical and Syntactic Pattern Recognition

Topics include a mathematical review, Bayes decision theory, maximum likelihood and Bayesian learning for parametric pattern recognition, non-parametric methods including nearest neighbor and linear discriminants. Syntactic recognition of strings, substrings, subsequences and tree structures. Applications include speech, shape and character recognition.

COMP 5108 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5126)
Algorithms in Bioinformatics


COMP 5109 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5175)
Mobile Commerce Technologies

Wireless networks support for m-commerce, m-commerce architectures and applications, mobile payment support systems, business models, mobile devices and their operating systems, mobile content presentation, security issues and solutions, relevant cross layer standards and protocols.

COMP 5110 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5140)
Computer Security and Usability

This course focuses on designing and evaluating security and privacy software with particular attention to human factors and how interaction design impacts security. Topics include current approaches to usable security, methodologies for empirical analysis, and design principles for usable security and privacy.

COMP 5111 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5153)
Data Management for Business Intelligence

Application of computational techniques to support business such as decision making, business understanding, data analysis, business process automation, learning from data, producing and using business models, data integration, data quality assessment and cleaning, use of contextual data, etc.
Also offered at the undergraduate level, with different requirements, as COMP 4111, for which additional credit is precluded.


COMP 5112 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5154)
Algorithms for Data Science

Algorithmic techniques to handle (massive/big) data arising from, for example, social media, mobile devices, sensors financial transactions. Algorithmic techniques may include locality-sensitive hashing, dimensionality reduction, streaming, clustering, VC-dimensions, external memory, core sets, link analysis and recommendation systems.

COMP 5113 [0.5 credit]
Machine Learning for Healthcare

Principles, techniques, technology and applications of machine learning for medical data such as medical imaging data, genomic data, physiological signals, speech and language.

COMP 5114 [0.5 credit]
Quantum Communications and Networking

Quantum communications and networking; the use of individual photons and teleportation to represent and transmit information. Theoretical (mathematical) principles. Practical aspects (implementation and software simulation) of quantum communications and networking.

COMP 5115 [0.5 credit]
Geometry Processing

Concepts, representations, and algorithms for processing 3D geometric datasets. Topics include shape representations (e.g., triangle meshes and implicit functions), and the geometry processing pipeline covering the acquisition (e.g., with laser scanning or depth cameras), reconstruction, manipulation, editing, analysis, and fabrication (3D printing) of geometric models.

COMP 5116 [0.5 credit]
Machine Learning

This course provides a broad introduction to the fundamental concepts, techniques and algorithms in machine learning.
Prerequisite(s): Familiarity with probability and statistics; familiarity with linear algebra and calculus; programming skills at a level sufficient to write a reasonably non-trivial computer program.

COMP 5117 [0.5 credit]
Mining Software Repositories

Introduction to the methods and techniques of mining software engineering data. Software repositories and their associated data. Data extraction and mining. Data analysis and interpretation (statistics, metrics, machine learning). Empirical case studies.

COMP 5118 [0.5 credit]
Recent Trends in Big Data Management

Introduction to data management systems that affect our lives daily, from the systems that laid the foundations for today's management of data in giants like Google and Facebook to the most recent trends in data management research.

COMP 5201 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5147)
Computer Animation


COMP 5202 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5146)
Computer Graphics


COMP 5203 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5173)
Data Networks

Mathematical and practical aspects of design and analysis of communication networks. Topics include: basic concepts, layering, delay models, multi-access communication, queuing theory, routing, fault-tolerance, and advanced topics on high-speed networks, ATM, mobile wireless networks, and optical networks.

COMP 5204 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5124)
Computational Aspects of Geographic Information Systems

Through recent advances in navigation systems, mobile devices, and new software such as Mapquest and Google Earth, GIS is becoming increasingly important and exciting from a CS perspective. This course lays the algorithmic foundations to understand, use and further this technology.
Also offered at the undergraduate level, with different requirements, as COMP 4202, for which additional credit is precluded.

COMP 5205 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5151)
Virtual Environments


COMP 5206 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5183)
Evolutionary Computation and Artificial Life

Study of algorithms based upon biological theories of evolution, applications to machine learning and optimization problems. Possible topics: Genetic Algorithms, Classifier Systems, and Genetic Programming. Recent work in the fields of Artificial Life (swarm intelligence, distributed agents, behavior-based AI) and of connectionism.
Precludes additional credit for COMP 4107.


COMP 5207 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5112)
Software Engineering


COMP 5209 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5140)
Visual Analytics

Principles, techniques, technology and applications of information visualization for data analysis. Topics include human visual perception, cognitive processes, static and dynamic models of image semantics, interaction paradigms, big data visual analysis case studies.
Includes: Experiential Learning Activity

COMP 5210 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5140)
Human-Computer Interaction Models, Theories, and Frameworks

Emphasis on the application of theory to user interface design. Review of main theories of human behaviour relevant to HCI, including especially cognitive dimensions of notations framework, mental models, distributed cognition, and activity theory, and their application to design and development of interactive systems.
Lecture

COMP 5220 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5175)
Mobile Commerce Technologies

Wireless networks support for m-commerce; m-commerce architectures and applications; mobile payment support systems; business models; mobile devices and their operating systems; mobile content presentation; security issues and solutions; relevant cross layer standards and protocols; case studies.
Includes: Experiential Learning Activity

COMP 5301 [0.5 credit]
Software Usability


COMP 5302 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5118)
Automated Verification & Validation of Software


COMP 5304 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5169)
Wireless Networks and Mobile Computing


COMP 5305 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5129)
Advanced Database Systems

In-depth study on developments in database systems shaping the future of information systems, including complex object, object-oriented, object-relational, and semi-structured databases. Data structures, query languages, implementation and applications.

COMP 5306 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5100)
Data Integration

Materialized and virtual approaches to integration of heterogeneous and independent data sources. Emphasis on data models, architectures, logic-based techniques for query processing, metadata and consistency management, the role of XML and ontologies in data integration; connections to schema mapping, data exchange, and P2P systems.

COMP 5307 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5101)
Knowledge Representation

KR is concerned with representing knowledge and using it in computers. Emphasis on logic-based languages for KR, and automated reasoning techniques and systems; important applications of this traditional area of AI to ontologies and semantic web.

COMP 5308 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5102)
Topics in Medical Computing

Introductory course on data structures, algorithms, techniques, and software development related to medical computing (in particular spatial modeling). Topics may include: computational geometry algorithms for cancer treatment, medical imaging, spatial data compression algorithms, dynamic programming for DNA analysis.
Precludes additional credit for COMP 5900 section 'Y' offered 2001-2002 to 2005-2006 inclusive.

COMP 5309 [5.0 credits] (CSI 5168)
Digital Watermarking


COMP 5310 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5140)
Evolving Information Networks

Convergence of social and technological networks with WWW. Interplay between information content, entities creating it and technologies supporting it. Structure and analysis of such networks, models abstracting their properties, link analysis, search, mechanism design, power laws, cascading, clustering and connections with work in social sciences.

COMP 5401 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5389, CSI 5789)
Electronic Commerce Technologies

Introduction to business models and technologies. Search engines. Cryptography. Web services and agents. Secure electronic transactions. Value added e-commerce technologies. Advanced research questions.

COMP 5402 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5142)
Protocols for Mobile and Wireless Networks

Link and network layer protocols of wireless networks; applications of wireless networks may be discussed. Topics may include: protocol implementation, mobile IP, resource discovery, wireless LANs/PANs, and Spreadspectrum.
Precludes additional credit for SYSC 5306.

COMP 5405 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5380)
Systems and Architectures for Electronic Commerce


COMP 5406 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5105)
Network Security and Cryptography

Advanced methodologies selected from symmetric and public key cryptography, network security protocols and infrastructure, identification, secret-sharing, anonymity, intrusion detection, firewalls, defending network attacks and performance in communication networks.
Prerequisite(s): COMP 3203 and COMP 4109, or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

COMP 5407 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5116)
Authentication and Software Security

Specialized topics in security including advanced authentication techniques, user interface aspects, electronic and digital signatures, security infrastructures and protocols, software vulnerabilities affecting security, untrusted software and hosts, protecting software and digital content.

COMP 5408 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5121)
Advanced Data Structures

Simple methods of data structure design and analysis that lead to efficient data structures for several problems. Topics include randomized binary search trees, persistence, fractional cascading, self-adjusting data structures, van Emde Boas trees, tries, randomized heaps, and lowest common ancestor queries.

COMP 5409 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5127)
Applied Computational Geometry

Computer-based representation and manipulation of geometric objects. Design and analysis of efficient algorithms for solving geometric problems in applied fields such as Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing, Cartography, Materials Science, and Geometric Network Design.

COMP 5501 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5111)
Software Quality Engineering


COMP 5503 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5115)
Database Analysis & Design


COMP 5505 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5386)
Natural Language Processing


COMP 5604 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5174)
Validation Methods for Distributed Systems


COMP 5606 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5161)
Topics in Simulation and Optimization


COMP 5703 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5163)
Algorithm Analysis and Design

Topics of current interest in the analysis and design of sequential and parallel algorithms for non-numerical, algebraic and graph computations. Lower bounds on efficiency of algorithms. Complexity classes.

COMP 5704 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5131)
Parallel Algorithms and Applications in Data Science

Multiprocessor architectures from an application programmer’s perspective: programming models, processor clusters, multi-core processors, GPU’s, algorithmic paradigms, efficient parallel problem solving, scalability and portability. Projects on high performance computing in Data Science, incl. data analytics, bioinformatics, simulations. Programming experience on parallel processing equipment.
Includes: Experiential Learning Activity

COMP 5706 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5387)
Data Mining & Concept Learning


COMP 5707 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5707)
Principles of Formal Software Development


COMP 5709 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5565)
Combinatorial Algorithms


COMP 5801 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5388)
Topics in Machine Learning


COMP 5805 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5166)
Applications of Combinatorial Optimization


COMP 5900 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5140)
Selected Topics in Computer Science

Selected topics, not covered by other graduate courses. Details will be available from the School at the time of registration.

COMP 5901 [0.5 credit] (CSI 5901)
Directed Studies (M.C.S.)

A course of independent study under the supervision of a member of the School of Computer Science.

COMP 5903 [1.0 credit] (CSI 6900)
Intensive Graduate Project (M.C.S.)

A one- or two-session course. For M.C.S. non-thesis option students only. Not to be combined for credit with COMP 5902.

COMP 5905 [2.5 credits] (CSI 7999)
M.C.S. Thesis


COMP 5913 [0.0 credit]
Master's Co-operative Workterm


COMP 6100 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7131)
Advanced Parallel and Systolic Algorithms

Continuation of COMP 5704.

COMP 6104 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7314)
Advanced Topics in Object-Oriented Systems

Advanced object-oriented software engineering, in particular the issues of reuse and testing. Sample topics include: interaction modeling; class and cluster testing; traceability; design patterns and testing; the C++ standard template library. Students will carry out research.

COMP 6601 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7160)
Advanced Topics in the Theory of Computing


COMP 6602 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7170, CSI 6970)
Advanced Topics in Distributed Computing


COMP 6603 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7161, CSI 7561)
Advanced Topics in Programming Systems and Languages


COMP 6604 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7162)
Advanced Topics in Computer Applications


COMP 6605 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7163)
Advanced Topics in Computer Systems


COMP 6901 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7900)
Directed Studies (Ph.D.)


COMP 6902 [0.5 credit] (CSI 7900)
Graduate Project (Ph.D.)


COMP 6907 [0.0 credit] (CSI 9998)
Doctoral Comprehensive

Committee assembled approves at least 3 topics for written examination: typically, a major and two minor areas. An oral examination occurs if the written exam is passed. Both elements must take place within the first 4 terms following initial registration in the program.
The comprehensive may be failed, passed conditionally (i.e., with extra course requirements) or passed unconditionally.If failed this course may be retaken at most one time.

COMP 6908 [0.0 credit] (CSI 9997)
Doctoral Proposal

Within 8 terms following initial registration in the program, a document generally defining the problem addressed, relating it to the literature, and outlining the hypotheses, goals, research methodology, initial results and validation approach must be submitted to an examination committee and successfully defended.

COMP 6909 [8.5 credits] (CSI 9999)
Ph.D. Thesis


Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca

Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca