D. Topics in Computer Science · Topics in Computer Science: Sustainability, Ethics, Emerging Technologies and Careers

Careers and Postsecondary Pathways in Computer Science

D4.3About 70 minutes

Learning goals

I can describe the work of computer scientists, software engineers and systems analysts and find their NOC 2021 codes.
I can describe the postsecondary education and licensing required for computing careers, including graduate study and the P.Eng.
I can calculate an admission average with required courses, by hand and in Python.
I can plan a pathway, with a backup route, to a computing career.

Words to know

National Occupational Classification (NOC)
Canada's official system of occupation titles and five-digit codes.

systems analyst
A professional who analyses an organization's needs and designs information systems to meet them.

software engineer
A professional who applies engineering principles to designing, building and maintaining software systems.

P.Eng.
Professional Engineer, a licence granted in Ontario by Professional Engineers Ontario.

admission average
The average used for admission, usually of the top six Grade 12 U/M courses including required ones.

OUAC
The Ontario Universities' Application Centre, which handles applications to Ontario universities.

graduate degree
A master's degree or doctorate (PhD), taken after a bachelor's degree.

Your next step is closer than you think

By the fall of Grade 12 many students are applying to postsecondary programs. Expectation D4.3 asks you to research and describe careers associated with computer studies (for example computer scientist, software engineer and systems analyst) and the postsecondary education required to prepare for them.

In Grade 11 (ICS3U) you surveyed computing careers, used Job Bank and the National Occupational Classification (NOC), explored experiential learning, and compared university, college and certification pathways and their costs. This lesson goes deeper on three named careers, on how admission to competitive programs actually works, and on longer pathways such as professional engineering licensing and graduate school.

Three careers from the curriculum, with NOC 2021 codes where one fits. Job titles vary between employers; the NOC code lets you compare like with like.

Three careers up close

Computer scientist. Develops new algorithms, models and theories, often in research labs at universities, companies or government. Job titles include research scientist and machine-learning researcher. There is no single NOC group for research computer scientists: depending on the job they may be classified with groups such as 21211 Data scientists or 21231 Software engineers and designers, or as university professors. Research roles usually need a master's degree or PhD, and university faculty positions need a PhD.

Software engineer. Applies engineering principles to design, build, test and maintain large software systems. NOC 21231 Software engineers and designers; closely related is 21232 Software developers and programmers. Usual preparation: a degree in computer science, software engineering or computer engineering. In Ontario, the title "engineer" in a professional sense and the practice of professional engineering are regulated: a person needs a licence from Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) to call themselves a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.). The usual route is an accredited engineering degree, supervised engineering experience, and a professional practice exam.

Systems analyst. Studies how an organization works, finds what its users need, and designs information systems to meet those needs, bridging business and technology. NOC 21222 Information systems specialists (with related groups such as 21221 Business systems specialists). Preparation: a university degree or college diploma in computing or information systems, often with business courses, plus experience.

Other computing occupations in NOC 2021 include 21220 Cybersecurity specialists, 21223 Database analysts and data administrators, 21234 Web developers and programmers and 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers).

Pathways are not one-way. College graduates can transfer into degrees, degree holders can add college graduate certificates, and many people move between work and study.

How admission to competitive programs works

Ontario high school students apply to universities through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) and to colleges through OCAS (ontariocolleges.ca). For most Ontario university programs:

you need an OSSD with six Grade 12 U or M courses, including ENG4U;
many computer science programs require MHF4U (Advanced Functions) and MCV4U (Calculus and Vectors); engineering programs usually also require SCH4U and SPH4U;
the admission average is usually the average of your top six Grade 12 U/M courses, including the required ones;
competitive programs may also use supplementary applications, interviews or tests, and their cut-off averages change every year.

Always check each program's current requirements on its own website: they differ, and they change.

Worked example

Example 1: Calculating an admission average

Sam's Grade 12 U/M marks: ENG4U 84, MHF4U 91, MCV4U 88, ICS4U 95, SPH4U 79, SCH4U 82, MDM4U 90, CHY4U 86. A computer science program requires ENG4U, MHF4U and MCV4U and averages the top six courses including those. Find the average.

Required courses: ENG4U 84, MHF4U 91, MCV4U 88.
The remaining 5 courses sorted: ICS4U 95, MDM4U 90, CHY4U 86, SCH4U 82, SPH4U 79. Take the best three to make six: 95, 90, 86.
Sum: 84 + 91 + 88 + 95 + 90 + 86 = 534.
Average: 534 ÷ 6 = 89.0.
Notice: Sam's 84 in English counts even though Sam has higher marks elsewhere, because ENG4U is required.

Admission average = 89.0%.

marks = {"ENG4U": 84, "MHF4U": 91, "MCV4U": 88, "ICS4U": 95,

"SPH4U": 79, "SCH4U": 82, "MDM4U": 90, "CHY4U": 86}

def admission_average(marks, required, count=6):

missing = [c for c in required if c not in marks]

if missing:

return None, missing

chosen = [marks[c] for c in required]

others = sorted((m for c, m in marks.items() if c not in required), reverse=True)

chosen += others[:count - len(required)]

return round(sum(chosen) / count, 1), []

print(admission_average(marks, ["ENG4U", "MHF4U", "MCV4U"]))

print(admission_average(marks, ["ENG4U", "MHF4U", "MCV4U", "SCH4U", "SPH4U"]))

print(admission_average({"ENG4U": 90, "MHF4U": 85}, ["ENG4U", "MHF4U", "MCV4U"]))

The second line uses engineering-style requirements; the third shows a missing prerequisite.

(89.0, [])

(86.5, [])

(None, ['MCV4U'])

Output of the program above (what Python prints).

Comparing programs

When you compare programs, look beyond the name:

Credential and length: diploma, advanced diploma, bachelor's degree; 2, 3, 4 or 5 years.
Co-op: paid work terms (they often lengthen a degree to about five years but can help pay for it and build experience).
Accreditation: engineering programs accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board lead toward the P.Eng.; CIPS accredits some computing programs.
Curriculum: how much mathematics, theory, systems, software engineering and electives.
Cost: tuition, fees, equipment and living costs, minus scholarships, OSAP and co-op income.
Outcomes: graduate employment rates and the kinds of jobs graduates get, which many institutions publish.

Just for fun

Before machines took the name, a "computer" was a person whose job was doing calculations by hand, often working in teams for astronomers, engineers and governments.

So when you choose a computing career, you're joining one of the few professions whose job title was taken over by its own tools.

Hands-on activity

Pathway plan for one career

You need: internet access, your current or planned Grade 12 courses, and a spreadsheet or Python.

Choose one career: computer scientist, software engineer, systems analyst, or another computing occupation. Look up its NOC code and its Job Bank page: duties, education requirements and outlook for your region in Ontario.
Find three programs that lead to it: at least one university and one college (or a college-to-university transfer route). For each, record: credential, length, co-op, required Grade 12 courses, most recent published admission range (if given), and estimated first-year cost.
Enter your (actual or predicted) marks into admission_average with each program's required courses.
Draw your own pathway diagram, including a backup route if your top choice doesn't work out.
Write a paragraph: which pathway fits you best and why?

What to look for: accurate NOC code and requirements from official sources, dated, a correct average calculation, at least one alternative pathway, and reasons that connect to the student's strengths and interests.

Your turn

What is the NOC 2021 code and title for software engineers?

Describe what a systems analyst does.

What education do research computer scientists usually need?

Which organization licenses Professional Engineers in Ontario, and what is the usual route?

Through which service do Ontario high school students apply to Ontario universities? To colleges?

What does the third print in the program output, and what does it mean?

Name two Grade 12 math courses many computer science programs require.

More practice: warm-up

What does NOC stand for?

What is NOC 21220?

Is ENG4U usually required for Ontario university admission?

What is a co-op work term?

Which board accredits engineering programs in Canada?

More practice: on your own

Using the program, what is Sam's average for the engineering-style requirements (ENG4U, MHF4U, MCV4U, SCH4U, SPH4U)?

Explain why a student with high marks overall might have a lower admission average than expected.

Compare a 2-year college diploma in computer programming and a 4-year computer science degree for someone who wants to become a research computer scientist.

Why should you check a program's requirements on its own website rather than a list from two years ago?

A job posting for a "software engineer" in Ontario doesn't require a P.Eng. licence. Is that a contradiction? Explain.

Challenge

Extend admission_average so a program can require one of several courses (for example "SCH4U or SPH4U"). Describe your approach.

Sam needs an 88.0 average for a program requiring ENG4U, MHF4U and MCV4U. If Sam's ENG4U mark drops to 78 and everything else stays the same, does Sam still qualify? Show the calculation.

Design two different pathways to becoming a systems analyst, one starting at college and one at university, with approximate lengths and one advantage of each.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which NOC 2021 code matches "Information systems specialists", the group that includes systems analysts?

A program requires ENG4U, MHF4U and MCV4U and averages the top six. A student has ENG4U 80, MHF4U 90, MCV4U 85, and other marks 95, 92, 88, 70. What is the average?

Which careers usually require a graduate degree?

Who may use the title Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario?

Ontario high school students apply to Ontario universities through which service?

Why is a college-to-university transfer agreement useful?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: D4.3 asks students to research careers associated with computer studies and the postsecondary education they require. This lesson builds on Grade 11's career survey with detail on three named careers, admission averages and longer pathways.

How to help: Sit with your teen while they look up program requirements on official websites, and help them think about costs. Make sure their Grade 12 course choices include every required course for programs they're considering, especially MHF4U and MCV4U. Encourage a backup pathway.

Common difficulties:

Forgetting that required courses must count in the average, even if they are the lowest marks.
Relying on old cut-off averages or third-party lists. Requirements change every year.
Assuming every "software engineer" job needs a P.Eng., or that anyone can call themselves a Professional Engineer.
The NOC codes here are from NOC 2021, checked in October 2026.