Advising



I am one of the departmental advisors for the department of Mathematics and Statistics. I advise for students registered in or considering one of McGill's joint mathematics/statistics and computer science programs. These programs are (as of Winter 2023):

Note: unfortunately, one thing I can't do is override course caps or open up space in courses that are already full. The Faculty of Science information on course registration problems has information about the procedure for students having difficulty enrolling in courses (the procedures in Computer Science and in Mathematics/Statistics are different).

Templates.
I am slowly working on making program templates for students in various programs. This is rather tricky because students enter with different backgrounds, so a one-size-fits-all approach is tricky; also because the programs change from year to year.

FAQ/Useful links
  1. Q: Can the same course count toward both my major and minor/toward two different major concentrations.

    A: In the Faculty of Arts, the answer is no; see this page, which states that "no course may fulfill the requirements for more than one program or concentration requirement." In the Faculty of Science, there is not a general policy; decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. A rule of thumb is that 6 credits of overlap are allowed between a major and a minor (sometimes 9 credits overlap are allowed if the major is more than 60 credits). However, the specifics should always be verified with the chief advisor. For statistics courses specifically, you should consult this page.
    One specific case which arises reasonably often relates to Math 222. The department of mathematics and statistics allows Math 222 to be used to count toward both the Major in Mathematics and the Minor in Computer Science. However, students should also obtain approval for this from the department of computer science.

  2. Q: Course X is full but I need/want to take it, can you help?

    A: Unfortunately, one thing I can't do is override course caps or open up space in courses that are already full. The Faculty of Science information on course registration problems has information about the procedure for students having difficulty enrolling in courses (the procedures in Computer Science and in Mathematics/Statistics are different).

  3. Q: Can you look over my transcript and tell me if I have satisfied the requirements for graduation?

    A: For any CS programs, including Joint Math+CS and Joint Stats+CS programs, Liette Chin in the Computer Science department handles such degree audits. Further information about CS advising can be found here: link.

  4. Q: Is it ok for me to take course X under the S/U option?

    A: In the Faculty of Science, the following page addresses this question: link. Note that the rules were more flexible in the Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 terms. Aside from those terms, courses can only be taken as S/U if they are electives (not required or complementary courses for your major/minor).


  5. Faculty of Science course overlap regulations: here.