DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY
5562 Sackville Street,
Halifax, NS,
CANADA, B3J 1L1

MASTER’S PROGRAM IN INTERNETWORKING / COMPUTERNETWORKS / NETWORKING

OVERVIEW

This program is also otherwise known as Computer Networks or Internetworking. Students with a degree in any field of engineering, computer science, mathematics or applied sciences are eligible to apply for this program which is much sought after because of excellent career prospects in the booming Telecommunications industry.

The Master of Engineering degree program in Internetworking at Dalhousie University is geared towards the following groups of people:

• networking professionals already in the field who wish to increase the depth and breadth of their knowledge
• those who wish to change their career path by entering the high-demand, high-paying field of networking
• those fresh graduates who wish to make a career in networking.

For entry to this Master Degree Program in InternetWorking (Computer Networks) prospective students must hold an undergraduate degree; the preferred degrees are Engineering (any discipline) and Applied Sciences. Graduates of this program will have a solid theoretical foundation as well as a solid technology experience, and will be positioned for success in many different facets of the networking industry. This is a course based Master Degree program that covers not only what the current technology is, but also why the technology is in its present form. It provides the theoretical background to analyze the shortcomings and strengths of the technology, its continuing evolution, and the challenges that lie ahead for the industry. A solid education to the master degree level is provided.

This Master Degree program is designed for the course work to be completed in 12 months and the seminar requirement within 16 months. The program consists of ten courses and an oral presentation on a technical subject. Courses are offered in a set sequence over a 10 month period and each course is considered a pre-requisite for following courses. Deviation from the posted schedule requires a program of study approved by the Program Director. Courses will be offered in a compressed 15 day format requiring a minimum of 160 hours of work per course. Certain courses will require more time.

In addition students are advised to access Cisco CCNA on-line training as well as undertake other self-training opportunities. These can lead the students to industrial certification if they so choose.

SCOPE

 Internetworking spans a very broad range of issues. Items of fundamental concern include:

• the format in which information is communicated over networks;
• the characteristics of different transmission media;
• the structures and characteristics of the individual networks used to carry this information;
• methods by which these disparate networks are interconnected;
• influences on network design and evolution;
• services supported by internetworks ;
• future trends in Internetworking technologies.

Accordingly, an Internetworking expert must be familiar with:

• various sources of traffic and the demands they place on an Internetwork;
• the characteristics and limitations of a variety of transmission media, including copper-based cabling, fiber optics, and wireless communication channels;
• the current networking technologies, including stand-alone local area network (LAN) technologies, wide area network (WAN) technologies, and the infrastructure of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) that supports WAN communication;
• the layered design of computer networks and de facto Internet standards;
• the underlying concepts required for the design of network operating systems, protocols, and distributed applications;
• security and management issues
• future trends in internetworking standards;
• mathematical foundations underlying the design, analysis, and simulation of Internetworking technology.

Clearly, the Internetworking expert must have a solid understanding of various material from a number of traditional disciplines, including Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics, as well as the emerging discipline itself. The Master's Degree program at Dalhousie University has been designed across traditional discipline boundaries to encompass the required knowledge, understanding, analysis, design, and skill sets and ensure that graduates will be knowledgeable and competent professionals.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Students entering this program must hold a Bachelor’s degree in a related field of study. Applicants with degrees in the following areas will be considered: computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, physical sciences or mathematics with a strong networking focus. An undergraduate grade point average equivalent to a CGPA of at least 3.0 is normally required; for those between a CGPA of 2.7 and <3.0 relevant work experience will be a factor in assessing the application. 
Listed below is a chart outlining the grading equivalencies for the Indian sub-continent:

Grading Scale                                        Dalhousie Equivalent GPA

80-100% A+ First Class                       4.3
76-79%   A First Class                         4.0
70-75%   A- First Class                        3.7
60-69%   B+ Upper Second                 3.3
50-59%   B Upper Second                   3.0
45-49%   B- Lower Second                  2.7
33-44%   C Third Class                        1.7 - 2.3
0-32%     Fail                                       0.0

Prior to entry to the program all prospective students must provide evidence of

• English language competency (TOEFL score of around 250)
• being computer literate (use of word processing, spreadsheets, web based products)
• of having completed a course in one of Digital Logic or Circuits or Boolean Algebra
• having studied Fourier Analysis
• having successfully completed an introductory course in C++ or having demonstrable working experience with C++

Experience in the Internetworking industry will be a definite asset for all applicants.

APPLICATION

 To apply for entry to this Master's Degree in Internetworking program the following supporting documents are required:

• Students must provide copies of both transcript and degree parchment which have been certified as "true-copy-of-the-original" by a notary public or similar, plus a contact name, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address if possible for the registrar at the degree granting institution. All acceptances to this program are provisional and subject to verification of transcripts and/or degree parchments. Originals must be presented before first registration.
• Evidence of meeting the C++ requirement.
• Evidence of successful preparation for the required Probability and Statistics course with a description of the material taken or reviewed.
• Two recommendations, one of which should preferably be from a recent employer or supervisor,  directly to the attention of the Program Administrator, by the referees. All acceptances to this program are provisional and subject to verification of references. [University does not accept references of the form "To whom it may concern".]
• A detailed statement of your Internetworking and/or relevant industrial experience. [This is particularily important with a GPA <3.0]
• A statement outlining your interest in the program and your future career goals.
• The current application fee required of all applicants for graduate study.

The cost of the academic program (consisting of 10 academic courses and a technical report) is payable in Canadian dollars and is approximately US$ 16,250. The academic fee applies to the entire program regardless of whether the program is taken over one or two years. 

BOARDING AND LODGING

US$ 6,000

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid is available for outstanding students.

APPLICATION FORM

The application form for Graduate Studies (Master’s program) is available at:
http://www.registrar.dal.ca/forms/home.htm