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Computer science at the University of Toronto
Academic departments of the University of Toronto From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Computer science at the University of Toronto has been a subject of teaching and research since 1945, beginning with the Committee on Computing Machines. Formed in 1945 by professors Sam Beatty, Bernard Griffith, and V. G. Smith, the committee created Canada’s first Computation Centre in a room inside the Physics Building in 1947. They developed the University of Toronto Electronic Computer (UTEC), the first computer in Canada and one of the first working electronic computer prototypes in the world.[1]
The first formal computer science department was established in 1964 and helped develop one of the earliest interactive computer animation systems in 1967. Computer Science faculty worked to expand Alan Turing’s theory of computability to include efficiency, and conducted early work on touchscreen technology in the 1980s.[2]
Notable computer scientist faculty at the University of Toronto have included Stephen Cook, founder of the theory of NP-completeness which laid the groundwork for computational complexity theory,[3][4] and Geoffrey Hinton, the "Godfather of A.I."[5][6]
Due to the university's unique tri-campus structure, computer science teaching and research is decentralized and shared between departments and divisions. At the St. George campus in downtown Toronto, the Department of Computer Science is part of the Faculty of Arts and Science, and provides both undergraduate and graduate education in computer science and data science.[2] At the Mississauga and Scarborough campuses, a variety of undergraduate computer science programs are administered through the Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences,[7] and Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences respectively.[8]
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Department of Computer Science
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The Department of Computer Science (DCS) is the university's original computer science department, formally established in 1964 and located on the St. George campus. It is the only University of Toronto department that offers graduate programs in computer science. It is based in the Bahen Centre for Information Technology.[2]
The department has hosted notable faculty known for their contributions to fields such as computational complexity theory and artificial intelligence.[9] Stephen Cook, University Professor Emeritus, is credited in his work in advanced understanding of computational complexity theory and NP-completeness, and introduced the unsolved problem of P versus NP in 1971.[10] Cook received the A.M. Turing Award in 1982.[3] University Professor Emeritus Geoffrey Hinton is credited for his work in advancing artificial neural networks, which has earned him the title of "the Godfather of AI."[5] Hinton was a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2024.[6]
Programs
DCS offers an undergraduate program in computer science with a choice of focuses, from artificial intelligence and computer vision to game design and quantitative finance. It also provides courses in data science and a specialist program.[11] It hosts three graduate programs: a Master of Science (MSc), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and Master of Science in Applied Computing (MScAC) degree, the latter with concentrations in one of: Applied Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, Computer Science, Data Science, Data Science for Biology, or Quantum Computing.[12]
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Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences
The Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences (MCS) covers computer science as well as mathematics and statistics on the Mississauga campus. It is based in Deerfield Hall.[7]
Research
Research at UTM includes continuum robotics and computer vision in machine learning. Faculty member Sanja Fidler is the vice-president of artificial intelligence research at Nvidia and co-founded the Vector Institute.[13] The Continuum Robotics Lab is directed by roboticist Jessica Burgner-Kahrs, and researches flexible robotic arms for use in surgery and other areas where humans are limited by mobility and precision.[14]
Programs
MCS hosts undergraduate computer science and information security programs on the Mississauga campus.[15]
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Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences
The Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (CMS) is located on the Scarborough campus, and offers unique degree programs with several streams. It is based in the newly constructed Sam Ibrahim Building.[8]
Programs
The UTSC CMS department offers a program in computer science with options for experiential education and a unique program in management and information technology. Different streams of its computer science specialist include entrepreneurship, information systems, and software engineering.[16]
Rankings
The University of Toronto was ranked 12th in the world and first in Canada for computer science and information systems by QS Top Universities' World University Ranking by Subject 2025.[17] It was ranked 23rd in the world and first in Canada for computer science in Times Higher Education's World University Rankings by Subject 2025.[18][19]
Notable faculty
- Stephen Cook – University Professor Emeritus, recipient of the A.M. Turing Award for formalizing the notion of NP-completeness through Cook's theorem, considered one of the forefathers of computational complexity theory.
- Geoffrey Hinton – University Professor Emeritus, "Godfather of AI," Nobel Prize laureate, former researcher at Google, co-founder of the Vector Institute.
- Raquel Urtasun – University Professor and researcher in the field of artificial intelligence and deep learning, co-founder of the Vector Institute.
- Sanja Fidler – Associate Professor, vice-president of AI research at Nvidia, co-founder of the Vector Institute.
- Allan Borodin – University Professor and former department chair from 1980 to 1985.
- Charles Rackoff – University Professor Emeritus specializing in cryptography and security protocols.
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Laboratories and research centres
Computer Science faculty, including Hinton, founded the Vector Institute in 2017, a university-affiliated non-profit artificial intelligence research institute based in Toronto.[20]
Research centres affiliated with computer science faculty include:
References
External links
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