Choosing Between Waterloo SE and CS
“What is the difference between Software Engineering and Computer Science at Waterloo? Which one should I pick?”
This is one of the most common questions for prospective undergrad students considering a CS related degree at Waterloo. There are a few123 answers out there already, but I’m going to add my own here. I graduated from SE in 2025, my insight is perhaps more up to date than the answers that came before. For example, it is no longer the case that transferring from SE to CS is easy. On the flip side, if you are reading this far into the future, more recent perspectives might be more relevant to you.
“What is the difference between Software Engineering and Computer Science at Waterloo? Which one should I pick?”
This is one of the most common questions for prospective undergrad students considering a CS related degree at Waterloo. There are a few123 answers out there already, but I’m going to add my own here. I graduated from SE in 2025, my insight is perhaps more up to date than the answers that came before. For example, it is no longer the case that transferring from SE to CS is easy. On the flip side, if you are reading this far into the future, more recent perspectives might be more relevant to you.