Simon Fraser University (SFU) will have two new master's degree programs starting this fall.
The university has announced it will offer such programs for cybersecurity and visual computing with the first cohort of students starting in September at its Burnaby campus.
The school believes this will support its mandate to integrate innovative education and cutting-edge research.
"Maintaining effective and reliable defenses against cyberattacks is a priority for Canada to protect its national security, critical infrastructure, citizens' intellectual property and personal data," SFU spokesperson Ali Mahdavi-Amiri said in a news release.
"However, there are not enough experts trained in cybersecurity in B.C. and Canada to keep up with this demand."
Mahdavi-Amiri also said the visual computing-related industry in Canada is "rapidly growing" and requires experts that can fulfill needs.
"Several sectors can benefit from our visual computing program, including game and visual effect companies, AR/VR, autonomous driving, and modern agriculture."
SFU says students in both programs will combine technical training in classrooms and labs with practical experience through a minimum four-month industry internship or co-op work placements.
The institution also stated the Master of Visual Computing program is the first and only visual computing program of its type in Canada.
Computer Science Rankings from 2022 had SFU ranked second in Canada and top 10 in the world for computer vision publications while it ranked number three in Canada for computer security publications.
"SFU has one of the strongest computer science schools in Canada, with world-class faculty members in the areas of visual computing and cybersecurity," Mahdavi-Amiri added.
"Our expertise and high rankings show the potential of these new programs and the quality of education that can be offered to the students. We believe that offering these programs benefits SFU students and industry and we’re excited to launch them."
