Profile Evaluation: MSc or MEng in IE or Systems Design (Fall 2021, Canada)

[paroisse]

Hi! I'll be applying for Master's programs shortly and would like to have an idea of where I stand as a student attempting a bit of a career-switch. I'll be graduating with a BSc in Civil Engineering, but would like to get a Master's in a more data/programming focused field. My career goals would be to work as a data scientist in more of a tech/engineering settings rather than in a business intelligence setting (see: companies such as Urthecast, Urbanlogiq, Geotab...). I'm planning to apply for DS/CS/stats programs but I'll also be applying to engineering programs that make use of data analytics (eg. IE, Systems Design, ECE - although I'm not confident I could get into any ECE program with a Civil undergrad). With my background I'm not sure if I have a better chance of getting into CS/stats or non-CE engineering programs... 

I'm still undecided about whether I want to do a course-based (M.Eng) or thesis-based (MSc) program. I have no desire to go into academia so I'm leaning towards the M.Eng (usually self-funded), but I also think I might enjoy a research-based Master's more than just taking more courses. 

Undergrad Institution: Mid-sized Canadian university

Undergrad Major: Civil Engineering 

GPA (Undergrad): 4.11 (out of 4.5) 

Type of Student: Domestic

Relevant Courses(Undergraduate): 

Calculus 1-4, Linear Algebra, Numerical Methods, Systems Analysis, Computer Programming 1, Statistics 1, and Statistical Methods (data analysis with R).

Relevant Research: Not super relevant, but I worked as a research assistant for a summer work term in a hydraulics lab - mostly doing menial tasks assisting grad students in their research. I will also be completing an undergraduate thesis in my senior year related to modelling a city-wide system of autonomous vehicles. 

Recs: None yet but there are a few professors and bosses who I believe would write strong letters. 

Relevant Work Experience: I will have completed three summer work terms by my graduation:

1. Research work term as described above.
2. Engineering Intern at a large energy utility which involved some basic data analysis and programming (mostly Excel/VBA).
3. (Current) Data Science Intern at a local start-up which is pretty much the job I'm aiming for long term. Lots of modelling, data cleaning/analysis, programming etc. The company is owned by two university professors and is currently in the R&D phase, so I'm also being exposed to research work (reading academic papers, etc.). I'm also continuing part-time here during the fall term. 

Programs Applying: Hoping for big name Canadian schools, eg. UToronto MSc or M.Eng Industrial Engineering, UWaterloo MSc or M.Eng Systems Design, Concordia MSc Industrial Engineering

Current status: On a summer work term with two semesters left in my undergrad. 

Edited August 2, 2020 by paroisse