Engineering

Since all students in the Schulich School of Engineering take the same first-year common program, you will have one year to decide on a program (major). During this year you will be given the opportunity to explore what each program offers before you rank your preferences next February. The following programs are offered in the Schulich School of Engineering:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering Physics
• Geomatics Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Software Engineering
• Sustainable Systems Engineering

In combination with some major programs, you can apply for competitive admission into a minor in one of Aerospace Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Digital Engineering; Energy and Environment or Mechatronics Engineering. Some of the major programs also offer program-specific minors which begin in either second, third or fourth year (depending on the program).

The Schulich School of Engineering encourages well-rounded graduates; therefore, all programs offer minors and joint degrees with other faculties at the university. For example, a Minor in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (MEED) is offered in collaboration with the Haskayne School of Business.

Common Core Program

All first-year students in the Schulich School of Engineering take the same common core programming in mathematics, sciences, computing, engineering principles, and design and communications (see above for the first-year course list). This provides a foundation for your engineering training and exposes you to the variety of engineering disciplines from which you will choose a program (major) for your second year.

Due to the size of the first-year cohort, to minimize timetable conflicts, and in providing the best student experience possible, students will be able to request a preferred block prior to May 3, after which it will be based on block availability. The following will not be accepted as reasons for changes: a desire to be in the same class sections as your friends; a desire to choose specific instructors for certain courses; or to avoid class sections at certain times of day. The ‘Common Core Confirmation Form’ will be emailed directly to students accepted before May 3.

Common core registration will be performed by staff in the Engineering Student Centre throughout the spring/summer as students accept their offers and pay their deposits. Watch for emails from our team as we will contact you in relation to confirmation of your attendance, transfer credits, varsity participation or other. You will be asked to respond to help us with completion of your registration. Students may contact the Engineering Student Centre for information.

Registration in first-year courses cannot begin until students have accepted their offer of admission through the MyUCalgary Student Centre portal, and have finalized their admission acceptance by paying the $500 Admission Confirmation Deposit. As enrolment in the Schulich School of Engineering is limited, you must accept your offer of admission and pay the Admission Confirmation Deposit by the deadline provided in your admission letter. Registration for those completing the survey by May 3 will be registered by the end of May. Students who complete the survey after May 3 will receive an email about their registration by end of May.  

Full Time Status

It is important to ensure that a full-time schedule of at least 3 courses per term is maintained in order to be in good standing as per Schulich School of Engineering regulations.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you are a student admitted without having completed Mathematics 31 or equivalent (calculus), you MUST indicate this on your 'Common Core Confirmation Form'. Instead of taking MATH 275 (Calculus for Engineers and Scientists) in the fall term, you will take an alternate Mathematics route. Advisors in the Engineering Student Centre will give you specific details as needed.

If you don't have credit for Math 31, but find yourself registered in MATH 275, please notify our office so that your registration can be corrected immediately via engginfo@ucalgary.ca. If you plan to take Math 31 or equivalent in summer school, please indicate this on your Common Core Confirmation Form - if a new transcript demonstrating success in the course is received by the Admissions Office by Aug. 31, the Engineering Student Centre will change your registration back to MATH 275.

If you are a student who received AP or IB advanced credit for MATH 249 or 265, you may also take an alternate Mathematics route, although the preferred pathway for success remains MATH 275 + MATH 277. Please contact the Engineering Student Centre as soon as possible for advice and assistance regarding the potential change to the alternate pathway in your schedule.

Did you receive transfer, IB or AP credit upon admission?

Students entering first-year Engineering with credit for one or more first-year courses (for example, students transferring from other colleges or universities, students changing faculties within the University of Calgary, or high-school students with applicable IB or AP credit) have the option to choose whether to accept the credit(s) or re-take the course(s). To accept a credit the student simply needs to indicate the credit on their ‘Common Core Confirmation Form’. If the course appears on their schedule after indicating the credit, the student may simply drop the course from their schedule through their MyUCalgary Student Centre using the Schedule Builder tool as accessed from the portal. You may view your transfer credit(s) by logging into your online Student Centre and selecting "Transfer credit: report" from the "other academic" drop down menu. Students are reminded that credits cannot be posted until the official IB, AP, or post-secondary transcripts have been received and recorded by the University of Calgary.

Transfer Students

Students transferring from another post-secondary institution (or from another program at UCalgary) will be registered in a block of courses adapted to exclude those first-year courses for which they already have credit. Any additional courses a student wishes to add beyond the first-year core courses will be required to be self-registered through the MyUCalgary Student Centre portal. Registration can be completed via the “Schedule Builder” tool as accessed from the portal. Students must adhere to the first year core registration by following the block assigned for both Fall and Winter. The blocks are in place to avoid time conflicts and allow the Schulich School of Engineering the opportunity to accommodate all admitted students into all of their required courses. Any additional courses added must work with the assigned block timetable. Block information will be included with your Welcome email. The Engineering Student Centre will also be happy to assist with any registration concerns.

Athletes

First-year students who participate in a varsity or national sports team may choose to spread their first-year courses over two years without penalty. Contact the Engineering Student Centre for more information. Athletes should only reduce their first-year course load after getting advice from this office.

Combined Degree Programs

An engineering undergraduate degree may be combined with another undergraduate degree program as a student enters their first or second year; therefore, all programs offer minors and joint degrees with other Faculties at the university.

The Schulich School of Engineering and the Haskayne School of Business have developed a dual degree which will be available to qualified students as they enter their second year. This dual degree will allow completion of the requirements of both degrees in five years. Information on this can be found in the calendar.

Students who have been admitted into a combined degree with a previous degree plan will need advice about their course selection for first year Engineering, thus they are encouraged to contact the Engineering Student Centre for further help.

Complementary Studies (COST)

After registration in the 10 common core technical courses is completed, you may choose to add one complementary studies (COST) option that fits in your schedule. You are not required to take a COST option in your first year but if you choose to do so, the grade for the COST course may be included in your program placement GPA. Considerations: A strong grade in the COST course can be beneficial to the final GPA but the extra course work may negatively impact your overall performance in a term. You are welcome to consult an advisor in the Engineering Student Centre for further details on how this decision will affect you.

A complete online schedule of your courses can be accessed through your online Student Centre (MyUCalgary Portal). Open the Academic tab on top and click on “My Class Schedule” under the Courses tab at the left. In "My Class Schedule" click on the relevant term: fall 2024 or winter 2025. You can then click on "weekly calendar view." All scheduled times do have the expectation of in-person attendance and participation, although the title of the component in your schedule (lecture, lab, etc.) may not specifically represent the type of material being covered at a given time. Individual course outlines will contain more detailed information about specific class delivery and events.

Once you are registered in your courses, you are automatically subscribed to the engineering mailing list. Please make sure you are signed up for your ucalgary.ca email address and check it regularly because you will be receiving important announcements from the Engineering Student Centre. Email addresses from hotmail.com, gmail.com or similar providers are not supported, and the Engineering Student Centre will only use your ucalgary.ca email address for communicating announcements. Students are responsible for activating their University of Calgary IT username and email account via the UCIT website.

The Engineering Student Center has a D2L site offering updated information for new and continuing students on program placements, course registration, pre-requisite guides, Engineering Academic Success Center, exam information, applicable forms, FAQs and more (new student access will activate in August). Start with our “First Year - Welcome to Engineering” site to learn important first steps on being a student at UCalgary in the Schulich School of Engineering.

The Schulich School of Engineering Undergraduate Studies Committee meets every May to review the academic performance of engineering students. It is important that you understand how this review works so that you know what criteria and grade point average (GPA) are required to maintain good academic standing throughout your degree.

Students are advised to read and consider all regulations and, if you have any concerns, to consult the Engineering Student Centre. You can find this information in the Academic Regulations section of the Academic Calendar.

In your first year of engineering, you will enter into a common program that all first-year engineering students are required to take. During the winter term of your first year in engineering, you will rank your programs (majors) and minors in order of preference. Information about the selection process will be emailed to you as the time approaches. The program placement policy will be available in advance on the ESC D2L page. Students who complete the 10 common core technical courses successfully (with a minimum C- grade) by the end of the first winter semester and are in good academic standing will be given a place in  their top ranked program (major). Placement in minors is competitive. Placements are determined in June of each year.

Transfer applicants may be considered for admission directly into a second-year degree program (e.g. Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, etc.) if they are awarded transfer credit for at least eight first year technical engineering courses at the Schulich School. Please contact the Admissions Office for information on application requirements and status.

The Engineering Academic Success Centre (EASC) provides a number of resources and services that students use to succeed in their Engineering program.

The EASC provides peer learning support through our Learning Assistant team for first-year courses as well as some upper year courses and Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) for most first-year classes. The schedule and location will be available on the ESC D2L page.

• One-on-one academic coaching to enhance academic skills, study strategies, set and achieve goals, and tackle challenges interfering with academic success. Book an appointment with the Engineering Academic Development Specialist via Elevate  > Schulich School of Engineering > Schulich Academic Advising > EASC Learning Support Appointments.
• Utilize the services offered through the Student Success Centre. They offer academic success workshops, sensory friendly study hours, and one-on-one academic coaching.

For more information, contact the Engineering Academic Development Specialist via easc@ucalgary.ca.

The Schulich School of Engineering offers two Experiential Learning work experiences:

Engineering Career Practicum: Gain early-degree career preparedness in your 1st and 2nd year through this experiential learning program. Participate in course modules focusing on professional, career ready skills, and practice these skills in up to 4 months of summer work experience.

Internship: Graduate ahead of the competition by completing 12 – 16 months of work experience after your 3rd year when you participate in our internship program.

Pre-graduate Work Experience: Gain technical engineering experience prior to graduation. Learn more about career preparation skills and the services available on campus to assist you in building your career path.

Be a leader: The Engineering Leadership Program is a recognized non-credit certificate at the University of Calgary. Students learn skills to help them accelerate their career, network with peers, and engage in industry best practices.

Engineering Mentoring Program: First-year students pair up with an upper-year student with similar academic and extracurricular interests and learn about the different programs and departments, and engage with clubs and teams through a series of events.

Engineering Abroad: Global Engineering Experiences give Schulich students the opportunity to travel abroad over reading week on department-specific trips, volunteer in developing communities or participate in a global entrepreneurship experience. If you want to earn university credits abroad, we also have many exchange and field school opportunities.

Join a team or club: Clubs and teams on campus are diverse. Build a car, concrete toboggan or get involved in humanitarian engineering initiatives.

Learn outside of the classroom: The $500,000 Schulich Activities Fund provides support for professional development experiences. The fund is open to undergraduate or graduate students in the Schulich School of Engineering. Applications to the fund are accepted three times a year.

Bioengineering Summer Institute: This four-week course is designed specifically for students with a background in biology who are passionate about engineering. It also offers a way for students with high school biology to enter first-year engineering by connecting and examining physics concepts through a biological lens.

Program advisors are available through the Engineering Student Centre
Room: Engineering Block C 205
Email: engginfo@ucalgary.ca

In-person and/or virtual student services are available. Engineering students can find instructions on the Engineering Student Centre D2L page for specific times, locations and how to access QLess and Zoom.