The Option in Physical Sciences (as described in the Undergraduate Calendar) allows a student to take an option in one of three themes associated with the physical sciences: physics, chemistry, and earth and environmental sciences.
In each case, there are four required courses (one from each of four short lists) and three required electives from a more general lists.
Physics Theme
All ECE students take ECE 105 and ECE 106. None of the List-1 NSEs count towards this option; consequently, a student in this option could take three List-2 NSEs to satisfy the natural-sciences requirement. For example, PHYS 234 Quantum Physics 1 and one of PHYS 258 Thermal Physics, PHYS 263 Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity or PHYS 334 Quantum Physics 2 will satisfy the two additional required courses all of which are NSEs. To investigate this option, talk to your Program Academic Advisor.
Finally, a student requires three elective courses. Of the listed elective courses, PHYS 275 Astrophysics 1 — Planets and Stars, PHYS 334 Quantum Physics 2, PHYS 335 Condensed Matter Physics, and PHYS 375 Astrophysics 2 — Stars and Galaxies all count as List-2 NSEs. Thus, to satisfy this option, it is necessary to take three additional courses if a student takes the option of satisfying the natural sciences requirement by taking three List-2 courses.
A student who chooses to take one of the List-1 NSEs would therefore require four (4) additional courses.
Comment: As of 2013, there is a typo in the Undergraduate Calendar where it requires ECE 126. No such course is offered and it should read ECE 106.
Chemistry Theme
All ECE students take CHE 102. Of the three additional courses, CHEM 209 Introductory Spectroscopy and Structure, and CHEM 266 Basic Organic Chemistry 1 are all List-2 NSEs. Thus, this option would require three (3) further elective courses. Please speak to your Program Academic Advisor prior to proceding with this option.
A student who is curious about this option but is not sure if he or she will pursue it may choose to begin with CHEM 254 Introductory Chemical Thermodynamics or CHEM 356 Introductory Quantum Mechanics. Both of these courses are List-2 NSEs; however, it should be noted that CHEM 254 is an antirequisite of the List-1 Natural Science Elective ECE 403 Thermal Physics.
Earth and Environmental Sciences
All ECE students take CHE 102, ECE 105, and ECE 106. Therefore, if a student is willing to satisfy the Natural Science Requirement by taking three List-2 NSEs, all that is required is a student takes one of EARTH 153 Earth Engineering, EARTH 121/121L Introductory Earth Sciences, and EARTH 122/122L Introductory Environmental Sciences to satisfy the fourth required course. After this, the four courses EARTH 205 Introduction to Atmospheric Science, EARTH 221 Geochemistry 1, EARTH 270 Disasters and Natural Hazards, EARTH 281 Geological Impacts on Human Health, EARTH 361 Atmospheric Motions and Physics, and EARTH 444 Applied Wetland Science count as List-2 NSEs. By taking three List-2 NSEs, this option requires only two additional courses. Please speak to your Program Academic Advisor prior to proceding with this option.
Taking Extra Courses
Because these options requires extra courses, this requires that you will have to fit in those additional courses into your workload either as:
- extra courses during an Academic Term over-and-above your full course load,
- courses taken through distance education or on campus during your Co-op Work Terms (usually only feasible for CSEs and NSEs—if you are taking an on-campus course during a Co-op Work Term during working hours, this must be approved by your employer),
- courses taken during an extra study term either in place of a Co-op Work Term (you must have five Co-op Work Terms to graduate) or after your 4B Academic Term (recall that taking three or more courses during any term is considered a full-time student, and you will be required to pay additional fees), or
- courses taken at other universities, requiring you to find equivalent courses and submitting a Letter of Permission prior to signing up for the course (this will usually be through distance education and is usually only feasible for CSEs and NSEs).