Active learning

Computer engineering student Nicole Jiang sits atop a hillside overlooking the town of Agios Thomas, Crete. Completing an exchange with the University College London, UK in fall 2014 gave Nicole the opportunity to experience new places while earning credit toward her degree.

Undergraduate students are encouraged to get involved in the engineering student society, join a professor's research team, take an international exchange, or join one of many student teams. Graduate students can apply for teaching assistantships, participate in the annual research symposium, and get involved in their departmental graduate student association.

Participation enhances the classroom experience and helps build connections.

Engineering student representatives serve on both engineering and university-wide committees. Graduate and undergraduate students are involved in faculty strategic planning. And each semester, our engaged students participate in high numbers in faculty course evaluations.

Student involvement and feedback is crucial, and contributes to the ongoing success of our programs, courses, and faculty members.

First-year mechanical engineering students work through the problem of building a remote-controlled car as they complete the Electric Car Construction activity in the Ideas Clinic.

Launched in Fall 2014, The Engineering Ideas Clinic and its activities directly address the needs of today’s generation of engineering students. The Engineering Ideas Clinic connects the digital and physical worlds, allowing for analysis and understanding with hands on, open-ended activities. It gives students a space to create, test, refine and succeed.

Hands-on activities help students develop key skills in engineering, teamwork, safety, sustainability, economics, collaboration, and conflict-resolution.

From autonomous robots to wearable technologies, the Engineering Ideas Clinic  is  a creative birthplace for the engineers who shape our future.

Chemical engineering student Allison Scott during her co-op work term as a camp leader in the University of Waterloo's Engineering Science Quest summer program. In this role, Alison had the opportunity to lead a variety of hands-on science and engineering activities. Photo by Joel Mieske

Workplace learning is a vital part of the student experience at the University of Waterloo. All engineering undergraduate programs operate on the uWaterloo co-op model in which students alternate between academic terms and paid work terms. 

Waterloo Engineering students graduate with an established resume, ready for new challenges in the workplace.

Students draw upon their classroom experiences to perform workplace tasks, returning from each work term knowing more about practical applications. To learn more about how co-op works, please visit the co-op experience section of our website.