Engineering 7 (E7) Building on Waterloo's East Campus.
Expand your engineering knowledge through advanced study and research with the Master of Applied Science in Systems Design Engineering.
You’ll take an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to exploring solutions to engineering problems at the cutting edge of technology and design, preparing you to pursue or advance your career in academia, industry, entrepreneurship, and beyond.
Choose your path of nimble generalist or get in-depth knowledge by pursuing up to two of our eight specialized graduate research fields, and experience our first-rate faculty, education, and research facilities.
Program overview
Department/School: Systems Design Engineering
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December), Winter (January - April), Spring (May - August)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Master's, Research
Length of program: 24 months (full-time)
Registration option(s): Full-time, Part-time
Study option(s): Thesis
Application deadlines
- February 1(for admission in September)
- June 1(for admission in January of the following year)
- October 1(for admission in May of the following year)
Supervisors
- Review the finding a supervisor resources
Admission requirements
- A 4-year Honours Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a Honours Bachelor of Applied Science (or equivalent) that includes the following courses or equivalent:
- Calculus II (SYDE 112)
- Matrices and Linear Systems (SYDE 114)
- And one of the following two courses or equivalent:
- Probability and Statistics (SYDE 212)
- Calculus 3 (SYDE 211)
- At least an overall 75% (or equivalent) standing from a recognized university.
- For applicants whose previous degree was completed in Canada, a 75% overall standing in the last two years, or equivalent (at the sole discretion of the University of Waterloo, in all cases), in a four-year Honours Bachelor's degree or Honours Bachelor of Applied Science is the minimum requirement for admission to a Master's program.
- Due to the variable nature of international credentials, for applicants whose previous degree was completed outside of Canada, a 75% overall standing in a four-year Honours Bachelor's degree or Honour’s Bachelor of Applied Science is the minimum requirement for admission.
Degree requirements
- Review the degree requirements on the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree
- Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the Department of Systems Design Engineering graduate students
Application materials
- Resume
- Supplementary information form (SIF)
- The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enroll and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement
- If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
- Transcript(s)
- References
- Two academic references are required. Applicants who completed their degree five or more years before the application date may submit one academic and one professional reference
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
- TOEFL 80 (writing 22, speaking 20, reading 20, listening 18) IELTS 6.5 (writing 6.0, speaking 6.0)
Tuition and fees
- Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program
- Review living costs and housing
- Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students