Undergraduate Courses

Core courses provide students with the fundamental mathematical, physical, chemical, and engineering knowledge that is pertinent to the field of nanotechnology engineering. Courses are broken down into a maximum of three components: lectures, tutorials, and laboratories (some courses are stand-alone laboratory courses).

Lectures are provided by the course professor, who presents the essential course material to the students. Not all course material will be taught in lectures, so self-study is often required.

Tutorials for the first and second year courses are conducted by teaching assistants, while tutorials for the upper year courses are generally conducted by faculty members. Tutorials have been designed to support students in their studies by covering additional concepts, solving sample problems, and providing vehicles for assessment of students' knowledge.

Laboratories are lead by laboratory instructors and assistants, and are used to help students gain practical experience to reinforce the course material.

Students in the Nanotechnology Engineering program are able to specialize in their fourth year by choosing six technical electives, three from six offered in 4A and three from ten offered in 4B. The set of technical elective courses covers topics in micro- and nano-instrumentation , nanoscale biosystems, nanostructured materials, and computational methodology for nanotechnology engineering. In addition, an elective course on photonic materials and devices is available in 4A and an individual research project elective is available in 4B. To remain relevant, these technical elective courses are subject to change, based on the evolution of the field of nanotechnology. 4B technical electives will normally be more specialized than the 4A technical electives.

The aim of complementary study electives (CSEs) is to provide an understanding of our heritage and social environment, and of the way in which the disciplines of science and engineering interact with them. While these courses must meet specific requirements, courses from nearly all Faculties and Departments are available, thus giving students a rather wide selection from which to choose. With offerings from Cybernetics to Musical Theory, students are advised to take a combination of courses that will provide them with enjoyment and will, at the same time, benefit their future endeavours. There are some courses that may also count towards a Degree Option. Nanotechnology Engineering students must take a total of six CSEs as part of their degree requirements. Additional information on CSE requirements and courses may be found at: CSEs - UW Undergraduate Calendar