Which courses do you take?

Your path through the PD program will vary depending on your chosen faculty. You can learn more about your faculty’s specific WatPD requirements below.

If you still have a question about working through the PD program after reviewing the information below, contact WatPD staff or consult your faculty’s undergraduate calendar.

Applied Health Sciences

Co-op students in Applied Health Sciences must complete four PD courses. The first course is completed during the academic term preceding their first work term, and the rest are completed during their work terms. Their compulsory PD courses are PD1: Career Fundamentals and PD12: Reflection and Learning in the Workplace.

Once they’ve finished their compulsory courses, students choose two elective courses from the following list:

Arts

Co-op students in Arts must complete four PD courses. The first course is completed during the academic term preceding their first work term, and the rest are completed during their work terms. Their compulsory PD courses are PD1: Career Fundamentals and PD12: Reflection and Learning in the Workplace.

Once they’ve finished their compulsory courses, students choose two elective courses from the following list:

Engineering

Students in Engineering must complete five PD courses. All five courses are completed during their work terms. Their compulsory PD courses are PD19: Tactics for Workplace Success, PD20: Engineering Workplace Skills I: Developing Reasoned Conclusions, and PD21: Engineering Workplace Skills II: Developing Effective Plans.

Engineering students who started studying during the Fall 2020 term or later complete PD19 and PD20 as their two compulsory courses. Engineering students who started studying before the Fall 2020 term complete PD20 and PD21.

Once they’ve finished their compulsory courses, students choose three elective courses¹ from the following list:

¹Some Engineering programs have special requirements with respect to PD courses. If you're unsure about the PD course requirements associated with your program, please consult the undergraduate calendar or contact your academic advisor for more information.

Environment

Co-op students in Environment must complete four PD courses. The first course is completed during the academic term preceding their first work term, and the rest are completed during their work terms. Their compulsory PD courses are PD1: Career Fundamentals and PD12: Reflection and Learning in the Workplace.

Students then choose two elective courses from the following list:

Mathematics

Co-op students in Mathematics must complete five PD courses. The first course is completed during the academic term preceding their first work term, and the rest are completed during their work terms. Their compulsory PD courses are PD1: Career Fundamentals and PD11: Processes for Technical Report Writing.

Once they’ve finished their compulsory courses, students choose three elective courses² from the following list:

²Students who enter Computer Science (CS) in the Fall 2015 term or later must take PD10: Professional Responsibility in Computing as one of their three elective courses. Students who entered CS prior to Fall 2015 don’t have to take PD10 as one of their elective courses. If you’re unsure about your status with respect to PD10, please check with your academic advisor. If you want to learn more about why PD10 is now compulsory for CS students, please visit the PD10 course page.

Science

Co-op students in Science must complete four PD courses. The first course is completed during the academic term preceding their first work term, and the rest are completed during their work terms. Their compulsory PD courses are PD1: Career Fundamentals and PD11: Processes for Technical Report Writing.

Once they’ve finished their compulsory courses, students choose two elective courses from the following list: