University of Waterloo
200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
Phone: (519) 888-4567
Staff and Faculty Directory
Contact the Department of Software Engineering Engineering
Visit our COVID-19 information website to learn how Warriors protect Warriors.
While Software Engineering is the only program at Waterloo with software in the name, it is far from the only program with software in the content. There are many programs with significant software content, including:
Consider what aspects of software you are interested in, and which other programs might also be good fits for your interests. Check out the slides at this link:
SE is taught half by CS and half by ECE. You should consider if one of those programs would be a better match for you. Assuming you have finished first year, here are some of the differences going forward:
SE, like all Engineering programs, has a very long list of required courses. CS is more flexible program that gives you more individual choice to pursue your interests. Sometimes students transfer in to SE, and then a year or two later transfer to CS. We want to avoid that. If you transfer in to SE, we want you to graduate from SE. If you really want to transfer to CS, then just go there directly. Here are some courses that are mandatory in SE but optional in CS. If you want to transfer in to SE, then you should want to do these courses. If you just want a degree with more computer science content, but not this specific content, then you should transfer to CS instead.
Contact the CS Advisors if you are interested in transferring to CS. Note: if you have AP or IB credits from highschool, CS might grant you advanced standing for up to three of them. Engineering does not grant advanced standing for AP or IB credits.
ECE has a high degree of overlap with SE, but swaps out some software courses for hardware/circuits courses. Here are some courses that Computer Engineering students usually take that are optional for SE students:
ECE students also take operating systems, compilers, databases, networks, and other software-related topics. Four courses in SE that are optional for ECE are:
Comparing these two lists with your own interests can help you assess whether ECE or SE is a better program for you.
Contact ECE Advisors if you are interested in transferring to Computer Engineering.
There are three options, revised for the 2021-22 calendar, to add software-related content to your current engineering degree:
Speak to your academic advisor about enroling in one of these options.
A good strategy to prepare to transfer into SE is to enrol in one of these options and then take courses necessary to join an SE cohort in 2A or 2B when some space has typically opened up.
The School of Computer Science offers a number of specializations that are similar to aspects of the BSE degree:
Joining Term | Time to Apply | Where to Apply |
---|---|---|
1A SE Fall | February | Engineering Admissions |
1B SE Winter | First week of January | SE Director |
2A SE Fall | End of May | SE Director |
2B SE Spring | End of January | SE Director |
University of Waterloo
200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
Phone: (519) 888-4567
Staff and Faculty Directory
Contact the Department of Software Engineering Engineering
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Indigenous Initiatives Office.