Elective requirements

Engineering students are required to take complementary studies electives and technical electives in order to meet the requirements set by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB).

The planner

The Department of Systems Design Engineering provides a planner to assist students in selecting appropriate complementary and technical electives to meet graduation requirements. Please read the help information before you get started using the planner to get an idea of what is expected.

All 3A students must submit the planner to the undergraduate advisor via e-mail, outlining course selections that will enable completion of the requirements for graduation. A final submission of the planner is required by the end of the 4A term (the last day of classes).

If you change your course selections, you should revise your planner and resubmit it immediately for approval. This should be done prior to the "last day to add a course" date, so that any changes in your schedule can be made with ease.

Technical electives

Six technical electives are required that are logical and defensible and that meet the CEAB minimum requirements. All approved technical electives can be found on using CEAB planner.

Students may wish to consider technical elective packages when planning their studies.

Complementary studies electives

Approved electives can be found in the undergraduate calendar under the list of complementary studies electives.

In addition to the List D courses on the approved list, we permit students to take one course as List D credit from any of the Dance, Drama, Fine Arts (including Film Studies), Music, or language courses. However, the course must have a weight of at least 0.50. For students going on exchange, a total of two language courses, in the language of the exchange country, may be taken towards List D.

Students who enrolled prior to and including 2007-2008

In addition to SYDE 331, which satisfies the List B requirement, five complementary studies electives are required in order to graduate:

  • One from List A
  • Two from List C
  • Two more from any of lists A, C, and D

In addition, your CSEs must meet the minimum CEAB requirements of 225 academic credits.

Students who enrolled after and including 2008-2009

In addition to the two approved CSE courses in the core program (SYDE 261, SYDE 262), at least four complementary studies electives are required in order to graduate:

  • SYDE 261 (Requirement 1)
  • SYDE 262 (Requirement 2)
  • Two from List C (Requirement 3)
  • Two more from any of lists A, C, and D (Requirement 4)

Core and elective courses and exchange programs

If you are or will be going on exchange, you should look to replace your core courses with appropriate equivalent courses at the host university. Courses will receive conditional approval by your undergraduate advisor prior to leaving for exchange. Once you return with transcript and appropriate supporting material, final approval will be given.

If this is the case, you can include your core courses in the appropriate term, but should state in the note section at the top of the planner, that courses for the specific term will be taken while on exchange.

In cases where the host university allows only four courses in the term, the fifth course must be taken at some point (via distance education while on exchange, on a work term, or in another academic term) to satisfy the 40 course requirement to graduate.