Systems Design Engineering

Future students

The department administers two Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) degree programs

Systems Design Engineering

In systems design engineering, the focus in the early semesters is on building up a base of general engineering knowledge, as well as knowledge and experience with design methodology that can be applied broadly. Students can then take technical electives and work on advanced design projects in areas that are of particular interest to them, such as mechatronics, intelligent systems, human-computer interaction, systems modelling, and alternative energy.

Biomedical Engineering

In biomedical engineering, within your first year, you'll take foundational courses combining biology with applied sciences and engineering. You will begin to think about how to best approach solving health-related problems and gain the science and math skills to develop tools for medical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Utilizing engineering solutions, you will design innovative technologies – from new diabetic monitoring and cancer-imaging systems to the design of rehabilitation equipment.

What makes Systems Design Engineering unique and critical in a world of complex systems?

Systems innovations require an understanding of not just technology, but also humans, the environment and the interfaces between these systems elements. In Systems Design Engineering, you’ll gain a strong foundation in several traditional engineering disciplines, focusing on design methodology and systems-driven thinking. Graduates use their interdisciplinary leadership skills to create solutions for both small-scale and large-scale challenges. By graduation, you’ll be equipped to tackle society’s toughest engineering problems, from robotics and user interface design to managing environmental systems, creating comprehensive and groundbreaking solutions for a better world. This requires technical, modeling and analysis skills and knowledge of social science, ethics and the contexts within our systems. 

Each term students engage in design workshop courses that involve devising solutions to problems using specific approaches. Working in teams, students learn to implement their solutions by creating, testing, and evaluating prototypes. We offer repeated opportunities to grow "design thinking". 

Our program utilizes industrial engineering methods as part of its core curriculum, such as operations research, human factors and ergonomics, information management, and project management.  

Students choose a specialization in upper years to include additional areas of interest such as:  

  • Human Factors and Interfaces 

  • Intelligent and Automated Systems  

  • Physical and Mechatronics Systems 

  • Societal and Environmental Systems 

For their Fourth Year Design Project, known as a Capstone Project, students choose the problem space of their interest. The main problem spaces students have historically chosen to work in include: 

  • Biomedical 
  • Everyday needs 
  • Research and industrial collaboration 

SYDE Sequence

First year Second year Third year Fourth year Fifth year
Fall 1A Fall 2A Fall Co-op 3 Fall 3B Fall 4A
Winter 1B Winter Co-op 2 Winter 3A Winter Co-op 5 Winter 4B
Spring Co-op 1 Spring 2B Spring Co-op 4 Spring Co-op 6  

SYDE Curriculum

Fall 1A Winter 1B Fall 2A Spring 2B Winter 3A Fall 3B Fall 4A Winter 4B
Linear Algebra Calculus 2 Discrete Math & Logic Differential Equations ENG Economics & Sustainability Intro to Control Systems Capstone Project 1 Capstone Project 2
Calculus 1

Comms in SYDE: Visualization

Data Structures & Algorithms Digital Systems Lab Circuits Lab Control Systems Lab Intro to Complex Systems Elective
Comms in SYDE: Written & Oral Intro to
Ecological Systems
Linear Systems & Signals Probability, Statistics, Data Science Intro to Responsible AI Systems

Design Consultation

Elective Elective
Digital Computation Human Factors in Design Culture of Design, Impacts Intro to Socio-Ecologial Systems Systems Models 1 Multi-Physics Modelling & Simulation Elective Elective
Intro to Systems Thinking Intro to Design 2 ENG Prototyping Needs Analysis & Prototyping Design Testing, Validation, Verification Optimization & Numerical Methods Elective Elective
Intro to Design Physics 1:
Statistics
Physics 2: Dynamics Circuits, Instrumentation & Measurements Material Properties Elective