Frequently Asked Questions

Engineering combines math and science with problem solving techniques to design creative and innovative solutions to society's problems. Our society is continually changing, creating new challenges and opportunities for innovation. Engineers have the skills to develop new technologies, to evaluate the effect of these technologies on our society, and to manage them responsibly. Engineers are problem solvers.

Generally, Science is the study of the physical world, while Engineering applies scientific knowledge to design processes, structures or equipment. Both Engineers and Scientists will have a strong knowledge of science, mathematics and technology, but Engineering students will learn to apply these principles to designing creative solutions to Engineering challenges.

Many people think that Engineers build bridges or skyscrapers. While this is true, this is only a small fraction of what Engineers may do.

Engineering opens the doors to a wealth of possibilities. The problem-solving and decision-making skills you learn in your engineering education can be applied to any situation. You can work in a technical field in industry or business, in the government or in research. Some Engineers continue their education and become lawyers, teachers, and doctors, or complete an MBA and work in the business sector. Some Engineers are entrepreneurs, and start their own businesses. Some Engineers become managers and others work in marketing and technical sales.

There are so many different branches of engineering that everything you see around you is connected to engineering in some way. For instance, when you drive your car, you are depending on:

• Civil Engineers who designed the roads you drive on;
• Environmental Engineers who are working with air pollution problems caused by your vehicle's emissions;
• Biological Engineers who designed the interior to be ergonomically comfortable;
• Systems & Computing Engineers who design the embedded computers that control your car; and
• Water Resource Engineers who design systems to divert storm water and prevent flooding of the road.

Engineers may work to solve environmental problems, or provide clean drinking water to a community. Engineers may design a surgical instrument or a space shuttle. Engineers may design a computer that operates on voice command, or a production line in a factory.

Engineers can work in any field that requires design, problem solving, creativity, innovation or the science and mathematical background that Engineers possess.

Do you...

• Want to make a difference in the world?
• Have an interest in how things work?
• Enjoy discovering new ways to do things?
• Like math and science?
• Have an interest in challenges facing our society?
• Work well with others as part of a team?
• Like working with computers or playing video games?
• Enjoy a challenge?
   

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you should consider Engineering as an option for you!

The Iron Ring is a ring that all engineering graduates in Canada can receive at a ceremony called the Ritual of the Calling of the Engineer.  It is worn on the little finger of the engineer’s working hand.  The ring symbolizes the pride which engineers have in their profession, while simultaneously reminding them of their duty of responsibility to the public. The ring serves as a reminder to the engineer and others of the engineer's obligation to live by a high standard of professional conduct. The Iron Ring is not to be misconstrued as an equivalent to a degree or professional status - it is a way of welcoming graduates into the Engineering community, binding them into a supportive organization, and giving them a basis of ethics and responsibility to society.  It is rumored that the Iron Ring is made from the steel scrap left over from the Quebec Bridge disasters of 1907 and 1916.

Engineering in the early 1900's was very different than what is practiced today. Following the Quebec Bridge disasters, seven prominent professional engineers met with other Engineers to discuss the future of the Engineering Profession. They formed the objective of binding together the profession and instilling professional Engineers with their responsibility towards society. They formed the Corporation of the Seven Wardens in 1922 to accomplish this purpose, and engaged Rudyard Kipling in forming the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer - a ceremony obligating Engineers to their profession by the receiving of the Iron Ring.  Although the Corporation of the Seven Wardens is not a secret society, the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer is a private ceremony and is not open to the general public.

For more information on this Canadian engineering tradition, visit www.ironring.ca.

"Engineer" and "Professional Engineer" in Canada are titles restricted by law to those people who have demonstrated their competence and have been licensed in a provincial or territorial Association of Professional Engineers (in Quebec, Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec). To practice engineering in Canada, it is mandatory to have earned the Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation by registering with your provincial or territorial association.

The Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) is the federation of provincial and territorial authorities which licenses professional engineers. The Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB), a standing committee of the CCPE, accredits Canadian undergraduate engineering programs that meet or exceed educational standards for professional engineering registration in Canada. All of Guelph's B.Sc.(Eng) degree programs are accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers.

As a graduate from an accredited undergraduate engineering program, you are eligible to register as a member of the Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) after four years of acceptable engineering experience and successful completion of the Professional Practice Exam on engineering law and ethics. You may apply for your Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) license immediately after graduation or any time thereafter. Most students arrange to write the Professional Practice Exam soon after graduation while the material is still fresh in their minds.

Applicants can also earn up to 12 months work experience during completion of their engineering degree (i.e. co-op or summer employment). The quality of the pre-graduation work experience will be measured against five quality-based criteria. Only pre-graduation work experience acquired after the mid-point of your undergraduate program is eligible for credit.

For more information about getting your P.Eng. license, writing the Professional Practice Exam, or pre-graduation work experience contact the PEO or visit their website at www.peo.on.ca.

Yes, by using your OUAC reference number and password/PIN log onto the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (www.ouac.on.ca) and follow the links.

Yes, by using your OUAC reference number and password/PIN log onto the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (www.ouac.on.ca) and follow the links.

We do allow student to defer their offers for one calendar year in to the same program, as long as they do not attend another post-secondary institution. To defer an offer, please contact Admissions Services.

A minimum overall average of B is required in CAAT (College of Applied Art and Technology) diploma programs for admission consideration and for consideration of a transfer credit. Transfer credits will be normally based on courses completed at a CAAT with a grade of A or higher. Completion of a two or three-year diploma is required for advanced standing credit. Up to 7.50 credits may be granted to graduates of a three-year diploma, and up to 3.00 credits may be granted to graduates of a two-year diploma. Advanced standing credit is not normally granted for one year of a college program. Transfer credits are dependent on the content of the specific course curriculum and applicability of transfer credit toward graduation requirements within the major. For more information talk to your Academic Counsellor, 519-824-4120 x56986 or engcouns@uoguelph.ca.

You will not be required to take an English course.  However, communication is an important part of any engineering program. In your first year Engineering & Design course, you will write a report about your 1st year design project and a number of courses during throughout your program will require you to effectively communicate through report writing and presentations.

Although you may be admitted to the BSc(Eng) program without Physics you will need the credit to proceed into the first year Physics course (the same applies for Chemistry). If you are lacking Physics or Chemistry you must complete the non-credit replacement course during your first semester of the program. For more information talk to your Academic Counsellor, 519-824-4120 x56986 or engcouns@uoguelph.ca.

Absolutely! Many students decide to pursue minors in diverse areas, and the Engineering Program Counsellor is able to help you with this.

All engineering programs at the University of Guelph have a common first semester. This makes it quite easy to transfer from one program to another in first year without extending the length of time it takes to complete your degree. The Engineering Program Counsellor can help you with this decision.

Because of accreditation, all engineering students must take 4 electives (ie. 4 half credit courses) in areas other than science or engineering. You might choose business, geography, music, philosophy, political science, history, psychology or sociology courses.  The electives you can select from are outlined in the Program Guide that each Engineering student will follow throughout their course of study.

There are only graduate courses offered in Engineering during the summer. Visit Registrarial Services to see the listing.

1. Study Overseas on an International Exchange: The School of Engineering facilitates the opportunity to study for an academic term, at a number of overseas universities.
2. Pursue Studies in International/Engineering Program of Studies: The School of Engineering, in combination with Resources Planning Development, allows students to develop minors in international studies while also pursuing engineering studies

There are two types of entrance awards at the University of Guelph: scholarships and financial needs awards. 

Scholarships are merit based and typically awarded using the admissions average.  Some entrance scholarships do not require a separate scholarship application.  Other scholarships seek additional criteria, like extracurricular activities, demonstration of leadership, and volunteerism and thus require an application.  Students are encouraged to visit Financial Services to identify these types of awards and review the application process.

Financial Need Awards are awarded primarily on the level of financial need the student demonstrates, with consideration also given to academic achievement.  Students complete the on-line Financial Need Assessment Form for Entrance Awards once and the University of Guelph will use this assessment for consideration of all entrance awards that have a financial need component.  Students should complete this form as soon as they receive their admission application Acknowledgement Packages from Admission Services early in the calendar year.

For more information about Entrance Awards and Scholarships visit the main Admissions website.

Yes, you must maintain an average of 80% to keep your entrance scholarship.

As many students as possible can be a part of a cluster.

A personal computer is not required. Engineering students will receive a computing account on the engineering server in their first week of classes. This gives them access to the entire computer network and our computer labs 24 hours/day. The library also now has 200 laptops with wireless connectivity available for borrowing for up to 2 hours at a time.

In your first year, you’ll need to use a computer for the first year programming course, engineering graphics labs (using AutoCAD, which is provided for you on our computers) and some assignments in Matlab (also on our computers for your use). You will use word processing and spreadsheet programs in some labs and assignments.

Some students prefer to work on campus so that they can have faculty, teaching assistants and other students close by for support, in which case you can use computers in our labs. If you prefer to work independently at home or in residence, a computer might be a consideration for you as your residence fees include a high-speed network Ethernet connection that gives unlimited access. To connect your PC to the high-speed network, you will need an network interface card. For more information, visit Computing and Communication Services.

The first year programming course is an introductory course and does not require you to have a background in programming from high school.  If you are really concerned about this and want to get a head start for next fall, you could pick up a book on programming in C and try it out!

Based on admission averages from pervious years, the admission average is approximately 80% for regular stream and 83% for co op.

The Ontario High School Requirements are:

• English (ENG 4U)
• Advanced Functions (MHF 4U)
• Calculus (MCV 4U)
• 2 credits from Biology (SBI 4U), Chemistry (SCH 4U), Physics (SPH 4U)
• 1 additional 4U or 4M credit

For out of province admission requirements, please visit Admission Services.

Biomedical Engineering focuses on human health and understanding how the human body works both as a whole and on a molecular level for prevention and rehabilitation purposes. This major combines biomedical courses in anatomy, physiology, and pathology with engineering courses like electronics, mechanics and computer science.

Biological Engineering focuses on improving human, animal and plant life by using all types of biological applications. Students can choose from specializations in pharmaceuticals, food manufacturing, biomechanics, bioconversions, and the production of sustainable, bio-based materials. While Biological Engineering can include biomedical specializations, it is not limited to them.

Computer Engineering combines computer science with electrical engineering to develop systems and solutions for the technology industry. This major focuses on the science and tools behind designing, constructing, implementing and maintaining the types of software and hardware components found in modern computing systems.

Engineering Systems and Computing is the only program of its kind in Canada that focuses on designing integrated computer based engineering systems. Students learn how multiple computer-based systems work together to perform a single function. Includes a mix of courses that cover software development, computer hardware design, mechanics and energy transfer, and signal processing and optimization control.

Environmental Engineering provides students with an in-close look at our environment and the skills necessary to identify, prevent and reduce pollutants in our soil, water and air. Environmental Engineering focuses on the treatment of existing environmental challenges.

Water Resources Engineering focuses on the use and management of land and water resources in rural and urban areas. Students design and develop creative solutions to protect groundwater, soil, wetlands, streams and lakes to ensure that the development of new water supplies do not disrupt natural processes. Water Resources Engineering focuses on the conservation/protection of land and water.

Students can apply for Co-op directly from high school by checking the option on their OUAC Application. Transfer students and current students can apply for Co-op after completed one semester in Guelph Engineering. Entry into the Co-op program is based on space availability and academic standing.

To determine when you can select courses, please consult the Undergraduate Calendar under "Schedule of Dates." Also be sure to check your University of Guelph email account and WebAdvisor as they often send updates about the course selection period.

If you are considering transferring into Guelph Engineering, there is the opportunity to receive transfer credits. This process is quite lengthy, however, and requires that you apply for admission and send in all materials (including full course outlines) to Admissions Services so that the Admissions committee can review your application. No pre-assessments will be completed.

Once you have been admitted into the Bachelor of Engineering, the committee will review potential transfer credits. The Admissions Counsellor will contact you as soon as a decision regarding transfer credits has been confirmed.

A personal computer is not required. Engineering students will receive a computing account on the engineering server in their first week of classes. This gives them access to the entire computer network and our computer labs 24 hours/day. The library also now has 200 laptops with wireless connectivity available for borrowing for up to 2 hours at a time.

That being said, many students prefer to have their own laptop. Both Macs and PCs are compatible and many of our students use both of these systems.

For a personal tour of the School of Engineering, please contact
Jason Tyszka at: 

jtyszka@uoguelph.ca 
519.824.4120 Ext. 52433