Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Nanotechnology

The program information below was valid for the fall 2019 term (September 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

Students are responsible for reviewing the general information and regulations section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

Program information

  • Admit term(s) 
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Spring
  • Delivery mode 
    • On-campus
  • Length of program 
    • The minimum period of registration for the Master's degree is two terms after an Honours Bachelor's degree or equivalent. The maximum time limit is six terms for the regular program and fifteen terms for the part-time program. Extensions beyond six terms must be approved by the Faculty Graduate Studies Office.
  • Program type 
    • Collaborative
    • Master's
    • Research
  • Registration option(s) 
    • Full-time
    • Part-time
  • Study option(s) 

Admission requirements

  • Minimum requirements 
    • The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering requires either (i) a 75% overall standing in the last two years, or equivalent, in a relevant four-year Honours Bachelor's degree or equivalent or (ii) a 75% overall standing or equivalent, in a relevant four-year Honours Bachelor's degree or equivalent, as the minimum requirement for admission to a Master's program for applicants educated at a Canadian institution. A 75% overall standing or equivalent, in a relevant four-year Honours Bachelor's degree or equivalent is the minimum requirement for admission to a Master's program for applicants educated outside of Canada.
    • At the time of admission, each student must have a faculty supervisor who has endorsed the recommendation for admission.
  • Application materials 
    • Résumé
    • Supplementary information form
    • Transcript(s)
  • References 
    • Number of references:  2
    • Type of references: 

      at least 1 academic
  • English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Degree requirements

    Thesis option:

  • Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)
  • Courses 
    • Students must complete a total of at least 5 courses (0.50 unit weight) including 2 required Nanotechnology core courses and 3 elective courses from the list of technical electives, the choice of courses must meet with the approval of the supervisor.
    • Students who have completed their Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) degree in Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo will not be required to take the 2 core courses. Instead, they can choose all graduate courses from the list of technical electives to meet the total course credit requirement.
    • Nanotechnology core courses:
      • NANO 701 Fundamentals of Nanotechnology (students must complete any 2 of the 0.25 unit weight modules)
      • NANO 702 Nanotechnology Tools (students must complete any 2 of the 0.25 unit weight modules)
    • Technical elective courses:
      • (a) Micro/nano Instruments and Devices
        • BIOL 642 Current topics in Biotechnology
        • CHEM 720 Topic 13 Selected Topics in Analytical Chemistry: Biosensors and Nanotechnology
        • CHEM 750 Topic 17 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Surface Science and Nanotechnology
        • CHEM 750 Topic 23 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Processes at Micro-Nano Scales
        • CHEM 750 Topic 27 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Nanotechniques
        • ME 738 Special Topics in Materials: Materials for NEMS and MEMS
        • ME 760 Special Topics in Thermal Engineering
        • ME 780 Special Topics in Mechatronics
        • SYDE 682 Advanced MicroElectroMechanical Systems: Principles, Design & Fabrication
        • SYDE 750 Topic 24 Topics in Systems Modelling: Modelling, Simulation and Design of MEMS
      • (b) Nanoelectronics Design and Fabrication
        • CHE 620 Applied Engineering Mathematics
        • CHEM 750 Topic 11 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Bioelectronics
        • CHEM 750 Topic 19 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Carbon Nanotube Electronics
        • ECE 630 Physics and Models of Semiconductor Devices
        • ECE 631 Microelectronic Processing Technology
        • ECE 632 Photovoltaic Energy Conversion
        • ECE 633 Nanoelectronics
        • ECE 634 Organic Electronics
        • ECE 635 Fabrication in the Nanoscale: Principles, Technology, & Applications
        • ECE 636 Advanced Analog Integrated Circuits
        • ECE 637 Digital Integrated Circuits
        • ECE 639 Characteristics & Applications of Amorphous Silicon
        • ECE 672 Optoelectronic Devices
        • ECE 676 Quantum Information Processing Devices
        • ECE 677 Quantum Electronics and Photonics
        • ECE 730 Topic 10 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Advanced Technology for Semiconductor Processing
        • ECE 730 Topic 11 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Physics and Modeling of Semiconductor Devices
        • ECE 730 Topic 19 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Magnetism and Spintronics
        • ECE 730 Topic 26 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: MBE and Quantum Nano Devices
        • ECE 730 Topic 28 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Physics of Nanoscale Devices
        • ECE 730 Topic 29 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Computational Nanoelectronics
        • ECE 770 Topic 18 Special Topics in Antenna and Microwave Theory: Nanoelectronics for QIP
        • ECE 770 Topic 21 Special Topics in Antenna and Microwave Theory: Quantum Optics & Nanophotonics
        • PHYS 713 Molecular Physics
        • PHYS 731 Solid State Physics 1
        • PHYS 747 Optical Electronics
      • (c) Nano-biosystems
        • BIOL 608 Advanced Molecular Genetics
        • BIOL 614 Bioinformatics Tools and Techniques
        • BIOL 629 Cell Growth and Differentiation
        • BIOL 642 Current Topics in Biotechnology
        • BIOL 670 Photobiology
        • BIOL 678 Current topics in Neurophysiology
        • CHE 622 Statistics in Engineering
        • CHE 660 Principles of Biochemical Engineering
        • CHE 760 Special Topics in Biochemical Engineering
        • CHE 765 Research Topics in Biochemical Engineering
        • CHEM 737 Enzymes
        • ECE 730 Topic 25 Special Topics in Solid State Devices: Microfluidic & Nanobiotech Systems
        • PHYS 751 Clinical Applications of Physics in Medicine
        • PHYS 752 Molecular Biophysics
      • (d) Nanomaterials
        • CHE 610 Theory and Application of Transport Phenomena
        • CHE 612 Interfacial Phenomena
        • CHE 622 Statistics in Engineering
        • CHE 630 Chemical Reactor Analysis
        • CHE 640 Principles of Polymer Science
        • CHE 641 Physical Properties of Polymers (cross-listed with CHEM 771)
        • CHE 740 Special Topics in Polymer Science and Engineering
        • CHE 745 Research Topics in Polymer Science and Engineering
        • CHE 750 Special Topics in Materials Science: Thin Film Fabrications & Mechanical Properties
        • CHE 755 Research Topics in Electrochemical Engineering, Interfacial Engineering & Material Science
        • CHEM 710 Topic 17 Selected Topics in Inorganic Chemistry: Nanostructured Materials and Integrative Chemistry
        • CHEM 713 Chemistry of Inorganic Solid State Materials
        • CHEM 720 Topic 14 Selected Topics in Analytical Chemistry: Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Clean Environment
        • CHEM 750 Topic 17 Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Surface Science and Nanotechnology
        • CHEM 770 Principles of Polymer Science

        • CHEM 773 Topic 11 Selected Topics in Polymer Chemistry: Synthesis, Self-assembly and Materials Application of Inorganic Polymers

        • CHEM 773 Topic 14 Selected Topics in Polymer Chemistry: Living Polymerization Techniques

        • CHEM 773 Topic XX Selected Topics in Polymer Chemistry: Noncovalent Interactions & Supramolecular Chemistry

        • ME 632 Experimental Methods in Materials Engineering
        • ME 738 Special Topics in Materials: Materials for NEMS and MEMS
        • ME 738 Topic 8 Special Topics in Materials: Introductory and Advanced Nanomechanics
        • PHYS 701 Quantum Mechanics 1
        • PHYS 704 Statistical Physics 1
        • PHYS 706 Electromagnetic Theory
        • PHYS 773 Special Topics
    • Students may be required at any time to withdraw from the program if they fail to maintain a minimum grade of 65% in each of the 5 courses and a cumulative average of at least 70% in the coursework portion of their approved study program or if they fail to receive satisfactory progress reports regarding their research activities.
    • The Department may recommend that credit be allowed for courses taken at other institutions. In special cases, 1 course (0.50 unit weight) may be approved.
  • Link(s) to courses
  • Nanotechnology Seminar
    • This seminar is a forum for student presentation of research results or proposals. The range of topics that will be addressed in the seminar crosses all areas of research in the collaborative program. Each student is required to present at least 1 Nanotechnology research seminar over the course of the degree. The Nanotechnology Seminar may simultaneously count towards the Master’s Seminar requirement of the ECE Department.
  • Master's Seminar
    • Students are required to present a seminar on their thesis topic as part of the degree requirements. The purpose of this seminar is to develop the student's ability to communicate the results of a research work in an organized and informative manner. The seminar is not an oral examination of the thesis. The seminar should be held during the term the thesis is submitted to the readers. The supervisor(s), plus one other Faculty member must be in attendance at the seminar in order for the student to receive credit.
  • Master’s Thesis
    • The topic of the thesis and the choice of the required 5 courses of graduate coursework are arranged by students and their faculty supervisor. Each student's program is subject to approval by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department. Students must maintain continuous active registration until the thesis requirements are completed. The research work leading to the thesis must be performed under the direction of the faculty supervisor(s) and is finally approved and accepted by at least three readers. The readers will consist of the supervisor(s) plus a minimum of two other faculty members.
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