Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Systems Design Engineering - Aeronautics

The program information below was valid for the fall 2023 term (September 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023). 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.

• Admit term(s) 
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Spring
• Delivery mode 
  • On-campus
• Length of program 
  • Students are required to complete the program in accordance with the University program time limits.
• Program type 
  • Collaborative
  • Master's
  • Research
• Registration option(s) 
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
• Study option(s) 
  • Thesis

• Minimum requirements 
  • An Honours Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least an overall 75% standing from a recognized university.
• Application materials 
  • Résumé
  • Supplementary information form
  • Transcript(s)
• References 
  • Number of references:  2
  • Type of references: 

    Academic. Applicants who completed their degree five or more years before the application date may submit 1 academic and 1 professional reference.

• English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Thesis option:

Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)

Courses 

• Students must successfully complete AVIA 601 Interdisciplinary Aeronautics, AVIA 602 Interdisciplinary Aeronautics Project, and 3 graduate courses (0.50 unit weight per course) counting towards degree credit from the University of Waterloo satisfying the following criteria:
  • At least 2 courses from Systems Design Engineering at the 500, 600 or 700 level.
  • A maximum of 1 course may be taken from outside the Faculty of Engineering but must be from the Faculties of Mathematics, Health, Environment or Science.
  • At most 1 course at the 500 level.
  • At least 1 course at the 600 level.
• This degree is offered through the Collaborative Aeronautics Program. This program, jointly offered by a range of departments/schools across several academic faculties, promotes the development of interdisciplinary perspectives on aeronautics. Collaborative Aeronautics Program students complete their specialist training in their respective home departments/schools, while working with colleagues from a variety of other departments/schools in core interdisciplinary courses (AVIA 601 and AVIA 602).
• All course selections are arranged by the supervisor(s) in consultation with the student and are subject to the approval of the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.
• Note: these requirements are in addition to satisfactory completion of any transitional courses that may be specified at the time of admission.
• Note: the Faculty of Engineering requires that no more than one-half of the courses used for credit toward a graduate degree may be taught by a candidate's supervisor(s). In the case of co-supervision in small research groups, it may be necessary to relax this rule; however, the student's file must contain a statement of formal approval from the Department and endorsement from the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research in the Faculty of Engineering.

Link(s) to courses

• Systems Design Engineering (SYDE) courses
• Aviation (AVIA) courses

Master's Seminar

• Students are required to present a research seminar based on their thesis at the Systems Design Engineering Graduate Colloquium or at a publicly attended seminar administered by their supervisor and advertised by the Department. The thesis readers should be invited to attend the seminar. 

Seminar Attendance

• Students are required to attend an average of four University of Waterloo research seminars per full-time term and two per part-time term. It is the student's responsibility to attach a list of seminars attended to their activity report.
• To earn the seminar attendance milestone, the Department records should show that the number of seminars a student has attended is, at least, four times the number of terms the student has been registered as a full-time student in the Department.

Master’s Thesis

• Students must submit a thesis embodying the results of independent research work to the satisfaction of an Examining Committee. The topic of the thesis must be applicable to Systems Design Engineering and Aeronautics and is arranged by the supervisor(s) and the student. The composition of the Examining Committee must be as follows:
  • The student’s supervisor(s).
  • At least one faculty member from within the Department of Systems Design Engineering.
  • At least one faculty member from outside the Department of Systems Design Engineering.
  • No more than one adjunct faculty member (including Professors Emeriti) may serve on the Examining Committee. Adjunct appointments require the approval of the Associate Dean, Graduate from the student’s home Faculty.
  • At least two of the faculty members on the committee must be tenure or tenure-track.