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

The program information below was valid for the winter 2023 term (January 1, 2023 - April 30, 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.

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 normal duration of this program is 16 months.
  • Program type 
    • Collaborative
    • Master's
    • Research
  • Registration option(s) 
    • Full-time
  • Study option(s) 

Admission requirements

  • 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)

Degree requirements

    Thesis option:

  • Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)
  • Courses 
    • Students must complete 4 half credit courses (0.50 unit weight) including NANO 600 Introduction to Nanotechnology, 1 nanotechnology core course, and 2 elective courses.
    • Note: it is possible that some students may need to take additional courses to meet the specific course requirements of the collaborative program.
    • Nanotechnology core courses:
      • NANO 601 Characterization of Nanomaterials
      • NANO 602 Structure and Spectroscopy of Nanoscale Materials
      • NANO 603 Nanocomposites
      • NANO 604 Nanomechanics and Molecular Dynamics Simulations
      • NANO 605/SYDE 683 Design of MEMS & NEMS
      • NANO 606/SYDE 682 Advanced MicroElectroMechanical Systems: Physics, Design & Fabrication
    • Core courses are designed to provide the base knowledge and skill set required to prepare students for more specialized courses and to conduct interdisciplinary nanoscale research.
    • Students holding a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) degree in Nanotechnology Engineering or Master’s degree in Nanotechnology at the University of Waterloo can not take NANO 600. Instead, they can choose 1 course from the list of nanotechnology core courses.
    • 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
  • Nanotechnology Seminar
    • This seminar is a forum for student presentation of research results or proposals. Invited speakers from academia and industry will also present results of research from time to time. 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 one research seminar. To receive credit, students are required to attend seminars according to the Department’s Seminar Policy posted on the Department of Systems Design Engineering website.
  • Master's Seminar
    • Students are required to present a research seminar based on their thesis at the Systems Design Engineering Graduate Colloquium. The Department will contact seminar candidates with scheduling information. 
  • Seminar Attendance
    • Students are required to attend an average of four University of Waterloo research seminars per full-time term. It is the student's responsibility to submit their "Seminar Attendance Certificates" attached 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 composition of the Examining Committee must be consistent with the committee composition outlined in the Faculty of Engineering minimum requirements section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar. The topic of the thesis is arranged by the supervisor(s) and the student.
Systems Design Engineering website
Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Systems Design Engineering - Nanotechnology future students program page