The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo is involved in three undergraduate degrees. All degrees offered by the faculty are Honours. The Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) degree is earned by all graduating undergraduates from: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering, Management Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Nanotechnology Engineering, and Systems Design Engineering. The Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) degree is earned by students graduating from the pre-professional Architecture program. The Bachelor of Software Engineering (BSE) degree is earned by graduating undergraduates from the Software Engineering program. The Software Engineering program is jointly administered by the Faculties of Mathematics and Engineering. The program is described in both the Engineering and Mathematics sections of the calendar. There is only one program and these descriptions are identical. Except for the specific differences noted in the Software Engineering program description or in the introduction, the various items described in this section apply to both the BSE and the BASc students. It should also be noted that in this section, reference to an Engineering student refers to students enrolled in the BAS, BASc, or BSE degree.
The preparation for an engineering or architecture career includes both formal academic studies at a university and intensive training in the practice of engineering or architecture. A similar pattern is to be found in preparation for careers in medicine or law, and is characteristic of any development of professional competence. Co-operative studies for Engineering students at the University of Waterloo provide a completely integrated pattern of academic study and industrial experience in various phases of engineering or architecture with ultimate graduation requiring satisfactory performance in both areas. The degree program covers almost five calendar years, comprising eight terms each of about four months' duration of university work on campus which are pursued alternately with six four-month terms of supervised training in the practical experiences fundamental to the development of the graduate engineer. The total time spent in academic study is the same as that encountered in the usual course of four "academic years."