The Systems Design Engineering Academic Curriculum
The Systems Design curriculum consists of two course groupings:
- Compulsory core courses that prepare the student for practice in engineering and comprise 70% to 80% of the course load.
- Elective courses that comprise 20% to 30% of the course load.
The following is the current core course curriculum with the course weight shown in square brackets [ ] next to each course. For those students who began in an earlier year, consult an earlier Calendar. Students should contact the Systems Design Engineering website for more details on the transition.
Term 1A (Fall)
- SYDE 101 [0.25] Communications in Systems Design Engineering-Written and Oral
- SYDE 101L [0.25] Communications in Systems Design Engineering-Visualization
- SYDE 111 [0.50] Calculus 1
- SYDE 113 [0.25] Elementary Engineering Math
- SYDE 121 [0.50] Digital Computation
- SYDE 161 [0.50] Introduction to Design
- SYDE 181 [0.50] Physics 1 (Statics)
Term 1B (Spring)
- SYDE 102 [0.00] Seminar
- SYDE 112 [0.50] Calculus 2
- SYDE 114 [0.25] Matrices and Linear Systems
- SYDE 162 [0.50] Human Factors in Design
- SYDE 192 [0.50] Digital Systems
- SYDE 192L [0.25] Digital Systems Laboratory
- SYDE 223 [0.50] Data Structures and Algorithms
- One Complementary Studies Elective
Term 2A (Winter)
Term 2B (Fall)
- SYDE 202 [0.00] Seminar
- SYDE 212 [0.50] Probability and Statistics
- SYDE 252 [0.50] Linear Systems and Signals
- SYDE 262 [0.50] Engineering Economics of Design
- SYDE 286 [0.50] Mechanics of Deformable Solids
- SYDE 292 [0.50] Circuits, Instrumentation, and Measurements
- SYDE 292L [0.25] Circuits, Instrumentation, and Measurements Laboratory
- WKRPT 200 [0.13] Work-term Report
Term 3A (Spring)
Term 3B (Winter)
- SYDE 302 [0.00] Seminar
- SYDE 312 [0.50] Applied Linear Algebra
- SYDE 352 [0.50] Introduction to Control Systems
- SYDE 352L [0.25] Control Systems Laboratory
- SYDE 362 [0.50] Systems Design Methods 2: Testing, Verification, and Validation
- One Technical Elective
- One Complementary Studies Elective
Term 4A (Fall)
- SYDE 401 [0.00] Seminar
- SYDE 411 [0.50] Optimization and Numerical Methods
- SYDE 461 [0.50] Systems Design Capstone Project 1
- Two Technical Electives
- One Technical or Complementary Studies Elective
- WKRPT 400 [0.13] Work-term Report
4B (Winter)
- SYDE 402 [0.00] Seminar
- SYDE 462 [0.50] Systems Design Capstone Project 2
- Three Technical Electives
- One Complementary Studies Elective
Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) Requirements
To determine the suitability of elective courses, students should complete the CEAB planner located on the Systems Design Engineering website. In addition to meeting CEAB requirements, the student's course selections (as reported in their planner) should be logical and defensible. Two CEAB planners must be completed and submitted to the associate chair for undergraduate studies, one planner for approval purposes in the student's 3A term, and one planner for graduation purposes at the end of the student's 4A term.
Students with combinations of electives that result in a plan that does not meet the CEAB criteria will not be permitted to graduate.
Complementary Studies Electives
In addition to the two courses in the core curriculum (SYDE 261 and SYDE 262), at least four elective courses must be chosen to satisfy the Complementary Studies Requirements for Engineering Students. Only courses noted in Lists A, B, C, and D are Faculty-approved complementary studies elective courses. Students may arrange the sequencing of the complementary studies elective courses to suit their academic plan (and any course prerequisites).
Technical Electives
Students must complete a minimum of six department-approved technical electives (TEs) to meet graduation requirements. Students may arrange the sequencing of the technical elective courses to suit their plan (and any course prerequisites).
The Department of Systems Design Engineering offers a wide variety of technical elective courses in the third and fourth year. Students are encouraged to design their own elective package to develop expertise in their particular interest area (see the Technical Elective Package section below). Approved technical elective courses are available from Systems Design Engineering, from other Engineering departments, and from a wide list of technical courses in the faculties of Science and Mathematics. Only courses from Engineering and Computer Science will contribute towards CEAB hours in the categories of "Engineering Science" and "Engineering Design." Some examples are listed below.
Biomedical Engineering
- BME 499 Elective Biomedical Research Project
- BME 550 Sports Engineering
- BME 551 Biomechanics of Human Movement
- BME 581 Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
- BME 587 Special Topics in Biomedical Signals
- BME 588 Special Topics in Biomechanics
- BME 589 Special Topics in Biomedical Devices
Civil Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
- ECE 254 Operating Systems and Systems Programming
- ECE 356 Database Systems
- ECE 358 Computer Networks
- ECE 406 Algorithm Design and Analysis
- ECE 457B Fundamentals of Computational Intelligence
- ECE 459 Programming for Performance
- ECE 484 Digital Control Applications
Management Sciences
- MSCI 343 Human-Computer Interaction
- MSCI 432 Production and Service Operations Management
- MSCI 446 Introduction to Machine Learning
- MSCI 555 Scheduling: Theory and Practice
Mechanical Engineering
- ME 321 Kinematics and Dynamics of Machines
- ME 574 Engineering Biomechanics
Mechatronics Engineering
- MTE 241 Introduction to Computer Structures & Real-Time Systems
- MTE 325 Microprocessor Systems and Interfacing for Mechatronics Engineering
- MTE 544 Autonomous Mobile Robots
Systems Design Engineering
Technical Elective Packages
The Department has identified four technical elective areas within its current offerings. Additional information regarding elective packages may be obtained from the associate chair for undergraduate studies. Students may choose a technical elective package from the four areas identified below to help them in their selection of technical electives. Choosing a specific elective package is not mandatory. Students do not receive any official notification on their transcript for completing an elective package.
Human Systems Engineering
The elective courses in this package are as follows:
3B (Winter)
- SYDE 544 Biomedical Measurement and Signal Processing
- SYDE 548 User Centred Design Methods
4A (Fall)
4B (Winter)
- SYDE 542 Interface Design
- SYDE 544 Biomedical Measurement and Signal Processing
- SYDE 572 Introduction to Pattern Recognition
Intelligent Systems
The elective courses in this package are as follows:
3B (Winter)
- SYDE 322 Software Design
- SYDE 531 Design Optimization Under Probabilistic Uncertainty
- SYDE 544 Biomedical Measurement and Signal Processing
- SYDE 552 Computational Neuroscience
- SYDE 572 Introduction to Pattern Recognition
4A (Fall)
4B (Winter)
- SYDE 522 Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
- SYDE 531 Design Optimization Under Probabilistic Uncertainty
- SYDE 544 Biomedical Measurement and Signal Processing
- SYDE 548 User Centred Design Methods
- SYDE 552 Computational Neuroscience
- SYDE 572 Introduction to Pattern Recognition
Societal and Environmental Systems
Note: Additional experience can be gained by doing related workshop projects in SYDE 362, SYDE 461, and SYDE 462.
The elective courses in this package are as follows:
3B (Winter)
- SYDE 334 Applied Statistics
- SYDE 531 Design Optimization Under Probabilistic Uncertainty
- SYDE 532 Introduction to Complex Systems
- SYDE 572 Introduction to Pattern Recognition
4A (Fall)
4B (Winter)
- SYDE 334 Applied Statistics
- SYDE 522 Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
- SYDE 531 Design Optimization Under Probabilistic Uncertainty
- SYDE 532 Introduction to Complex Systems
- SYDE 572 Introduction to Pattern Recognition
Systems Modelling and Analysis
Note: The elective package structure is such that the students enrolled in this elective package can take additional courses, possibly from other departments, in order to focus in any specific engineering discipline and at the same time obtain a strong systems modelling and design foundation.
The elective courses in this package are as follows:
3B (Winter)
- SYDE 552 Computational Neuroscience
- SYDE 572 Introduction to Pattern Recognition
4A (Fall)
4B (Winter)
- SYDE 532 Introduction to Complex Systems
- SYDE 552 Computational Neuroscience
- SYDE 572 Introduction to Pattern Recognition