¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

School of Engineering Science | Faculty of Applied Sciences
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calendar 2012 Summer

This program leads to a bachelor of applied science degree with a computer engineering option.

Engineering science students develop skills in systems design with a high level of scientific knowledge. This demanding program is aimed at the superior student. The program produces well educated, innovative engineer/scientists with entrepreneurial skills and attitudes who are oriented to new technologies. Program entry is competitive.

Students undertake a basic core of pure, applied and engineering sciences followed by studies in a specialized option. The general BASc program may be completed in four years, which includes eight terms.

ENSC courses emphasize learning, conceptualization, design and analysis. Built into the program are courses on social impacts of technology, finance, management, design methods and entrepreneurship intended to complement scientific studies. A special, integrated communications course completed throughout the program ensures that all graduates have the communication skills necessary to be effective engineers.

The dynamic, on-going development and application of computer and digital systems requires computer systems engineers to have a balanced capability in software and hardware, and a solid engineering base.

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements

The program begins each fall term. However, admitted students may enter in any term.

For detailed University admission requirements, visit . For more detailed School of Engineering Science admission information, visit , or send an email to asadvise@sfu.ca

Minimum ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements

Applicants must be eligible for University admission, must submit a University application, and must have successfully completed the following high school courses: physics 12, mathematics 12, chemistry 12, and English 12.

External Transfer from Another Post-Secondary Institution

Students transferring from other universities, regional colleges, or technical institutions must be eligible for University admission, and must submit a University application. External transfer applicants may apply to begin study in any term and must have an admission average of 2.5.

Internal Transfer from Another ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Program

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV students who wish to transfer to engineering science from another faculty must have a ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.25 and must have been enrolled in at least 12 ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV units in the term prior to requesting the transfer to the School of Engineering Science.

Minimum Grade Requirement

A C- grade or better in prerequisite courses is required to register in engineering science courses.

Minimum Grade Point Averages

The program requires a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and an upper division grade point average (UDGPA) each of at least 2.0 in accordance with University graduation requirements.

Co-operative Education Work Experience

Every engineering science student completes a three term co-operative education program of practical experience in an appropriate industrial or research setting leading to a project under the technical direction of a practising engineer or scientist. The goal is a complementary combination of work in an industrial or research setting and study in one of the engineering options. The internship may be within the University but in most cases the work site is off campus.

After the first year, students typically alternate between academic and work terms.

At least two of the three mandatory work terms must be completed in industry (ENSC 195, 295, 395). Students may participate in additional work terms but are encouraged to seek diversity in their experience. The three mandatory work terms may include one special co-op term (ENSC 196, 296, 396). Special co-op may include, but is not restricted to, self-directed, entrepreneurial, service or research co-op work terms. Permission of the engineering science co-op office is required.

An optional non-technical work term (ENSC 194) is also available through the engineering science co-operative education office and is often completed after the first two study terms. ENSC 194 does not count toward the mandatory three course requirement.

Program Requirements

Students complete the engineering science core course requirements as shown below, which includes additional course requirements for this computer engineering option. These courses provide basic science, general studies, engineering science, specialized engineering and science, and project and laboratory work.

This program’s core course requirements consist of non-technical courses which broaden education and develop awareness of social, economic and managerial factors affecting engineering and scientific work.

Although there is no strict requirement to complete the curriculum in the sequence that is strongly suggested by the school, deviating from the course completion schedule may lead to scheduling and prerequisite problems in subsequent terms. To view the suggested course schedule, visit 

Prior approval by the director of the school is required if the student plans a term with fewer than 15 course units.

Core Course Requirements

Students complete all of

• CHEM 121-4 General Chemistry and Laboratory
• CMPT 128-3 Introduction to Computing Science and Programming for Engineers
• CMPT 225-3 Data Structures and Programming
• CMPT 275-4 Software Engineering
• CMPT 300-3 Operating Systems I
• ECON 103-4 Principles of Microeconomics
• ENSC 100-3 Engineering Technology and Society
• ENSC 101-1 Writing Process, Persuasion and Presentations
• ENSC 102-1 Form, Style and Professional Genres
• ENSC 150-3 Introduction to Computer Design
• ENSC 201-3 The Business of Engineering
• ENSC 204-1 Graphical Communication for Engineering
• ENSC 215-3 Microcontroller/Assembly Programming
• ENSC 220-3 Electric Circuits I
• ENSC 224-3 Electronic Devices
• ENSC 225-4 Microelectronics I
• ENSC 250-3 Introduction to Computer Architecture
• ENSC 304-1 Human Factors and Usability Engineering
• ENSC 305-1 Project Documentation and Team Dynamics
• ENSC 320-3 Electric Circuits II
• ENSC 325-4 Microelectronics II
• ENSC 327-4 Communication Systems
• ENSC 350-3 Digital Systems Design
• ENSC 351-4 Real Time and Embedded Systems
• ENSC 380-3 Linear Systems
• ENSC 383-4 Feedback Control Systems
• ENSC 406-2 Social Responsibility and Professional Practice
• ENSC 440-4 Capstone Engineering Science Project
• ENSC 450-4 VLSI Systems Design
• MACM 101-3 Discrete Mathematics I
• MACM 201-3 Discrete Mathematics II
• MACM 316-3 Numerical Analysis I
• MATH 152-3 Calculus II
• MATH 232-3 Elementary Linear Algebra
• MATH 251-3 Calculus III
• MATH 310-3 Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations
• PHYS 131-2 General Physics Laboratory I
• STAT 270-3 Introduction to Probability and Statistics

and one of

• MATH 150-4 Calculus I with Review
• MATH 151-3 Calculus I

and one of

• PHYS 120-3 Modern Physics and Mechanics
• PHYS 125-3 Mechanics and Special Relativity
• PHYS 140-4 Studio Physics – Mechanics and Modern Physics*

and one of

• PHYS 121-3 Optics, Electricity and Magnetism
• PHYS 126-3 Electricity, Magnetism and Light
• PHYS 141-4 Studio Physics – Optics, Electricity and Magnetism

*students with credit for both PHYS 140 and 141 are not required to complete PHYS 131

Elective Course Requirements

Complementary Studies Elective Courses

In addition, students must also complete two complementary studies courses chosen from the complementary studies list that is available at  Note that students must complete an acceptable Breadth-Humanities course and should choose this elective course with that in mind. A pre-approved complementary studies course list is available at  Other courses may be acceptable with undergraduate curriculum committee chair approval.

Engineering Science Elective Courses

As well, students must complete two of

• ENSC 424-4 Multimedia Communications Engineering
• ENSC 425-4 Electronic System Design
• ENSC 426-4 High Frequency Electronics
• ENSC 427-4 Communication Networks
• ENSC 428-4 Digital Communications
• ENSC 429-4 Digital Signal Processing
• ENSC 452-4 Advanced Digital System Design
• ENSC 472-4 Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Devices
• ENSC 474-4 Biomedical Signal and Image Processing
• ENSC 476-4 Biophotonics
• ENSC 481-4 Designing for Reliability
• ENSC 483-4 Modern Control Systems
• ENSC 488-4 Introduction to Robotics
• ENSC 489-4 Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing
• ENSC 495-4 Introducation to Microelectronic Fabrication

Special topics courses in the 400 division that have been approved by the undergraduate curriculum committee chair and the director can be counted here. With permission of the undergraduate curriculum committee chair, students may replace one engineering science elective with an engineering science directed studies course or a special project laboratory course. Such replacements for an engineering science elective must have four units and be 400 division courses.

Science Elective Courses

Students must also complete two science elective courses selected from a pre-approved science electives list that is available at 

Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements

Students admitted to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.

For engineering science students, these university requirements are modified as follows.

• for students in the computer engineering option, the total number of Breadth-Social Sciences (B-Soc) and Breadth-Humanities (B-Hum) courses is reduced to three courses, with at least one course in each category
• the B-Sci requirements are waived for engineering science students who complete PHYS 125 and 126 instead of PHYS 120 and 121

In addition, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) requires that one complementary studies elective in the ENSC curriculum must be in the Central Issue, Methodology, and Thought Process category.

Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit

The University’s residency requirement stipulates that, in most cases, total transfer and course challenge credit may not exceed 60 units, and may not include more than 15 units as upper division work.

Elective Courses

In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.

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