Hi! I've just accepted my offer for engineering and I have a question about taking an elective other than one from the complementary electives. I emailed McMaster and they said it isn't uncommon for engineering students to take other electives, but you will have to make it up eventually through either summer courses (I don't want to do this) or taking the complementary elective at a later time. So I am wondering how taking the course at a later time would work. I'm hoping someone could tell me when I could take that other complementary elective, what effect it would have on my timetable further down the line, and lastly, would it even be worth it? I know this is a lot of questions but I just want to make an informed decision!

Thanks

Hah, is that what they told you? Anything to make students enroll in more courses i suppose...

How it all works is to get your degree you have to fill a little checklist (to see yours, find your Degree Audit on MUGSI). On that checklist is X units of "Complementary Electives". Not electives. Complementary electives are from that shitty list. You will never get free electives. If you want to take something outside of the list, you're paying for a course that will not count towards your degree.

There is a way around this though, but it does not apply to 4 year programs.
Join a Engineering and Society program. Have you heard of Macs 5 year programs like Society and Management? If you're in Society you drop the requirement to get electives from that god forsaken list so you can pursue a minor in whatever your heart desires. Say you're really into Physics courses, you can take your physics courses as your electives in first year, and in first year they will not count towards your degree. But when you enter second year, join Engineering and Society, and declare Physics as a minor you're pursuing, you can continue taking phys courses and your previous physics courses now are under a real section on your Degree Audit.

As far as i know, thats the only cheat. At the end of the day you need to fulfill your degree requirements according to Degree Audit to get your B. Eng - and it says outright you need electives from that list.

The engineering timetable is pretty tight for all programs, especially if you are avoiding summer courses. If things are still the same this would put six courses in one of your upper year terms instead of five. This isn't such a bad thing, but you might want that space for other things down the road (extra curriculars, make-up courses, etc).

I think if the course is really interesting to you then you should go for it. But maybe ask around and try to find some reviews, see if people have liked the course.

You only get 2 electives and thats pretty much done in first year. You don't have to take them right away to lighten your load. If you can somehow get the elective in your timetable, great. If you can't too bad cause your engineering courses take priority. As said, take a society (more choice) or management (for business) if you want to do electives. Many people also split their years to take electives they want to do a minor. But just for the sake of completing your engineering degree, the electives must be on the approved list

Alright, thanks a lot for the help guys. I did hear about the engineering and society/management at the open house so I'll definitely look into that. As far as the elective goes, I was looking at the astronomy course but since that's something I really could learn on my own time, I think I'll just stick to the complementary list even though none of the choices really interest me . Gotta do what ya gotta do though.

If you really want to take an elective not on the list, don't let anything stop you. You can always do a good 4 courses during the summer. University is about learning. Society would be a good option to look at. Also worth nothing astronomy is at least on the software elective list. And if you really want to take a course, see if you can get special consideration from the Deans office.

Taking electives is pretty mandatory. Those are the courses that will bring your marks up so definitely they are worth it. If you have low marks in first year, take 4 electives in summer and it will bring up your marks. Gluck