Originally Posted by wintermelon

Software engineering should not be part of the engineering faculty. It's not exactly engineering in the same sense as all the other disciplines are, I don't think. I agree with aj that software is the only engineering discipline here that does not have much relevance to a lot of the first year courses compared to all the other disciplines.

Well then we should just have a Comp Sci degree program .... oh wait

Haha, yes, but you know they are not the same thing...but I software engineering is more on the comp sci. side of things I would think.

Okay so I'm going to kind of touch on a couple things.
First off the six course thing, ya it is a lot of courses but from what I've heard from friends who go to Waterloo, the work and the courses they have to take are WAY harder and Waterloo expects much higher marks in everything. Here you can have as low as a 60% average (meaning you can even have a 50% in a class) and stay in engineering. I don't think that's too bad. Nobody actually said that you have to take all those courses at once, I know a lot of people from last year who took 4 courses in the summer to lighten their load and they still got into the major they wanted.

Secondly, about the electives and the courses that we have to take. I was one of the people who knew exactly which major I wanted to go into when I came to Mac. I was set on it and I had been for about 3 years prior to coming here. Then I took the materials class. After about a month in that class I changed my mind completely. There was no way I would be in any other program except Materials Engineering. If I hadn't of gone into a general first year and taken the so called "pointless"course s, I would have ended up in a major that I would have hated. So knowing which major you want to do doesn't mean that a general first year is bad, I didn't like all my courses but it got me into the right program for me.

I guess. In any case, if you're interested about how engineering programs are accredited (i.e. what criteria must be met) check out the CEAB. http://www.engineerscanada.c a/e/ccpe_boards_2.cfm

To go along with alyssabriere's comment, I have a feeling this topic was spawned because of a dislike of the courses mentioned as "pointless."

Originally Posted by alyssabriere

Okay so I'm going to kind of touch on a couple things.
First off the six course thing, ya it is a lot of courses but from what I've heard from friends who go to Waterloo, the work and the courses they have to take are WAY harder and Waterloo expects much higher marks in everything. Here you can have as low as a 60% average (meaning you can even have a 50% in a class) and stay in engineering. I don't think that's too bad. Nobody actually said that you have to take all those courses at once, I know a lot of people from last year who took 4 courses in the summer to lighten their load and they still got into the major they wanted.

Waterloo definitely has much higher expectations, being THE engineering school in Canada, but from what I've heard the workload for first year at least seems lighter than what we're getting now, which would kinda makes sense, seeing as how there would be less need to weed out people in first year. *shrug*

Originally Posted by DannyV

To go along with alyssabriere's comment, I have a feeling this topic was spawned because of a dislike of the courses mentioned as "pointless."

Just the electives.

Originally Posted by wintermelon

Waterloo definitely has much higher expectations, being THE engineering school in Canada, but from what I've heard the workload for first year at least seems lighter than what we're getting now, which would kinda makes sense, seeing as how there would be less need to weed out people in first year. *shrug*

WTF...
Waterloo is THE Engineering College in Canada?
I mean overall it's below Mcmaster.
And In the technology list, its below
UofT, Mcgill & UBC.
P.S. Isn't Waterloo = Applied Science Degree?
and...
Applied Science Degree = Crap?

You guys do know we're not the only engineers with 6 courses..take a stop at rye high and you'll deal with 6 courses too..

My issue with the electives is that we are given restrictions to what electives we can take..do i find them pointless..well no, cause without these electives..i dont think eng and mgnt is possible..for the kids who r taking 1bb3 anyway..

err shouldnt u guys be studyin for physics..i'd worry more about that 50% exams instead of gettin a little fussy over electives

and i agree 100% with iman, this is general engineering and this is what u decided to apply for..if u rly wanted to go into a stream from the beginning, u should've just picked some other university and go into it then..general eng is also a gud thing ppl..cause remember u might not like something after u take it in university..take physics with jopko..fun fun fun (sarcasm)

Back on topic now: http://www.engineerscanada.c a/e/files/report_ceab.pdf

2.2.4 Complementary Studies: A minimum of 225 AU of studies in humanities, social sciences, arts, management, engineering economics and communication that complement the technical content of the curriculum.

While considerable latitude is provided in the choice of suitable courses for the complementary studies component of the curriculum, some areas of study are considered to be essential in the education of an engineer. Accordingly, the curriculum must include studies in engineering economics and on the impact of technology on society, and subject matter that deals with central issues, methodologies and thought processes of the humanities and social sciences. Provision must also be made to develop each student’s capability to communicate adequately, both orally and in writing.

Language courses may be included within complementary studies provided they are not taken to fulfill an admission requirement. However, course content which imparts language skills cannot be used to satisfy the requirements for subject matter that deals with central issues, methodologies and thought processes of the humanities and social sciences.

There you have it. Every accredited engineering program in Canada must abide by these criteria. Each school times the elective differently during the degree, but they all have to take electives nonetheless. As I said before, you can take electives when you want as long as you get them done.

Originally Posted by aj-maxx

WTF...
Waterloo is THE Engineering College in Canada?
I mean overall it's below Mcmaster.
And In the technology list, its below
UofT, Mcgill & UBC.
P.S. Isn't Waterloo = Applied Science Degree?
and...
Applied Science Degree = Crap?

Overall? What's that supposed to mean?

I think it is well known that Waterloo is the place to go for tech-related stuff, i.e. engineering, maths, etc., and just look at all the successful, famous companies they have spawned. You know that Maple software we use? Guess where it came from?

Anyways, I'm not trying to start a war here, I just thought this was common knowledge.

Originally Posted by kenvin100

You guys do know we're not the only engineers with 6 courses..take a stop at rye high and you'll deal with 6 courses too..

Somehow, that doesn't make me feel any better.

My issue with the electives is that we are given restrictions to what electives we can take..

Quoted for truth!

err shouldnt u guys be studyin for physics..i'd worry more about that 50% exams instead of gettin a little fussy over electives

I would be if I wasn't busy STUDYING FOR MY ELECTIVE. GWAAARARAGAHAGAA

and i agree 100% with iman, this is general engineering and this is what u decided to apply for..if u rly wanted to go into a stream from the beginning, u should've just picked some other university and go into it then..general eng is also a gud thing ppl..cause remember u might not like something after u take it in university..take physics with jopko..fun fun fun (sarcasm)

Yeah, but not all of us had the choice of going anywhere we wanted. Though I will admit, a common first year has given me a lot of time to consider my options.

@Danny: Thanks for the info.

/thread

Not to be an ass or anything, but who REALLY studies for their elective? I find my elective ridiculously easy... I didn't study for the midterm and still got a 70. If I DID study, I'm confident I'd've gotten at least 85.

Every school has restrictions on electives, because of that thing that DannyV posted... you can technically take whatever you want, it just won't count towards your degree though.

What are you taking for your elective? Mine is not hard either, it's just very time consuming to study for, and our prof made it quite clear that there's no way you can hope for a decent mark without preparing extensively for it.

Plus, considering that the electives are weighted no less than the required ones, it probably would be a very good idea to study, especially if it's easy. So get crackin, missy!

Hahaha, I'm taking linguistics. :P And I know I should be studying, but physics is more important!

What are you taking? Everyone I've talked to pretty much thinks their electives are jokes compared to math and physics.

Ah yes, the fabled linguistics class.

I'm taking Philosophy 1E03. It's not hard, but you actually have to use your brain, and there's lots of writing, and the lectures are so frustrating, because the philosophical arguments you learn about are all so stupid, and it fills me with unbridled rage. Also there's lot's of writing. Did I mention there is a lot of writing? Some advice to future engineers: DO NOT take this course. Not unless you really, really enjoy philosophy. Actually, not even if you really, really enjoy philosophy. I mean, if you really, really, REALLY enjoy philosophy that you're willing to let it wear a strap-on and...wait...never mind.

In conclusion: don't take Philosophy 1E03.

Quite an easy course, linguistics.

I learned from high school philosophy that if you want a high mark, you're in the WRONG COURSE! It requires a LOT of thinking, some things are just ridiculously dumb, and writing courses just are extremely difficult to get high marks in.

Good luck with your final, wintermelon. I hope you have a better elective next semester!