Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

School of Engineering Science

Common Core

All Year 1 students follow the same core curriculum. This is aimed at providing a deep foundation of technical know-how and exposing undergraduates to all the various fields they might later specialize in.

ENSC Schedule for First Year

Enroll in your courses via the Student Information System. Deviation from the suggested courses may delay your graduation and should be discussed with an Engineering Science Advisor. Students have the option of following the standard schedule (courses split across 3 terms) or the advanced schedule (2 terms with the summer off).

Year 1 (Standard schedule)

Term 1, Fall Term 2, Spring Term 3, Summer
ENSC
151 – 4		 Intro to Software Development for Engineers ENSC 180-3 Introduction to Engineering Analysis CHEM 121-4 General Chemistry & Lab
ENSC 100W-3 Engineering, Science and Society* MATH 152-3 Calculus II PHYS 121-3 Optics, Electricity, and Magnetism
ENSC 105W-3 Process, Form and
Convention in Professional Genres		 MATH 232-3
 Applied Linear Algebra MATH 260 Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations
ENSC 120-2 Introduction to Electronics Laboratory Instruments* PHYS 120-3
 Mechanics and Modern Physics CMPL I First Complementary Studies Elective
MATH 151-3 Calculus I - or MATH 150        

 

Year 1 (Advanced schedule)

Term 1, Fall Term 2, Spring Term 3, Summer
ENSC
151 – 4		 Intro to Software Development for Engineers ENSC 180-3 Introduction to Engineering Analysis Term Break
ENSC 100W-3 Engineering, Science and Society* MATH 152-3 Calculus II
ENSC 105W-3 Process, Form and
Convention in Professional Genres		 MATH 232-3 Applied Linear Algebra
ENSC 120-2 Introduction to Electronics Laboratory Instruments*
 PHYS 121-3 Optics, Electricity, and Magnetism
MATH 151-3 Calculus I - or MATH 150 CHEM 121-4 General Chemistry & Lab
PHYS 120-3 Mechanics and Modern Physics
 CMPL I First Complementary Studies Elective

 

Year 2

Term 1, Fall Term 2, Spring Term 3, Summer
ENSC 204-1
 Graphical Communication for Engineering
 Co-op Term ENSC 225-4 Microelectronics
ENSC 220-4
 Electric Circuits I
 ENSC 254-4 Introduction to Computer Organization
ENSC 251-4 Software Design and Analysis for Engineers
 ENSC 280-3 Engineering Measurement & Data Analysis
ENSC 252-4 Fundamentals in Digital Logic and Design
 ENSC 320-4 Electric Circuits II
MATH 251-3 Calculus III MATH 254-3 OR CMPT 225-3  Vector & Complex Analysis (Biomedical, Electronics and Engineering Physics options only) OR
Data Structures & Programming (Computer Engineering & Systems options only)
MATH 260 Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations* (If not taken in Summer of 1st year)
  

The complete Engineering Science curriculum can be found in the online calendar. 

Course Guidance (First Semester)

ENSC100W/ENSC 105W or FAL X99

  • ENSC 100W/ENSC 105W: For students who HAVE met the English literacy requirement.
  • FAL X99: For students who HAVE NOT met the literacy requirement. (Please see this link to see how you can meet the literacy requirement) All students are required to have met the literacy requirement before they can enroll in a writing intensive course (labelled "W"). Over the course of your degree you are required to complete two "W" courses, the first of which is offered in your first semester of Engineering Science.

Note: If you are unsure of whether or not you have met the literacy requirement, check your transfer credit on goSFU. If you see FAL X99 listed you HAVE met the literacy requirement.

If you have started the engineering program, without FAL X99, you will encounter unavoidable scheduling conflicts in subsequent years.

ENSC 120-1

  • You MUST enroll in ENSC 120 in your first semester. Failure to enroll in ENSC 120 will mean you won't be able to enroll in ENSC 220 in 2nd year.  ENSC 220 is a prerequisite for many subsequent courses and you'll find yourself a full year behind if you do not enroll in ENSC 120 in your first semester. 

ENSC 151-4

  • You MUST enroll in ENSC 151 in your first semester. Failure to enroll in ENSC 151 will mean you won't be able to enroll in ENSC 251 or ENSC 252 in 2nd year. ENSC 251 and ENSC 252 are pre-requisites for subsequent courses so you'll find yourself a full year behind if you do not enroll in ENSC 151 in your first semester.

PHYS 120-3

  • Students can delay taking this course until Spring semester for a lighter course load but will need to attend in the Summer semester following first year if they choose to do this.

MATH 151-3

  • Students with a Math 12 grade of A or higher should enroll in MATH 151-3. Students with a Math 12 grade of B+ should enroll in MATH 150-4 instead. (The one more credit accounts for more extensive review. Both MATH 150-4 and MATH 151-3 are recognized in our curriculum.) Students with a Math 12 grade of  B- or B should enroll in MATH 100-3 (Math 100 is a pre-requisite course for Math 150 and 151).

PHYS 125/126

Note that first-year Engineering Science students with 85% or higher in Physics and Math 12 have the option of taking PHYS 125, instead of PHYS 120, during their first semester. PHYS 125 is an introductory physics course designed for students with strong backgrounds in physics and math. If you fit this profile, you are encouraged to consider taking PHYS 125, for the following reasons:

  • smaller class sizes (typically 40-50 people instead of 200-300)
  • special relativity is a significant part of the course
  • faculty-lead tutorial sessions
  • better integration of calculus
  • organized tours of research labs and discussions of modern topics
  • better preparation for second-year mechanics (which many students find difficult)

Tutorials and Labs

  • You must enroll in all related tutorials and labs during the same enrollment session in which you sign up for the lecture/course itself.

Need Help?

1. Please review the ‘NEW undergraduates’ instructions here

2. Technical Problems:  Having trouble with the on-line enrollment system, or have a question about the Student Information System? View here or email reginfo@sfu.ca

3. Difficulty enrolling in Engineering, Chemistry, Math , Physics or Computing Science courses: