Program Requirements
Program credit weight: 142-152 credits
Program credit weight for Quebec CEGEP students: 122-123 credits
Program credit weight for out-of-province students: 142-143 credits
The B.Eng.; Major in Bioengineering will 1) provide students with the ability to apply systematic knowledge of biology, physical sciences and mathematics; and sound engineering foundations in order to solve problems of a biological nature; and 2) prepare students for the broad area of bioengineering, incorporating both biology-focused biological engineering and medicine-focused biomedical engineering.
Students will acquire fundamental knowledge in bioengineering-related natural sciences and mathematics, as well as in the foundations of general engineering and bioengineering. Students will also acquire knowledge in one area of specialization of bioengineering: 1) biological materials and biomechanics; 2) biomolecular and cellular engineering; or 3) biological information and computation
Required Year 0 (Freshman) Courses
29 credits
Generally, students admitted to Engineering from Quebec CEGEPs are granted transfer credits for Year 0 (Freshman) courses, except BIOL 112, and enter a 122-123-credit program. Students from Quebec CEGEPs who have successfully completed a course at CEGEP that is equivalent to BIOL 112 may obtain transfer credits for this course by passing the McGill Science Placement Exam for BIOL 112. For information on transfer credit for French Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate exams, Advanced Placement exams, Advanced Levels and Science Placement Exams, see www.mcgill.ca/engineering/student/sao/newstudents and select your term of admission.
-
BIOL 112 Cell and Molecular Biology (3 credits)
Overview
Biology (Sci) : The cell: ultrastructure, division, chemical constituents and reactions. Bioenergetics: photosynthesis and respiration. Principles of genetics, the molecular basis of inheritance and biotechnology.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Dent, Joseph Alan; L'Heureux, Anne-Marie; Schöck, Frieder (Winter)
Winter
2 hours lecture and 3 hours laboratory
Labs are held weekly, starting from the second week of term. Attendance at the first lab is mandatory to confirm registration in the course.
This course serves as an alternative to CEGEP objective code 00XU
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking CEGEP objective 00XU or equivalent;or BIOL 115; or AEBI 122
-
CHEM 110 General Chemistry 1 (4 credits)
Overview
Chemistry : A study of the fundamental principles of atomic structure, radiation and nuclear chemistry, valence theory, coordination chemistry, and the periodic table.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Sirjoosingh, Pallavi; Kakkar, Ashok K; McKeague, Maureen; Denisova, Irina (Fall)
Fall
Prerequisites/corequisites: College level mathematics and physics or permission of instructor; CHEM 120 is not a prerequisite
Each lab section is limited enrolment
-
CHEM 120 General Chemistry 2 (4 credits)
Overview
Chemistry : A study of the fundamental principles of physical chemistry.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sirjoosingh, Pallavi; Sewall, Samuel Lewis; Wiseman, Paul; Denisova, Irina (Winter)
Winter
Prerequisites/corequisites: College level mathematics and physics, or permission of instructor: CHEM 110 is not a prerequisite
Each lab section is limited enrolment
-
MATH 133 Linear Algebra and Geometry (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Systems of linear equations, matrices, inverses, determinants; geometric vectors in three dimensions, dot product, cross product, lines and planes; introduction to vector spaces, linear dependence and independence, bases. Linear transformations. Eigenvalues and diagonalization.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Macdonald, Jeremy; Ayala, Miguel; Branchereau, Romain; Giard, Antoine (Fall)
3 hours lecture, 1 hour tutorial
Prerequisite: a course in functions
Restriction(s): 1) Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UQ or equivalent. 2) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 123, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
-
MATH 140 Calculus 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of functions and graphs. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Sabok, Marcin; Trudeau, Sidney; Kalmykov, Artem (Fall)
3 hours lecture, 1 hour tutorial
Prerequisite: High School Calculus
Restriction(s): 1) Not open to students who have taken MATH139 or MATH 150 or CEGEP objective 00UN or equivalent. 2) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
-
MATH 141 Calculus 2 (4 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : The definite integral. Techniques of integration. Applications. Introduction to sequences and series.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Hassan, Hazem; Trudeau, Sidney; Zlotchevski, Andrei (Fall) Trudeau, Sidney (Winter)
Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UP or equivalent.
Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122,except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
-
PHYS 131 Mechanics and Waves (4 credits)
Overview
Physics : The basic laws and principles of Newtonian mechanics; oscillations, waves, and wave optics.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ragan, Kenneth J (Fall)
Fall
3 hours lectures; 1 hour tutorial, 3 hours laboratory in alternate weeks; tutorial sessions
Corequisite: MATH 139 or higher level calculus course.
Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking PHYS 101, or who have taken CEGEP objective 00UR or equivalent.
Laboratory sections have limited enrolment
-
PHYS 142 Electromagnetism and Optics (4 credits)
Overview
Physics : The basic laws of electricity and magnetism; geometrical optics.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Guo, Hong (Winter)
Winter
3 hours lectures, 3 hours laboratory in alternate weeks; tutorial sessions
Prerequisite: PHYS 131.
Corequisite: MATH 141 or higher level calculus course.
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking PHYS 102, or who have taken CEGEP objective 00US or equivalent.
Laboratory sections have limited enrolment
Note: FACC 100 (Introduction to the Engineering Profession) must be taken during the first year of study.
Required Non-Departmental Courses
30 credits
-
CHEM 212 Introductory Organic Chemistry 1 (4 credits) **
Overview
Chemistry : A fundamental study of aliphaticcompounds and saturated functional groups including modern concepts of bonding,reaction mechanisms,conformational analysis, spectroscopy, and stereochemistry.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Vlaho, Danielle; Huot, Mitchell; Pavelka, Laura; Tsantrizos, Youla S; Sirjoosingh, Pallavi; Luedtke, Nathan (Fall)
Fall, Summer
Restriction: Not open to students registered in Chemistry or Biochemistry. Not open to students who have taken or are taking CHEM 211, CHEM 242, or equivalent.
Each lab section is limited enrolment
Note: Some CEGEP programs provide equivalency for this course. For more information, please see the Department of Chemistry's Web page (http://www.chemistry.mcgill.ca/advising/outside/equivalent.htm).
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.
-
COMP 208 Computer Programming for Physical Sciences and
Engineering
(3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Programming and problem solving in a high level computer language: variables, expressions, types, functions, conditionals, loops, objects and classes. Introduction to algorithms such as searching and sorting. Modular software design, libraries, file input and output, debugging. Emphasis on applications in Physical Sciences and Engineering, such as root finding, numerical integration, diffusion, Monte Carlo methods.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Langer, Michael; Prémont-Schwarz, Isabeau (Fall) Prémont-Schwarz, Isabeau (Winter)
3 hours
Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 202, COMP 204, orGEOG 333; not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 206 or COMP 250.
COMP 202 is intended as a general introductory course, while COMP 208 is intended for students with sufficient math background and in (non-life) science or engineering fields.
-
FACC 100 Introduction to the Engineering Profession (1 credit) *
Overview
Faculty Course : Introduction to engineering practice; rights and code of conduct for students; professional conduct and ethics; engineer's duty to society and the environment; sustainable development; occupational health and safety; overview of the engineering disciplines taught at McGill.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Frost, David (Fall) Chen, Lawrence (Winter)
(1.5-0-1.5)
-
FACC 250 Responsibilities of the Professional Engineer
Overview
Faculty Course : A course designed to provide all Engineering students with further training regarding their responsibilities as future Professional Engineers. Particular focus will be placed on three professional characteristics that future engineers must demonstrate: i) professionalism, ii) ethical and equitable behaviour, and iii) consideration of the impact of engineering on society and the environment.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Razavinia, Nasim (Fall)
Restriction(s): Open to undergraduate students registered in the Bioengineering, Bioresource Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, and Software Engineering (Faculty of Engineering) programs. Not open to U0 (Year 0)students.
(0-0-0.5)
-
FACC 300 Engineering Economy (3 credits)
Overview
Faculty Course : Introduction to the basic concepts required for the economic assessment of engineering projects. Topics include: accounting methods, marginal analysis, cash flow and time value of money, taxation and depreciation, discounted cash flow analysis techniques, cost of capital, inflation, sensitivity and risk analysis, analysis of R and D, ongoing as well as new investment opportunities.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Jassim, Raad (Fall)
(3-1-5)
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MIME 310.
-
FACC 400 Engineering Professional Practice (1 credit)
Overview
Faculty Course : Laws, regulations and codes governing engineering professional practice. Responsibility and liability. Environmental legislation. Project and organization management. Relations between engineer and client. Technical practice - analysis, design, execution and operation.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Kirk, Andrew G (Fall)
-
MATH 203 Principles of Statistics 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Examples of statistical data and the use of graphical means to summarize the data. Basic distributions arising in the natural and behavioural sciences. The logical meaning of a test of significance and a confidence interval. Tests of significance and confidence intervals in the one and two sample setting (means, variances and proportions).
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Stephens, David; Correa, Jose Andres (Fall) Sajjad, Alia (Winter)
No calculus prerequisites
Restriction: This course is intended for students in all disciplines. For extensive course restrictions covering statistics courses see Section 3.6.1 of the Arts and of the Science sections of the calendar regarding course overlaps.
You may not be able to receive credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar. Students should consult http://www.mcgill.ca/students/transfercredit for information regarding transfer credits for this course.
-
MATH 262 Intermediate Calculus (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Series and power series, including Taylor's theorem. Brief review of vector geometry. Vector functions and curves. Partial differentiation and differential calculus for vector valued functions. Unconstrained and constrained extremal problems. Multiple integrals including surface area and change of variables.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Bélanger-Rioux, Rosalie; Khanfir, Robin; Madou, Kodjo (Fall) Roth, Charles (Winter)
-
MATH 263 Ordinary Differential Equations for Engineers (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First order ODEs. Second and higher order linear ODEs. Series solutions at ordinary and regular singular points. Laplace transforms. Linear systems of differential equations with a short review of linear algebra.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Lin, Jessica; Martine, Gabriel (Fall) Trudeau, Sidney; Bélanger-Rioux, Rosalie (Winter)
-
MATH 264 Advanced Calculus for Engineers (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of multiple integrals. Differential and integral calculus of vector fields including the theorems of Gauss, Green, and Stokes. Introduction to partial differential equations, separation of variables, Sturm-Liouville problems, and Fourier series.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Roth, Charles (Fall) Jakobson, Dmitry (Winter)
-
PHYS 319 Introduction to Biophysics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Emerging physical approaches and quantitative measurement techniques are providing new insights into longstanding biological questions. This course will present underlying physical theory, quantitative measurement techniques, and significant findings in molecular and cellular biophysics. Principles covered include Brownian motion, low Reynolds-number environments, forces relevant to cells and molecules, chemical potentials, and free energies. These principles are applied to enzymes as molecular machines, membranes, DNA, and RNA.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Reisner, Walter (Winter)
-
WCOM 206 Communication in Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
WCOM : Written and oral communication in Engineering (in English): strategies for generating, developing, organizing, and presenting ideas in a technical setting; problem-solving; communicating to different audiences; editing and revising; and public speaking. Course work based on academic, technical, and professional writing in engineering.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Sundberg, Ross; Baskind, Alana; Newman, Terry; Branco Cornish, Patricia; Besanger, Kendra; Sacks, Steven; Longman, Madelaine (Fall) Sundberg, Ross (Winter)
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CCOM 206. Only open to students in degree programs.
Limited enrolment.
Because this course uses a workshop format, attendance at first class is desirable.
* Note FACC 100 (Introduction to the Engineering Profession) must be taken during the first year of study.
** Students from a CEGEP background who have completed a CEGEP course equivalent to CHEM 212 may obtain transfer credits for this course by passing the McGill Placement Exam before the start of their first term. For information on Science Placement Exams, see www.mcgill.ca/exams/dates/science. CEGEP students who do not successfully complete the CHEM 212 Placement Exam must take CHEM 212 at McGill, as outlined in the program requirements.
Required Bioengineering Courses
50 credits
-
BIEN 200 Introduction to Bioengineering (2 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to bioengineering. Introduction to engineering calculations. Physical foundations of bioengineering. Introduction to conservation laws. Fundamentals of conservation principles. Conservation of mass, energy, charge and momentum. Mechanical, chemical, electrical, and thermodynamic driving forces in biological systems. Design principles of biological systems. Computational foundations of bioengineering. Multi-scale modeling of cells and organs. Bioinformatics. Bioengineering applications in life sciences, health sciences, and material sciences. Ethical and regulatory considerations in bioengineering.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Reznikov, Natalie; Nicolau, Dan; Hendricks, Adam (Fall)
-
BIEN 210 Electrical and Optical Properties of Biological Systems (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Mechanisms of optical and electrical detection, transmission, and processing in biology. Vision, luminescence, photosynthesis, nerve conduction, ion channels. Speciation and evolutionary optimization as a design platform. Biomimetic opto-electric engineering. Optics and electronics in instrumentation for biological measurements.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Wachsmann Hogiu, Sebastian (Fall)
(3-2-4)
Corequisite: BIEN 200
-
BIEN 219 Introduction to Physical Molecular
and Cell Biology (4 credits)
Overview
BIEN : An introduction to molecular and cell biology from a physical perspective. Techniques and methodologies, both experimental and computational, are included in the presentation of each thematic module.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Hendricks, Adam; Watt, Alanna; Reyes Lamothe, Rodrigo (Fall)
Corequisite(s): MATH 222 or equivalent
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 112; CHEM 110 and CHEM 120; MATH 140, MATH 141 and MATH 133; PHYS 131 and PHYS 142; or the equivalents of these courses
Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking ANAT212, BIOC212, BIOL200, BIOL 201 and BIOL219. Only open to students in Bioengineering, Computer Science-Biology, Biology-Mathematics, BiologyQuantitative Biology, Chemistry-Biophysical Chemistry, and Physics-Biological Physics options.
This course is meant to prepare students for related 300-level courses in Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics.
-
BIEN 220 Introduction to Mechanics for Bioengineers (2 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Fundamentals of statics covering basic mechanics topics with focus on bioengineering. Forces during dynamic motion, laws of mechanics, Newton’s laws of motion and mechano-functional biosystems. Applied load and deformation, stress and strain analysis for biological systems and implement computer aided design. Fundamentals of failure mechanics including Euler buckling, local buckling, plastic deformation will be studied. Practical problems in mechanics of biomaterials and biological systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Haldavnekar, Rupa (Winter)
-
BIEN 267 Bioanalytical Methods in Bioengineering.
(3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Survey of qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and their relevance to bioengineering. Techniques for the determination and experimental analysis of chemical metabolites and biological macromolecules emphasizing the following subjects: analytical process, common analytical tools, chemical equilibrium, basic spectroscopy, chromatography and separation methods, metabolite and protein extraction, protein purification methods and quantitative determination, high performance liquid chromatography, western blotting. An introduction to modern instrumental analysis highlighting gas- and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and computational data analysis. Strengths and weaknesses of each method.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ignea, Codruta (Fall)
Prerequisites: BIEN 290
-
BIEN 290 Bioengineering Measurement Laboratory (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Laboratory safety. Conceptual understanding of measurement principles and instrumentation. Introduction to experimental techniques requiring sterile conditions. Mechanical measurements of solid and thermofluid quantities. Optical sensing techniques. Measurements of biological and chemical properties. Design of experiments and statistical and uncertainty analyses.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Kinsella, Matt (Fall)
-
BIEN 300 Thermodynamics in Bioengineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Fundamental concepts of Thermodynamics: Internal Energy, Work, The three Laws of Thermodynamics, Enthalpy, and Entropy. Basic concepts of energy in living organisms: distribution of energy, energy conservation in living organisms, isothermal systems, Gibbs free energy in chemical coupling, reversible processes and redox reactions. Application of Thermodynamics in defining biological processes and components such as hydrolysis, osmosis, ELISA, PCR, DNA, amino acids, proteins.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Bilodeau, Stephane (Winter)
-
BIEN 314 Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems 1 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Basic concepts in transport phenomena, including fluid dynamics (momentum transport) and heat transfer (energy transport), with applications to biological systems, both medical and non-medical. Topics in fluid dynamics include: properties of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids; dimensional analysis; drag; integral/macroscopic balances (Bernoulli's equation and linear momentum theorem); differential/microscopic balances (continuity and Navier-Stokes equations); boundary layer approximations; turbulence. Topics in heat transfer include elements of conduction and convection.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Wagner, Caroline Elizabeth; Haldavnekar, Rupa (Fall)
-
BIEN 340 Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems 2 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Fundamental principles of mass transport and its application to a variety of biological systems. Membrane permeability and diffusive transport. Convection. Transport across cell membranes. Ion channels. Blood rheology. Active transport. Intra- and inter-cellular transport.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Kamen, Amine; Haldavnekar, Rupa (Winter)
-
BIEN 350 Biosignals, Systems and Control (4 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Discrete- and continuous-time signals; basic system properties. Linear time-invariant systems; convolution. Frequency domain analysis; filtering; sampling. Laplace and Fourier transforms; transfer functions; poles and zeros; transient and steady state response. Z-transforms. Dynamic behaviour and PID control of first- and second-order processes. Stability. Applications to biological systems, such as central nervous, cognitive, and motor systems.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Mitsis, Georgios (Fall)
(3-3-6)
Prerequisite(s): MATH 263 or permission of instructor.
-
BIEN 360 Physical Chemistry in Bioengineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Description of chemical systems with the help of theories of physics and application of its techniques: reaction kinetics, physical and chemical equilibria in biological systems. Review of energy transfer and thermodynamics. Chemical and physical equilibria in biology: variation of Gibbs energy with temperature, energy, composition. Theories of reaction kinetics and the reaction mechanism in biological phenomena: polymerization, protein folding, enzymes.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Winter)
-
BIEN 390 Bioengineering Laboratory (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to the fundamental principles of experimental design, statistical analysis, and scientific communications applied to bioengineering research.Laboratory topics include: DNA engineering and cloning, in vitro motility assays, mammalian cell culture and immunofluorescence, and microfabrication.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Wachsmann Hogiu, Sebastian (Winter)
Prerequisite: BIEN 290
1. (1-4-4)
-
BIEN 420 Biodevices Design for Diagnostics and Screening (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Design of analytical devices for high throughput screening (HTS) for genomics, proteomics and other “omics” applications; and for diagnostics for medical, veterinary, or environmental applications. Assessment of the specific requirements of each 'client' applications, followed by a review of specific regulations and guidelines. Theoretical and practical guidelines regarding the design of a specific micro- or nano-device, and comparison with the established state of the art in the chosen application.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sudalaiyadum Perumal, Ayyappasamy (Winter)
-
BIEN 470D1 Bioengineering Design Project (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : A capstone group design project on an industrially relevant engineering problem of a biological nature. Student teams work in consultation with faculty and industrial consultants in the design of functional and practical systems, devices, or processes, taking into account safety, sustainability, management and economic considerations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ehrlicher, Allen (Fall)
Prerequisite(s): BIEN 390
1. (1-3-5)
Students must register for both BIEN 470D1 and BIEN 470D2
No credit will be given for this course unless both BIEN 470D1 and BIEN 470D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms.
-
BIEN 470D2 Bioengineering Design Project (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : A capstone group design project on an industrially relevant engineering problem of a biological nature. Student teams work in consultation with faculty and industrial consultants in the design of functional and practical systems, devices, or processes, taking into account safety, sustainability, management and economic considerations.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Ehrlicher, Allen (Winter)
Prerequisite(s): BIEN 470D1
1. (1-3-5)
Students must register for both BIEN 470D1 and BIEN 470D2
No credit will be given for this course unless both BIEN 470D1 and BIEN 470D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms.
-
BIEN 471 Bioengineering Research Project (2 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Individual guided research projects in bioengineering. Under the guidance of a research adviser, students will propose and implement a research plan that addresses a current gap in knowledge or industry need. Projects will be designed to provide experience in critical evaluation of primary research literature, experimental approaches and methodologies, quantitative analysis, mathematical modelling, and effective written and oral presentation of scientific ideas.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Wagner, Caroline Elizabeth (Fall) Mitsis, Georgios (Winter)
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.
1. (0-0-6)
-
BIEN 560 Design of Biosensors (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction into the motivation of analytical biosensors as well as its fundamental physicochemical challenges. Techniques used to design, fabricate and operate biosensors. Specific applications.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Wachsmann Hogiu, Sebastian (Fall)
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.
1. (3-2-4)
Complementary Courses
33-34 credits
Bioengineering Complementary Courses
24-25 credits
Starting in the third year (second year for CEGEP students) (Year 2), students will need to take 30-31 credits of courses to upgrade their general knowledge of Bioengineering. Students must register for the required Technical Complementary courses in one of the three streams of bioengineering knowledge and practice: 1) Biological Materials and Mechanics (25 credits); 2) Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering (24 credits); or 3) Biological Information and Computation (24 credits).
Stream 1: Biological Materials and Mechanics (25 credits)
13 credits from List A
12 credits from List B
List A:
-
BIEN 320 Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Basic mechanics of biological building blocks, focusing on the cytoskeleton, with examples from pathology. At the macromolecular level: weak/variable crosslinking and hydrolysis driven athermal processes. At the cellular/tissue level: cell architecture and function. Discussion of modern analytical techniques capable of single-molecule to tissue scale measurements.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Ehrlicher, Allen (Winter)
-
BIEN 361 Materials for Bio-Applications (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Relationships between the structures and properties of materials, with emphasis on bioengineering and biomedical applications. Design of materials with predetermined set of properties. Overview of biomaterials, classes of materials used in medicine and brief introduction to material structures. Introduction to fundamental concepts of materials properties. Mechanical and structural properties of metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Electrical, optical, and magnetic properties and materials processing. Selection of materials and design considerations for bioengineering applications.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mahshid, Sara (Winter)
-
BIEN 570 Active Mechanics in Biology (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to the role of active forces, e.g. cell and tissue contraction, in the mechanics of biological systems. Review of passive and actively driven viscoelastic systems and momentum transport underlying the material properties of biology. The course involves a literature survey and a team project application.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ehrlicher, Allen (Fall)
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.
1. (3-2-4)
-
CIVE 207 Solid Mechanics (4 credits)
Overview
Civil Engineering : Stress-strain relationships; elastic and inelastic behaviour; performance criteria. Elementary and compound stress states, Mohr's circle. Shear strains, torsion. Bending and shear stresses in flexural members. Deflections of beams. Statically indeterminate systems under flexural and axial loads. Columns. Dynamic loading.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Shao, Yi (Fall) Malomo, Daniele (Winter)
List B:
-
BIEN 330 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : The history, scope, challenges, ethical considerations, and potential of tissue engineering. In vitro control of tissue development, differentiation, and growth, including relevant elements of immunology compared to in vivo tissue and organ development. Emphasis on the materials, chemical factors, and mechanical cues used in tissue engineering.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Kinsella, Matt (Winter)
-
BIEN 414 Fundamentals and Rheology of Biological Fluids (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Fundamentals of non-Newtonian fluid mechanics and rheology as applied to biological fluids. Fundamentals of mass and momentum conservation, dimensional analysis, continuity equations, Generalized Newtonian Fluid models, and the solution of fluid flow problems using empirical constitutive relationships. Selected topics in polymer physics relevant to biological fluids. Fundamentals of rheological characterization, both macrorheology and microrheology. Application of these concepts to the rheology of selected biological fluids in health and disease, selected applications of biofluid rheology: drug delivery, biofluid / pathogeninteractions, and aerosol disease transmission.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Wagner, Caroline Elizabeth (Winter)
-
BIEN 450 Biological Structures and Assemblies (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Formation, functions and properties of natural structures and assemblies, which are distinct from human-made structures and assemblies. Analyze the fundamental phenomena of physics, chemistry and mathematics that define evolutionary optimization strategies found in nature.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Reznikov, Natalie (Winter)
Prerequisites: BIEN 219 or permission of the instructor
-
BIEN 462 Engineering Principles in Physiological Systems (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Basic aspects of human physiology. Applications of general balance equations and control theory to systems physiology. The course will cover: circulatory physiology, nervous system physiology, renal physiology and the musculoskeletal system.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mitsis, Georgios (Winter)
-
BIEN 500 Special Topics in Bioengineering 1 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Selected special topics in bioengineering, given by current and visiting staff.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restriction: Open to U4 or higher students.
(3-0-6)
-
BIEN 505 Medical Technology Innovation and Development
(3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Systematic design methodologies and support concepts: clinical user need identification, brainstorming and conceptualization, system and robust design and development practices, verification and validation testing and failure modes analysis, regulatory affairs, for medical devices and technologies. Concepts and framework of ideation and conceptualization through to device output for sale as realized and defined by the medical device technology industry. Focus on corporate and technological phase structuring for systematic product design and medical business creation aspects. Real-world examples, artifacts from industry, recent articles, and presentations.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Kozlick, Stuart (Winter)
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Restrictions: Open to U3 or higher students.
-
BIEN 510 Engineered Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to the interdisciplinary field of biomedical uses of nanotechnology. Emphasis on emerging nanotechnologies and biomedical applications including nanomaterials, nanoengineering, nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, nano-based imaging and diagnostic systems, nanotoxicology and immunology, and translating nanomedicine into clinical investigation.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Kinsella, Matt; Sudalaiyadum Perumal, Ayyappasamy (Fall)
-
BIEN 515 Special Topics in Bioengineering 2 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to new selected topics in bioengineering.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
3-2-4
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U4 or higher) and graduate students.
Instruction given by regular or visiting staff.
-
BIEN 525 Special Topics in Bioengineering 3 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to new selected topics in bioengineering.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
3-0-6
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U4 or higher) and graduate students.
Instruction given by regular or visiting staff.
-
BIEN 530 Imaging and Bioanalytical Instrumentation (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Microscopy techniques with application to biology and medicine. Practical introduction to optics and microscopy from the standpoint of biomedical research. Discussion of recent literature; hands-on experience. Topics include: optics, contrast techniques, advanced microscopy, and image analysis.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Hendricks, Adam (Winter)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
(3-1-5)
-
BIEN 535 Electron Microscopy and 3D Imaging for Biological Materials (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to electron microscopy and 3D imaging. Dual-beam microscopy (FIB-SEM, or focused ion beam – scanning electron microscope); conventional and cryogenic preparation methods for biological materials. Complementary methods such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray tomography, atom probe tomography. 3D image processing and analysis, and the fundamentals of deep learning in imaging.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Reznikov, Natalie (Winter)
3-3-3
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U3 or higher) and graduate students. Priority is given to bioengineering U3 undergraduate students.
-
BIEN 545 Diagnostic Devices at the Point-of-Care (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : The fundamental of diagnosis devices from design concepts to implementation in real-life application, a brief review of the gold standard diagnostic methods and their limitations, the building blocks of an ideal diagnostic device with a focus on point-of-care applications, biomolecular recognition elements including different one-step and multi-step assays based on nucleic acids and proteins, and the fundamental of sample delivery systems and fluid flow based on microfluidics, the integration of bioassays and microfluidics in lab-on-chip devices for automated sample preparation and detection, real-life application of lab-on-chip devices in medical diagnosis and the commercialized approaches.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mahshid, Sara (Winter)
-
BIEN 550 Biomolecular Devices (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Fundamentals of motor proteins in neuronal transport, force generation e.g. in muscles, cell motility and division. A survey of recent advances in using motor proteins to power nano fabricated devices. Principles of design and operation; hands-on-experience in building a simple device.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Hendricks, Adam (Fall)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
(3-1-5)
-
BIEN 580 Synthetic Biology (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Engineering principles in biology, BioBricks and standardization of biological components, parts registries, advanced molecular biology tools for DNA assembly, genome editing, high-throughput genetic manipulation methods, construction of biological pathways, strategies for transcriptional control, examples of engineered systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Ignea, Codruta (Winter)
Restriction: Permission of instructor
1. (3-2-4)
-
BIEN 585 Metabolic Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Metabolic engineering role in transition from fossil resources to a bio-based society. Design-build-test-learn cycle of metabolic engineering. Design, genetic engineering and optimization of microbial biocatalysts. Metabolic network analysis, constraint-based modelling of metabolism, microbial production of valuable chemicals. General biochemical engineering practices. Recombinant DNA technology, enzyme function, kinetics and regulation. Cell chemistry, structure and function. Growth models, fermentation, strain development. Case studies.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ignea, Codruta (Fall)
3-2-4
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
-
BMDE 503 Biomedical Instrumentation (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : The principles and practice of making biological measurements in the laboratory, including theory of linear systems, data sampling, computer interfaces and electronic circuit design.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Wagner, Ross (Fall)
-
BMDE 504 Biomaterials and Bioperformance (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : Biological and synthetic biomaterials, medical devices, and the issues related to their bioperformance. The physicochemical characteristics of biomaterials in relation to their biocompatibility and sterilization.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Tabrizian, Maryam (Winter)
(3-0-6)
Restriction: Graduate and final-year undergraduate students from physical, biological and medical science, and engineering
-
BMDE 505 Cell and Tissue Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : Application of the principles of engineering, physical, and biological sciences to modify and create cells and tissues for therapeutic applications will be discussed, as well as the industrial perspective and related ethical issues.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Prakash, Satya (Winter)
(3-0-6)
1.5 hours lecture/1.5 hours seminar per week
Restriction: graduate and final year undergraduate students from physical, biological, and medical science, and engineering.
-
BMDE 512 Finite-Element Modelling in Biomedical Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : General principles of quantitative modelling; types of models; principles of the finite-element method, primarily as applied to mechanical systems; introduction to the use of finite-element software; model generation from imaging data; modelling various material types, mainly biological; model validation.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Funnell, Robert (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Prerequisite: Differential equations (MATH 271 or equivalent) or permission of instructor
-
CHEE 563 Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics (3 credits) *
Overview
Chemical Engineering : Basic principles of circulation including vascular fluid and solid mechanics, modelling techniques, clinical and experimental methods and the design of cardiovascular devices.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
-
CIVE 281 Analytical Mechanics (3 credits)
Overview
Civil Engineering : Kinematics of particles, dynamics of particles. Work, conservative forces, potential energy. Relative motion and general moving frames of reference. Central force fields and orbits. Dynamics of a system of particles. General motion of rigid bodies, angular momentum and kinetic energy of rigid bodies. Generalized coordinates and forces, Lagrange's equations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Afifi, Mohamed (Fall)
-
MECH 321 Mechanics of Deformable Solids (3 credits)
Overview
Mechanical Engineering : Modern phenomenological theories of the behaviour of engineering materials. Stress and strain concepts and introduction to constitutive theory. Applications of theory of elasticity and thermoelasticity. Introduction to finite element stress analysis method and its application to structural design of a machine element.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Hubert, Pascal (Fall) Li, Jianyu (Winter)
(3-1-5)
Prerequisite: CIVE 207
-
MECH 547 Mechanics of Biological Materials (3 credits)
Overview
Mechanical Engineering : Mechanics of proteins (collagen, keratin), polysaccharides (cellulose, chitin), cells, skin, bone, teeth, seashells, insect and arthropod cuticles. Emphasis on microstructure-property-function relationships and on multiscale approach. State-of-the-art experimental and modelling techniques. Self-healing and adaptive biological materials.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Li, Jianyu (Winter)
-
MECH 561 Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Mechanical Engineering : The musculoskeletal system; general characteristics and classification of tissues and joints. Biomechanics and clinical problems in orthopaedics. Modelling and force analysis of musculoskeletal systems. Passive and active kinematics. Load-deformation properties of passive connective tissue, passive and stimulated muscle response. Experimental approaches, case studies.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Dukkipati, Siril Teja (Fall)
-
MECH 563 Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics (3 credits) *
Overview
Mechanical Engineering : Basic principles of circulation including vascular fluid and solid mechanics, modelling techniques, clinical and experimental methods and the design of cardiovascular devices.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
-
MECH 572 Mechanics and Control of Robotic Manipulators (3 credits)
Overview
Mechanical Engineering : Historical development and applications of robotic manipulators. Homogeneous transformations and geometry. Forward and inverse kinematics, manipulator Jacobian. Newton-Euler and Lagrangian formulations of inverse and forward dynamics. Trajectory planning for pick-and-place operations. Linear independent joint control and nonlinear model-based control schemes.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sharf, Inna (Winter)
-
MIME 470 Engineering Biomaterials (3 credits)
Overview
Mining & Materials Engineering : Key definitions, clinical need, desired materials properties, current and future materials, materials assessments and performance. Materials of the body. Characterisation techniques for bulk and mechanical properties of biomaterials. Engineering processing and design of biomaterials.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Nazhat, Showan (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Prerequisite: MIME 261 or equivalent. Permission of instructor.
Attendance is mandatory for a one-time 3-hour lab, scheduled during the semester.
-
MIME 473 Introduction to Computational Materials Design (3 credits)
Overview
Mining & Materials Engineering : Introduction to modelling and simulation techniques in materials engineering: quantum mechanics and atomistic simulation (i.e. Monte-Carlo and Molecular Dynamics). These modelling and simulations methods provide new and efficient tools to examine and predict various physical and mechanical properties of materials, enabling bottom-up design of materials and structures starting from quantum and atomistic level. These computational tools play an increasingly important role in modern materials engineering. Fundamental theories behind materials modelling and hands-on training on various modelling software.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Song, Jun (Winter)
-
SEAD 515 Climate Change Adaptation and Engineering Infrastructure
(3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Climate resilience and sustainability of engineering systems such as the built environment and engineering infrastructure in the context of a changing climate, possible mitigation and adaptation strategies and associated challenges and opportunities. Review of the basic principles that underpin the science of climate change; the role of global and regional climate models in predicting the behaviour of the climate system in response to different forcing scenarios, and the use of climate model outputs in support of across scale climate-resilience of various engineering systems including infrastructure systems.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Sushama, Laxmi (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Restrictions: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Engineering (including the School of Architecture and the School of Urban Planning).
-
SEAD 520 Life Cycle-Based Environmental
Footprinting
(3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Introduction to Life Cycle-Based Environmental Footprinting and the application of basic methods for life-cycle environmental inventory and impacts modeling. LCA theory and quantitative analysis, approaches for assessing and reducing the environmental impacts of product, process, and technology systems. System boundary and functional unit design approaches, process-based and input-output-based methods for modeling mass and energy flows in life-cycle systems. How LCA can facilitate sustainable technology innovation and deployment, behavioural and societal changes, and policies, standards and regulations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Jordaan, Sarah (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Restrictions: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Engineering (including the School of Architecture and the School of Urban Planning).
-
SEAD 540 Industrial Ecology and Systems (3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Industrial ecology theory, concepts, normative goals and analytical methods. Material and energy flows, environmental impacts of industrial activities, systems thinking, transitioning from linear to closed loop systems, recent contributions to sustainable product systems, urban metabolism, optimized materials or energy management, development of a circular economy, new environmental policies and business models based on product or material lifecycle information. Consumer and organizational behaviour in transitioning to sustainable industrial systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Jordaan, Sarah (Winter)
(3-0-6)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Faculty of Engineering. Students outside of the Faculty of Engineering may register with permission of the instructor.
-
SEAD 550 Decision-Making for Sustainability in Engineering and Design (3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Role and importance of engineering decisions of environmental, social, and economic problems and the application of decision-making approaches and tools to engineering sustainability. Multi-criteria decision-making, uncertainty analysis, game theory, sustainability metrics, life cycle analysis evaluation and impact assessment methodologies, design problem formulation, stage-dependent strategies, case studies.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sushama, Laxmi (Winter)
(3-0-6)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Faculty of Engineering. Students outside of the Faculty of Engineering may register with permission of the instructor.
*Note: Students may choose only one of CHEE 563 and MECH 563 Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics
NOTE: Maximum 6 credits of SEAD courses are allowed.
Stream 2: Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering (24-25 credits)
12 credits from List A
12-13 credits from List B
List A
-
BIEN 310 Introduction to Biomolecular Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Forward and reverse engineering of biomolecular systems. Principles of biomolecular thermodynamics and kinetics. Structure and function of the main classes of biomolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Biomolecular systems as mechanical, chemical, and electrical systems. Rational design and evolutionary methods for engineering functional proteins, nucleic acids, and gene circuits. Rational design topics include molecular modeling, positive and negative design paradigms, simulation and optimization of equilibrium and kinetic properties, design of catalysts, sensors, motors, and circuits. Evolutionary design topics include evolutionary mechanisms, fitness landscapes, directed evolution of proteins, metabolic pathways, and gene circuits. Systems biology and synthetic biology.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Xia, Yu; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Fall)
Prerequisite(s): BIEN 200 or permission of instructor.
(3-0-6)
-
BIEN 320 Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Basic mechanics of biological building blocks, focusing on the cytoskeleton, with examples from pathology. At the macromolecular level: weak/variable crosslinking and hydrolysis driven athermal processes. At the cellular/tissue level: cell architecture and function. Discussion of modern analytical techniques capable of single-molecule to tissue scale measurements.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Ehrlicher, Allen (Winter)
-
BIEN 550 Biomolecular Devices (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Fundamentals of motor proteins in neuronal transport, force generation e.g. in muscles, cell motility and division. A survey of recent advances in using motor proteins to power nano fabricated devices. Principles of design and operation; hands-on-experience in building a simple device.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Hendricks, Adam (Fall)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
(3-1-5)
-
BIEN 590 Cell Culture Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Basic principles of cell culture engineering, cell line development and cell culture products; genomics, proteomics and post-translational modifications; elements of cell physiology for medium design and bioprocessing; bioreactor design, scale-up for animal cell culture and single use equipment; challenges in downstream processing of cell-culture derived products; process intensification: fed-batch, feeding strategies and continuous manufacturing; scale-down and process modeling; Process Analytical technologies and Quality by Design (QbD) concept.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Jardon, Mario (Fall) Jardon, Mario; Kamen, Amine (Winter)
(3-0-6)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
List B
-
BIEN 330 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : The history, scope, challenges, ethical considerations, and potential of tissue engineering. In vitro control of tissue development, differentiation, and growth, including relevant elements of immunology compared to in vivo tissue and organ development. Emphasis on the materials, chemical factors, and mechanical cues used in tissue engineering.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Kinsella, Matt (Winter)
-
BIEN 410 Computational Methods in Biomolecular Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to computational biomolecular engineering. Biomolecular simulation: deterministic simulation, stochastic simulation. Biomolecular modeling: energy minimization, coarse-grained methods. Computational biomolecular design: protein design, protein docking, and drug design. Computational systems and synthetic biology: computer simulation of biomolecular circuits.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Xia, Yu; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Fall)
-
BIEN 414 Fundamentals and Rheology of Biological Fluids (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Fundamentals of non-Newtonian fluid mechanics and rheology as applied to biological fluids. Fundamentals of mass and momentum conservation, dimensional analysis, continuity equations, Generalized Newtonian Fluid models, and the solution of fluid flow problems using empirical constitutive relationships. Selected topics in polymer physics relevant to biological fluids. Fundamentals of rheological characterization, both macrorheology and microrheology. Application of these concepts to the rheology of selected biological fluids in health and disease, selected applications of biofluid rheology: drug delivery, biofluid / pathogeninteractions, and aerosol disease transmission.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Wagner, Caroline Elizabeth (Winter)
-
BIEN 450 Biological Structures and Assemblies (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Formation, functions and properties of natural structures and assemblies, which are distinct from human-made structures and assemblies. Analyze the fundamental phenomena of physics, chemistry and mathematics that define evolutionary optimization strategies found in nature.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Reznikov, Natalie (Winter)
Prerequisites: BIEN 219 or permission of the instructor
-
BIEN 462 Engineering Principles in Physiological Systems (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Basic aspects of human physiology. Applications of general balance equations and control theory to systems physiology. The course will cover: circulatory physiology, nervous system physiology, renal physiology and the musculoskeletal system.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mitsis, Georgios (Winter)
-
BIEN 500 Special Topics in Bioengineering 1 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Selected special topics in bioengineering, given by current and visiting staff.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restriction: Open to U4 or higher students.
(3-0-6)
-
BIEN 505 Medical Technology Innovation and Development
(3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Systematic design methodologies and support concepts: clinical user need identification, brainstorming and conceptualization, system and robust design and development practices, verification and validation testing and failure modes analysis, regulatory affairs, for medical devices and technologies. Concepts and framework of ideation and conceptualization through to device output for sale as realized and defined by the medical device technology industry. Focus on corporate and technological phase structuring for systematic product design and medical business creation aspects. Real-world examples, artifacts from industry, recent articles, and presentations.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Kozlick, Stuart (Winter)
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Restrictions: Open to U3 or higher students.
-
BIEN 510 Engineered Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to the interdisciplinary field of biomedical uses of nanotechnology. Emphasis on emerging nanotechnologies and biomedical applications including nanomaterials, nanoengineering, nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, nano-based imaging and diagnostic systems, nanotoxicology and immunology, and translating nanomedicine into clinical investigation.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Kinsella, Matt; Sudalaiyadum Perumal, Ayyappasamy (Fall)
-
BIEN 515 Special Topics in Bioengineering 2 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to new selected topics in bioengineering.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
3-2-4
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U4 or higher) and graduate students.
Instruction given by regular or visiting staff.
-
BIEN 525 Special Topics in Bioengineering 3 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to new selected topics in bioengineering.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
3-0-6
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U4 or higher) and graduate students.
Instruction given by regular or visiting staff.
-
BIEN 530 Imaging and Bioanalytical Instrumentation (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Microscopy techniques with application to biology and medicine. Practical introduction to optics and microscopy from the standpoint of biomedical research. Discussion of recent literature; hands-on experience. Topics include: optics, contrast techniques, advanced microscopy, and image analysis.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Hendricks, Adam (Winter)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
(3-1-5)
-
BIEN 535 Electron Microscopy and 3D Imaging for Biological Materials (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to electron microscopy and 3D imaging. Dual-beam microscopy (FIB-SEM, or focused ion beam – scanning electron microscope); conventional and cryogenic preparation methods for biological materials. Complementary methods such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray tomography, atom probe tomography. 3D image processing and analysis, and the fundamentals of deep learning in imaging.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Reznikov, Natalie (Winter)
3-3-3
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U3 or higher) and graduate students. Priority is given to bioengineering U3 undergraduate students.
-
BIEN 540 Information Storage and Processing in Biological Systems (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Storage and processing of information in biological systems, both natural and artificially-created, ranging from biomolecules, cells, and populations of cells. Information storage in DNA and DNA computation; molecular surfaces of proteins; computation with motile biological agents in networks; and biological and biologically-inspired algorithms.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Winter)
(3-2-4)
-
BIEN 545 Diagnostic Devices at the Point-of-Care (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : The fundamental of diagnosis devices from design concepts to implementation in real-life application, a brief review of the gold standard diagnostic methods and their limitations, the building blocks of an ideal diagnostic device with a focus on point-of-care applications, biomolecular recognition elements including different one-step and multi-step assays based on nucleic acids and proteins, and the fundamental of sample delivery systems and fluid flow based on microfluidics, the integration of bioassays and microfluidics in lab-on-chip devices for automated sample preparation and detection, real-life application of lab-on-chip devices in medical diagnosis and the commercialized approaches.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mahshid, Sara (Winter)
-
BIEN 570 Active Mechanics in Biology (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to the role of active forces, e.g. cell and tissue contraction, in the mechanics of biological systems. Review of passive and actively driven viscoelastic systems and momentum transport underlying the material properties of biology. The course involves a literature survey and a team project application.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ehrlicher, Allen (Fall)
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.
1. (3-2-4)
-
BIEN 580 Synthetic Biology (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Engineering principles in biology, BioBricks and standardization of biological components, parts registries, advanced molecular biology tools for DNA assembly, genome editing, high-throughput genetic manipulation methods, construction of biological pathways, strategies for transcriptional control, examples of engineered systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Ignea, Codruta (Winter)
Restriction: Permission of instructor
1. (3-2-4)
-
BIEN 585 Metabolic Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Metabolic engineering role in transition from fossil resources to a bio-based society. Design-build-test-learn cycle of metabolic engineering. Design, genetic engineering and optimization of microbial biocatalysts. Metabolic network analysis, constraint-based modelling of metabolism, microbial production of valuable chemicals. General biochemical engineering practices. Recombinant DNA technology, enzyme function, kinetics and regulation. Cell chemistry, structure and function. Growth models, fermentation, strain development. Case studies.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ignea, Codruta (Fall)
3-2-4
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
-
BIEN 595 Advanced Biomolecular Systems Modelling (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Advanced methods for modelling complex biomolecular systems,with a focus on state-of-the-art, data-driven and integrative methods for modelling protein structures and networks. Modelling of protein structures: protein structure prediction, modelling protein dynamics, use of evolutionary information. Modelling of protein networks: reconstruction, analysis, evolution. Combined protein structure and network modelling.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Xia, Yu; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Winter)
-
BMDE 503 Biomedical Instrumentation (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : The principles and practice of making biological measurements in the laboratory, including theory of linear systems, data sampling, computer interfaces and electronic circuit design.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Wagner, Ross (Fall)
-
BMDE 508 Introduction to Micro and Nano-Bioengineering (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : The micro and nanotechnologies that drive and support the miniaturization and parallelization of techniques for life sciences research, including different inventions, designs and engineering approaches that lead to new tools and methods for the life sciences - while transforming them - and help advance our knowledge of life.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Juncker, David (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
This course is intended for graduate and advanced undergraduate students having a biological/medical background or an engineering, physical sciences background. Engineering students enrolled in the Minor in Biomedical Engineering, or Honours in Electrical Engineering and Honours in Mechanical Engineering, should be particularly interested.
-
CIVE 281 Analytical Mechanics (3 credits)
Overview
Civil Engineering : Kinematics of particles, dynamics of particles. Work, conservative forces, potential energy. Relative motion and general moving frames of reference. Central force fields and orbits. Dynamics of a system of particles. General motion of rigid bodies, angular momentum and kinetic energy of rigid bodies. Generalized coordinates and forces, Lagrange's equations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Afifi, Mohamed (Fall)
-
CIVE 557 Microbiology for Environmental Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
Civil Engineering : Microbiological concepts applied to the practice of environmental engineering and biotechnologies including the following topics: cellular and pathway organizations, evolution, growth, gene expression, horizontal gene transfer, metabolic microbial diversity, ecosystem structures, and quantitative mathematical modelling.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Frigon, Dominic (Fall)
Prerequisite: CIVE 225 or permission of the instructor
(3-1-5)
-
PHYS 534 Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Topics include scanning probe microscopy, chemical self-assembly, computer modelling, and microfabrication/micromachining.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Grutter, Peter H (Fall)
Fall
Restriction: U3 or graduate students in Physics, Chemistry, or Engineering, or permission of the instructor.
-
SEAD 510 Energy Analysis (4 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Critical analysis of the importance of energy to society, the unsustainability of the current energy system, and potential options for a sustainable energy system. Topics include: peak oil and climate change, fundamental energy metrics, traditional and alternative primary and secondary power systems, and energy storage technologies. Quantitative energy analysis is applied to a set of case studies investigating energy use, energy generation, and energy storage and transport.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Bergthorson, Jeffrey (Fall)
(3-0-9)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Restrictions: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Engineering (including the School of Architecture and the School of Urban Planning).
Not open to undergraduate students in Chemical Engineering.
-
SEAD 515 Climate Change Adaptation and Engineering Infrastructure
(3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Climate resilience and sustainability of engineering systems such as the built environment and engineering infrastructure in the context of a changing climate, possible mitigation and adaptation strategies and associated challenges and opportunities. Review of the basic principles that underpin the science of climate change; the role of global and regional climate models in predicting the behaviour of the climate system in response to different forcing scenarios, and the use of climate model outputs in support of across scale climate-resilience of various engineering systems including infrastructure systems.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Sushama, Laxmi (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Restrictions: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Engineering (including the School of Architecture and the School of Urban Planning).
-
SEAD 520 Life Cycle-Based Environmental
Footprinting
(3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Introduction to Life Cycle-Based Environmental Footprinting and the application of basic methods for life-cycle environmental inventory and impacts modeling. LCA theory and quantitative analysis, approaches for assessing and reducing the environmental impacts of product, process, and technology systems. System boundary and functional unit design approaches, process-based and input-output-based methods for modeling mass and energy flows in life-cycle systems. How LCA can facilitate sustainable technology innovation and deployment, behavioural and societal changes, and policies, standards and regulations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Jordaan, Sarah (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Restrictions: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Engineering (including the School of Architecture and the School of Urban Planning).
-
SEAD 540 Industrial Ecology and Systems (3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Industrial ecology theory, concepts, normative goals and analytical methods. Material and energy flows, environmental impacts of industrial activities, systems thinking, transitioning from linear to closed loop systems, recent contributions to sustainable product systems, urban metabolism, optimized materials or energy management, development of a circular economy, new environmental policies and business models based on product or material lifecycle information. Consumer and organizational behaviour in transitioning to sustainable industrial systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Jordaan, Sarah (Winter)
(3-0-6)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Faculty of Engineering. Students outside of the Faculty of Engineering may register with permission of the instructor.
-
SEAD 550 Decision-Making for Sustainability in Engineering and Design (3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Role and importance of engineering decisions of environmental, social, and economic problems and the application of decision-making approaches and tools to engineering sustainability. Multi-criteria decision-making, uncertainty analysis, game theory, sustainability metrics, life cycle analysis evaluation and impact assessment methodologies, design problem formulation, stage-dependent strategies, case studies.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sushama, Laxmi (Winter)
(3-0-6)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Faculty of Engineering. Students outside of the Faculty of Engineering may register with permission of the instructor.
NOTE: Maximum 6 credits of SEAD courses are allowed.
Stream 3:Biological Information and Computation (24-25 credits)
12 credits from List A
12-13 credits from List B
List A
-
BIEN 310 Introduction to Biomolecular Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Forward and reverse engineering of biomolecular systems. Principles of biomolecular thermodynamics and kinetics. Structure and function of the main classes of biomolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Biomolecular systems as mechanical, chemical, and electrical systems. Rational design and evolutionary methods for engineering functional proteins, nucleic acids, and gene circuits. Rational design topics include molecular modeling, positive and negative design paradigms, simulation and optimization of equilibrium and kinetic properties, design of catalysts, sensors, motors, and circuits. Evolutionary design topics include evolutionary mechanisms, fitness landscapes, directed evolution of proteins, metabolic pathways, and gene circuits. Systems biology and synthetic biology.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Xia, Yu; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Fall)
Prerequisite(s): BIEN 200 or permission of instructor.
(3-0-6)
-
BIEN 410 Computational Methods in Biomolecular Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to computational biomolecular engineering. Biomolecular simulation: deterministic simulation, stochastic simulation. Biomolecular modeling: energy minimization, coarse-grained methods. Computational biomolecular design: protein design, protein docking, and drug design. Computational systems and synthetic biology: computer simulation of biomolecular circuits.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Xia, Yu; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Fall)
-
BIEN 530 Imaging and Bioanalytical Instrumentation (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Microscopy techniques with application to biology and medicine. Practical introduction to optics and microscopy from the standpoint of biomedical research. Discussion of recent literature; hands-on experience. Topics include: optics, contrast techniques, advanced microscopy, and image analysis.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Hendricks, Adam (Winter)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
(3-1-5)
-
BIEN 540 Information Storage and Processing in Biological Systems (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Storage and processing of information in biological systems, both natural and artificially-created, ranging from biomolecules, cells, and populations of cells. Information storage in DNA and DNA computation; molecular surfaces of proteins; computation with motile biological agents in networks; and biological and biologically-inspired algorithms.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Winter)
(3-2-4)
List B
-
BIEN 414 Fundamentals and Rheology of Biological Fluids (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Fundamentals of non-Newtonian fluid mechanics and rheology as applied to biological fluids. Fundamentals of mass and momentum conservation, dimensional analysis, continuity equations, Generalized Newtonian Fluid models, and the solution of fluid flow problems using empirical constitutive relationships. Selected topics in polymer physics relevant to biological fluids. Fundamentals of rheological characterization, both macrorheology and microrheology. Application of these concepts to the rheology of selected biological fluids in health and disease, selected applications of biofluid rheology: drug delivery, biofluid / pathogeninteractions, and aerosol disease transmission.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Wagner, Caroline Elizabeth (Winter)
-
BIEN 450 Biological Structures and Assemblies (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Formation, functions and properties of natural structures and assemblies, which are distinct from human-made structures and assemblies. Analyze the fundamental phenomena of physics, chemistry and mathematics that define evolutionary optimization strategies found in nature.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Reznikov, Natalie (Winter)
Prerequisites: BIEN 219 or permission of the instructor
-
BIEN 462 Engineering Principles in Physiological Systems (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Basic aspects of human physiology. Applications of general balance equations and control theory to systems physiology. The course will cover: circulatory physiology, nervous system physiology, renal physiology and the musculoskeletal system.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mitsis, Georgios (Winter)
-
BIEN 500 Special Topics in Bioengineering 1 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Selected special topics in bioengineering, given by current and visiting staff.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restriction: Open to U4 or higher students.
(3-0-6)
-
BIEN 505 Medical Technology Innovation and Development
(3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Systematic design methodologies and support concepts: clinical user need identification, brainstorming and conceptualization, system and robust design and development practices, verification and validation testing and failure modes analysis, regulatory affairs, for medical devices and technologies. Concepts and framework of ideation and conceptualization through to device output for sale as realized and defined by the medical device technology industry. Focus on corporate and technological phase structuring for systematic product design and medical business creation aspects. Real-world examples, artifacts from industry, recent articles, and presentations.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Kozlick, Stuart (Winter)
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Restrictions: Open to U3 or higher students.
-
BIEN 515 Special Topics in Bioengineering 2 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to new selected topics in bioengineering.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
3-2-4
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U4 or higher) and graduate students.
Instruction given by regular or visiting staff.
-
BIEN 525 Special Topics in Bioengineering 3 (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to new selected topics in bioengineering.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
3-0-6
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U4 or higher) and graduate students.
Instruction given by regular or visiting staff.
-
BIEN 535 Electron Microscopy and 3D Imaging for Biological Materials (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Introduction to electron microscopy and 3D imaging. Dual-beam microscopy (FIB-SEM, or focused ion beam – scanning electron microscope); conventional and cryogenic preparation methods for biological materials. Complementary methods such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray tomography, atom probe tomography. 3D image processing and analysis, and the fundamentals of deep learning in imaging.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Reznikov, Natalie (Winter)
3-3-3
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate (U3 or higher) and graduate students. Priority is given to bioengineering U3 undergraduate students.
-
BIEN 545 Diagnostic Devices at the Point-of-Care (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : The fundamental of diagnosis devices from design concepts to implementation in real-life application, a brief review of the gold standard diagnostic methods and their limitations, the building blocks of an ideal diagnostic device with a focus on point-of-care applications, biomolecular recognition elements including different one-step and multi-step assays based on nucleic acids and proteins, and the fundamental of sample delivery systems and fluid flow based on microfluidics, the integration of bioassays and microfluidics in lab-on-chip devices for automated sample preparation and detection, real-life application of lab-on-chip devices in medical diagnosis and the commercialized approaches.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mahshid, Sara (Winter)
-
BIEN 580 Synthetic Biology (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Engineering principles in biology, BioBricks and standardization of biological components, parts registries, advanced molecular biology tools for DNA assembly, genome editing, high-throughput genetic manipulation methods, construction of biological pathways, strategies for transcriptional control, examples of engineered systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Ignea, Codruta (Winter)
Restriction: Permission of instructor
1. (3-2-4)
-
BIEN 585 Metabolic Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Metabolic engineering role in transition from fossil resources to a bio-based society. Design-build-test-learn cycle of metabolic engineering. Design, genetic engineering and optimization of microbial biocatalysts. Metabolic network analysis, constraint-based modelling of metabolism, microbial production of valuable chemicals. General biochemical engineering practices. Recombinant DNA technology, enzyme function, kinetics and regulation. Cell chemistry, structure and function. Growth models, fermentation, strain development. Case studies.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ignea, Codruta (Fall)
3-2-4
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
-
BIEN 595 Advanced Biomolecular Systems Modelling (3 credits)
Overview
BIEN : Advanced methods for modelling complex biomolecular systems,with a focus on state-of-the-art, data-driven and integrative methods for modelling protein structures and networks. Modelling of protein structures: protein structure prediction, modelling protein dynamics, use of evolutionary information. Modelling of protein networks: reconstruction, analysis, evolution. Combined protein structure and network modelling.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Xia, Yu; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Winter)
-
BMDE 502 BME Modelling and Identification (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : Methodologies in systems or distributed multidimensional processes. System themes include parametric vs. non-parametric system representations; linear/non-linear; noise, transients and time variation; mapping from continuous to discrete models; and relevant identification approaches in continuous and discrete time formulations.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
-
BMDE 503 Biomedical Instrumentation (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : The principles and practice of making biological measurements in the laboratory, including theory of linear systems, data sampling, computer interfaces and electronic circuit design.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Wagner, Ross (Fall)
-
BMDE 512 Finite-Element Modelling in Biomedical Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : General principles of quantitative modelling; types of models; principles of the finite-element method, primarily as applied to mechanical systems; introduction to the use of finite-element software; model generation from imaging data; modelling various material types, mainly biological; model validation.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Funnell, Robert (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Prerequisite: Differential equations (MATH 271 or equivalent) or permission of instructor
-
BMDE 519 Biomedical Signals and Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Biomedical Engineering : An introduction to the theoretical framework, experimental techniques and analysis procedures available for the quantitative analysis of physiological systems and signals. Lectures plus laboratory work using the Biomedical Engineering computer system. Topics include: amplitude and frequency structure of signals, filtering, sampling, correlation functions, time and frequency-domain descriptions of systems.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Kearney, Robert E (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Prerequisites: Satisfactory standing in U3 Honours Physiology; or U3 Major in Physics-Physiology; or U3 Major Physiology-Mathematics; or permission of instructor
-
CIVE 281 Analytical Mechanics (3 credits)
Overview
Civil Engineering : Kinematics of particles, dynamics of particles. Work, conservative forces, potential energy. Relative motion and general moving frames of reference. Central force fields and orbits. Dynamics of a system of particles. General motion of rigid bodies, angular momentum and kinetic energy of rigid bodies. Generalized coordinates and forces, Lagrange's equations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Afifi, Mohamed (Fall)
-
COMP 250 Introduction to Computer Science (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Mathematical tools (binary numbers, induction,recurrence relations, asymptotic complexity,establishing correctness of programs). Datastructures (arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists,trees, binary trees, binary search trees, heaps,hash tables). Recursive and non-recursivealgorithms (searching and sorting, tree andgraph traversal). Abstract data types. Objectoriented programming in Java (classes andobjects, interfaces, inheritance). Selected topics.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Alberini, Giulia (Fall) Alberini, Giulia (Winter)
-
COMP 251 Algorithms and Data Structures (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Introduction to algorithm design and analysis. Graph algorithms, greedy algorithms, data structures, dynamic programming, maximum flows.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Alberini, Giulia (Fall) Becerra, David (Winter)
-
COMP 462 Computational Biology Methods (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Application of computer science techniques to problems arising in biology and medicine, techniques for modeling evolution, aligning molecular sequences, predicting structure of a molecule and other problems from computational biology.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Blanchette, Mathieu (Fall)
-
COMP 551 Applied Machine Learning (4 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Selected topics in machine learning and data mining, including clustering, neural networks, support vector machines, decision trees. Methods include feature selection and dimensionality reduction, error estimation and empirical validation, algorithm design and parallelization, and handling of large data sets. Emphasis on good methods and practices for deployment of real systems.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Prémont-Schwarz, Isabeau; Rabbany, Reihaneh (Fall) Li, Yue (Winter)
-
ECSE 415 Introduction to Computer Vision (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : An introduction to the automated processing, analysis, and understanding of image data. Topics include image formation and acquisition, design of image features, image segmentation, stereo and motion correspondence matching techniques, feature clustering, regression and classification for object recognition, industrial and consumer applications, and computer vision software tools.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Clark, James J (Fall) Arbel, Tal (Winter)
-
MECH 513 Control Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Mechanical Engineering : State-space modelling and related linear algebra. Controllability and observability of linear time-invariant systems and corresponding tests, system realizations. Stability: Bounded-Input-Bounded-Output (BIBO), internal, Lyapunov. Linear state feedback control: pole placement and root locus design methods, linear quadratic regulator. State observers: full- and reduced-order designs, separation principle, Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) design. Introduction to optimal control and optimal state estimation.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Forbes, James (Winter)
-
MECH 572 Mechanics and Control of Robotic Manipulators (3 credits)
Overview
Mechanical Engineering : Historical development and applications of robotic manipulators. Homogeneous transformations and geometry. Forward and inverse kinematics, manipulator Jacobian. Newton-Euler and Lagrangian formulations of inverse and forward dynamics. Trajectory planning for pick-and-place operations. Linear independent joint control and nonlinear model-based control schemes.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sharf, Inna (Winter)
-
SEAD 510 Energy Analysis (4 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Critical analysis of the importance of energy to society, the unsustainability of the current energy system, and potential options for a sustainable energy system. Topics include: peak oil and climate change, fundamental energy metrics, traditional and alternative primary and secondary power systems, and energy storage technologies. Quantitative energy analysis is applied to a set of case studies investigating energy use, energy generation, and energy storage and transport.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Bergthorson, Jeffrey (Fall)
(3-0-9)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Restrictions: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Engineering (including the School of Architecture and the School of Urban Planning).
Not open to undergraduate students in Chemical Engineering.
-
SEAD 515 Climate Change Adaptation and Engineering Infrastructure
(3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Climate resilience and sustainability of engineering systems such as the built environment and engineering infrastructure in the context of a changing climate, possible mitigation and adaptation strategies and associated challenges and opportunities. Review of the basic principles that underpin the science of climate change; the role of global and regional climate models in predicting the behaviour of the climate system in response to different forcing scenarios, and the use of climate model outputs in support of across scale climate-resilience of various engineering systems including infrastructure systems.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Sushama, Laxmi (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Restrictions: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Engineering (including the School of Architecture and the School of Urban Planning).
-
SEAD 520 Life Cycle-Based Environmental
Footprinting
(3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Introduction to Life Cycle-Based Environmental Footprinting and the application of basic methods for life-cycle environmental inventory and impacts modeling. LCA theory and quantitative analysis, approaches for assessing and reducing the environmental impacts of product, process, and technology systems. System boundary and functional unit design approaches, process-based and input-output-based methods for modeling mass and energy flows in life-cycle systems. How LCA can facilitate sustainable technology innovation and deployment, behavioural and societal changes, and policies, standards and regulations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Jordaan, Sarah (Fall)
(3-0-6)
Restrictions: Restricted to students registered in the Faculty of Engineering (including the School of Architecture and the School of Urban Planning).
-
SEAD 540 Industrial Ecology and Systems (3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Industrial ecology theory, concepts, normative goals and analytical methods. Material and energy flows, environmental impacts of industrial activities, systems thinking, transitioning from linear to closed loop systems, recent contributions to sustainable product systems, urban metabolism, optimized materials or energy management, development of a circular economy, new environmental policies and business models based on product or material lifecycle information. Consumer and organizational behaviour in transitioning to sustainable industrial systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Jordaan, Sarah (Winter)
(3-0-6)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Faculty of Engineering. Students outside of the Faculty of Engineering may register with permission of the instructor.
-
SEAD 550 Decision-Making for Sustainability in Engineering and Design (3 credits)
Overview
SEAD : Role and importance of engineering decisions of environmental, social, and economic problems and the application of decision-making approaches and tools to engineering sustainability. Multi-criteria decision-making, uncertainty analysis, game theory, sustainability metrics, life cycle analysis evaluation and impact assessment methodologies, design problem formulation, stage-dependent strategies, case studies.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sushama, Laxmi (Winter)
(3-0-6)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Faculty of Engineering. Students outside of the Faculty of Engineering may register with permission of the instructor.
NOTE: Students in Stream 3 may only take one of the two 4 credit list B TCs (either COMP 551 or SEAD 510 or another 3 credit list B TC)
NOTE: Maximum 6 credits of SEAD courses are allowed.
Complementary Studies
9 credits
Group A - Impact of Technology on Society
3 credits from the following:
-
ANTH 212 Anthropology of Development (3 credits)
Overview
Anthropology : Processes of developmental change, as they affect small communities in the Third World and in unindustrialized parts of developed countries. Problems of technological change, political integration, population growth, industrialization, urban growth, social services, infrastructure and economic dependency.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Winter
-
ECON 225 Economics of the Environment (3 credits)
Overview
Economics (Arts) : A study of the application of economic theory to questions of environmental policy. Particular attention will be given to the measurement and regulation of pollution, congestion and waste and other environmental aspects of specific economies.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Horner, Hervé Robert (Fall)
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken 154-325 or 154-425
-
ECON 347 Economics of Climate Change (3 credits)
Overview
Economics (Arts) : The course focuses on the economic implications of, and problems posed by, predictions of global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. Attention is given to economic policies such as carbon taxes and tradeable emission permits and to the problems of displacing fossil fuels with new energy technologies.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Cairns, Robert D (Winter)
-
ENVR 201 Society, Environment and Sustainability (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : This course deals with how scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional and behavioural factors mediate society-environment interactions. Issues discussed include population and resources; consumption, impacts and institutions; integrating environmental values in societal decision-making; and the challenges associated with, and strategies for, promoting sustainability. Case studies in various sectors and contexts are used.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Badami, Madhav Govind; Cardille, Jeffrey; Garver, Geoffrey (Fall)
Fall
Section 001: Downtown Campus
Section 051: Macdonald Campus
-
GEOG 200 Geographical Perspectives: World Environmental Problems (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Introduction to geography as the study of nature and human beings in a spatial context. An integrated approach to environmental systems and the human organization of them from the viewpoint of spatial relationships and processes. Special attention to environmental problems as a constraint upon Third World development.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Fall
3 hours
-
GEOG 203 Environmental Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An introduction to system-level interactions among climate, hydrology, soils and vegetation at the scale of drainage basins, including the study of the global geographical variability in these land-surface systems. The knowledge acquired is used to study the impact on the environment of various human activities such as deforestation and urbanisation.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Chmura, Gail L; MacDonald, Graham; Knox, Sara (Fall)
Fall
3 hours
Restriction: Because of quantitative science content of course, not recommended for B.A. and B.Ed. students in their U0 year.
-
GEOG 205 Global Change: Past, Present and Future (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An examination of global change, from the Quaternary Period to the present day involving changes in the physical geography of specific areas. Issues such as climatic change and land degradation will be discussed, with speculations on future environments.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Chmura, Gail L (Winter)
Winter
3 hours
-
GEOG 302 Environmental Management 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An ecological analysis of the physical and biotic components of natural resource systems. Emphasis on scientific, technological and institutional aspects of environmental management. Study of the use of biological resources and of the impact of individual processes.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Harris, Sarah (Fall)
3 hours
Prerequisite: Any 200-level course in Geography or MSE or BIOL 308 or permission of instructor.
-
MGPO 440 Strategies for Sustainability (3 credits) *
Overview
Management Policy : This course explores the relationship between economic activity, management, and the natural environment. Using readings, discussions and cases, the course will explore the challenges that the goal of sustainable development poses for our existing notions of economic goals, production and consumption practices and the management of organizations.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Melville, Donald (Fall)
Restriction: Open to U2, U3 students only
-
PHIL 343 Biomedical Ethics (3 credits)
Overview
Philosophy : An investigation of ethical issues as they arise in the practice of medicine (informed consent, e.g.) or in the application of medical technology (in vitro fertilization, euthanasia, e.g.)
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Hirose, Iwao (Fall)
-
RELG 270 Religious Ethics and the Environment (3 credits)
Overview
Religious Studies : Environmental potential of various religious traditions and secular perspectives, including animal rights, ecofeminism, and deep ecology.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
-
SOCI 235 Technology and Society (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : An examination of the extent to which technological developments impose constraints on ways of arranging social relationships in bureaucratic organizations and in the wider society: the compatibility of current social structures with the effective utilization of technology.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Wang, Skyler (Winter)
-
SOCI 312 Sociology of Work and Industry (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The development of the world of work from the rise of industrial capitalism to the postindustrial age. Responses of workers and managers to changing organizational, technological and economic realities. Interrelations between changing demands in the workplace and the functioning of the labour market. Canadian materials in comparative perspective.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Eidlin, Barry (Winter)
-
URBP 201 Planning the 21st Century City (3 credits)
Overview
Urban Planning : The study of how urban planners respond to the challenges posed by contemporary cities world-wide. Urban problems related to the environment, shelter, transport, human health, livelihoods and governance are addressed; innovative plans to improve cities and city life are analyzed.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
(3-1-5)
* Note: Management courses have limited enrolment and registration dates. See Important Dates at www.mcgill.ca/importantdates.
Group B - Humanities and Social Science, Management Studies and Law
Generally, students admitted to Engineering from Quebec CEGEP's are granted transfer credits for 3 credits (one course) from the Complementary Studies Group B list.
6 credits of courses at the 200-level or higher from the following departments:
Anthropology (ANTH)
Economics (any 200- or 300-level course excluding ECON 227 and ECON 337)
History (HIST)
Philosophy (excluding PHIL 210 and PHIL 310)
Political Science (POLI)
Psychology (excluding PSYC 204 and PSYC 305, but including PSYC 100)
Religious Studies (RELG) (excluding courses that principally impart language skills, such as Sanskrit, Tibetan, Tamil, New Testament Greek, and Biblical Hebrew)***
School of Social Work (SWRK)
Sociology (excluding SOCI 350)
OR from the following courses:
-
ARCH 528 History of Housing (3 credits)
Overview
Architecture : Indigenous housing both transient and permanent, from the standpoint of individual structure and pattern of settlements. The principal historic examples of houses including housing in the age of industrial revolution and contemporary housing.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Adams, Annmarie (Fall)
(2-0-7)
Prerequisite: ARCH 251 or permission of instructor
-
BUSA 465 Technological Entrepreneurship (3 credits) *
Overview
Business Admin : Concentrating on entrepreneurship and enterprise development, particular attention is given to the start-up, purchasing and management of small to medium-sized industrial firms. The focal point is in understanding the dilemmas faced by entrepreneurs, resolving them, developing a business plan and the maximum utilization of the financial, marketing and human resources that make for a successful operation.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: An, Kwangjun (Fall) An, Kwangjun (Winter)
-
CLAS 203 Greek Mythology (3 credits)
Overview
Classics : A survey of the myths and legends of Ancient Greece.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Kozak, Lynn (Winter)
-
ENVR 203 Knowledge, Ethics and Environment (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : Introduction to cultural perspectives on the environment: the influence of culture and cognition on perceptions of the natural world; conflicts in orders of knowledge (models, taxonomies, paradigms, theories, cosmologies), ethics (moral values, frameworks, dilemmas), and law (formal and customary, rights and obligations) regarding political dimensions of critical environments, resource use, and technologies.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Kosoy, Nicolas; Freeman, Julia (Fall) Hirose, Iwao; Janzwood, Amy (Winter)
Fall - Macdonald Campus; Winter - Downtown
Section 001: Downtown Campus
Section 051: Macdonald Campus
-
ENVR 400 Environmental Thought (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : Students work in interdisciplinary seminar groups on challenging philosophical, ethical, scientific and practical issues. They will explore cutting-edge ideas and grapple with the reconciliation of environmental imperatives and social, political and economic pragmatics. Activities include meeting practitioners, attending guest lectures, following directed readings, and organizing, leading and participating in seminars.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Kosoy, Nicolas; Freeman, Julia (Fall) Sieber, Renee; Janzwood, Amy (Winter)
Fall - Macdonald Campus; Winter - Downtown
Section 001: Downtown Campus
Section 051: Macdonald Campus
Prerequisite: ENVR 203
Restriction: Open only to U3 students, or permission of instructor
-
FACC 220 Law for Architects and Engineers (3 credits)
Overview
Faculty Course : Aspects of the law which affect architects and engineers. Definition and branches of law; Federal and Provincial jurisdiction, civil and criminal law and civil and common law; relevance of statutes; partnerships and companies; agreements; types of property, rights of ownership; successions and wills; expropriation; responsibility for negligence; servitudes/easements, privileges/liens, hypothecs/ mortgages; statutes of limitations; strict liability of architect, engineer and builder; patents, trade marks, industrial design and copyright; bankruptcy; labour law; general and expert evidence; court procedure and arbitration.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Crowe, Joshua (Fall)
(3-0-6)
-
FACC 500 Technology Business Plan Design (3 credits)
Overview
Faculty Course : This course combines several management functional areas such as marketing, financial, operations and strategy with the skills of creativity, engineering innovation, leadership and communications. Students learn how to design an effective and winning business plan around a technology or engineering project in small, medium or large enterprises.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Wong, Derrick (Fall)
-
FACC 501 Technology Business Plan Project (3 credits)
Overview
Faculty Course : Students work in teams to develop a comprehensive business plan project based on a technological or engineering innovation while utilizing site visits.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
-
HISP 225 Hispanic Civilization 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Hispanic Studies (Arts) : A survey of historical and cultural elements which constitute the background of the Hispanic world up to the 18th century; a survey of the pre-Columbian indigenous civilizations (Aztec, Maya and Inca) and the conquest of America.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Jouve-Martin, Jose (Fall)
Fall
Taught in English
-
HISP 226 Hispanic Civilization 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Hispanic Studies (Arts) : A survey of the constitution of the ideological and political structures of the Spanish Empire in both Europe and America until the Wars of Independence; a survey of the culture and history of the Hispanic people from the early 19th Century to the present.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Jouve-Martin, Jose (Winter)
Winter
Taught in English
-
INDR 294 Introduction to Labour-Management Relations (3 credits) *
Overview
Industrial Relations : An introduction to labour-management relations, the structure, function and government of labour unions, labour legislation, the collective bargaining process, and the public interest in industrial relations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Westgate, Chantal (Fall)
-
INTG 201 Integrated Management Essentials 1 (3 credits) **
Overview
INTG : Essentials of management using an integrated approach. Three modules (managing money, managing people and managing information) cover fundamentals of accounting, finance, organizational behaviour and information systems; and illustrate how the effective management of human, financial and technological resources contributes to the success of an organization. Emphasizes an integrated approach to management, highlighting how organizations function as a whole and the importance of being able to work across functional and organizational boundaries.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Only open to U1, U2, U3 non-Management students. Not open to students in the Desautels Faculty of Management or students who have taken two or more of courses MGCR 211, MGCR 222 or MGCR 341.
Limited enrolment; priority registration to students in Minors in Entrepreneurship. Note: this course is not part of the Desautels Minors in Management, Finance, Marketing or Operations Management (for non-Management students).
-
INTG 202 Integrated Management Essentials 2 (3 credits) **
Overview
INTG : Essentials of management using an integrated approach. Four modules (managing customer relationships, managing processes, managing digital innovation and managing the enterprise) cover fundamentals of marketing, strategy, operations and information systems; and illustrate how this knowledge is harnessed in an organization to create value for customers and other stakeholders. Emphasizes an integrated approach to management, highlighting how organizations function as a whole and the importance of being able to work across functional and organizational boundaries.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction(s): Only open to U1, U2, U3 students. Not open to students in the Desautels Faculty of Management or students who have taken two or more of courses MGCR 331, MGCR 352, MGCR 423 or MGCR 472.
Limited enrolment; priority registration to students in Minors in Entrepreneurship. It is suggested that students take INTG 201 prior to INTG 202, but is not required. Note: this course is not part of the Desautels Minors in Management, Finance, Marketing or Operations Management (for non-Management Students).
-
MATH 338 History and Philosophy of Mathematics (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Indian and Arab contributions to mathematics are studied together with some modern developments they give rise to, for example, the problem of trisecting the angle. European mathematics from the Renaissance to the 18th century is discussed, culminating in the discovery of the infinitesimal and integral calculus by Newton and Leibnitz. Demonstration of how mathematics was done in past centuries, and involves the practice of mathematics, including detailed calculations, arguments based on geometric reasoning, and proofs.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Fortier, Jérôme (Fall)
-
MGCR 222 Introduction to Organizational Behaviour (3 credits) *
Overview
Management Core : Individual motivation and communication style; group dynamics as related to problem solving and decision making, leadership style, work structuring and the larger environment. Interdependence of individual, group and organization task and structure.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Gordon, Sarah; Ody-Brasier, Amandine; Blanchette, Simon (Fall) Mackey, Jeraul; Dakhlallah, Diana; Galperin, Roman; Findlay, Sylvia Miriyam (Winter)
Restriction: Not open to U0 students.
-
MGCR 352 Principles of Marketing (3 credits) *
Overview
Management Core : Introduction to marketing principles, focusing on problem solving and decision making. Topics include: the marketing concept; marketing strategies; buyer behaviour; Canadian demographics; internal and external constraints; product; promotion; distribution; price. Lectures, text material and case studies.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Etemad, Hamid; Aronovitch, Aviva; Cyrius, Fabienne; Blanchette, Simon (Fall) Doré, Bruce; Zhao, Clarice (Winter)
Restrictions: Open to U1, U2, U3 students.
-
ORGB 321 Leadership (3 credits) *
Overview
Organizational Behaviour : Leadership theories provide students with opportunities to assess and work on improving their leadership skills. Topics include: the ability to know oneself as a leader, to formulate a vision, to have the courage to lead, to lead creatively, and to lead effectively with others.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Westgate, Chantal (Fall) Westgate, Chantal (Winter)
Prerequisite: MGCR 222 or permission of Instructor and approval of the BCom Program Office.
Restrictions: Restricted to U2 and U3 students.
-
ORGB 423 Human Resources Management (3 credits) *
Overview
Organizational Behaviour : Issues involved in personnel administration. Topics include: human resource planning, job analysis, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, organization development and change, issues in compensation and benefits, and labour-management relations.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Gauvin, Tatiana (Fall) Gauvin, Tatiana (Winter)
Prerequisite: MGCR 222
Requirement for the Institute of Internal Auditors
* Note: Management courses have limited enrolment and registration dates. See Important Dates: www.mcgill.ca/importantdates.
** INTG 201 and INTG 202 are not open to students who have taken certain Management courses. Please see the INTG 201 and INTG 202 course information for a list of these courses.
*** If you are uncertain whether or not a course principally imparts language skills, please see an adviser in the McGill Engineering Student Centre (Frank Dawson Adams Building, Room 22) or email an adviser.
Note regarding language courses: Language courses are not accepted to satisfy the Complementary Studies Group B requirement, effective for students who entered the program as of Fall 2017.
Elective Courses
0-9 credits
Students from Quebec CEGEPs must take 9 credits of elective courses. These can be chosen from any course at the 200-level or higher offered by the University, subject to permission of the offering department.