27 undergraduate courses in the 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar.
GENE 101Strategies and Skills for Academic Success0.50 units
The goal for this course is to help students become successful independent learners through learned study skills, a better understanding of their personality type, and an understanding of how personal wellness affects academic success. It takes a modelled approach to teaching learning strategies to students who struggle to meet the demands of a university curriculum. In the lectures, students will be taught various learning strategies that they will be able to apply to successfully meet the demands of their other courses. Students will then apply these modelled strategies in their other courses during a weekly application lab. Students will be expected to demonstrate their understanding of the material through a variety of assignments. The course will include an engineering component.
GENE 123Electrical Circuits and Instrumentation0.50 units
Charge, current, and voltage. Voltage and current sources, resistors, capacitors, and inductors. Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's Laws, nodal analysis, Thevenin and Norton models, instrumentation amplifier circuits, time response, impedance. Function and characteristics of basic electrical transducers. Resolution, precision, and accuracy. Basics of data acquisition.
GENE 199Special Topics in First-Year Engineering0.50 units
Various courses dealing with selected topics of particular interest to first-year engineering students. These courses will be offered as resources are available and the material is needed.
GENE 298Special Complementary Studies Topics0.50 units
Various courses dealing with selected complementary studies topics of particular interest to engineering students. These courses will be offered as resources are available and the material is needed.
GENE 299Special Topics in Second-Year Engineering0.50 units
Various courses dealing with selected topics of particular interest to second-year engineering students. These courses will be offered as resources are available and the material is needed.
GENE 310ATopics for Technical Courses Taken on Exchange by Architecture Students0.50 units
Courses taken by University of Waterloo architecture students while completing an international exchange, and reserved for courses without equivalents at the University of Waterloo. These courses are treated as technical electives in the student's plan.
GENE 310ETopics for Technical Courses Taken on Exchange by Engineering Students0.50 units
Courses taken by University of Waterloo engineering students while completing an international exchange, and reserved for courses without equivalents at the University of Waterloo. These courses are treated as technical electives in the student's plan.
GENE 311ATopics for List A Complementary Studies Courses Taken on Exchange by Engineering Students0.50 units
Courses taken by University of Waterloo engineering students while completing an international exchange, and reserved for courses without equivalents at the University of Waterloo. These courses are treated as List A complementary studies electives in the student's plan.
GENE 311BTopics for List B Complementary Studies Courses Taken on Exchange by Engineering Students0.50 units
Courses taken by University of Waterloo engineering students while completing an international exchange, and reserved for courses without equivalents at the University of Waterloo. These courses are treated as List B complementary studies electives in the student's plan.
GENE 311CTopics for List C Complementary Studies Courses Taken on Exchange by Engineering Students0.50 units
Courses taken by University of Waterloo engineering students while completing an international exchange, and reserved for courses without equivalents at the University of Waterloo. These courses are treated as List C complementary studies electives in the student's plan.
GENE 311DTopics for List D Complementary Studies Courses Taken on Exchange by Engineering Students0.50 units
Courses taken by University of Waterloo engineering students while completing an international exchange, and reserved for courses without equivalents at the University of Waterloo. These courses are treated as List D complementary studies electives in the student's plan.
GENE 312ETopics for Natural Science Elective Courses Taken on Exchange by Engineering Students0.50 units
Courses taken by University of Waterloo engineering students while completing an international exchange, and reserved for courses without equivalents at the University of Waterloo. These courses are treated as natural science electives in the student's plan.
GENE 315Special Directed Non-Technical Studies0.50 units
This course is provided for students who wish to request a course credit for university-related scholarly activities. Students wishing to claim this credit must show evidence of university-level academic activity not otherwise claimed for credit.
Permission of the associate chair of the department in which the student is registered is required.
Prerequisites
Enrolled in a program offered by Faculty of Engineering
Waterloo students studying abroad for academic transfer credits under an engineering exchange program during a fall term register at Waterloo under GENE 395.
Waterloo students studying abroad for academic transfer credits under an engineering exchange program during a winter term register at Waterloo under GENE 396.
Waterloo students studying abroad for academic transfer credits under an engineering exchange program during a spring term register at Waterloo under GENE 397.
GENE 399Special Topics in Third-Year Engineering0.50 units
Various courses dealing with selected technical topics of particular interest to third-year engineering students. These courses will be offered as resources are available and the material is needed.
GENE 403Interdisciplinary Design Project 10.50 units
This is the first course in a two-course sequence where students from more than one engineering plan work together to solve an interdisciplinary engineering problem. In the course they will formulate and communicate an interdisciplinary engineering problem or opportunity; develop a feasible design project proposal and plan; generate feasible solutions that address the formulated problem; evaluate alternatives and identify preferred solution; address safety, regulatory, sustainability and professional ethics requirements, as appropriate; effectively manage design project technical and non-technical risks using project management tools and techniques; deliver a report and/or a presentation that summarizes the work completed; work effectively as an interdisciplinary team member and/or team leader.
GENE 404Interdisciplinary Design Project 20.50 units
This is the second course in a two-course sequence where students from more than one engineering plan work together to solve an interdisciplinary engineering problem. At the end of this course students will be able to re-formulate and re-communicate an engineering problem or opportunity (as appropriate); revise and communicate a feasible design project plan; revise solutions that address the formulated problem (as appropriate); implement and verify design solutions by analysis, test or prototype; communicate design solutions using accepted data formats, working documents and oral presentations; address safety, regulatory, sustainability and professional ethics requirements, as appropriate; effectively manage and communicate design project plans, technical and non-technical risks, using project management tools and techniques; work effectively as an interdisciplinary team member and/or team leader.
GENE 415Non-Technical Studies: Practical Analysis of Student Leadership Experiences0.50 units
This course provides student leaders with a practical framework to analyze and understand their role in their service organization, either in Waterloo Engineering or outside, to become better leaders in the future. The course is structured for students to both develop and apply reflective practices to their student leadership experiences using the SLICC (Student-Led, Individually-Created Course) model and circle pedagogy. Classroom time is used for discussions, workshops, guest presenters, and peer-to-peer learning experiences from discussions of the week’s topic to formal presentations. Typical topics include positionality and power, conflict and inter-personal relationships, emotional intelligence, leadership and management, communication, teamwork, and succession planning. Participation in all in-person sessions and submitting weekly reflections are expected. Main deliverables include weekly reflections, SLICC proposal and final report, as well as presentations and peer feedback on SLICC projects.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Students must be in level 4B or higher
Enrolled in a program offered by Faculty of Engineering
GENE 499Special Topics in Fourth-Year Engineering0.50 units
Various courses dealing with selected technical topics of particular interest to fourth-year engineering students. These courses will be offered as resources are available and the material is needed.
GENE 501Directed Studies for Visiting Exchange Students0.50 units
An assignment of study or project work under the direction of a faculty member. The specific project is established on the basis of a written proposal that is agreed to by the supervisors at both the host and home institutions. The academic level and the time commitment shall be specified in the proposal. Registration is restricted to international exchange students at Waterloo under an Exchange Agreement with the Faculty of Engineering. Candidates for degrees at the University of Waterloo are not eligible.
A student must arrange with a Waterloo faculty member to serve as advisor prior to registering for this course.
GENE 502Directed Studies for Visiting Exchange Students1.00 units
An assignment of study or project work under the direction of a faculty member. The specific project is established on the basis of a written proposal that is agreed to by the supervisors at both the host and home institutions. The academic level and the time commitment shall be specified in the proposal. Registration is restricted to international exchange students at Waterloo under an Exchange Agreement with the Faculty of Engineering. Candidates for degrees at the University of Waterloo are not eligible.
A student must arrange with a Waterloo faculty member to serve as advisor prior to registering for this course.
GENE 503Directed Studies for Visiting Exchange Students2.50 units
An assignment of study or project work under the direction of a faculty member. The specific project is established on the basis of a written proposal that is agreed to by the supervisors at both the host and home institutions. The academic level and the time commitment shall be specified in the proposal. Registration is restricted to international exchange students at Waterloo under an Exchange Agreement with the Faculty of Engineering. Candidates for degrees at the University of Waterloo are not eligible.
A student must arrange with a Waterloo faculty member to serve as advisor prior to registering for this course.
Various courses dealing with selected technical topics of particular interest to fourth-year engineering students. These courses will be offered as resources are available and the material is needed.