ECE 109Materials Chemistry for Engineers
- Units
- 0.25
- Faculty
- Engineering
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 3 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
This course will help students understand the relationship between the microstructure of common semiconductor and optoelectronic materials, and the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties exhibited by the materials. Topics include structure of atoms, models of the atom, electronic configuration, band theory, atomic bonding, dielectric properties, optical transparency, magnetic properties, molecular bonding, metals and alloys, and activation energy.
Prerequisites
- Complete all of the following
- Students must be in level 2A or higher
- Enrolled in H-Computer Engineering, H-Electrical Engineering, or H-Software Engineering
Antirequisites
- Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
- CHEM120 - General Chemistry 1 (0.50)
Leads to
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 4998 | 119 / 145 | TTh 11:30–12:20 TTh 11:30–12:20 |
| TUT 101 | 4999 | 119 / 145 | Sep 21 16:30–17:20 Oct 5 16:30–17:20 Nov 9 16:30–17:20 Nov 16 16:30–17:20 Nov 23 16:30–17:20 Nov 30 16:30–17:20 |
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 4861 | 142 / 155 | MW 08:30–09:20 MW 08:30–09:20 |
| LEC 002 | 4862 | 114 / 135 | T 12:30–13:20 T 12:30–13:20 W 16:30–17:20 W 16:30–17:20 |
| LEC 701 | 1965 | 0 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
| TUT 101 | 4863 | 142 / 155 | Jan 29 15:30–16:20 Feb 12 15:30–16:20 Mar 19 15:30–16:20 Mar 26 15:30–16:20 Apr 2 15:30–16:20 Apr 9 15:30–16:20 |
| TUT 102 | 4864 | 114 / 135 | Jan 29 08:30–09:20 Feb 12 08:30–09:20 Mar 19 08:30–09:20 Mar 26 08:30–09:20 Apr 2 08:30–09:20 Apr 9 08:30–09:20 |
Reviewed on UW Flow
38% liked it62% easy18% useful
From 113 ratings and 39 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
This course could be interesting, however, the course content was taught terribly, jumped around extensively between topics, and covered WAY to much for the half-credit course it should be. The primary focus was on Quantum Physics, and we were expected to cover and understand ALL of the content taught within PHYS233 (a full credit intro to quantum mechanics course) within the first month and a half. Following this, we covered all the actual chemistry content briefly over just a few weeks, jumping quickly back into two more full units on optical properties of materials (which is basically a second unit on light theory), and then an extensive unit on dielectric materials and Maxwell…
Apr 2026 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
If you have Syed you are blessed. Bird course
Apr 2022 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
If you get Michal Bajscy you're actually cooked. Insanely difficult homework, insanely difficult exam. Just get AI to do all your homework/quizzes and cram as much content as possible onto your cheat sheet and pray. This class did not need to be this hard, but Michal just does not GAF. Why do they keep letting him teach this. Don't bother going to lecture, it's actually more confusing that just trying to figure it out on your own.
Apr 2026 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Interesting content and would have been more enjoyable if not for Bajcsy's terrible teaching. The lectures were pretty useless but the tutorials run by TAs were actually quite helpful. Try to read the textbook and actually understand the concepts in the assignments instead of just doing plug-and-chug into equations. The course definitely needs to be changed though, as the workload was higher than some full-credit courses despite being a half-credit.
Apr 2026 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This course was an absolute disaster. The lectures were too focused on reading Powerpoint slides and memorizing a bunch of equations and putting it on your cheet sheet with no conceptual understanding behind ANY TOPIC. Our prof covered 60% of the lectures and assignments on Quantum Mechanics just to not include it on the exam. There are no practice finals or materials for this course whatsoever. The assignment understanding barely helped with the Final. Also the TA Office Hours were very disorganized with the TA showing up 45 minutes late! This course should just revert back to its old structure and topics like the bird course it used to be. There is no reason for a 0.25 credit course to be…
Dec 2025 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
21 posts and comments in 20 threads mention ECE 109, August 2018 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Spring 2024
ECE109 notes 2 points, 2 comments
u/Promise_Accomplished: “Anyone can share the course outline and lecture/notes for ECE109? Also, is there a prescribed textbook for the same?”
Fall 2023
ECE 109 final exam 1 point, 1 comment
u/torido314159: “Any insights about the final of this course ? I have only been to the first lecture:(”
Winter 2023
Do first year ECE students take chem? 1 point, 6 comments
“Hi this may be a dumb question. I checked the first year courses for EE and noticed there was no chem. I'm a little confused because I have heard of ECE students taking chem in first year. Thank you! …”
u/Artistic-Detective40: “Nope. I think they changed the curriculum a few years ago but you take a “chem” course in 2A”
u/kevin161617: “ECE109 - Materials Chemistry for Engineers”
Fall 2022
Advice for ECE 2A 6 points, 5 comments
“I’ve heard alot about how hard the 2A term is. Just wanted some advice on the courses/ranking of them in difficulty. …”
u/MountainConcentrate9: “… ECE109: Everything should be provided in class. But the reference textbooks on the course outline is helpful. ECE204: The easiest course you will ever take. Easy to score high marks on exams. I took this course in the first offering so things may have changed. General advice... …”
Spring 2022
has anyone ever noticed these before? 213 points, 20 comments
u/YMRTZ: “Why take ECE109 when you can learn about plastic deformation from Campus Pizza”
Spring 2021
Nervous about 2A ECE this fall, any advice is appreciated 21 points, 18 comments
u/GuyFromECE: “… Tsiu - ECE 109, O. Michailovich - ECE 204, M. Cooper-Stachowsky - ECE 250, ECE 205 prof TBA) Please bestow your wisdom and advice. …”
ECE 231 advice 1 point, 3 comments
“There isn't anything on uwflow.com or on this sub. Thinking of taking it as an elective but don't want my ass wrecked. Any advice?”
u/Frozen-Penis: “It looks like the old ECE 209 was split into ECE 109 and 231. I would have thought 231 is just 331 moved to 2nd year since 231 is the old course code for 331 before some curriculum change a decade ago, but seems like both 231 and 331 can still be taken in the latest curriculum. …”
Fall 2020
Good prof appreciation thread 61 points, 89 comments
“This term sucks a lot and a lot of people are having some shitty experiences, especially with certain profs/TAs/instructors. But there’s a lot of profs who are not that shitty. …”
u/throwaway161616guy: “… ECE 109 - Yuning Li, ECE 204 - Ayman El-Hag, ECE 205 - Eduardo Martinez, ECE 240 - Chris Wilson, and ECE 250 - Ladan. All are fucking amazing profs this term. Really considerate and fair with teaching and assessment. …”
Retake exam only 0 points, 5 comments
“I missed an exam last year due to an illness, so I'm taking the exam this year. Most of the marks this year are from top hat questions, so can I answer them without affecting my mark? …”
u/throwaway161616guy: “Looool what class is this, ECE 109?”
Spring 2020
Do I need to take PHYS234 to prepare for PHYS334, having taken ECE209? 5 points, 3 comments
“I'm in EE and I want to learn about quantum, so I will take PHYS334 for one of my NSEs. I'm already taking ECE209, so do you think it's worthwhile to take PHYS234 as well to prepare for PHYS334? …”
u/Frozen-Penis: “idk how much ECE 209 changed now that ECE 109 is a thing but if it is anything like how my 209 was the quantum portion of the course was very surface level only lasts a couple weeks so I doubt it can meaningfully replace a standalone quantum physics course.”
Winter 2020
Admissions Megathread (Fall 2020 Incoming Students) 280 points, 10,432 comments
“Hello UW applicants, This thread is specifically for those who are applying/applied to UW to discuss different admission issues and ask current UW students for help and advice. …”
u/dorkability: “Got my offer to transfer into EE from math. Anyone know what courses are transferable?”
u/dorkability: “… Some of them are already anti-requisites (wish I took chem120 for ece 109) Not sure about ece 150, since you guys learn C++ and I’ve taken courses with racket and C. …”
ECE109 0 points, 1 comment
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them