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ME 123Electrical Engineering for Mechanical Engineers

Units
0.50
Faculty
Engineering
Subject
Mechanical Engineering

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

Definitions of electric and magnetic fields. Introduction to circuit theory (direct current) DC circuits, amplifiers, operational amplifiers, single- and three-phase (alternating current) AC circuits. Introduction to basic electronic devices.

Prerequisites

Antirequisites

  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
    • AE123 - Electrical Circuits and Instrumentation (0.50)
    • CIVE123 - Electrical Circuits and Instrumentation (0.50)
    • ECE140 - Linear Circuits (0.50)
    • ENVE123 - Electrical Circuits and Instrumentation (0.50)
    • GENE123 - Electrical Circuits and Instrumentation (0.50)
    • GEOE123 - Electrical Circuits and Instrumentation (0.50)
    • MTE120 - Circuits (0.75)
    • NE140 - Linear Circuits (0.50)

Leads to

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00149140 / 140MWF 11:30–12:20
MWF 11:30–12:20
Jan 22 08:30–09:20
Feb 12 08:30–09:20
Mar 12 08:30–09:20
Feb 25 08:30–10:20
LEC 70119841 / 9999Online or by arrangement
LAB 10149150 / 140F 13:30–16:20
F 13:30–16:20
TUT 20149160 / 140W 08:30–09:20
W 08:30–09:20

Reviewed on UW Flow

71% liked it53% easy71% useful

From 58 ratings and 14 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • this was soooo hard

    Sep 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • I just hate circuits. If I wanted to learn this, I would have applied to ECE instead of Mech.

    May 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • The first half of the course is stupid easy with the midterm being very straightforward (the questions tell you how to solve them along with a make up exam to boost your mark) + labs and assignments which are basically free marks. However, the final exam is very hard in comparison requiring you to use lots of conceptual circuit knowledge to derive answers rather than just being told how to solve questions. As a result, try to ensure a solid understanding of fundamentals, mainly kirchoffs laws, ohms law, equivalent circuits and their applications along with reading circuit diagrams and thats basically all you need to solve the questions.

    Apr 2023 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Overall easy course, despite subpar teaching. Basic circuits, completely understandable. Midterm was very easy. We didn't cover the whole course, and yet the professor decided to test us on stuff we hadn't covered. Overall passable.

    Apr 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • R. Buchanan is a goated prof, very fair exams and interesting lectures

    Aug 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

3 posts and comments in 3 threads mention ME 123, May 2014 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.

Fall 2024

Spring 2019

Switching programs 1 point, 8 comments

“I really want to switch from civil to mechanical engineering. But of course the program is full and I will have to wait for the end of 1A. …”

u/crono760: “… same, also your circuits course (CIVE123) will be different from the mech circuits course (ME123), and your programming course is drastically different as well. So it is unlikely you'll be able to switch in after 1A and you'll probably have to switch after 1B \back into\ 1A. …”

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Spring 2014

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar