University of Alberta Faculty of Engineering
Encyclopedia
The University of Alberta
Faculty of Engineering is one of the largest engineering
schools in Canada in terms of size, international impact and reputation.. The faculty is home to 1 Canada Excellence Research Chair, 16 Canada Research Chairs
, 13 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
chairs, and 5 Foundation Supported Chairs.
since it opened in 1908.
program for engineering is based on a 4-5 year program. The traditional program involves taking two terms (fall and winter) for four years to complete a degree. The co-op program
involves intermittent work placement terms, within a 5 year period. As practical experience is considered important by many employers, the co-op program typically requires a slightly higher GPA for admission to ensure better quality students are admitted into the program.
New students to engineering must first take two terms of general engineering courses before specializing into various departments. These courses include introductory chemistry
, waves
and light
, statics
, dynamics
, calculus
, linear algebra
, computer programming
and one complementary studies elective. This is structured to give students a feel of their areas of interest and strength, before fully entering into a specialized program. It also allows for ranking each student on a level playing field to decide program admission in second year. A sixth course in each term (General Engineering 100 and 101) must also be taken as an introduction to both the engineering profession
, and as a means for each department to recruit students.
Each department also has a biomedical
option, a program that applies engineering principles to medical practice.
Most of the engineering department is located in the North-West corner of the University of Alberta campus. Many new buildings have been added to the engineering recently. The joint Engineering Teaching and Learning Complex (ETLC) and Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Facility (ECERF), was added in February 2002. The former being a general engineering building, contains most of the general engineering offices and lecture
halls, as well as many electrical and computer engineering laboratories. ECERF primarily houses lab space for graduate
and postdoctoral work. The Allan P. Markin/Canadian Natural Resources Limited Natural Resources Engineering Facility (NREF) was added on October 1, 2004, and houses most civil and environmental engineering programs. Finally, the National Institute for Nanotechnology
was opened in June 2006. As a joint venture between the federal and provincial governments of Canada
and Alberta respectively and the University of Alberta, the institute houses some of the world's best nanotechnology
facilities. It is Canada's quietest research space, with electromagnetic
, acoustical and vibration
al noise all being filtered out. Other older buildings include the Mechanical Engineering building and the Chemical/Materials Engineering building, both of which are connected to ETLC by pedway.
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
Faculty of Engineering is one of the largest engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
schools in Canada in terms of size, international impact and reputation.. The faculty is home to 1 Canada Excellence Research Chair, 16 Canada Research Chairs
Canada Research Chairs
Canada Research Chairs are Canadian university research professorships created through the Canada Research Chairs Program.- Program goals :...
, 13 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is a Canadian government agency that provides grants for research in the natural sciences and in engineering. Its mandate is to promote and assist research....
chairs, and 5 Foundation Supported Chairs.
History
Engineering classes have been taught at the University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
since it opened in 1908.
Undergraduate degree
The undergraduate bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
program for engineering is based on a 4-5 year program. The traditional program involves taking two terms (fall and winter) for four years to complete a degree. The co-op program
Cooperative education
Cooperative education is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a "co-op", provides academic credit for structured job experience...
involves intermittent work placement terms, within a 5 year period. As practical experience is considered important by many employers, the co-op program typically requires a slightly higher GPA for admission to ensure better quality students are admitted into the program.
New students to engineering must first take two terms of general engineering courses before specializing into various departments. These courses include introductory chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, waves
WAVES
The WAVES were a World War II-era division of the U.S. Navy that consisted entirely of women. The name of this group is an acronym for "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service" ; the word "emergency" implied that the acceptance of women was due to the unusual circumstances of the war and...
and light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
, statics
Statics
Statics is the branch of mechanics concerned with the analysis of loads on physical systems in static equilibrium, that is, in a state where the relative positions of subsystems do not vary over time, or where components and structures are at a constant velocity...
, dynamics
Dynamics (mechanics)
In the field of physics, the study of the causes of motion and changes in motion is dynamics. In other words the study of forces and why objects are in motion. Dynamics includes the study of the effect of torques on motion...
, calculus
Calculus
Calculus is a branch of mathematics focused on limits, functions, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. This subject constitutes a major part of modern mathematics education. It has two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, which are related by the fundamental theorem...
, linear algebra
Linear algebra
Linear algebra is a branch of mathematics that studies vector spaces, also called linear spaces, along with linear functions that input one vector and output another. Such functions are called linear maps and can be represented by matrices if a basis is given. Thus matrix theory is often...
, computer programming
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
and one complementary studies elective. This is structured to give students a feel of their areas of interest and strength, before fully entering into a specialized program. It also allows for ranking each student on a level playing field to decide program admission in second year. A sixth course in each term (General Engineering 100 and 101) must also be taken as an introduction to both the engineering profession
Professional Engineer
Regulation of the engineering profession is established by various jurisdictions of the world to protect the safety, well-being and other interests of the general public, and to define the licensure process through which an engineer becomes authorized to provide professional services to the...
, and as a means for each department to recruit students.
Departments
The departments in engineering at the University of Alberta are as follows:- ChemicalChemical engineeringChemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
and Materials Engineering (including Computer Process ControlControl engineeringControl engineering or Control systems engineering is the engineering discipline that applies control theory to design systems with predictable behaviors...
and Oil Sands Options)- The Chemical Engineering program is the top program in Canada by a wide margin and is in the top 5% in North America. This ranking is against 177 programs in both the U.S. and Canada. This ranking is based on total refereed publications over a 5-year period as listed in the Science Citation Index of ISI. - CivilCivil engineeringCivil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
and Environmental EngineeringEnvironmental engineeringEnvironmental engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment , to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites...
(including School of MiningMining engineeringMining engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the practice, the theory, the science, the technology, and application of extracting and processing minerals from a naturally occurring environment. Mining engineering also includes processing minerals for additional value.Mineral...
and Petroleum EngineeringPetroleum engineeringPetroleum engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the activities related to the production of hydrocarbons, which can be either crude oil or natural gas. Subsurface activities are deemed to fall within the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, which are the activities of...
) - ElectricalElectrical engineeringElectrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
and Computer EngineeringComputer engineeringComputer engineering, also called computer systems engineering, is a discipline that integrates several fields of electrical engineering and computer science required to develop computer systems. Computer engineers usually have training in electronic engineering, software design, and...
(including SoftwareSoftware engineeringSoftware Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
Option and Engineering PhysicsEngineering physicsEngineering physics is the study of the combined disciplines of physics, engineering and mathematics in order to develop an understanding of the interrelationships of these three disciplines. Fundamental physics is combined with problem solving and engineering skills, which then has broad...
) - Mechanical EngineeringMechanical engineeringMechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
- Biomedical Engineering administered jointly by the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, the department hosts graduate and PhD students.
Each department also has a biomedical
Biomedical engineering
Biomedical Engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology. This field seeks to close the gap between engineering and medicine: It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve...
option, a program that applies engineering principles to medical practice.
Campus
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
halls, as well as many electrical and computer engineering laboratories. ECERF primarily houses lab space for graduate
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
and postdoctoral work. The Allan P. Markin/Canadian Natural Resources Limited Natural Resources Engineering Facility (NREF) was added on October 1, 2004, and houses most civil and environmental engineering programs. Finally, the National Institute for Nanotechnology
National Institute for Nanotechnology
The National Institute for Nanotechnology is a research institution located on the University of Alberta main campus, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Its primary purpose is nanotechnological research....
was opened in June 2006. As a joint venture between the federal and provincial governments of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
and Alberta respectively and the University of Alberta, the institute houses some of the world's best nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
facilities. It is Canada's quietest research space, with electromagnetic
Electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space...
, acoustical and vibration
Vibration
Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...
al noise all being filtered out. Other older buildings include the Mechanical Engineering building and the Chemical/Materials Engineering building, both of which are connected to ETLC by pedway.