3.0 Academic Programs: Undergraduate Education
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3.0 Academic Programs: Undergraduate Education The Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto is Canada’s leading teaching and research-intensive engineering school, with a calibre of undergraduate programs that are commensurate with the quality of the diverse student body we attract from around the world. This section highlights the current state of our undergraduate programs and admissions. The supporting data stem from our own records, as well as a thorough self-study consultation process which included focus groups, surveys, course evaluations and data from National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), a poll for first- and senior-year students that is conducted every three years by the Indiana University Bloomington. All NSSE data in this chapter compare U of T Engineering students to those at peer engineering institutions, which include 22 Ontario universities, the U15 groups of research-intensive Canadian universities, and select U.S. institutions chosen as comparators by U of T. (Note that U.S. comparators are chosen on a university-wide basis and do not necessarily reflect comparable engineering programs in the U.S. A complete list of peer institutions is available in Appendix C.)1 3.1 Overview of Programs and Governance Structure U of T Engineering students pursue either a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) or a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Science (BASc Engineering Science). Students interested in the BASc can enroll in any of the Core 8 programs or the General First Year (Section 3.1.1), while students pursuing the BASc Engineering Science can choose from one of eight majors (Section 3.1.2) offered through the Division of Engineering Science. Under the portfolio of the Vice-Dean, Undergraduate Studies, the Faculty’s Chair, First Year coordinates and oversees all Year 1 programming with the support of the Director, First Year Curriculum. Second- through fourth-year programming is supported at the department or division level under the direction of each unit’s Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies. All four years of the Engineering Science program are coordinated through the division, with overall support from the division’s chair. 3.1.1 Core 8 Programs and General First Year Our Core 8 programs and the departments in which they’re offered are: chemical (Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry), civil and mineral (Department of Civil Engineering), computer and electrical (The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering), industrial and mechanical (Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering), and materials (Department of Materials Science & Engineering). 1 Standard error values for NSSE scores give 95% confidence intervals ranging from ± 0.5 to ± 1.5, therefore only differences greater than these are considered statistically significant. 1 Figure 3.1 Core 8 Programs Students who are unready to select a discipline can complete a General First Year (also known as TrackOne) and enter one of the Core 8 disciplines in second year. General First Year students made up 17 per cent of incoming 2016 undergraduates, compared with 9 per cent in 2007-2008, the first year the program was offered. TrackOne students with a sessional average of 60 per cent or higher in both the fall and winter terms are guaranteed their first program choice for second year. Students in any Core 8 program can request a transfer into any other Core 8 program at the end of first year. This transfer is guaranteed for students whose sessional average is 80 per cent or above in both terms. For those who do not meet this requirement, the granting of their transfer request depends on the availability of space in that particular program. For the past four years, the Faculty and departments have worked together to approve all transfer requests, regardless of standing. Students in any of the Core 8 programs may also pursue Engineering minors or certificates in select cross-disciplinary areas, or minors in programs offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science. In 2013, we struck a task force to review the content and delivery of the first-year curriculum in the Core 8 and General First Year programs. The task force delivered its report in 2015 and a committee was created to oversee the implementation of its recommendations, which are referenced in the following sections. 3.1.2 Engineering Science Engineering Science is a unique program designed to challenge students at the highest academic level. It is distinguished by its focus on deriving results from first principles, and thus includes a strong focus on mathematics, science and foundational engineering principles and models. Approximately 40 to 50 per cent of Engineering Science graduates continue their engineering education with post-graduate studies at U of T and other top-ranked institutions around the world. Many students are now pursuing entrepreneurship rather than aspiring to be professors. Engineering Science is structured on two years of foundation curriculum, followed by a two-year specialization in one of eight majors (also called options). These majors, and their respective founding year, are: 2 Aerospace (1963) Biomedical Systems (2012) Electrical and Computer (2009, previously offered as two separate majors) Energy Systems (2009) Infrastructure (2001) Engineering Mathematics, Statistics and Finance (2010) Engineering Physics (1961) Robotics Engineering (2015) 3.1.3 Accreditation and External Reviews The Faculty’s nine undergraduate programs (Core 8 plus Engineering Science) are evaluated for accreditation by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) on a six-year cycle. Graduation from the Faculty therefore provides students with the education necessary to begin working as an engineer-in-training and, after four years of accumulated experience, apply for professional licensure (PEng) anywhere in Canada in accordance with individual provincial and territorial policies. The criteria set out by CEAB are designed to ensure that each graduate has a minimum foundation in mathematics and natural sciences, a broad preparation in engineering sciences and engineering design, and exposure to non-technical subjects (complementary studies) that complement the technical aspects of the curriculum. Since 2014, the criteria have also included the requirement for an outcome-based assessment of 12 graduate attributes identified by Engineers Canada2, which include problem analysis, communication skills, ethics, equity and others. Canadian engineering schools, including U of T, must implement and employ processes to demonstrate that program outcomes are being assessed in the context of these attributes, and that the results of such assessments are applied to the further development of programs. All nine of our Faculty’s undergraduate programs are fully accredited and the next review visit is scheduled for the 2018-2019 academic year. Another method of ensuring quality education is the provincial requirement for institutions to implement periodic external reviews of their academic programs and the units in which they reside. This is achieved through the implementation of institution-specific quality assurance processes, such as the University of Toronto Quality Assurance Process (UTQAP), whereby each of the Faculty’s departments, divisions and institutes and their undergraduate and/or graduate programs undergo an external review on an five-year cycle. In addition to reviewing each unit’s programs, external reviewers consider the scope, quality and relevance of its research, internal and external relationships, organizational and financial structure, long-range planning challenges, and international comparators. As a measure of the university’s commitment to quality assurance, review reports are taken forward to university governance and are summarized for the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance. 3.1.4 Academic Approvals: Governance The development of academic degrees is governed by the University of Toronto Quality Assurance Process (UTQAP) through the office of the Vice-Provost, Academic Programs. Proposals are approved by both the Faculty’s and university’s governance committees, and at the provincial level. 2 Engineers Canada, 2015 Accreditation Criteria and Procedures. https://www.engineerscanada.ca/sites/default/files/Accreditation_Criteria_Procedures_2015.pdf 3 Our Faculty’s Council has overall responsibility for curriculum change within degree programs, which are normally initiated and developed by the department, institute or division and reviewed by their respective curriculum committees. Faculty-wide changes, such as new minors or changes to the first year curriculum, are generally initiated through the Faculty’s Cross-Disciplinary Programs Office or task force or working group. All curriculum changes are approved by Faculty Council through its Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, a standing committee with faculty representatives from each program and the undergraduate student body. When considering changes or new programs, the committee will analyze the implications for CEAB accreditation. Major program modifications, such as the introduction of new minors or Engineering Science majors, are also approved by Faculty Council and reported to university governance for information. 3.1.5 Student Governance: Engineering Society Undergraduate student governance in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering is overseen by the Engineering Society, or “EngSoc”. EngSoc represents all full- and