University of Alberta Faculty of Engineering

University of Alberta Faculty of Engineering
The Engineering Teaching and Learning Complex (ETLC)
Established	1908 (1908)
Type	Faculty
Academic affiliation	University of Alberta
Location	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Dean	David Lynch
Website	www.engineering.ualberta.ca

The University of Alberta Faculty of Engineering is one of the largest engineering schools in Canada in terms of size, international impact, and reputation.^[1] 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.^[2]

History

Engineering classes have been taught at the University of Alberta since it opened in 1908.

Programs

Undergraduate degree

The undergraduate bachelor's degree 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.^[3]

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.^[4]

Departments

The departments in engineering at the University of Alberta are as follows:

• Chemical and Materials Engineering (including Computer Process Control 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.^[Source?]
• Civil and Environmental Engineering (including School of Mining and Petroleum Engineering)
• Electrical and Computer Engineering (including nano-electrical and Software options and Engineering Physics)
• Mechanical Engineering
• 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 option, a program that applies engineering principles to medical practice.

Campus

The Mechanical Engineering Building

The Natural Resource Engineering Facility

The Chemical/Materials Engineering Building

Faculty of Engineering facilities are located mainly in the north-west corner of the University of Alberta campus and have experienced much growth since 2001. The joint Engineering Teaching and Learning Complex (ETLC) and Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Facility (ECERF) was completed in February 2002. ETLC contains the main Faculty of Engineering offices, several lecture halls, and many electrical and computer engineering laboratories. ECERF houses department and faculty offices as well as for lab space for graduate and postdoctoral work.^[5] 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.^[6] Most recently, the National Institute for Nanotechnology was opened in June 2006. As a joint venture between the federal and provincial governments of Canada and Alberta and the University of Alberta, the institute houses some of the world's best nanotechnology facilities. It is Canada's quietest research space, filtering out all electromagnetic, acoustical and vibrational noise.^[7] Other facilities include the Mechanical Engineering and Chemical/Materials Engineering buildings, both of which are connected to ETLC by pedway.

A new structure, the Innovation Centre for Engineering (ICE) has broken ground and will be erected between the Chemical and Materials Engineering Building and the Windsor Car Park.^[8]

References

External links

• University of Alberta: Engineering Faculty
• National Institute of Nanotechnology