Engineering Physics
The mission of the Engineering Physics program is to provide the best possible broad-based engineering degree which emphasizes the fundamentals of physics and mathematics to prepare graduates for engineering research and innovation in technology companies and research labs. Numerous specializations are available within Engineering Physics, by appropriate choice of several technical electives. These include specializations in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biophysics, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, Materials Engineering, Astronomy, and Technology Entrepreneurship among others. Technical electives for these specializations will be chosen from a list of relevant courses or by approval of the program director.
Students wishing to complete part of their study abroad may apply in third year for the Coordinated International Exchange (CIE) Program. Students participating in this program will complete most of their technical electives at a partner university during the fall term of their fourth year.
Inquiries regarding admission to an engineering program should be directed to Engineering Student Services, room 1100, Kaiser Building. For information regarding the deadline to apply for admission to the Faculty of Applied Science, please consult the Application and Document Deadlines section of the UBC Calendar.
Students completing first year are required to submit a program preference form, available online in the spring from the Faculty of Applied Science. Students will rank their choices of engineering programs and submit the form electronically to the Engineering Student Services Office. Please consult Second-Year Placement for deadlines and procedures.
Applicants to Engineering Physics must attend an in-person interview, usually held in April, to be considered for admission. Please consult the Engineering Physics webpage in March to reserve an interview time.
The completion of a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Physics will normally take five years. Having completed first year engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science, students must complete four more years in the Engineering Physics program.
Most students choose to obtain technical work experience by enrolling in the Co-operative Education Program. Four Co-op work terms of four months each are built into the Engineering Physics program, as shown in the Co-op Sequence of Placements below.
Students wishing to obtain technical work experience outside the Co-op Program should confer with the Director of Engineering Physics.
Students completing first year in the Faculty of Science will normally have the following course deficiencies: APSC 151, APSC 160, MATH 152, and PHYS 170. Some deficiencies will need to be completed as soon as possible, as they are pre-requisites for core courses. All deficiencies from first year must be completed prior to graduation.
The Engineering Student Services Office handles advising for all first-year students, for courses given by other faculties, and provides advice on transfer credits.
Inquiries regarding the Engineering Physics program should be made through the Engineering Physics program office, room 333A, Hennings Building. Academic Advising is available through the program office, or by appointment with the program director.
Engineering Physics is a program under the jurisdiction of the Dean of Applied Science and is administered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the Faculty of Science.
The following program-year curriculum tables are specific to students registered in the corresponding years of Engineering Physics for the current Academic Year.
Engineering Physics
| Second Year | |
|---|---|
| CPEN 221 | 4 |
| ELEC 204 | 4 |
| ENPH 2532 | 5 |
| ENPH 259 | 3 |
| ENPH 2702 | 2 |
| MATH 2171 | 4 |
| MATH 255 | 3 |
| MATH 2572 | 3 |
| MECH 260 | 3 |
| PHYS 2032 | 4 |
| PHYS 2502 | 3 |
| Complementary Studies electives3 | 3 |
| Total Credits | 41 |
| 1 If unable to take MATH 217, replace with MATH 253 and 317. | |
| 2 Taken during the summer academic term. | |
| 3 See Complementary Studies Courses. | |
| Third Year | |
|---|---|
| APSC 278 | 3 |
| APSC 279 | 1 |
| CPEN 312 | 3 |
| ELEC 221 | 4 |
| ENPH 353 | 3 |
| MATH 307 | 3 |
| MATH 305 | 3 |
| MECH 280 | 3 |
| MECH 325 | 4 |
| MECH 360 | 3 |
| PHYS 301 | 3 |
| PHYS 304 | 3 |
| PHYS 350 | 3 |
| Total Credits | 39 |
| Fourth Year | |
|---|---|
| ENPH 459 | 5 |
| MATH 318 | 3 |
| MATH 400 | 3 |
| PHYS 401 | 3 |
| One of ELEC 341, MECH 466 | 4 |
| Technical elective1 | 3 |
| Total Credits | 21 |
| 1 Chosen in consultation with the Director. Technical elective requirements may be waived in part at the discretion of the Director for students pursuing dual degrees, minors, or equivalent study. Students enrolled in CIE may obtain technical elective credit while on exchange. | |
| Fifth Year | |
|---|---|
| APSC 450 | 2 |
| ELEC 3021 | 3 |
| ELEC 481 | 3 |
| ENPH 352 | 2 |
| ENPH 4792 | 6 |
| PHYS 403 | 3 |
| PHYS 408 | 4 |
| One of MATH 401, 405, 406, PHYS 4103 | 3 |
| Technical electives4 | 9 |
| Complementary Studies elective5 | 3 |
| Total Credits | 38 |
| 1 Students may also fulfill this requirement with ELEC 301 or ELEC 401 | |
| 2 ENPH 479 may be replaced with APSC 486 for students pursuing the Entrepreneurship Minor, or at the discretion of the Program Director. | |
| 3 Students planning on graduate studies in math or physics should take one of MATH 401 or MATH 406. | |
| 4 Chosen in consultation with the Director. Technical elective requirements may be waived in part at the discretion of the Director for students pursuing dual degrees or minors. | |
| 5 See Complementary Studies Courses | |
| Specialization in Mechanical Engineering | |
|---|---|
| To qualify for a specialization in Mechanical Engineering, students must take at least the following courses as part of their technical electives: | |
| 1) MECH 426 | |
| 2) Two courses from the following list: MECH 375, MECH 380, MECH 463 | |
| 3) One additional course with subject code MECH | |
| Specialization in Electrical Engineering | |
|---|---|
| To qualify for a specialization in Electrical Engineering, students must take at least the following courses as part of their technical electives: | |
| 1) ELEC 431 | |
| 2) One of ELEC 342, ELEC 343 | |
| 3) One additional course with subject code ELEC | |
Co-operative Education Sequence of Placements
The degree will normally require the students to take nine academic ("Acad") semesters and four co-operative education placements ("Coop"). Students who have deficiencies in their program before entering Engineering Physics are encouraged to complete as many of those as possible during the "open" summer semester. Please seek the advice of an advisor in Engineering Physics.
Co-op Sequence of Placements
| Year | Term 1 | Term 2 | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Applied Science | Acad | Acad | Open |
| 2 Engineering Physics | Acad | Coop #1 | Acad |
| 3 Engineering Physics | Acad | Acad | Coop #2 |
| 4 Engineering Physics | Coop #3 | Acad | Coop #4 |
| 5 Engineering Physics | Acad | Acad |
Students accepted into Engineering Physics who are interested in the Co-operative Education program must contact the Science Co-op Office, located in Room 170 of the Chemistry/Physics Building.
