U of T ENGINEERING

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Undergraduate Students

The fields of electrical and computer engineering are the engines that power the technology of the 21st century. Think of any device with an energy or information technology component – that’s electrical and computer engineering. It plays a crucial role in everything from neuroscience to space exploration.   

The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) offers two undergraduate programs: Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, culminating in a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) degree upon graduation. These four-year programs include a mandatory 600 hours of practical experience. Many students opt for the optional Professional Experience Year (PEY) Co-op Program, extending their studies with valuable industry experience between the third and fourth years. 

Admission Requirements 

Your academic record, particularly in math, chemistry, and physics courses, plays a crucial role in your ECE application. Additional requirements vary based on the education system you attended. Visit the Discover Engineering website for comprehensive admission details and reach out to engineering@utoronto.ca for any questions. 

Program Overview

ECE offers a four-year Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) degree. 

Year 1 / 2

The first two years of study are your foundation and are the same for both electrical and computer engineering undergraduates. Our students learn the principles of their disciplines by attending courses taught by our world-renowned faculty and gain real-world experience working with companies and organizations related to their fields of interest. 

Year 3 / 4 

In your third and fourth years at ECE, you choose courses to determine whether you'll graduate in electrical or computer engineering.In your final two years, you choose four areas of study that interest you and then choose two of those areas to focus on, creating your own mix of qualifications so that your degree reflects the engineer you want to be. 

We have a range of areas of focus that integrate a variety of courses to offer a more specialized knowledge base. Students must focus on two of these six areas: 

  • Photonics & Semiconductor Physics 
  • Electromagnetics & Energy Systems 
  • Analog & Digital Electronics 
  • Control, Communications & Signal Processing 
  • Software 
  • Computer Hardware & Computer Networks 

Minors and Certificates

You may wish to complement your electrical and computer engineering programs with a minor or certificate. These will appear on your official student transcript when you graduate. 

This is a great opportunity to gain interdisciplinary experience and to tailor your degree. Are you interested in robotics? Music technology? Entrepreneurship? See the list for each, and learn about the benefits, eligibility and general requirements: 

Courses by Year

First Year

12 Core Courses 

Second Year

  • 11 Core Courses  
  • 1 Design and Communication Course (Hardware or Software) 

Third & Fourth Year

Practical Experience Requirement (600 hours) / PEY Co-op

To receive your degree, you are required to complete 600 hours of practical experience. This ensures you have significant experience as an engineer with professional responsibility before graduation. The Practical Experience Requirement applies to all departments at U of T Engineering. 

The requirement can be completed in several ways, from working in industry to conducting research. Some students satisfy the requirement with U of T Engineering's Professional Experience Year Co-op Program (PEY Co-op) Program. 

Courses and Timetables 

To see the full list of courses available to ECE undergraduates, go to the Academic Calendar, which also includes all the details pertaining to policies, procedures and fees. 

Use the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering timetable to create your course schedule, which displays the day of the week, time, location and instructor for each offered course:  

Engineering course timetables   

For elective courses from the Faculty of Arts & Science, see the relevant seasonal timetable. Make sure you schedule elective courses around your core ECE requirements.  

Arts & Science course timetables  

Electives  

Elective courses are a way for you to shape your degree to explore and develop your interests. They also allow you to investigate the central issues, thought processes and scholarly methods found in disciplines outside engineering, which complements your Core Courses.  

You begin the process of selecting electives in your second year, looking ahead to your third and fourth year. In ECE, you are required to take a certain number of electives in these five groups:   

  • 2 Complementary Studies (CS)  
  • 2 Humanities and Social Science (HSS)  
  • 1 Science/Math   
  • 3 Technical   
  • 1 Free   

The Faculty has more information about each of these electives as well as a Guide to Taking Arts & Science courses.    

The Academic Calendar will tell you which electives you need to fulfill your program requirements and give you an overview of the courses available.   

Trouble picking an elective? 

Contact the ECE Undergraduate Office for guidance with eligibility, scheduling, enrolment restrictions and more.  

Resources  

ECE Iris is a curriculum visualization tool that helps you see the various connections between courses within our flexible curriculum and the paths your degree may take in your third and fourth years. It's an interactive, user-friendly desktop app with course descriptions presented dynamically by focus area. (Note that the app is not configured for mobile devices.) 

With ECE Iris, you can also filter your course selection by frequently cited and trending application areas in the field, including: 

  • Wireless / optical / future communications (5G & 6G) 
  • Smart grid / renewables / power electronics 
  • Internet-of-Things (IoT) 
  • Digital/analog and integrated circuit design 
  • Robotics / control systems 
  • Digital health 
  • Electric / autonomous / connected vehicles 
  • Quantum computing 
  • Cybersecurity / privacy / trust in networks 
  • Human interface technology / biomedical / photonics / displays 
  • Machine learning and artificial intelligence 
  • Big data 
  • Introduction and Demo 

Learn more about ECE Iris in this short introduction and demo video. (Read the video transcript (PDF).) 

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