Program Overview
Modern communications, control, electrical, mechanical and mechatronic systems require sophisticated mathematical models and analysis. This unique engineering program meets this challenge – the versatile graduates are not only qualified to pursue careers in engineering, but they possess the mathematical skills and insights needed to succeed in the ever changing workplace. The program, whose graduates are eligible for registration as professional engineers, has been fully accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board since 1967.
Is This Program For You?
The program is designed to provide students with the engineering background required to operate in their chosen field, together with a level of mathematical expertise which allows them to understand the "how" and "why" of currently used methods of modelling and analysis. By the end of the program. students are also able to create new methods as required and follow the evolution of the field as it develops.
To be successful in the program, you must first of all want to solve practical problems, using mathematical and scientific ideas, in a career as a practicing engineer. You must enjoy mathematics, and have a desire to know why some methods and formulas work, and where they stop working. You should enjoy discovering your own ways of using and adapting ideas to solve new problems. You should be motivated to acquire the skills that will allow you to keep up with progress in your field after you graduate.
In addition to motivation, at least a B standing in the mathematics courses of the First Year Program is advisable.
Curriculum Structure
All Applied Science students at Queen's take the common First Year Program, near the end of which they will choose to enter one of the 10 engineering departments for their remaining three years of study. Students choosing to enter the Math and Engineering program will also decide which one of five engineering streams they will specialize in. The options available are:
- M6 - Applied Mechanics (mechanics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics)
- M7 - Control and Communications (electrical engineering, control-communication and information systems, computer science)
- M9 - Computing and Communications (computer science, software design, communication, information systems, electrical engineering)
- M10 - Control and Robotics (electrical and mechanical engineering, control, robotics and mechanics)
In the second and third years, about half of the program is made up of Honours level courses in Pure and Applied Mathematics, so that students have almost as much mathematics as an Honours Mathematics graduate in Arts and Science. These courses include Algebraic Structures, Linear Algebra, Advanced Calculus, Differential Equations and Computer Methods, Methods of Applied Mathematics, Complex Analysis, an Introduction to Control Systems, Probability Theory, and Statistics. A 50 percent standing is required in each of the second year courses in mathematics before proceeding with any of the third year courses in mathematics.
The other half of a student's program in the second and third years consists of a stream of courses in one of the traditional engineering disciplines, and is tailored to meet the student's chosen area of specialization (M6-M10 options). These courses are taken in common with the students from those departments and are selected to provide the fundamental background and insight into the ideas and methods of the chosen area.
The fourth year of the program consists of courses in the student's chosen engineering stream, including advanced mathematics and engineering courses offered by the Department, such as, Modern Control Theory, Lagrangian Mechanics, Dynamics, and Control, Information Theory, Source Coding and Quantization, Telecommunication and Data Network Modeling, Introduction to Coding Theory, Statistical Signal Processing and Statistical Spectrum Estimation.
Career Preparation
The graduates of this program have been successful in finding a variety of challenging engineering jobs in fields such as:
- Telecommunications systems
- Computer and communications engineering
- Robotics
- Aerospace systems
- Mechanical engineering
- Manufacturing processes
- Biomedical engineering
In their jobs (or in Graduate school if they choose to pursue further studies) the graduates find that their strong mathematical foundation makes them versatile, adaptable, and confident in tackling new problems.
- 60% Employed as engineers
- 25% Engineering graduate study
- 15% Teaching, M.B.A., law, medicine, other
Admissions
Queen's students enter the undergraduate program in Mathematics and Engineering after completing the common First Year Program in the Faculty of Applied Science. Thus, students wishing to enter the first year program or transfer from another faculty or institution should consult the Faculty of Applied Science Admissions Page.
Students currently in the first year of the Applied Science program, who are interested in entering Mathematics and Engineering, are encouraged to seek out as much information as possible in making this decision. Some good sources for information include this website and the Mathematics and Engineering section of the Applied Science calendar. A departmental orientation night is held early in the winter term each year; the exact date and time for this event will be advertised in first year classes. If you have any further questions, feel free to visit the department on the ground (3rd) floor of Jeffery Hall, where somebody will be happy to meet with you.
Last modified: Thursday, 20-Jan-2005 9:23:06 EDT
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