Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering

at University of Guelph Canada

The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) of the University of Guelph is internationally renowned for its research, teaching and knowledge extension. Our community has a strong sense of shared purpose: To Improve Life by inspiring leaders, generating knowledge and creating innovative solutions for food, agriculture, communities and the environment.

Improve agriculture and how we feed the world.
By 2050 there will be nine billion people in the world to feed. Agriculture is about food, science, business and responsibly using land and resources to bring healthy and sustainable food to the world. Agriculture and food industries have more job openings than qualified people to fill them. 

Sample First Year Courses

• Introduction to Agri-Food Systems
• Biology of Plants and Animals in Managed Ecosystems
• Elements of Calculus I
• Economics of the Agri-Food System
• Agroecology
• Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology

The common first-year in Agriculture gives you the flexibility to select one of three majors.

• Honours Agriculture
• Animal Science
• Crop, Horticulture and Turfgrass Sciences

Develop the foundations for an exciting career working with individuals and families. This interdisciplinary program provides you with an understanding of individual and family health, well-being, and relationships across the lifespan within the context of diverse social and cultural influences. Guaranteed practicum placements of up to 336 hours allow you to practice your skills, and focus your studies in one or more areas including adult development and gerontology, sexuality and relationships, and youth studies.

Molecular Biology and Genetics covers genomes and the genetics of microorganisms, plants and animals, and the structure and function of cells.

The variety of courses offered in the program covers a broad range of topics such as molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, developmental biology and agricultural genetics. Undergraduate laboratories will provide you with the practical skills and knowledge needed to perform basic procedures commonly used in the field of molecular biology and genetics. Additionally, you will develop the ability to analyze and interpret experimental results obtained in a laboratory setting. In your upper years, you will also have the opportunity to access some of the University of Guelph’s outstanding research labs and facilities.

Learning Outcomes
You can expect to learn how to:

• Explain the molecular mechanisms of genetic inheritance that drive the evolution of populations.
• Describe the synthesis and structure of macromolecules and their roles in cellular processes.
• Explain how gene regulation networks and signal transduction cascades enable development and adaptation to the environment.
• Design and implement experimental procedures using relevant techniques in gene analysis and manipulation and genetic engineering in model systems.

Co-Op Options
Molecular Biology and Genetics co-op is a five-year program, which includes four work terms. Below is an example of how the academic and work sequence will look for a Microbiology major.

*Please note this sequence may change. The current undergraduate calendar will house the most accurate sequence that students must follow. 

Students in this co-op major complete a course, COOP*1100, in the fall semester of second year.  This course helps students prepare for their work term by developing professional attitudes and skills for the workplace. This course also provides students with a toolkit of resume and cover letter writing as well as interview skills, which helps students to apply, interview and secure their work term positions.

The Honours B.Sc. major in Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences is an exciting and unique major in Canada. Offered within the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, this major will provide you with a broad and basic grounding in the biology of nutrition, physiology, pathology, pharmacology and nutraceuticals.

The study of Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences is concerned with understanding the contribution of food, beverage and nutritional supplement consumption to growth, development of optimal biological function, maintenance of health, and treatment of disease. This major will also explore how we can use nutrients, minerals and food’s chemical properties to develop innovative products that will benefit humans, animals and the environment.

Beginning in your first year with a course entitled “Biological Concepts of Health” and followed in second year by “Fundamentals of Nutrition” you will examine the biology of nutrition from a whole organism level to the molecular and cellular aspects of metabolism and a functioning systems. In your third or fourth years, you will complete courses examining the efficacy, regulatory policies and relationships of functional foods and nutraceuticals to food and drugs and the roles nutrients and phytochemicals play in maintaining health and preventing/treating disease. You may also have an opportunity to complete a research course with a faculty member in a discipline related to nutrition, food, nutraceuticals, health and disease. The program is supported by a number of facilities on campus that you can be involved with during your undergraduate degree including the Human Nutraceutical Research Unit, Health and Performance Centre and the Food Technology Centre.

Learning Outcomes
You can expect to learn how to:

• Apply an integrated and broad foundation in life sciences to problems in human nutrition, nutri-pharmacology, nutri-toxicology and health.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the impact of human nutrition, nutri-pharmacology and nutri-toxicology on health and performance and provide mechanistic explanations for associated biological events at the molecular, cellular and whole organism levels of organization.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the science of prospective health; the pivotal role of individual nutrigenomic and nutri-epigenetic analyses and the critical role of evidence-based, lifestyle medicine in the effective application of this prospective health approach to healthcare.
• Define and analyze the interactions of nutrition and exercise on the metabolic control of health and disease.
• Critically analyze experimental design, data analysis and interpretation in human nutrition, nutri-pharmacology and nutri-toxicology research.

Computers play many roles in our lives. At the School of Computer Science, we recognize that relationship and its variable nature. If you enjoy solving problems, nothing is more exciting than working and studying at the leading edge of computer science.  You will develop skills throughout your degree as you explore different course materials within the field of computer science and across other disciplines. The program provides you with a strong foundation in hardware and theory with a particular focus on applied software development. By the time you graduate you will be a sought-after expert with interdisciplinary knowledge and skills that will make you indispensable.

Computer Science
Help explore problems, build innovative computing solutions and contribute to the evolution of technology. This major will provide you with a theoretical foundation in computer science, as well as practical experience in software development and an introduction to hardware. You will explore pressing computer science issues, from large system software development to emerging technologies. This major will focus on programming and the theory of computation, with plenty of flexibility in selecting computer science electives to fit your interests, such as Computational Intelligence, Computer Security, Game Programming and Human Computer Interaction.

Water Resources Engineering focuses on the use and management of land and water resources in rural and urban watersheds.

A growing population and the need for clean water demands Water Resources Engineers to develop solutions that are environmentally sustainable and economically viable.  Water Resources Engineering combines elements of other disciplines such as civil engineering, environmental engineering, agriculture, planning and geography in a unique combination ideally suited to address society's concerns and needs surrounding water.

Students design and develop creative solutions to protect groundwater, soil, wetlands, streams and lakes to ensure that the development of new water supplies not disrupt natural processes.  Students learn to apply engineering analysis and computer models to identify water resources problems and design engineering solutions to these challenges.

Co-op
The Co-op program in Water Resources Engineering is a five year program, including five work terms. Students must complete a Fall, Winter and Summer work term and must follow the academic work schedule as outlined below.

To be eligible to continue in the Co-op program, students must meet a minimum 70% cumulative average requirement after second semester, as well as meet all work term requirements. Please refer to the Co-operative Education program policy with respect to work term performance grading, work term report grading and program completion requirements.

The Marine and Freshwater Biology major capitalizes on Guelph’s recognized excellence in aquatic research and provides a broad perspective on aquatic environments based on the physical as well as the biological sciences. In this major, students will build upon core courses in ecology, evolution, genetics, and physiology of aquatic biota as they study freshwater and marine environments and work with aquatic organisms experimentally in the field and in the lab. They will have the opportunity to perform independent research projects under a variety of field and laboratory conditions to enhance their learning experience. The major prepares students for post-graduate work in the aquatic sciences, and provides a sound scientific background for students wishing to pursue careers in academia, government service, private sector (e.g., NGOs, fisheries, aquaculture, biotechnology, consulting), conservation, education and research.

Students can establish themselves and build successful careers in an emerging and fast-growing field: Nanoscience, the science of the very, very small; an inherently multidisciplinary approach that unites chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics. Understanding the world at the molecular level is increasingly important for the development of many new technologies.

In this major, you will focus on the understanding and synthesis of nanoscale materials, in an industry that has been recognized as a revolutionary field of science and technology, comparable to the introduction of electricity, biotechnology, and digital information revolutions. Students take an integrated MATH and PHYS course in first year along with the chemistry and biology taken by other Bachelor of Science students. In second through fourth year, focus on the core nanoscience courses along with chemistry and physics. The nanoscience courses combine aspects from different science disciplines, reinforced and extended by the unique laboratory available where students learn to synthesize nanoparticles and nanostructured materials, and characterize the physical properties of these materials using a wide range of research-grade nanotools.

Learning Outcomes
You can expect to learn how to:

• Apply scientific methods and processes by formulating questions, designing investigations and synthesizing data to draw conclusions and make scientifically-based decisions.
• Generate and interpret scientific data using quantitative, qualitative and analytical methodologies and techniques.
• Demonstrate advanced, contemporary and relevant knowledge in the chemistry and physics of materials at the molecular level.
• Apply intermediate level mathematics techniques to enhance understanding in the chemistry and physics of materials at the molecular level.
• Demonstrate advanced laboratory skills to practically realize concepts in the chemistry and physics of materials at the molecular level, and apply these skills in self-directed learning.
• Work safely and effectively in the laboratory to generate reproducible and reliable results.
• Apply modern computational techniques to investigate various physical phenomena and demonstrate proficiency in using mathematical software.

Co-Op Options
Nanoscience co-op is a five year program, which includes five work terms. Below is an example of how the academic and work sequence will look for a Nanoscience major.

*Please note this sequence may change. The current undergraduate calendar will house the most accurate sequence that students must follow. 

Students in this co-op major complete a course, COOP*1100, in the fall semester of second year.  This course helps students prepare for their work term by developing professional attitudes and skills for the workplace. This course also provides students with a toolkit of resume and cover letter writing as well as interview skills, which helps students to apply, interview and secure their work term positions.. 

Environmental governance refers to the processes through which societies make decisions that affect the environment. Governments play an important role in this, however they alone cannot manage our most pressing environmental challenges like climate change, sea level rise, or invasive species. Thus, through environmental governance, we can coordinate governments, community organizations, and businesses to work collectively to affect positive environmental
change.

Through the completion of courses in geography, political science, agricultural economics, and economics, students will gain a solid foundation in the processes and mechanisms of environmental governance, an understanding of geographical, political, and economic factors that shape governance in Canada and around the world, and exposure to innovative approaches to environmental governance that address persistent and emerging societal concerns. Students completing the major will have the skills and experiences needed to participate effectively in environmental governance in a variety of settings.

WHY CO-OP?
As a co-op student, you will gain relevant work experience, build professional networks, and develop essential interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the workplace, all while getting paid and earning your university degree. Guelph’s co-op program is unique due to the exceptional level of support provided, including an online preparatory course, a personal connection with Co-op Coordinators to assist you during the employment process, and access to senior student mentors.

Microbiology is the study of organisms invisible to the naked eye. This major explores the diversity of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, archaea, and fungi. Applications of microbiology range from antibiotic development and resistance, to the relevance of the gut micro-flora in diseases, and finally yeast production for beverage and food development.

The variety of courses offered in the program cover a broad range of topics such as medical microbiology, infectious diseases, immunology, and antimicrobials, as well as environmental and food microbiology. Undergraduate laboratories will provide you with many practical skills in working with a variety of microbes and analyzing microbial processes at both the cellular and molecular levels. In your upper years, you will also have the opportunity to access some of the University of Guelph’s outstanding research labs and facilities through coursework or independant research projects.

Learning Outcomes
You can expect to learn how to:

• Integrate the different levels of biological organization, from molecules to cells to organisms.
• Describe the metabolic and cellular diversity of microbes, and explain the critical roles of microbes in health, disease and the biosphere.
• Describe the use of microorganisms in industry, biotechnology and as model organisms for scientific discovery.
• Design and implement experimental procedures using relevant techniques to isolate, characterize and culture microbiological samples.