Chemical Engineering (B.Eng.) (143 credits)
Offered by: Chemical Engineering (Faculty of Engineering)
Degree: Bachelor of Engineering
Program credit weight: 143 credits
Program Description
Program credit weight for Quebec CEGEP students: 114 credits
Program credit weight for out-of-province students: 143 credits
The discipline of chemical engineering is distinctive in being based equally on physics, mathematics, and chemistry. Application of these three fundamental sciences is basic to a quantitative understanding of the process industries. Those with an interest in the fourth fundamental science, biology, will find several courses in the chemical engineering curriculum that integrate aspects of the biological sciences relevant to process industries such as food processing, fermentation, biomedical, and water pollution control. Courses on the technical operations and economics of the process industries are added to this foundation. The core curriculum concludes with process design courses taught by practising design engineers. Problem-solving, experimenting, planning, and communication skills are emphasized in courses throughout the core curriculum.
Certain students who take advantage of Summer session courses can complete the departmental program in three calendar years.
In some cases, students from university science disciplines have sufficient credits to complete the requirements for the B.Eng. (Chemical) program in two and a half years. Those concerned should discuss this with their adviser.
Students must obtain a grade of C or better in all core courses. For the Department of Chemical Engineering, core courses include all required courses (departmental and non-departmental) as well as technical complementary courses.
Note to CEGEP Students
If you have successfully completed a course at CEGEP that is equivalent to CHEM 212 Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. or CHEM 234 Topics in Organic Chemistry., you may obtain transfer credits for either or both courses by passing the McGill Science Placement Exam for the course(s). You must complete an application form available on the Science Placement Exam website and an application fee will be charged to your student account. Science placement exams take place in August and September before classes begin. If you pass the exam(s), transfer credits for the course(s) will be reflected on your transcript and your program credit requirements will be decreased to reflect these transfer credits. For information on Science Placement Exams, including application deadlines, the application form, application fee, dates, times, and location of the exams, see www.mcgill.ca/exams/dates/science. If you do not pass the placement exams, you must register for CHEM 212 Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. and CHEM 234 Topics in Organic Chemistry. during your studies at McGill as outlined in your program requirements.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Required Year 0 (Freshman) Courses (29 credits)
Generally, students admitted to Engineering from Quebec CEGEPs are granted transfer credit for these Year 0 (Freshman) courses and enter a 114-credit program.
For information on transfer credit for French Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate exams, Advanced Placement exams, Advanced Levels and Science Placement Exams, see http://www.mcgill.ca/engineering/current-students/undergraduate/new-stud... and select your term of admission.
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CHEM 110 | General Chemistry 1. | 4 |
General Chemistry 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the fundamental principles of atomic structure, radiation and nuclear chemistry, valence theory, coordination chemistry, and the periodic table. | ||
CHEM 120 | General Chemistry 2. | 4 |
General Chemistry 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the fundamental principles of physical chemistry. | ||
MATH 133 | Linear Algebra and Geometry. | 3 |
Linear Algebra and Geometry. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Systems of linear equations, matrices, inverses, determinants; geometric vectors in three dimensions, dot product, cross product, lines and planes; introduction to vector spaces, linear dependence and independence, bases. Linear transformations. Eigenvalues and diagonalization. | ||
MATH 140 | Calculus 1. | 3 |
Calculus 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Review of functions and graphs. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications. | ||
MATH 141 | Calculus 2. | 4 |
Calculus 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025 The definite integral. Techniques of integration. Applications. Introduction to sequences and series. | ||
PHYS 131 | Mechanics and Waves. | 4 |
Mechanics and Waves. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The basic laws and principles of Newtonian mechanics; oscillations, waves, and wave optics. | ||
PHYS 142 | Electromagnetism and Optics. | 4 |
Electromagnetism and Optics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The basic laws of electricity and magnetism; geometrical optics. |
AND 3 credits selected from the approved list of courses in Humanities and Social Sciences, Management Studies and Law, listed below under Complementary Studies (Group B).
Note: FACC 100 Introduction to the Engineering Profession. must be taken during the first year of study.
Required Non-Departmental Courses (24 credits)
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CHEM 212 | Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. | 4 |
Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 A fundamental study of aliphatic compounds and saturated functional groups including modern concepts of bonding, reaction mechanisms, conformational analysis, spectroscopy, and stereochemistry. | ||
CHEM 234 | Topics in Organic Chemistry. | 3 |
Topics in Organic Chemistry. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Modern spectroscopic techniques for structure determination. The chemistry of alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds, and amines, with special attention to mechanistic aspects. Special topics. | ||
COMP 208 | Computer Programming for Physical Sciences and Engineering . | 3 |
Computer Programming for Physical Sciences and Engineering . Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Programming and problem solving in a high level computer language: variables, expressions, types, functions, conditionals, loops, objects and classes. Introduction to algorithms such as searching and sorting. Modular software design, libraries, file input and output, debugging. Emphasis on applications in Physical Sciences and Engineering, such as root finding, numerical integration, diffusion, Monte Carlo methods. | ||
FACC 100 | Introduction to the Engineering Profession. 1 | 1 |
Introduction to the Engineering Profession. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to engineering practice; rights and code of conduct for students; professional conduct and ethics; engineer's duty to society and the environment; sustainable development; occupational health and safety; overview of the engineering disciplines taught at McGill. | ||
FACC 250 | Responsibilities of the Professional Engineer. | 0 |
Responsibilities of the Professional Engineer. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A course designed to provide all Engineering students with further training regarding their responsibilities as future Professional Engineers. Particular focus will be placed on three professional characteristics that future engineers must demonstrate: i) professionalism, ii) ethical and equitable behaviour, and iii) consideration of the impact of engineering on society and the environment. | ||
FACC 300 | Engineering Economy. | 3 |
Engineering Economy. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Introduction to the basic concepts required for the economic assessment of engineering projects. Topics include: accounting methods, marginal analysis, cash flow and time value of money, taxation and depreciation, discounted cash flow analysis techniques, cost of capital, inflation, sensitivity and risk analysis, analysis of R and D, ongoing as well as new investment opportunities. | ||
FACC 400 | Engineering Professional Practice. | 1 |
Engineering Professional Practice. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Laws, regulations and codes governing engineering professional practice. Responsibility and liability. Environmental legislation. Project and organization management. Relations between engineer and client. Technical practice - analysis, design, execution and operation. | ||
MATH 262 | Intermediate Calculus. | 3 |
Intermediate Calculus. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Series and power series, including Taylor's theorem. Brief review of vector geometry. Vector functions and curves. Partial differentiation and differential calculus for vector valued functions. Unconstrained and constrained extremal problems. Multiple integrals including surface area and change of variables. | ||
MATH 263 | Ordinary Differential Equations for Engineers. | 3 |
Ordinary Differential Equations for Engineers. Terms offered: Summer 2025 First order ODEs. Second and higher order linear ODEs. Series solutions at ordinary and regular singular points. Laplace transforms. Linear systems of differential equations with a short review of linear algebra. | ||
MATH 264 | Advanced Calculus for Engineers. | 3 |
Advanced Calculus for Engineers. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Review of multiple integrals. Differential and integral calculus of vector fields including the theorems of Gauss, Green, and Stokes. Introduction to partial differential equations, separation of variables, Sturm-Liouville problems, and Fourier series. | ||
Total Credits | 24 |
- 1
Note: FACC 100 Introduction to the Engineering Profession. must be taken during the first year of study.
Required Chemical Engineering Courses (75 credits)
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CHEE 200 | Chemical Engineering Principles 1. | 3 |
Chemical Engineering Principles 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to the design of industrial processes. Survey of unit operations, and systems of units. Elementary material balances, first and second laws of thermodynamics, use of property tables and charts, steady flow processes. Relationships between thermodynamic properties, property estimation techniques. Laboratory and design exercise. | ||
CHEE 204 | Chemical Engineering Principles 2. | 3 |
Chemical Engineering Principles 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Material and energy balances in chemical processes. Introduction to process design. Problem solving in the design of various industrial processes such as combustion, humidification, separation processes (evaporation, crystallization), and other reactive systems used in the diverse areas of chemical engineering. | ||
CHEE 220 | Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics. | 3 |
Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Application of thermodynamic equilibrium; free energy and equilibrium; phase rule; chemical reaction equilibrium for homogenous and multicomponent/multiphase systems. Application to the design of binary distillation. Laboratory exercise. | ||
CHEE 231 | Data Analysis and Design of Experiments. | 3 |
Data Analysis and Design of Experiments. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Foundation of the design and execution of experiments based on statistical principles and of the results analysis. Topics: Data visualization, significant digits; uncertainty, precision, accuracy, propagation of uncertainty; univariate data analysis, normal distribution; sampling distribution and point estimates, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing; simple and multiple linear regression; design of experiments. | ||
CHEE 291 | Instrumentation and Measurement 1. | 4 |
Instrumentation and Measurement 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introductions to safe laboratory practices, technical report-writing, electrically-based measurements and modern methods for instrumentation and control. Goals are that students can safely perform accurate measurements of physical variables without detailed theoretical knowledge. Common software for report writing and instrumentation are introduced and used extensively. | ||
CHEE 310 | Physical Chemistry for Engineers. | 3 |
Physical Chemistry for Engineers. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to chemical kinetics, adsorption, surface tension, and electrochemistry. Topics emphasize applications of physical chemistry for chemical engineers. | ||
CHEE 314 | Fluid Mechanics. | 3 |
Fluid Mechanics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fluid properties; dimensional analysis; drag; packed/fluidized beds; macroscopic energy balances, Bernoulli's equation and linear momentum theorem; flowmeters, pipeline systems, non-Newtonian fluids, microscopic balances leading to continuity and Navier-Stokes equations; boundary layer approximation; turbulence. Laboratory exercises. | ||
CHEE 315 | Heat and Mass Transfer. | 3 |
Heat and Mass Transfer. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Transport of heat and mass by diffusion and convection; transport of heat by radiation; diffusion; convective mass transfer; drying; absorption; mathematical formulation of problems and equipment design for heat and mass transfer; laboratory exercises. | ||
CHEE 351 | Separation Processes. | 3 |
Separation Processes. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Concepts underlying equilibrium based separation, design of processes and equipment for distillation, absorption/stripping, liquid extraction, washing, and leaching. Consideration of mass transfer effects. | ||
CHEE 370 | Elements of Biotechnology. | 3 |
Elements of Biotechnology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Biological macromolecules; cell structure and metabolism; industrially significant microbes; enzyme kinetics; introduction to molecular biology and genetic engineering, laboratory exercises. | ||
CHEE 380 | Materials Science. | 3 |
Materials Science. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Structure/property relationship for metals, ceramics, polymers and composite materials. Atomic and molecular structure, bonds, electronic band structure and semi-conductors. Order in solids: crystal structure, disorders, solid phases. Mechanical properties and fracture, physico-chemical properties, design. Laboratory exercises. | ||
CHEE 390 | Computational Methods in Chemical Engineering. | 3 |
Computational Methods in Chemical Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Linear systems of algebraic equations, Gaussian elimination; non-linear algebraic systems: Taylor series, incremental search, bisection method, linear interpolation, Newton-Raphson's method; differentiation and integration; initial value problems: Euler's and Runge Kutta's methods, stiff equations, adaptive solvers; boundary value problems; curve fitting; numerical optimization; probability theory and stochastic simulation: Monte Carlo method. | ||
CHEE 400 | Principles of Sustainable Energy Conversion. | 3 |
Principles of Sustainable Energy Conversion. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Energy resources; resource characterization, science and technology of energy conversion, efficiency; energy systems' metrics and optimization; material systems in energy conversion. | ||
CHEE 401 | Energy Systems Engineering. | 3 |
Energy Systems Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Applied engineering principles of major energy technologies, including quantitative performance evaluation, cost and environmental impact. Criteria for energy system selection. System engineering methodologies for energy, including efficiency, project scope, trade-offs, energy consumption, and environmental impact. | ||
CHEE 423 | Chemical Reaction Engineering. | 3 |
Chemical Reaction Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Review of fundamental concepts in chemical reaction thermodynamics and kinetics. Mass and energy balances for homogenous ideal reactors. Batch, semi-batch and continuous operation. Minimization of by-product and pollution production. Heterogenous reactions, effect of heat and mass transfer on the global rate. Laboratory exercises. | ||
CHEE 440 | Process Modelling. | 3 |
Process Modelling. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of mathematical modelling in chemical engineering: problem formulation, solution, discrete systems; difference and difference-differential equations, methods of solution; understanding system behaviour, optimization. | ||
CHEE 453 | Process Design. | 4 |
Process Design. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The role of the chemical engineer. Steps in the preparation of a process design. Detailed information about most common chemical engineering equipment. Materials of construction. Analysis of process control and application to large systems. Structure of process design systems. Safety, environmental control in plant design. Process design costing and return on investment. Computer-aided process and plant design programs. | ||
CHEE 455 | Process Control. | 3 |
Process Control. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Needs for process control; simple transient models and responses, first and higher-order systems, empirical determination of models, transfer functions and Laplace domain analysis, control loop hardware and associated realistic models; process and instrumentation diagrams; control philosophy; safety; open and closed loop responses; feedback control; stability analysis; controller tuning; feedforward, cascade and ratio control; control of batch and start-up processes. | ||
CHEE 456D1 | Design Project. | 4.5 |
Design Project. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Chemical engineering process and plant design. Preliminary engineering design, feasibility analysis considering important decision factors such as economics, environmental impact, hazards and safety, site selection, sustainability and social acceptability. Professional skills such as: effective communication in a technical setting, ethics in engineering design, and effective teamwork. | ||
CHEE 456D2 | Design Project. | 4.5 |
Design Project. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See CHEE 456D1 for course description. | ||
CHEE 474 | Biochemical Engineering. | 3 |
Biochemical Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Bioreactor design for biotechnology and environmental applications; microbial growth kinetics; application of transport phenomena and selected chemical engineering unit operations. Bioreactor instrumentation and performance optimization. Air and media sterilization processes. Selected operations of downstream processing and product recovery. | ||
CHEE 484 | Materials Engineering. | 3 |
Materials Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Processes for forming and producing engineering materials such as amorphous, semicrystalline, textured and crystal-oriented substances and composites. Phase transformations, nucleation and growth. Effect of processing variables on the properties of the finished article. Process of blending and alloying. Shaping and joining operations. Vessel equipment design for chemical engineering applications. | ||
CHEE 491 | Instrumentation and Measurement 2. | 4 |
Instrumentation and Measurement 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Measurement devices, valves, controllers and actuators; common failure modes and error sources; static and dynamic responses; first and higher-order instrument responses; calibration and biases; frequency response analysis; chemical analysis; elements of spectroscopy; optical measurements; integration projects for typical instruments used in chemical engineering. |
Technical Complementaries (9 credits)
The purpose of this requirement is to provide students with an area of specialization within the broad field of chemical engineering. Alternatively, students use the technical complementaries to increase the breadth of their chemical engineering training.
List A
3-9 credits from the following:
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
CHEE 301 | Resource Recovery and Circular Use. | 3 |
Resource Recovery and Circular Use. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to the concept of seeing human-generated waste material and energy as valuable resources, and to the emerging practices related to the circular use of resources. Topics: 1. Distribution, availability and geopolitics of natural resources; waste production and waste hierarchy; environmental impacts; incentives for recovery; classifying waste, challenges associated with large-scale recovery; thermodynamics of waste and resource recovery. 2. Detailed examples of resource recovery. 3.Environmental, health and safety considerations, local regulations and international exchanges. 4. Circular use of resources and circular economy: reuse, upgrade, remanufacture, recycling; product and process design for circular use. | ||
CHEE 511 | Catalysis for Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals. | 3 |
Catalysis for Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to catalytic processes for the production of sustainable fuels and chemicals. Topics: From fossil fuel to renewable fuel. Syngas vs. platform route. Biomass upgrading. Renewable natural gas. CO2 as chemical building block. Theory of photo- and electro-catalysis. | ||
CHEE 512 | Stem Cell Bioprocess Engineering. | 3 |
Stem Cell Bioprocess Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to stem cell biology. Cell growth models applicable to stem cells and their progeny. Upstream processing (cell culture systems, bioreactors), downstream processing (cell separation, purification) and quality management (current good manufacturing practice, regulations) applied to therapeutic cells. | ||
CHEE 515 | Interface Design: Biomimetic Approach. | 3 |
Interface Design: Biomimetic Approach. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Investigation of the factors that cause biological surfaces to have superb functionalities; chemical and physical concepts responsible for the respective interfacial phenomena, such as surface tension, thermodynamics, kinetics, electrical double layers, surface wetting, adhesion and structural coloration; comparison of nature's solutions to engineering problems with synthetic approaches. | ||
CHEE 521 | Nanomaterials and the Aquatic Environment. 1 | 3 |
Nanomaterials and the Aquatic Environment. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Environmental impacts and applications of nanomaterials. Topics: physicochemical characterization of nanoparticles in aquatic media, colloid chemistry for understanding nanoparticle aggregation and mobility in the environment, mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by nanomaterials, nanomaterials for environmental remediation and water treatment, methodologies for assessing nanoparticle toxicity, novel research developments. | ||
CHEE 541 | Electrochemical Engineering. | 3 |
Electrochemical Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Electrochemical systems: electrodes, reactors. Electrochemical stoichiometry, thermodynamics and kinetics. Mass and charge transport. Current and potential distribution in an electrochemical reactor. Electrocatalysis. Fuel cells technology. Batteries. Industrial electrochemical processes. Electrochemical sensors. Biomedical electrochemistry. Passivity, corrosion and corrosion prevention. Electrocrystalization. Experimental Methods. | ||
CHEE 543 | Plasma Engineering. | 3 |
Plasma Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Description of the plasma state and parameters, plasma generation methods, and of the related process control and instrumentation. Electrical breakdown in gases and a series of discharge models are covered. Plasma processing applications such as PVD, PECVD, plasma polymerisation and etching, environmental applications, nanoparticle synthesis, spraying and sterilization are treated. | ||
CHEE 563 | Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics. 1 | 3 |
Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Basic principles of circulation including vascular fluid and solid mechanics, modelling techniques, clinical and experimental methods and the design of cardiovascular devices. | ||
CHEE 582 | Polymer Science and Engineering. | 3 |
Polymer Science and Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Application of engineering fundamentals to the preparation and processing of polymers emphasizing the relationship between polymer structure and properties. Topics include: polymer synthesis techniques, characterization of molecular weight, crystallinity, glass transition, phase behaviour, mechanical properties, visco-elasticity, rheology, and polymer processing for use in blends and composite materials. | ||
CHEE 584 | Polymer Processing. | 3 |
Polymer Processing. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Survey of polymer processing operations with emphasis on the application of polymer rheology and transport phenomena to predict performance, including polymer rheology and constitutive equations, mixing, extrusion, injection molding, coating flows, fiber spinning, film blowing, blow molding, compression molding, thermoforming and composites processing. | ||
CHEE 585 | Foundations of Soft Matter. | 3 |
Foundations of Soft Matter. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to soft condensed matter. Atomic and molecular origins of hydrodynamics and elasticity. Microscale order and disorder, phase transitions and dynamics. Polymer solutions, melts and gels. Surfactants, self-assembled structures, and fluid membranes. Colloidal dispersions, their dynamics, gels and crystals. Liquid crystals. Integration of the foregoing topics with modern experimental techniques in soft-matter research. | ||
CHEE 591 | Environmental Bioremediation. | 3 |
Environmental Bioremediation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The presence and role of microorganisms in the environment, the role of microbes in environmental remediation either through natural or human-mediated processes, the application of microbes in pollution control and the monitoring of environmental pollutants. | ||
CHEE 593 | Industrial Water Pollution Control. 1 | 3 |
Industrial Water Pollution Control. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Wastewater constituents of concern; legislation pertinent to wastewater treatment; wastewater sampling and analysis techniques; process analysis and selection; physical, chemical and biological processes; advanced wastewater treatment methods; integration of sciences and engineering principles to design wastewater treatment processes. | ||
CIVE 430 | Water Treatment and Pollution Control. 1 | 3 |
Water Treatment and Pollution Control. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of water and sewage treatment. Water and sewage characteristics; design of conventional unit operations and processes; laboratory analyses of potable and waste waters. | ||
CIVE 521 | Nanomaterials and the Aquatic Environment. 1 | 3 |
Nanomaterials and the Aquatic Environment. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Environmental impacts and applications of nanomaterials. Topics: physicochemical characterization of nanoparticles in aquatic media, colloid chemistry for understanding nanoparticle aggregation and mobility in the environment, mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by nanomaterials, nanomaterials for environmental remediation and water treatment, methodologies for assessing nanoparticle toxicity, novel research developments. | ||
MECH 534 | Air Pollution Engineering. 1 | 3 |
Air Pollution Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Pollutants from power production and their effects on the environment. Mechanisms of pollutant formation in combustion. Photochemical pollutants and smog, atmospheric dispersion. Pollutant generation from internal combustion engines and stationary power plants. Methods of pollution control (exhaust gas treatment, absorption, filtration, scrubbers, etc.). | ||
MECH 563 | Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics. 1 | 3 |
Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Basic principles of circulation including vascular fluid and solid mechanics, modelling techniques, clinical and experimental methods and the design of cardiovascular devices. |
- 1
Students may choose only one course in each of the following sets:
- CHEE 521 Nanomaterials and the Aquatic Environment. or CIVE 521 Nanomaterials and the Aquatic Environment.
- CHEE 563 Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics. or MECH 563 Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics.
- CHEE 593 Industrial Water Pollution Control. or CIVE 430 Water Treatment and Pollution Control.
List B
0-6 credits from the following:
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
BIEN 550 | Biomolecular Devices. | 3 |
Biomolecular Devices. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamentals of motor proteins in neuronal transport, force generation e.g. in muscles, cell motility and division. A survey of recent advances in using motor proteins to power nano fabricated devices. Principles of design and operation; hands-on-experience in building a simple device. | ||
BREE 325 | Food Process Engineering. | 3 |
Food Process Engineering. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Heat and mass transfer, enthalpy and mass balances, sterilizing, freezing, fluid flow, pipes, steam, refrigeration, pumps and valves. | ||
BREE 522 | Bio-Based Polymers. | 3 |
Bio-Based Polymers. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 The structure and properties of selected biomass (e.g. vegetable oils and starches) will be reviewed. The synthesis of bio-based polymers through chemical modification, casting, compression and extrusion among other methods will be studied. The physical properties of the resulting matrices will then be reviewed. Commercial applications will be examined. | ||
CHEE 494 | Research Project and Seminar 1. 1 | 3 |
Research Project and Seminar 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent study and experimental work on topic(s) chosen by consultation between the student and professor. Students must find a supervisor amongst the department faculty before registering for this course. | ||
CHEE 495 | Research Project and Seminar 2. 1 | 4 |
Research Project and Seminar 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent study and experimental work on topic(s) chosen by consultation between the student and professor. Students must find a supervisor amongst the department faculty before registering for this course. | ||
CHEE 496 | Environmental Research Project. 1 | 3 |
Environmental Research Project. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent study and experimental work on environmental topic(s) chosen by consultation between the student and professor. Students must find a supervisor amongst department faculty before registering for this course. | ||
CIVE 557 | Microbiology for Environmental Engineering. | 3 |
Microbiology for Environmental Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Microbiological concepts applied to the practice of environmental engineering and biotechnologies including the following topics: cellular and pathway organizations, evolution, growth, gene expression, horizontal gene transfer, metabolic microbial diversity, ecosystem structures, and quantitative mathematical modelling. | ||
MIME 470 | Engineering Biomaterials. | 3 |
Engineering Biomaterials. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Key definitions, clinical need, desired materials properties, current and future materials, materials assessments and performance. Materials of the body. Characterisation techniques for bulk and mechanical properties of biomaterials. Engineering processing and design of biomaterials. | ||
MIME 515 | (Bio)material Surface Analysis and Modification. | 3 |
(Bio)material Surface Analysis and Modification. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Material surface properties and how they affect their real-world applications, with emphasis on biologically relevant applications. Material surface modification techniques. Material surface characterization techniques. |
- 1
Students may choose only one project course: CHEE 494 Research Project and Seminar 1., CHEE 495 Research Project and Seminar 2., or CHEE 496 Environmental Research Project..
List C
0-3 credits
The remaining credits, up to a maximum of 3 credits, may be taken from other suitable undergraduate courses in the Faculty of Engineering, with departmental permission.
Complementary Studies (6 credits)
Group A - Impact of Technology on Society
3 credits from the following:
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ANTH 212 | Anthropology of Development. | 3 |
Anthropology of Development. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Processes of developmental change, as they affect small communities in the Third World and in unindustrialized parts of developed countries. Problems of technological change, political integration, population growth, industrialization, urban growth, social services, infrastructure and economic dependency. | ||
BTEC 502 | Biotechnology Ethics and Society. | 3 |
Biotechnology Ethics and Society. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Examination of particular social and ethical challenges posed by modern biotechnology such as benefit sharing, informed consent in the research setting, access to medical care worldwide, environmental safety and biodiversity and the ethical challenges posed by patenting life. | ||
ECON 225 | Economics of the Environment. | 3 |
Economics of the Environment. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the application of economic theory to questions of environmental policy. Particular attention will be given to the measurement and regulation of pollution, congestion and waste and other environmental aspects of specific economies. | ||
ECON 347 | Economics of Climate Change. | 3 |
Economics of Climate Change. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The course focuses on the economic implications of, and problems posed by, predictions of global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. Attention is given to economic policies such as carbon taxes and tradeable emission permits and to the problems of displacing fossil fuels with new energy technologies. | ||
ENVR 201 | Society, Environment and Sustainability. | 3 |
Society, Environment and Sustainability. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course deals with how scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional and behavioural factors mediate society-environment interactions. Issues discussed include population and resources; consumption, impacts and institutions; integrating environmental values in societal decision-making; and the challenges associated with, and strategies for, promoting sustainability. Case studies in various sectors and contexts are used. | ||
GEOG 200 | Geographical Perspectives: World Environmental Problems. | 3 |
Geographical Perspectives: World Environmental Problems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to geography as the study of nature and human beings in a spatial context. An integrated approach to environmental systems and the human organization of them from the viewpoint of spatial relationships and processes. Special attention to environmental problems as a constraint upon Third World development. | ||
GEOG 203 | Environmental Systems. | 3 |
Environmental Systems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to system-level interactions among climate, hydrology, soils and vegetation at the scale of drainage basins, including the study of the global geographical variability in these land-surface systems. The knowledge acquired is used to study the impact on the environment of various human activities such as deforestation and urbanisation. | ||
GEOG 205 | Global Change: Past, Present and Future. | 3 |
Global Change: Past, Present and Future. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An examination of global change, from the Quaternary Period to the present day involving changes in the physical geography of specific areas. Issues such as climatic change and land degradation will be discussed, with speculations on future environments. | ||
GEOG 302 | Environmental Management 1. | 3 |
Environmental Management 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An ecological analysis of the physical and biotic components of natural resource systems. Emphasis on scientific, technological and institutional aspects of environmental management. Study of the use of biological resources and of the impact of individual processes. | ||
MGPO 440 | Strategies for Sustainability. 1 | 3 |
Strategies for Sustainability. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course explores the relationship between economic activity, management, and the natural environment. Using readings, discussions and cases, the course will explore the challenges that the goal of sustainable development poses for our existing notions of economic goals, production and consumption practices and the management of organizations. | ||
PHIL 343 | Biomedical Ethics. | 3 |
Biomedical Ethics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An investigation of ethical issues as they arise in the practice of medicine (informed consent, e.g.) or in the application of medical technology (in vitro fertilization, euthanasia, e.g.) | ||
RELG 270 | Religious Ethics and the Environment. | 3 |
Religious Ethics and the Environment. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Environmental potential of various religious traditions and secular perspectives, including animal rights, ecofeminism, and deep ecology. | ||
SOCI 235 | Technology and Society. | 3 |
Technology and Society. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An examination of the extent to which technological developments impose constraints on ways of arranging social relationships in bureaucratic organizations and in the wider society: the compatibility of current social structures with the effective utilization of technology. | ||
SOCI 312 | Sociology of Work and Industry. | 3 |
Sociology of Work and Industry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The development of the world of work from the rise of industrial capitalism to the postindustrial age. Responses of workers and managers to changing organizational, technological and economic realities. Interrelations between changing demands in the workplace and the functioning of the labour market. Canadian materials in comparative perspective. | ||
URBP 201 | Planning the 21st Century City. | 3 |
Planning the 21st Century City. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The study of how urban planners respond to the challenges posed by contemporary cities world-wide. Urban problems related to the environment, shelter, transport, human health, livelihoods and governance are addressed; innovative plans to improve cities and city life are analyzed. |
- 1
Note: Management courses have limited enrolment and registration dates. See Important Dates at http://www.mcgill.ca/importantdates.
Group B - Humanities and Social Sciences, Management Studies and Law
3 credits at the 200 level or higher from the following departments:
Anthropology (ANTH)
Economics (any 200- or 300-level course excluding ECON 227 Economic Statistics. and ECON 337 Introductory Econometrics 1.)
History (HIST)
Philosophy (excluding PHIL 210 Introduction to Deductive Logic 1. and PHIL 310 Intermediate Logic.)
Political Science (POLI)
Psychology (excluding PSYC 204 Introduction to Psychological Statistics. and PSYC 305 Statistics for Experimental Design., but including PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology.)
Religious Studies (RELG) (excluding courses that principally impart language skills, such as Sanskrit, Tibetan, Tamil, New Testament Greek, and Biblical Hebrew)1
School of Social Work (SWRK)
Sociology (excluding SOCI 350 Statistics in Social Research.)
OR 3 credits from the following:
Course | Title | Credits |
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ARCH 528 | History of Housing. | 3 |
History of Housing. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Indigenous housing both transient and permanent, from the standpoint of individual structure and pattern of settlements. The principal historic examples of houses including housing in the age of industrial revolution and contemporary housing. | ||
BUSA 465 | Technological Entrepreneurship. 2 | 3 |
Technological Entrepreneurship. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Concentrating on entrepreneurship and enterprise development, particular attention is given to the start-up, purchasing and management of small to medium-sized industrial firms. The focal point is in understanding the dilemmas faced by entrepreneurs, resolving them, developing a business plan and the maximum utilization of the financial, marketing and human resources that make for a successful operation. | ||
CLAS 203 | Greek Mythology. | 3 |
Greek Mythology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of the myths and legends of Ancient Greece. | ||
ENVR 203 | Knowledge, Ethics and Environment. | 3 |
Knowledge, Ethics and Environment. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to cultural perspectives on the environment: the influence of culture and cognition on perceptions of the natural world; conflicts in orders of knowledge (models, taxonomies, paradigms, theories, cosmologies), ethics (moral values, frameworks, dilemmas), and law (formal and customary, rights and obligations) regarding political dimensions of critical environments, resource use, and technologies. | ||
ENVR 400 | Environmental Thought. | 3 |
Environmental Thought. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Students work in interdisciplinary seminar groups on challenging philosophical, ethical, scientific and practical issues. They will explore cutting-edge ideas and grapple with the reconciliation of environmental imperatives and social, political and economic pragmatics. Activities include meeting practitioners, attending guest lectures, following directed readings, and organizing, leading and participating in seminars. | ||
FACC 220 | Law for Architects and Engineers. | 3 |
Law for Architects and Engineers. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Aspects of the law which affect architects and engineers. Definition and branches of law; Federal and Provincial jurisdiction, civil and criminal law and civil and common law; relevance of statutes; partnerships and companies; agreements; types of property, rights of ownership; successions and wills; expropriation; responsibility for negligence; servitudes/easements, privileges/liens, hypothecs/ mortgages; statutes of limitations; strict liability of architect, engineer and builder; patents, trade marks, industrial design and copyright; bankruptcy; labour law; general and expert evidence; court procedure and arbitration. | ||
FACC 500 | Technology Business Plan Design. | 3 |
Technology Business Plan Design. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course combines several management functional areas such as marketing, financial, operations and strategy with the skills of creativity, engineering innovation, leadership and communications. Students learn how to design an effective and winning business plan around a technology or engineering project in small, medium or large enterprises. | ||
FACC 501 | Technology Business Plan Project. | 3 |
Technology Business Plan Project. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Students work in teams to develop a comprehensive business plan project based on a technological or engineering innovation while utilizing site visits. | ||
HISP 225 | Hispanic Civilization 1. | 3 |
Hispanic Civilization 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of historical and cultural elements which constitute the background of the Hispanic world up to the 18th century; a survey of the pre-Columbian indigenous civilizations (Aztec, Maya and Inca) and the conquest of America. | ||
HISP 226 | Hispanic Civilization 2. | 3 |
Hispanic Civilization 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of the constitution of the ideological and political structures of the Spanish Empire in both Europe and America until the Wars of Independence; a survey of the culture and history of the Hispanic people from the early 19th Century to the present. | ||
INDR 294 | Introduction to Labour-Management Relations. 2 | 3 |
Introduction to Labour-Management Relations. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to labour-management relations, the structure, function and government of labour unions, labour legislation, the collective bargaining process, and the public interest in industrial relations. | ||
INTG 215 | Entrepreneurship Essentials for Non-Management Students. 3 | 3 |
Entrepreneurship Essentials for Non-Management Students. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental concepts, theories, and practices of entrepreneurship. Focus on identifying opportunities, developing business ideas, and understanding key components of starting and managing a business. | ||
MATH 338 | History and Philosophy of Mathematics. | 3 |
History and Philosophy of Mathematics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Indian and Arab contributions to mathematics are studied together with some modern developments they give rise to, for example, the problem of trisecting the angle. European mathematics from the Renaissance to the 18th century is discussed, culminating in the discovery of the infinitesimal and integral calculus by Newton and Leibnitz. Demonstration of how mathematics was done in past centuries, and involves the practice of mathematics, including detailed calculations, arguments based on geometric reasoning, and proofs. | ||
MGCR 222 | Introduction to Organizational Behaviour. 2 | 3 |
Introduction to Organizational Behaviour. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Individual motivation and communication style; group dynamics as related to problem solving and decision making, leadership style, work structuring and the larger environment. Interdependence of individual, group and organization task and structure. | ||
MGCR 352 | Principles of Marketing. | 3 |
Principles of Marketing. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Introduction to marketing principles, focusing on problem solving and decision making. Topics include: the marketing concept; marketing strategies; buyer behaviour; Canadian demographics; internal and external constraints; product; promotion; distribution; price. Lectures, text material and case studies. | ||
ORGB 321 | Leadership. 2 | 3 |
Leadership. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Leadership theories provide students with opportunities to assess and work on improving their leadership skills. Topics include: the ability to know oneself as a leader, to formulate a vision, to have the courage to lead, to lead creatively, and to lead effectively with others. | ||
ORGB 423 | Human Resources Management. 2 | 3 |
Human Resources Management. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Issues involved in personnel administration. Topics include: human resource planning, job analysis, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, organization development and change, issues in compensation and benefits, and labour-management relations. |
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If you are uncertain whether or not a course principally imparts language skills, please see an adviser in the McGill Engineering Student Centre (Frank Dawson Adams Building, Room 22) or email an adviser.
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Note: Management courses have limited enrolment and registration dates. See Important Dates at http://www.mcgill.ca/importantdates.
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INTG 215 Entrepreneurship Essentials for Non-Management Students. is not open to students who have taken INTG 201 Integrated Management Essentials 1. and INTG 202 Integrated Management Essentials 2..
Note regarding language courses: Language courses are not accepted to satisfy the Complementary Studies Group B requirement, effective for students who entered the program as of Fall 2017.