ECE Undergraduate Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can I find advising help regarding my program and registration?
2. Where can I find the forms for program planning worksheets, pre-requisite waivers, etc.?
3. Where can I find the Natural Science and Complementary Studies lists?
4. Can I take a Natural Science or Complementary Studies not on the approved lists?
5. Can I request a course substitution?
6. How do I find out which technical electives are being offered?
7. How do I modify my program?
8. How and where do I take a course outside of UVic and get credit for it?
9. How do I find an equivalent course at other institutions?
10. Can I take a course if I do not satisfy the prerequisites?
11. How do I request a leave of absence?
12. Do I have to declare an area of Specialization?
13. When and how can I request a Specialization Certificate?
14. What is the University Probationary status?
15. What are my options if I am on academic probation?
16. What are the procedures for dealing with student requests?

1. Where can I find advising help regarding my program and registration?

1st year students (BEng and BSEng):
LeAnne Golinsky engradav@uvic.ca, Admissions/Advising Officer, EOW 206, (250) 721-6018

2nd, 3rd and 4th year ELEC/CENG students:
Alejandra Montenegro engradv2@uvic.ca, Academic Advisor, EOW 219
Phone: (250) 472-5216
See advising hours.

2nd, 3rd and 4th year BME/BSEng students:
Belinda de Jong engradv1@uvic.ca, Academic Advisor, EOW 217
Phone: (250) 472-5215

ELEC/CENG lab section registration:
Dan Mai eceao@uvic.ca, ECE Admin Officer, EOW 448, (250) 721-8674

2. Where can I find the Program Planning Worksheets, pre-requisite waivers, etc.?

They are found under Forms on the ECE Advising Page.

Other forms not directly related to the faculty are found at Office of the Registrar's Undergraduate Forms.

3. Where can I find the Natural Science and Complementary Studies lists?

They are found under Forms on the Advising Page.

4. Can I take a Natural Science or Complementary Studies course not on the approved lists?

Yes! Requests are evaluated on a case by case basis.

For Complementary Studies, the course must meet Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) requirement in that the course must deal with the central issues, methodologies and thought processes of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Fill out the Request for Approval of a Complementary Studies form found under Forms on the Advising Page.

For Natural Science, the course must meet CEAB requirement in that the course must include elements of physics and chemistry; elements of life sciences and earth sciences may also be included in this category. These subjects are intended to impart an understanding of natural phenomena and relationships through the use of analytical and/or experimental techniques. Fill out the Request for Approval of a Natural Science form found under Forms on the Advising page.

Fill out the appropriate request form and submit it to the ECE Academic Advisor (engradv2@uvic.ca). The request must include a detailed course description. If the department supports the request, it is forwarded to the monthly Students Programs Committee (SPC) for approval. The SPC usually meets at the beginning of the month. Therefore you should submit requests well in advance of the course commencement date.

5. Can I request a course substitution?

The Faculty of Engineering allows only a few course substitutions as detailed in Approved Substitutions. No permission is required for these substitutions.

Substituting any other CENG/ELEC/SENG core courses with other courses outside the faculty is not permitted unless the course is deemed equivalent by the department. Requests for course substitutions can be made to the Academic Advisor (engradv2@uvic.ca) usually by email.

6. How do I find out which technical electives are being offered?

Visit technical electives to see which courses are tentatively scheduled in the current year and schedule for the term in which they are usually offered. Please be aware that not all electives are offered every year and they may not be offered in the term specified in the schedule.

Bridge students must take at least 2 courses from the special bridge student's elective list.

7. How do I modify my program?

Students wishing to deviate from the standard program schedule such as taking fewer courses per term to reduce course load, repeating courses, taking consecutive coop work terms, or requesting leave of absence, etc., would need to modify their program by rearranging the required courses and work terms in all subsequent terms to ensure they can complete all of their program requirement within the maximum time allowed.

You can use the Program Planning Worksheet or the Program Scheduling Plan (see Forms on the ECE Advising Page) to rearrange your courses and work terms. Once you have modified your program, simply register for the courses or work terms according to your plan. No approval is required. However, if your work term schedule differs from the standard schedule (see academic schedule), please consult the academic advisor to ensure the Co-op Office is aware of your plan.

Follow the guideline below when modifying your program:

1. When using the Program Scheduling Plan, consult the ELEC or CENG prerequisite chart (found under Program Modification Tools on the ECE Advising Page). This chart provides a quick overview of the various prerequisites for most courses in the program, and the terms in which they are offered.
2. Consult the Technical Electives prerequisites chart (see Program Modification Tools). This chart provides a quick overview of the various prerequisites for all of the 4th year technical electives and the term in which they are normally offered.
3. When arranging work terms, avoid stacking all the work terms at the end. Coop seldom supports this. No more than 1 work term should be scheduled after the last academic term unless necessary.
4. If you encounter difficulty or require advice in modifying your program, please contact the Academic Advisor (engradv2@uvic.ca) during office hours.

8. How and where do I take an equivalent course outside of UVic and get credit for it?

You may consider taking an outside course due to scheduling conflict, course full, or to lighten workload during academic terms by taking a course on a work term. Courses from other institutions may be taken for credit as long as the course is deemed equivalent. Many university level courses transfer directly to UVic, mainly in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Sciences area. Some of these courses are available by distance or online and lend themselves to completion while registered in a work term. Thompson Rivers University Open Learning (TRUOL) and Athabasca University offer a variety of online or correspondence courses. If a course is to be taken in a work term, written permission from both the employer and Engineering Co-op is required (i.e. GPA ≥ 4).

To take a course outside UVic, fill out the Transfer Credit Referral form under Forms on the ECE Advising Page. This form allows you to obtain a letter of permission from the faculty to study outside UVic and to ensure your transfer credit will be recognized. Credit for courses completed outside UVic will only be granted for courses in which a grade of C or higher, or the equivalent, is awarded. Have the form approved by the ECE Advisor (engradv2@uvic.ca), then submit it to Engineering Undergraduate Office (EUO) at EOW 206. It takes normally a week for the letter to be issued.

Once the Academic Advisor has approved the form or on receipt of the letter of permission, one may register for the course at the other institution. Be cognizant of the other institution's deadlines for course application and completion.

On completion of the course, ask the institution to forward a transcript to UVic Undergraduate Records. The letter of permission contains the mailing details.

If you take a course without requesting a letter of permission, there's a risk that the transfer credit may not be accepted. Moreover, a fee is levied by Undergraduate Records for processing the transfer credit after the fact.

Check out the BC Transfer Guide to find an equivalent course at other BC institutions. A sampling of commonly taken courses are listed below. Equivalencies may expire so always verify with the academic advisor.

• COM 220 as BBUS 2721 at TRUOL
• EPHE 143 as PHED 1439 at TRUOL

• EOS 120 as GEOL 1111 at TRUOL
• EOS 170 as GEOL 2391 at TRUOL

• CSC 115 as COMP 272 at Athabasca.
• ENGL 135 as ENGL 1101/1999 at TRUOL, or ENGL 255 at Athabasca
• MATH 100 as MATH 1141 at TRUOL
• MATH 101 as MATH 1241 at TRUOL
• MATH 200 as MATH 2111 at TRUOL
• MATH 201 as MATH 252 at Camosun (MATH 201 is equivalent to MATH 204)
• STAT 260 as STAT 2709 at TRUOL, or STAT 218 at Camosun (STAT 260 may replace STAT 254)

9. How do I find an equivalent course at other institutions?

Check out the BC Transfer Guide to find an equivalent course at other BC institutions or see FAQ 8 for a sampling of equivalent courses. For out of province institutions, please contact the ECE Academic Advisor (engradv2@uvic.ca) to look up the UVic's Transfer Credit System.

For many of the upper level CENG/ELEC courses, both the BC Transfer Guide and the Transfer Credit System may not be very helpful because these courses are usually taken on campus. For an equivalent course to be found in either system, the course had to be evaluated as equivalent previously by the department. If there's a course at another institution that resemble an ECE course, you may request for an equivalency evaluation by contacting the ECE Academic Advisor. The onus is on the students to provide the Academic Advisor with all the course information such as the course outline and syllabus. Normally, courses from non-accredited programs will not be recognized.

The equivalency evaluation process usually takes several weeks. Once a course has been evaluated as equivalent, it will appear in the Transfer Credit System or the BC Transfer Guide as appropriate in due time.

10. Can I take a course if I do not satisfy the prerequisites?

You may request permission to take a course without meeting the prerequisites. Fill out the Prerequisite Waiver form found under Forms on the Advising Page and submit it to the ECE Academic Advisor (engradv2@uvic.ca).

Prerequisites will normally be enforced unless a student has a GPA ≥ 6 (B+), and can document familiarity with the material. Student opinion about his or her knowledge is not considered documented familiarity. Scheduling convenience will not be considered a valid argument. Prerequisite waiver requests that are subject to the completion of a supplemental exam will not be accepted.

11. How do I request a leave of absence?

Requesting a Leave of Absence can be done by sending an email to the ECE Academic Advisor. See also FAQ 7.

Requesting a leave of absence will stop the ticking clock so to speak on the maximum allowable time to complete your degree, see calendar on Academic Regulations. On returning from leave, reregistration may be required depending on the length of the leave, see Reregistraion.

12. Do I have to declare an area of Specialization?

Declaration of specialization is not necessary since specializations are optional. The program requires completion of seven technical electives (10.5 units) to be chosen from the list of technical electives. Students who complete three courses (4.5 units) in one of the specialization areas can request a certificate from the Electrical and Computer Engineering office; the specialization area will not be shown on the transcript.

Bridge students must take at least 2 courses from the special bridge student's elective list.

13. When and how can I request a Specialization Certificate?

Students who complete three courses (4.5 units) in one of the specialization areas can request a Specialization Certificate from the department (contact engradv2@uvic.ca) at the completion of their degree requirements. The certificates are issued in the month of a convocation, and available for pick up from the ECE Office (EOW 448), Monday to Friday, between 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

If you prefer to have your Specialization Certificate mailed to you, please include your mailing address in your request.

14. What is the University Probationary status?

Undergraduates must maintain a sessional GPA of at least 2.0 (or equivalent if a UVic student takes courses elsewhere for credit towards a UVic program). Students whose sessional GPA is 1.00 to 1.99 (regardless of registered course load) are considered to have unsatisfactory standing and will be placed on academic probation for the next session attended. Failure to pass probation will result in required withdrawal from the Faculty and University. Please see complete description of Probationary Status in the calendar.

15. What are my options if I am on academic probation?

Contact the ECE Undergraduate Academic Advisor (engradv2@uvic.ca) for advice.

16. What are the procedures for dealing with student requests?

The ECE Department maintains regulations/policies specific to the integrity and management of ECE degree programs (e.g., determining acceptable course substitutions, maximum allowable transfer credit units, student specific exemptions, etc.).

1. The ECE Academic Advisor deals with requests from 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students in the Electrical Engineering Program or Computer Engineering Program as well as requests related to courses with ELEC and CENG prefixes, and SENG courses offered by the ECE department. Requests from 1st year students are usually submitted to the Engineering Undergraduate Office (EUO). If the request involves scheduling work terms after the last academic term, the request may require concurrence from the CO-OP Office.
2. The EUO administers Deferred Exams granted by the Registrar, and Supplemental Exams granted by the Associate Dean or the Student Programs Committee (SPC). The ECE Office provides the EUO with the exam papers. A Deferred exam is sent to the EUO shortly after exams have been graded provided the student missed the exam with good cause. Supplemental exam is sent to the EUO usually at the beginning of the next academic term provided the student received an E grade in the course. Once completed, these exam papers are returned by the EUO, together with a Grade Change Form, to the ECE Office for distribution to instructors for grading. Each exam paper is clearly identified as Deferred or Supplemental, with instructions on how to calculate the final grade for each type of exam. The instructor then submits the Grade Change Form to the ECE Chair. Please contact the EUO to apply for a deferred or supplemental exam.
3. Requests for credits for courses with ELEC and CENG prefixes are submitted to the EUO. They are checked for compliance with the required documentation (cf. Faculty Policy for Course or Work Credits in Bachelor of Engineering Degree Programs dated October 12, 1999), and passed to the ECE Chair. Courses with SENG prefixes are handled by the home department of the instructor (ECE or CSC).

The ECE Academic Advisor ensures that all relevant documentation (i.e. student transcript, status, emails, course syllabus, etc.) is in place and passes the requests with her/his comment to the relevant Program Director for approval. The advisor assists the student with course registration and update of degree evaluation. Additional assistance may be provided by the Department Administrative Officer as necessary.

1. Prerequisites waiver requests.
   Prerequisite waiver must be accompanied by academic justification of the request. Prerequisites will normally be enforced unless a student has a GPA ≥ 6 (B+), and can document familiarity with the material. Student opinion about his or her knowledge is not considered documented familiarity. Scheduling convenience will not be considered a valid argument. Prerequisite waiver requests that are subject to the completion of a supplemental exam will not be accepted.
2. Request for transfer credit for courses taken outside UVic.
   Transfer credit requests for courses with ELEC, CENG prefixes, and SENG courses offered by the ECE department, are made to the EUO and evaluated by the Department. Once evaluated, recommendations are made to the EUO. Credits are awarded on an individual basis in accordance with the Faculty Policy for Course or Work Credits in Bachelor of Engineering Degree Programs dated October 12, 1999. Normally, credit requests for courses from accredited programs offering similar courses, completed within the last three years with grade B (or equivalent), or better, will be granted. Normally, credits for courses taken at non-accredited programs will not be granted.
3. Requests to take courses from an outside institution.
   Transfer credit requests for courses with ELEC, CENG prefixes, and SENG courses offered by the ECE department, are made to the Department. Students must fill out the Transfer Credit Referral Form and submit it to the academic advisor. A detailed course outline and syllabus must accompany the form for credit evaluation. Only courses from an Accredited Canadian Engineering program will be considered. If evaluation is successful, a recommendation is forwarded to the EUO who will issue a letter of permission. The letter of permission allows the student to take the course at the outside institution. Upon completion of the course, the student has to request the outside institution to forward the course transcript to UVic so the credit can be added to the student's program.

Under normal circumstances the review process in the ECE Department takes approximately two weeks. If a request needs to be considered by the Student Programs Committee (SPC), please allow at least three weeks for the request to be tabled in the committee agenda. The SPC meets on the first week of each month. Requests made after the committee agenda had already been tabled are deferred to the next committee meeting the following month. The following requests are under the purview of the SPC:

1. Leave of absence
2. Taking complimentary studies courses not on the approved list
3. Taking natural science courses not on the approved list
4. Degree extension.