Graduate Course Requirements and Exemption Policies

All graduate students in the Faculty of Engineering are required to submit a Proposed Program of Study form by the end of their first term of enrollment. No subsequent course registration will be permitted beyond the first term if this form is not submitted.

The intention of this Proposed Program of Study form is to establish a clear path of completion for each graduate student. The student and supervisor(s)/advisor are required to discuss and determine on a proposed program for the student and a proposed list of courses to be taken by the student. Although it is the student's right to select the program of courses submitted, this should nevertheless be done in consultation with the student's faculty supervisor(s)/advisor. It is understood that the courses listed in the Proposed Program of Study form are not cast in stone, and may be altered, subject to the approval of the student's supervisory committee/program advisor.

Research Students

As part of your Proposed Program of Study, an Advisory Committee needs to be formed for each student. PhD Committee should have minimum of 3 members and MESc Committee 2 members, including the supervisor(s). Each member must have at least non-core SGPS membership status (Please see SGPS Regulation 11.01 for more details). 

Proposed Program of Study form for Research Students

Graduate Program Course Requirements

The normal course requirements for graduate research programs are as follows:

MESc Program: 4 graduate courses (2.0 credits)
PhD Program: 8 graduate courses (4.0 credits) 

Graduate Course Exemption 

Doctoral Students:

A PhD student may request an exemption from up to 2.0 course credits (equivalent to 4 graduate courses) of their PhD coursework if there is strong evidence that the student possesses advanced knowledge in the field of their proposed PhD research, as evidenced through relevant graduate courses successfully completed as part of a prior degree.

Specifically, for consideration of PhD course exemption, a prior course(s) must:

  • Be a graduate-level technical course
  • Be in the same content area as the proposed PhD research
  • Be verified with a course outline
  • Have been passed with a minimum grade of 80% (North American equivalent) in each course

Student can make such request by submitting the “Course exemption request form” to the home Graduate Program. The Graduate Program considers and makes all final decisions relating to coursework exemption requests. The Graduate Program may decline a request or grant an exemption up to the limit of 2.0 course credits, as described above. Decisions by the Graduate Program relating to requests by a student for course exemption cannot be appealed by the student.

Master (MESc) Students:

Course exemptions are not considered or granted for MESc students.

Credit for Prior Work 

Doctoral Students:

A PhD student who has an incomplete doctoral degree from another university may request an exemption from up to 1.0 course credits (equivalent to 2 graduate courses) of their Western PhD coursework in consideration of successfully completed courses as part of their incomplete doctoral program.

Specifically, for consideration of PhD course exemption, a prior course(s) must:

  • Be a graduate-level technical course
  • Be in the same content area as the proposed PhD research
  • Be verified with a course outline
  • Have been passed with a minimum grade of 80% (North American equivalent) in each course

Master (MESc) Students:

An MESc student who has an incomplete master’s degree from another university may request an exemption from up to 1.0 course credits (equivalent to 2 graduate courses) of their Western MESc

coursework in consideration of successfully completed courses as part of their incomplete master’s program.

Specifically, for consideration of MESc course exemption, a prior course(s) must:

  • Be a graduate-level technical course
  • Be in the same content area as the proposed MESc research
  • Be verified with a course outline
  • Have been passed with a minimum grade of 80% (North American equivalent) in each course

Student can make such request by submitting the “Course exemption request form” to the home Graduate Program. The Graduate Program considers and makes all final decisions relating to coursework exemption requests. The Graduate Program may decline a request or grant an exemption up to the limit of 1.0 course credits, as described above. Decisions by the Graduate Program relating to requests by a student for course exemption cannot be appealed by the student.

MEng to MESc Transfer

Students currently in the MEng program may request for a transfer from MEng to MESc, provided that they meet the admission requirements for the MESc program. The transfer from MEng to MESc must take place no later than the end of the second term of enrollment.

The funding eligibility period (6 terms) is not counted from the date of transfer but rather the count begins when a student starts a graduate program at Western. Hence, the funding eligibility period is not extended on the transfer date.

i) Students who are transferring from MEng to MESc within the same Department may request an exemption from up to 2.0 course credits (equivalent to 4 graduate courses) of their MESc coursework in consideration of successfully completed courses as part of their incomplete MEng program.

Specifically, for consideration of MESc course exemption, a prior course(s) must:

  • Be a graduate-level technical course (professional courses are excluded)
  • Be in the same content area as the proposed MESc research
  • Have been passed with a minimum grade of 78% in each course

ii) Students who wish to transfer from MEng to MESc in a different Engineering Department will be required to voluntarily withdraw from their current department and apply for graduate admission to the new department. Once admitted, students may request an exemption from up to 1.0 course credit (equivalent to 2 graduate courses) of their MESc coursework in consideration of successfully completed courses as part of their incomplete MEng program.

Specifically, for consideration of MESc course exemption, a prior course(s) must:

  • Be a graduate-level technical course (professional courses are excluded)
  • Be in the same content area as the proposed MESc research
  • Have been passed with a minimum grade of 78% in each course

Student can make such request by submitting the “Course exemption request form” to the home Graduate Program. The Graduate Program considers and makes all final decisions relating to coursework exemption requests. The Graduate Program may decline a request or grant an exemption up to the limit for each category, as described above. Decisions by the Graduate Program relating to requests by a student for course exemption cannot be appealed by the student. 

MEng Completed; new MESc Degree

Students who have completed an MEng degree at Western and would like to start an MESc program in the same Department may request an exemption from up to 1.0 course credits (equivalent to 2 graduate courses) of their MESc coursework in consideration of successfully completed courses as part of their completed MEng degree.

Specifically, for consideration of MESc course exemption, a prior course(s) must:

  • Be a graduate-level technical course (professional courses are excluded)
  • Be in the same content area as the proposed MESc research
  • Have been passed with a minimum grade of 78% in each course

Student can make such request by submitting the “Course exemption request form” to the home Graduate Program. The Graduate Program considers and makes all final decisions relating to coursework exemption requests. The Graduate Program may decline a request or grant an exemption up to the limit of 1.0 course credits, as described above. Decisions by the Graduate Program relating to requests by a student for course exemption cannot be appealed by the student.

MEng Students

Graduate Program Course Requirements

The normal course requirements for the graduate course-based (MEng) program is as follows:

MEng Program: 10 graduate courses (5.0 credits) or 8 graduate courses (4.0 credits) + project (1.0 credit)

Proposed Program of Study form for MEng Students

Students may request an exemption up to certain number of course credits based on the categories described below: 

Credit for Prior Work 

MEng Students:

An MEng student who has an incomplete master’s degree from another university may request an exemption from up to 1.0 course credits (equivalent to 2 graduate courses) of their Western MEng (technical and/or professional) coursework in consideration of successfully completed courses as part of their incomplete master’s program. The exemption request for professional coursework cannot exceed 0.5 course credits (equivalent to one graduate course).

Specifically, for consideration of MEng course exemption, a prior course(s) must:

  • be a graduate-level course
  • be in the same content area as the proposed MEng program (for technical courses)
  • be within the scope of professional engineering practice (for professional course)
  • be verified with a course outline
  • have been passed with a minimum grade of 78% (North American equivalent) in each course

Student can make such request by submitting the “MEng course exemption request form” to the home Graduate Program. The Graduate Program considers and makes all final decisions relating to coursework exemption requests. The Graduate Program may decline a request or grant an exemption up to the limit of 1.0 course credits, as described above. Decisions by the Graduate Program relating to requests by a student for course exemption cannot be appealed by the student.