Engineering Minors & Certificates FAQs

How do I know if I’m eligible to take an Engineering Minor?

Engineering Minors are open to most U of T Engineering undergrads. At present, the only exceptions are as follows:

  • Engineering Science students in the Biomedical Engineering Major are not eligible for the Bioengineering Minor or Biomedical Engineering Minor.
  • Engineering Science students in the Energy Systems Major are not eligible for the Sustainable Energy Minor.
  • Engineering Science students in the Mathematics, Statistics & Finance Major are not eligible for the Engineering Business Minor (but are eligible for the Engineering Business Certificate).
  • Engineering Science students in the Machine Intelligence Major are not eligible for the Artificial Intelligence Engineering Minor or Certificate.
  • Engineering Science students in the Robotics Major are not eligible for the Robotics and Mechatronics Minor.

When should I apply for an engineering minor?

A student may enrol in an engineering minor at any time during their program. Minors can be completed using electives in second, third and fourth year. Students should consider their minors while selecting courses.

As a U of T Engineering student, are there other minors I can take outside of the Faculty?

Yes — Engineering students can take Arts & Science minors. Please review the Arts & Science minors section of the Registrar's Office website. If you would like further information, please schedule an appointment by messaging engineering.minors@utoronto.ca.

I’m still in high school, but I'm interested in cross-disciplinary programs at U of T Engineering. How do I apply?

Thank you for your interest in cross-disciplinary programs. To be able to enrol in a U of T Engineering minor or certificate, you must be enrolled in an undergraduate program in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. For more information about applying for undergraduate admission, visit Discover Engineering.

I’m a recent U of T Engineering alumni. May I pursue an engineering minor or certificate as a non-degree student?

U of T Engineering alumni who have recently convocated may complete a minor or certificate that they were enrolled in but did not complete during their undergraduate engineering studies. Please note that this option is only available if you will be able to complete your remaining minor or certificate requirements within nine years of starting your undergraduate degree.

To pursue this option, contact the Admissions Office at admissions@engineering.utoronto.ca to be reactivated as a non-degree student. After your final grade for any missing courses is on your transcript, please notify the CDP Office at engineering.minors@utoronto.ca to update your transcript with the completed minor or certificate.

I’m a graduate student. May I pursue an engineering minor?

Minors are only offered at the undergraduate level.

What is the difference between the Bioengineering Minor and the Bioengineering Stream?

The Bioengineering Stream is only available to students in the Mechanical Engineering program. Where the minor requires six courses, the stream requires two.

Completion of a minor will be reflected on a transcript. Completion of a stream will not.

For more information about the Bioengineering Stream, visit Mechanical & Industrial Engineering. Courses taken for the Bioengineering Stream may also be used towards the Bioengineering Minor.

Where do I obtain the thesis/design project approval form?

The 2024-2025 form is available online. However, before you submit the form to the Cross-Disciplinary Programs Office, ensure not only that you have signed the form, but that you have obtained the approval/signature from your supervisor. Upon completion, return the form to the Cross-Disciplinary Programs Office for review by the Director of the applicable minor.

What is the deadline for submitting the Thesis/Design Project Approval Form?

If your course is a full-year or first-term course, we recommend you submit the form to us by the end of September. If your course is in the Winter Term, please submit the form to us by the end of January.

I have taken BME205H1 S in Engineering Science. Can this course be substituted for CHE353H1F?

BME205 and CHE353 are essentially the same course; as such, the substitution is fine.

Can I pursue both an engineering minor and an engineering certificate?

Absolutely! However, please note that any given course can only count towards two programs. If you are counting it towards your degree requirements, you may also count it towards a minor or a certificate, if applicable, but not both. If the course is designated as "Extra" on your transcript (i.e., not towards your degree), you may count it towards both a minor and a certificate or two minors.

What is the difference between an engineering minor and a certificate?

Generally, minors require you to take a minimum of six half-courses while certificates have three half-courses. Both minors and certificates will appear on student transcripts upon graduation.