Choosing a Minor

Engineering students are encouraged to complete a minor in an area of concentration with another Faculty to expand their breadth of knowledge and complement their program of study. Minors are offered in two faculties: Arts and Science. Students admitted into a minor are subject to the minor-related rules and requirements of the granting Faculty.

Arts

Engineering students may obtain a minor in a Faculty of Arts subject area, with the exception of Arts Cultural Management. All Arts minors require a minimum of 12 senior units, including at least 6 units in 300-level or higher courses. Some minors may require specific courses, or more credits than the minimum. See the requirements for Arts minors.

Please consult the Calendar for more information about regulations for Arts minors.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for an Arts minor, students must meet the following requirements:

  • Have completed or are currently completing all courses of academic term 6 or above.
  • Have not applied for convocation.
  • Achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Science/Math

Engineering students may obtain a minor in a subject within the Faculty of Science concentration area. All Science minors must have at least 24 units with at least 6 units in 300-level or higher courses. Acceptance into any minors in Science is contingent on course availability and may be restricted or closed for some years.

Exceptions:

  • Computer Engineering students may not take a minor in Computing Science
  • Engineering Physics may not take a minor in Physics

Science Minors other than Math

Engineering students undertaking a Science minor in a subject area other than Mathematics must follow the course requirements provided by the minor program. See the requirements for Science minors. Students should consult with advisors in the Faculty of Science about course equivalencies.

Students pursuing a Science minor other than Mathematics will complete their minor requirements after completing all the requirements of their engineering program.

Math Minors

A minor in Mathematics requires completion of specific courses as outlined in the Calendar. If a student’s timetable permits, it may be possible to complete a Math minor without extending the length of their program.

  • Note: Students who have completed ECE 341 cannot take MATH 300 or 337 to complete their Mathematics minor. A MATH 300 level or 400 level course can be substituted for this purpose. 
  • Note: Students are not permitted to take 300-level MATH courses through Athabasca University on a letter of permission to be used towards the Math Minor.

Please consult the Calendar for more information about regulations and course requirements for Science minors.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for a Science minor, students must meet the following requirements:

  1. Have completed or are currently completing all courses of academic term 6 or above.
  2. Have not applied for convocation.
  3. Achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
School of Business (suspended as of September 1, 2024)

Please note: the Business Minor has been suspended as of September 1, 2024 and will not be accepting applications for Fall 2025.

The minor in Business seeks to provide students in Engineering with introductory training in a variety of choice business areas. This minor is designed to provide students with an immersive one year experience in the School of Business that will extend degree completion. Students will focus in one of six areas during that year.

Engineering students must take ECON 204 (or combination of ECON 101 and ECON 102 is acceptable) as the Complementary Studies elective if they choose to pursue a minor in Business. However, if a student presents more than 2 Business courses prior to applying, then the application will need to be reviewed by the Business Faculty to determine admissibility.

Students are expected to take a full course load during the minor year after completing Engineering degree requirements. If a student has taken any of the mandatory Business courses prior to admission, substitutions will be made to ensure a full Business course load.

Consult the Calendar for more information about regulations, course requirements, and areas of focus for Business minors.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply to a minor in Business, students must meet the following requirements:

  • Have completed all courses of academic term 6 and are entering into their final year of study.
  • Have not applied for convocation.
  • Achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Due to the small intake size for the Business minor, admission into the minor is competitive based on available space. Admission GPAs for this minor may be higher than 3.0.

Applying for a Minor

Important: Applications for Minors will open on April 1, 2024.

Arts & Science

Students can apply to all minors in Science and Arts as described in the calendar. Decisions will be made and communicated shortly after each deadline.

Fall 2024 applications will close on September 1, 2024  
Winter 2025 applications will close on January 1, 2025

Click here to apply for a Minor in Arts, Science, and Math

Business

Please note: the Business Minor has been suspended as of September 1, 2024 and will not be accepting applications for Fall 2025.

The minor with the School of Business is restricted to a total of 20 students per year and is only offered with a Fall term start date. Students must apply when registered in their final year of study in Engineering.

Fall 2024 applications are now closed. 

Program Completion

Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet the requirements of their engineering degree and that of the selected minor. In some minor areas, listed courses may not always be offered or open to all: students should contact the specific department for additional information.

Some courses taken to complete the requirements of the Engineering program may be used to also satisfy the requirements of an Arts or Science minor. Business courses used towards the Engineering program will not be used to satisfy a Business minor. Engineering programs are rigid in their timetabling: taking a minor will usually extend the length of an engineering program, which must be completed within 72 months of starting the program (see Faculty of Engineering Regulations - Academic Regulations: Requirements to Graduate), including additional courses from a minor. Minors should be undertaken after completing all engineering degree requirements, with the exception of the Math minor; it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that their schedule allows for timetabling courses of their minor. It is recommended that students plan their entire program prior to starting a minor.

Important: The information on this page is subject to change. The University of Alberta Calendar is the primary source of program information and regulations: in the event that there is a discrepancy between this page and the Calendar, the content in the Calendar will take precedence.

Students who have questions about taking a minor can contact an Engineering Academic Advisor at enggadvising@ualberta.ca

Last Updated: October 15, 2024