Skip to the content of the web site.

Prospective Student Information

What is Mechatronics Engineering?

Mechatronics engineering is the design of computer-controlled electromechanical systems. It can be viewed as 'modern mechanical engineering design' in the sense that the design of the mechanical system must be performed together with that of the electrical/electronic and computer control aspects that will comprise the complete system. Some examples of mechatronic systems include : a CD or DVD player ; a computer hard disc drive; a video cassette recorder (VCR) ; a fly-by-wire aircraft control system; and an anti-lock braking system (ABS). Each of these products is essentially mechanical in nature, but could not function without the integral design of the electrical and computer control systems that are critical to their operation.

Mechatronics Engineering Program at the University of Waterloo
The new Mechatronics program at UW is a part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. However, the Mechatronics program differs very significantly from the Mechanical Engineering program in the courses that students take. Half of the 2nd and 3rd year courses in the Mechatronics program are provided by the Systems Design Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering departments. This makes the Mechatronics program the ideal choice for students who would prefer a broad interdisciplinary engineering education that is nonetheless highly integrated and focussed. The Mechatronics program at UW is quite unique - there is no other university in Canada that offers a full undergraduate program in Mechatronics Engineering. Students will be required to participate in the work/study (Co-op) program, which entails completing at least 5 work terms in industry. The degree, a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) in Mechatronics Engineering, is accredited by the CEAB.
Design of the Mechatronics Curriculum
The opportunity to design a new engineering program does not come often. A group of professors from Mechanical Engineering, Systems Design Engineering, and Electrical & Computer Engineering, set out to design the 'ideal' Mechatronics curriculum in 2000. With a virtual clean slate, a set of courses was selected from the three engineering departments that would provide students with the desired combination of skills. Whenever the contents of an existing course did not meet the desired requirements, a new course was designed. After much effort, we now feel that we have a program that is unmatched in terms of content and integration. When viewing the curriculum, the courses designated as MTE are the newly designed courses specific to the Mechatronics program; ME courses are from the Mechanical Engineering program, ECE courses are from the Electrical & Computer Engineering program, and SYDE courses are from the Systems Design Engineering program.