ESC103 will introduce linear algebra topics, such as matrices and vectors, before moving on to computation. Computation is the process of using a computer to calculate or approximate an answer, and in ESC103, you’ll learn how to use the MATLAB programming language to automate mathematical calculations. MAT185 will extend your linear algebra knowledge through topics such as eigenproblems. Many topics in computer science and machine learning algorithms are heavily dependent on linear algebra, and computation will be essential when producing and visualizing the results of a machine learning model.

ESC180 will be your first programming course in university. You will learn the Python programming language, which is widely used in scientific computing and machine learning. This course will provide you with a foundation for all your future computer science endeavors.

ESC190 will be your second programming course in university! You will learn the C programming language, which is much more low-level and high-performance (many machine learning libraries and frameworks for Python are programmed in C). Most importantly, you will learn about algorithm development: algorithms are sets of rules that act upon data, such as sorting, building a set with certain properties, or finding a minimum path. Machine learning is built upon algorithms, so ESC190 is indispensable to this major. The course also covers data structures, which are objects that store and organize information on a computer in a useful way; with how data-heavy machine learning is, data structures are important to the field. The course will briefly cover computer hardware; having knowledge of hardware allows programmers to use computers to their full capabilities and make more efficient and useful programs.

ESC101 and ESC102 will require you and your team to identify, frame, and develop solutions for an engineering design opportunity. The course will expose you to working with engineering requirements and various frameworks for representing product functionality, which are important aspects of software engineering theory. Furthermore, groups in the past have been able to incorporate computer programs and even machine learning into their Praxis projects.

ECE253 teaches you about how computers operate on a low-level scale. Again, understanding hardware allows MI engineers to take full advantage of their computers when creating fast and powerful software.

ECE286 will teach you all about analyzing data through various mathematical methods. Probability and statistics will be very important when interpreting the results and optimizing the accuracy of your machine learning models.

ESC203 teaches you about the societal and ethical implications of engineering. The ethics and safety surrounding AI is of significant discussion today and will likely shape the future of the field. This course will help you formulate nuanced and informed arguments to articulate your opinions while considering situations from modern and historic perspectives, so that you can contribute to this important debate.

ESC180 will be your first programming course in university. Your programming skills will help you design the “brain” of your robots.

ESC190 will be your second programming course. This course introduces the C programming language, which is commonly used for interacting with hardware components. This course focuses on implementing various algorithms, which are used for completing various real-world tasks such as pathfinding.

ECE159 will help introduce you to circuitry, which you’ll need to connect the physical systems with the “brains” of your robots. The practicals involve hands-on experiences in which you build and measure the properties of your own circuits. Combined with the theory-focused lectures, this course gives you a strong foundation for all your future ECE courses in Robotics.

PHY180 will cover concepts such as kinematics, dynamics, and interactions within systems. This course will provide a foundation for understanding further advanced physics concepts such as forward and inverse kinematics, which explain robot movement and interactions.

ESC103 will introduce the basics of linear algebra. You’ll use this knowledge, along with that gained from MAT185, in upper-year courses such as Dynamics and Introduction to Robotics. Robotics concepts such as rigid body movement and circuitry are described using matrices. Much of the computing a robot does in its operation is also implemented as linear algebra through code, in programming languages such as MATLAB (which you’ll learn in ESC103).

ESC101 and ESC102 will require you and your team to tackle a real-world engineering opportunity. Although your opportunity and approach towards it will vary, you may have an opportunity to integrate robotics in your solutions.

ECE253 bridges the gap between the electrical components that build computers and the programming we do with them. You’ll learn basic logic circuits, logic computation and functions of a simple computer processor. Along the way you’ll learn to program simple processors in the low-level Assembly language. You’ll use some of these principles in upper-year courses.

AER210 combines two concepts. The first half of the course is an extension of Calculus II and focuses on vector calculus; this branch of math is crucial to understanding robot movement. The second half of the course focuses on fluid mechanics, which is the study of the motion of fluids (liquids and gases); this will be useful when designing robots to be as aerodynamic as possible.

ESC204 integrates all your technical and design knowledge into a course-long mechatronics design project based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. You’ll learn a lot about building robotic systems for impactful applications.

PHY180 will introduce you to the fundamental concepts of energy, force, and momentum, which are essential to engineering and will be vital to your future courses.

ESC103 will introduce you to the basics of linear algebra with vectors and matrices. The labs in this course will introduce MATLAB, one of the most popular programming languages for complex computations. When designing large-scale and complex energy systems, you’ll need to use computation to both produce and verify your results. MAT185 will develop your linear algebra skills, which will be important when representing electrical energy systems.

CIV102 introduces structural engineering, a topic which might be further explored in your upper-year courses. The lectures and problem sets often apply these principles to real-world building design problems; when implementing energy systems that interact with buildings, your knowledge of structures and sustainable design will be an asset.

ECE159 will start from the basics of circuitry, eventually covering more advanced circuit analysis techniques. Ultimately, you will learn about power and methods for improving power efficiency. Whether you’re harnessing electrical energy, designing devices for energy generation or capture, or integrating energy systems into buildings and cities, electrical engineering concepts will be extremely valuable to you as an Energy Systems Engineer.

The overall objective of ESC102 is to “effect a verified and validated sustainable improvement in the lived experience of a community.” Sustainability and stakeholder validation will be important in both this course and your future work.

PHY294 is divided into two halves, with quantum mechanics and thermal physics in the first and second halves, respectively. The thermal physics part is very important to energy studies: you’ll learn about thermodynamics and temperature and energy distribution, concepts which are used in all levels of energy systems design.

CHE260 is another two-part course. The first part of the course covers thermodynamics, which includes the important concept of mechanical energy; the principles of mechanical energy are used to design all modern engines. The second part of the course covers heat transfer, an important consideration in energy systems design. You’ll learn how an object’s seemingly basic features, such as its dimensions, significantly affect its heat transfer properties.

ECE259 combines fundamental physics with useful techniques from vector calculus to explore features of electricity like electric force, voltage, current, and field strength. Whether you’re harnessing electrical energy, designing devices for energy generation or capture, or integrating energy systems into buildings and cities, electrical engineering concepts will be extremely valuable to you as an Energy Systems engineer.

ESC204 projects Praxis II onto a more advanced global scale. Your goal will be to develop a mechatronics project to positively impact an area of the world based on the Sustainable Development Guidelines by the United Nations. You may get a chance to work on an energy-related project in this course. Furthermore, Energy Systems Engineering is all about developing sustainable improvements for the world, so your experiences from Praxis III will be indispensable for your future career.

ESC203 is all about considering the impacts of your engineering work. Discussions and case studies about environmental impact and equity will form a significant part of the course, and the insights you gain from ESC203 will help inform your future practice of engineering as a whole (especially in Energy Systems Engineering, due to the field’s inherent ties to sustainability and global impact).

MSE160 teaches you about key concepts in chemistry and materials science, and their applications to current applications in biological and chemical engineering.

ESC101 and ESC102 are built around design projects, which are a huge part of the Biomed major. Biomed design projects often arise in our Praxis courses and are a great way to practice your skills in the design process. Some examples of Biomed-based Praxis projects are redesigning the naloxone kits used to treat overdoses, and improving hospital waiting rooms. Through interacting with communities, you’ll get exposure to consulting with healthcare professionals and patients.

BME205 is a review and extension of high school biology. While reviewing things like cell biology and anatomical systems, you’ll also be exposed to various fields in biomedical engineering, like medical devices. The biology labs that are part of this course will give you experience for future practicals in the Biomedical Systems Engineering major.

CIV102 will teach you concepts in structural engineering relating to the design and material selection of strong structures, which directly relate to aerospace engineering. For example, loading a bridge is like keeping a plane wing straight, and vibrations in buildings are similar to airplane turbulence.

PHY180 covers kinematics, dynamics, and other concepts to provide you with a strong foundation in physics.

ESC103 will introduce you to linear algebra — which is an essential branch of mathematics for aerospace engineering as it relates to structures, electronics, and more. It will also introduce the MATLAB programming language, to automate your mathematical computations. MAT185 is a pure linear algebra course which will strengthen your skills from ESC103 and introduce more advanced topics.

CHE260 is split into two halves: thermodynamics and heat transfer. In aerospace, a knowledge of thermodynamics is crucial when building engines and dealing with gases. During the heat transfer portion, you’ll learn about how heat moves through materials; a common problem in aircraft design is keeping your materials hot or cold enough when moving through the atmosphere at high speeds. If you’re interested in Aero, pay attention in CHE260.

AER210 is another two-part course. The first half focuses on vector calculus, which involves differentiation and integration in vector fields in 3D space. You’ll use this in the fluid mechanics half of the course, which introduces ways to analyze and predict the motion of fluids in different situations. The principles from fluid mechanics are invaluable for anything to do with aerodynamics, speed, and flight.

MAT292 gives you a solid foundation in modeling different physical systems mathematically with ordinary differential equations (ODEs). For example, heat-related systems in plane engines can be modeled with ODEs.