While EngSci is a small program, U of T is a rather large school, and this means that we have a lot of unique terms that students use in everyday speech. Since we have incorporated these terms into our blog posts, here is a list for your reference.
A
ACORN
ACORN, or Accessible Campus Online Resource Network, is an online platform that stores all your records – including academic history/current courses, tuition fees and financial statements, and personal documents — and links you to other campus resources.
Accreditation
Accreditation is the process by which engineering programs are officially recognized as meeting certain educational and curriculum standards established by a regulatory board for engineering, such as Professional Engineers Ontario.
Aero/AER
Aero is short for “aerospace engineering”. It could refer to the EngSci Aerospace Engineering major, or the field of aerospace engineering as a whole. EngSci courses related to Aero have the course code “AER”.
Academic Advisor
Academic advisors are faculty of the EngSci office who will guide you through EngSci, helping you with course enrolment, timetables, petitions, academic planning, and more.
AP
AP, or Advanced Placement, is a program offered for high school students around the world which provides an enriched and challenging education. AP courses involve college-level curricula and examinations.
ASX
The Astronomy & Space Exploration Society (ASX) is a non-profit organization run by the University of Toronto undergraduate space community. ASX’s purpose is to educate, excite, and inspire students, professionals, and the general public about astronomy and space.
aUToronto
aUToronto is a student design team dedicated to building a fully autonomous car to compete in the GM/SAE AutoDrive Challenge.
B
BA
The building code for the Bahen Centre for Information Technology. It is one of the main engineering buildings on campus, and houses the EngSci common room, EngSci Office, and the Department of Computer Science.
BME
BME is an abbreviation for “biomedical engineering”. It could refer to the EngSci Biomedical Systems Engineering major, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (the official graduate unit for biomedical engineering at U of T), or the field of biomedical engineering as a whole. The term “Biomed” may be used, however, “Biomed” could also refer to the broader biomedical sciences field. “BME” is the course code for BME courses.
Blue Sky Solar Racing
Blue Sky Solar Racing is a student design team dedicated to building energy-efficient solar-powered vehicles, to compete in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge
C
Certificate
A certificate is like an extra “mini-minor” completed alongside your degree, through which you can explore a certain specialized field of engineering by completing a particular set of three courses.
CGPA
CGPA stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average and refers to your overall GPA across all semesters. It is calculated by averaging the GPAs from all your courses (adjusting for weight if necessary).
ChemE/CHE
The Department of Chemical Engineering. “CHE” is the course code for chemical engineering courses.
Chestnut Residence
Chestnut is a common student residence for first-year engineering students. Located just over a kilometer from campus, it houses almost 1150 students from all U of T faculties and colleges, with 75% of residents being first-year students. Chestnut also houses the most engineering students and international students compared to other residences.
CivMinE/CIV
CivMinE is the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering. “CIV” is the course code for civil engineering courses.
Class Representative
Class Representatives are students that represent a particular year’s class for a particular discipline to EngSoc and FASE. Early in the year, you will be able to run for and elect two students to represent the EngSci class of 2T8. They handle matters such as assignment conflicts/extensions, and social activities.
Commuting/Commuter
A synonym for traveling to and from a certain place. A commuter usually refers to a student who lives somewhere other than a U of T student residence, and travels to and from campus. Commuters could live near or far from campus.
Co-op
Co-ops, or cooperative education programs, allow students to gain real-world work experience through internships as part of credit/degree requirements.
CS
CS stands for Complementary Studies, which refers to studies in humanities, social sciences, arts, management, engineering economics, and communication that complement the technical curriculum of an engineering program. CS could refer to U of T’s Computer Science major, or the field of computer science as a whole.
CSC
CSC is the course code for computer science courses at U of T.
CUBE
The Club for Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering is a student-run club whose mandate is to promote biomedical engineering at the undergraduate level.
D
Dean
The head of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.
Dean’s Honours List
A recognition of academic achievement for students who receive a weighted term average of 79.5% or higher (while meeting the minimum credit loads for full-time or part-time students).
Design Team
A student organization (of the Engineering Society) that works on engineering design projects. Design teams often pit their creations against those of other universities in competitions or publish the process and results of their work.
E
EAA
Engineering Athletics Association. The EAA creates and runs intramural sports teams for all engineering students.
ECE
ECE is an abbreviation for “electrical & computer engineering”. It could refer to the EngSci Electrical & Computer Engineering major, the department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (the official unit for undergraduate and graduate studies in ECE at U of T), the Core 8 Electrical & Computer Engineering major, or the field of Electrical & Computer Engineering as a whole. The terms “EE” and “CE” may be used to refer to either electrical or computer engineering, respectively. “ECE” is the course code for ECE courses
EDI
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Adhering to EDI concepts and policies can help create welcoming environments in which all individuals from all backgrounds can succeed and are appreciated.
EngSci/ESC
Engineering Science. This is the amazing program you’ve decided to join! ESC is the course code for some EngSci-specific courses such as Praxis I (ESC101).
EngSoc
Engineering Society. This is the student government group for all U of T Engineering students. They provide correspondence to students, academic services (such as old exam archives), student club funding, and extracurricular opportunities.
ESEC
Engineering Science Education Conference. This annual one-day conference aims to broaden our students’ horizons through engagement with world leaders in a wide range of sectors corresponding to our program’s majors.
ESROP
Engineering Science Research Opportunity Program. These competitive programs provide funding for EngSci students with the opportunity to work on engineering research projects over the course of the summer. ESROP – U of T is for students who have found their own placements with U of T faculty; ESROP – ExOp is for students who have found their own placements at non-U of T institutions; ESROP – Global is arranged by the Division of EngSci, and allows students to apply to a number of non-U of T partner institutions; ESROP – E4TW (Engineers for the World) is arranged by the Division of EngSci, and allows students to work on research related to the social, ethical, political, and human rights impacts of technology.
ESRRO
Engineering Student Recruitment and Retention Office. This is the office responsible for sending many recruitment and transition resources for the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.
EWB UofT
Engineers Without Border U of T Chapter. The largest student chapter of EWB in Canada, the club works both locally and globally to address the root causes of poverty and inequality.
F
FASE
Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. This is the amazing faculty you’re a new member of.
F!rosh Week
An event-filled, weeklong orientation program for incoming engineering students, run by upper-year engineering students.
Frosh
A frosh is a first-year student. From September to May of the upcoming school year, you will all be frosh!
G
GB
The building code for the Galbraith Building. It is one of the main engineering buildings on campus, and houses the Office of the Registrar and the Math Aid Centre.
GEARS
Guided Engineering Academic Review Sessions. GEARS are like free tutoring sessions with successful upper-year EngScis. GEARS sessions run multiple days per week and are great opportunities to connect with upper-years who can help you review course content and prepare for exams, as well as answer your questions about course content, student life, and opportunities.
GPA
Grade Point Average. Used alongside percentage and letter grades as a way to gauge your academic performance. The types of GPA are sGPA and cGPA, which are calculated by taking the average letter grade you receive in your courses, and converting it to a number from 0.0-4.0 using a scale.
GTA
Greater Toronto Area. This officially means the City of Toronto and four surrounding regional municipalities: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York.
H
HA
The building code for the Haultain Building. One of the engineering buildings on campus. Houses small classrooms which may be used for tutorials and midterms.
Hackathon
An event often organized by engineering or computer science groups, where individuals or teams compete to create the best software, hardware, or conceptual project, based on certain themes and criteria.
Hart House
The student community center at U of T. Hart House houses athletic facilities, the U of T Art Museum, a restaurant, a live theatre, and much more.
Hatchery
The U of T Engineering Startup incubator. If you have a startup idea that you want to take to the next step, or if you just want to learn more about entrepreneurship, you should consider applying to the Hatchery’s programs!
Hi-Skule
A student-led engineering outreach club, dedicated to educating and engaging high school students in engineering.
HPVDT
U of T’s Human-Powered Vehicle Design team. They are a record-breaking team that builds vehicles such as superfast bikes and planes, powered entirely by people.
HSS
Humanities and Social Science Elective. HSS courses are a subset of Complementary Studies courses, and they refer to electives offered through the Faculty of Arts and Science. The accreditation board requires you to take a certain amount of these courses for graduation.
I
IB
IB, or International Baccalaureate, is a program offered for students around the world which provides an enriched and challenging education. IB courses involve college-level curricula, projects, and examinations.
ID
Iron Dragons is the dragon boating team at U of T engineering. ID consists of casual and competitive teams, and are open to all students with an interest in dragon boating and physical activity!
IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. There exists a student branch here at U of T, which builds cool technological projects, hosts professional development and technical skills workshops and hackathons, amd more!
iGem
International Genetically Engineered Machine. iGEM Toronto is a student design team which develops a synthetic biology research project and competes in the annual iGEM jamboree.
Intramurals
Casual or semi-competitive team sports in which you can play against other faculties and colleges at U of T. Intramurals are organized by the Engineering Athletics Association (EAA), and there are 23 teams across ten different sports!
L
LEC
Lecture code on timetable. These are where you and your cohort(s) will be in large lecture halls, learning new content from the professor.
LFF/MYFab
Myhal Light Fabrication Facility. The facility is equipped with 20 workbenches, a variety of hand tools, and basic power tools and allows for light-duty fabrication with materials such as timber, foam, plastics and soft metals. There is also equipment for electronics work and 3D printing.
LGMB
Lady Godiva Memorial Bnad. As Skule’s most noisy, chaotic band, the LGMB loves to show up to events (uninvited) and blast their tunes for all to hear!
M
MB
The building code for Lassonde Mining Building. Houses the Mining Hall of Fame and classrooms for some of your classes.
MC
The building code for the Mechanical Engineering Building. Features a large lecture hall, which is one of the most spacious lecture halls you’ll see in your first year, as well as a machine shop (MC78) and thermodynamics laboratory.
MI
MI is an abbreviation for “Machine Intelligence”. It refers to the EngSci Machine Intelligence major.
MIE
Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering. “MIE” is the course code for mechanical & industrial engineering courses.
Minor
A minor is like an extra “mini-degree” completed alongside your degree, through which you can explore a vast field of specialized engineering disciplines by completing a particular set of six courses.
MSE
Department of Materials Science & Engineering. “MSE” is the course code for materials science & engineering courses.
MSF
MSF is an abbreviation for “Mathematics, Statistics, and Finance”. It refers to the EngSci Engineering Mathematics, Statistics, and Finance” major.
MY
Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship. One of the main and newest engineering buildings on campus, with an enormous lecture hall, many classrooms and study spaces, a fabrication facility, the Robotics Institute, the Hatchery, and much more!
MYFab/LFF
Myhal Light Fabrication Facility. The facility is equipped with 20 workbenches, a variety of hand tools, and basic power tools and allows for light-duty fabrication with materials such as timber, foam, plastics and soft metals. There is also equipment for electronics work and 3D printing.
N
NSBE
National Society of Black Engineers. This group’s mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.
NSERC
The National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. NSERC is a federal agency which funds research in the fields of natural sciences and engineering, by providing research grants to university faculty and students.
O
Office Hours
Instructor-specific sessions during which students can have their questions about course content answered by professors and teaching assistants.
OSAP
The Ontario Student Assistance Program provides grants and student loans to financially assist Ontario residents in funding their university education.
P
PEY Co-op
Professional Experience Year Co-op. A paid twelve-sixteen-month co-op program offered to engineering students that have completed third year. Students that have completed second year are eligible for a summer-long PEY.
PRA
Practical code on timetable. Hands-on sessions held in lab settings, which will be a component to many of your courses throughout your degree.
Prof
Professor. Professors run your lectures and run weekly office hours.
R
Robo/ROB
Robo is short for “robotics engineering”. It could refer to the EngSci Robotics Engineering major, or the field of robotics engineering as a whole. EngSci courses related to Robo have the course code “ROB”.
Robotics Institute
The U of T Robotics Institute is the official unit for robotics research and innovation at U of T.
RSX
Robotics for Space Exploration is a student design team which builds Mars rovers. RSX competes at competitions such as the University Rover Challenge, and even hosts an engineering design competition about space exploration.
S
SEA
Sustainable Engineers Association. This student club is fueled by the drive to increase interest and awareness about sustainability, and they run many events throughout the year where students can meet and engage with industry professionals.
SF
The building code for the Sandford Fleming Building. As one of the main engineering buildings on campus, SF houses lecture halls, research labs, and many EngSoc-run services such as the Engineering Stores and Hard Hat Cafe.
SGPA
Sessional Grade Point Average. sGPA can be thought of as the GPA you earned in each semester, based only on courses from that semester.
Skule™
An incorrect spelling of the word “school” in honor of a longstanding joke that Engineers can’t spell. Skule™ refers to the name of our student community at U of T Engineering! That said, no single definition encompasses what it is. Skule™ actually refers to a diverse set of statements:
- the spirit of what it means to be a U of T Engineering student, where we value fairness, honesty, diversity, inclusivity, and above all, respect for yourself and your fellow peers.
- a community of people referred to as Skuligans!
- a place where bright minds come together to collaborate, celebrate, and care for each another
- a network of over 56,000 alumni and a community that’ll last beyond your undergraduate years
Skule Nite
A beloved, renowned engineering student-run musical theater production which performs at the end of March in Hart House Theatre. As a F!rosh, you’re eligible for a free ticket to this production!
T
TA
Teaching Assistant. Teaching Assistants are third/fourth-year, Masters, or PhD students that run your tutorials, help grade exams and assessments, and often run their own office hours.
TCard
Your TCard will be your Student Identification Card throughout your time at U of T. It includes your photo, UTORid, student number and a barcode. It provides access to services and facilities such as the common room, libraries, athletic facilities, exams, meal plans, online learning portal, printing services, and more.
Troost ILead
Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering. The institute provides various courses, programs, and workshops to help train the next generation of engineering leaders – that’s you!
TUT
Tutorial code on timetable. TUTs are smaller sections run by a TA, that allow you to learn more about and practice concepts introduced during lectures.
U
UHIP
University Health Insurance Plan. This is a mandatory medical insurance plan for all international students. It is also offered for domestic students who don’t have their own medical insurance. Everyone is automatically enrolled in this plan, but domestic students who have their own medical insurance such as OHIP (Ontario’s mandatory health plans), can opt out. Read more about the insurance plan at the StudentCare webpage.
U of T Time
“U of T Time” refers to the practice of starting lectures, labs, and tutorials ten minutes after their scheduled hour. For example, if a lecture is scheduled for 2:00pm on your timetable, the prof. won’t actually start giving the lecture until 2:10pm. This buffer time allows students ample time to get to their next class without missing anything.
UT BIOME
UT BIOME is a student design team that develops medical devices, and hosts conferences and competitions related to biomedical engineering.
UTACE
U of T Association of Chinese Engineers. ACE is a student-run group dedicated to promoting Chinese culture on campus. They also work towards fostering friendship and communication between members.
UTAT
U of T Aerospace Team. An award-winning design team that works on aerospace projects such as rockets, satellites, and much more.
UTFR
U of T Formula Racing is an award-winning student design team that designs, builds, and competes with a fully-electric formula racecar. Every year, the team develops the mechanical, electrical, and autonomous aspects of a new car.
UTEFA
U of T Finance Association. An educational organization which aims to provide students with extensive knowledge about the financial industry by engaging them in investing activities.
UTESCA
U of T Engineering Consulting Association. UTESCA connects engineering students with real-world consulting projects, and hosts various networking and professional development events.
UTM
University of Toronto, Mississauga Campus. Located in Mississauga, this is one of U of T’s three campuses.
UTMIST
U of T Machine Intelligence Student Team. This team works on research projects all about machine learning and software engineering.
UTORid
University of Toronto Identity. Your UTORid is your key to several services like your email, enrollment services and Wi-Fi on campus.
UTRA
U of T Robotics Association. UTRA designs and builds various types of robots to compete in international competitions such as the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition and RoboGames.
UTSC
University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus. Located in Scarborough, this is one of U of T’s three campuses.
UTSG
University of Toronto, Saint George Campus. Located in Downtown Toronto, this is one of U of T’s three campuses. As an engineering student, this will be your campus!
UTSM
U of T Supermileage. UTSM is a student design team that designs and builds extremely fuel-efficient vehicles. They compete annually in the Shell Eco Marathon Americas Competition.
UTSPAN
University of Toronto Sports Analytics Student Group. UTSPAN is an award-winning student team that conducts sports analytics research challenges using mathematical methods and machine learning.
UTSU
University of Toronto Student Union. The official student government of more than 38,000 students at the University of Toronto. UTSU was founded in 1901.
W
WISE U of T
Women In Science and Engineering U of T. WISE is a student club that promotes the education of women in the fields of science and engineering.
Y
YNCN
You’re Next Career Network. This club provides professional opportunities to students through career development programs, corporate and startup career events, and massive career fairs in the fall and winter.