Common Year in Applied Science

The new Common Year in Applied Science offers a one-year pathway for students who do not currently meet the admissions requirements to enter any of Lakehead’s Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) programs.

This includes students without the prerequisites from high school, and students without access to Grade 12 Calculus and Vectors or Grade 12 U Physics at their educational institution. The Common Year is open to students from a variety of backgrounds, including high schools in Ontario and across Canada, international students, and mature students.

This program made up of eight courses provides a broad understanding of the foundations of engineering including mathematics, physics, chemistry and design, and offers students the opportunity to decide which field of engineering they wish to enter when they enrol in their BEng program. The Common Year includes two specific courses (with no lectures, only labs and tutorials) designed to help students discover the best engineering discipline for them when they enter their BEng following completion of the Common Year.

The online program is delivered synchronously via Zoom through D2L sites with classes taking place in the evenings (Eastern Standard Time).

A certificate of completion of the Common Year of Applied Science will be awarded to students upon completing the program with a grade of at least 60% in each course. With their certificate of completion of the Common Year of Applied Science, students will be eligible to be admitted to Year 1 of a Bachelor of Engineering in the program of their choice at Lakehead University.

Please note that in consultation with the Undergraduate Admissions team, students can also pick specific courses from this program to meet missing requirements in order to enter specific Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) program at Lakehead University.

Fall Term Courses

Engineering 1138- Introduction to Engineering Math I
Radians and elementary trigonometry, complex numbers via quadratic equations and their manipulation, Euler’s exp(i*theta) definition and its use in obtaining trigonometric identities, sets, functions – domain, range, one to one and onto functions, inverse functions, composition of functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, inequalities, elementary combinatorics, polynomials, binomial theorem, rational functions.

Engineering 1139- Introduction to Engineering Math II
Vectors – dot and cross products with application to equations of planes and simple geometry, cosine and sine rules for triangles, linear equations, matrices, elementary matrix algebra and matrix inversion, the definition of Euler's number. Derivatives. Elementary application of derivatives in engineering as rate of change. Simple integrals. Elementary probability: Mean, variance, standard deviation concepts on data sets. Logarithms and exponential functions revisited.

Engineering 1153 - Taste of Engineering Design I
Mathematical and Laboratory explorations in Engineering Design. Students to choose 3 design problems approved by the faculty facilitator. The explorations are to be completed in groups, aided by the faculty facilitator with a technical report and audio-visual presentation. The problems students will choose will be from a list from the six major Engineering disciplines offered at Lakehead University: Civil, Chemical, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Software Engineering.

Engineering 1155 - Introduction to Engineering Science I
Elementary statics and particle dynamics relevant to engineering; energy – kinetic, potential; basics of heat.

Winter Term Courses

Engineering 1152- Introduction to Computer Programming
Introduction to computer programming in Python. Programming exercises are related to computation in the areas of mathematics covered in Engineering 1150 and Engineering 1151.

Engineering 1154 - Taste of Engineering Design II
Mathematical and laboratory explorations in Engineering Design. Students to choose 3 design problems to be approved by the faculty facilitator. The explorations are to be completed in groups aided by the faculty facilitator with a technical report and audio-visual presentation. Problems from which students will choose will be from a list from our six major Engineering disciplines: Civil, Chemical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical and Computer, and/or Software.

Engineering 1156 - Introduction to Engineering Science II
Gas laws, reaction balancing, basic stoichiometry calculations in engineering and concepts of rates of reactions, equilibrium; pH scale, basic electrochemistry. The chemistry of elements such as Aluminum and Lithium. Basic ideas of organic chemistry – classification of the basic organic compounds including simple isomeric compounds, basic organic chemistry reactions, physical properties of organic compounds within some classes of organic compounds.

Engineering 1157 - Introduction to Engineering Science III
Simple harmonic motion, sound, electromagnetics and light for engineering; modern physics - wave-particle duality and the uncertainty principle.