Memorial University of Newfoundland Courses

Civil Engineering

Memorial University’s civil engineering undergraduate program is broad, encompassing several distinct areas of specialization. Memorial’s civil engineering program is a unique and appropriate programme for students hoping to work in the field of offshore oil and gas development due to the university’s proximity to the ocean. The BEng degree is of five years. The MASc degree has only coursework and can be completed within two years of study.

The MEng program involves courses and a thesis, and it can be completed in two years of full-time study. The PhD program involves courses, a comprehensive exam, and a thesis. It can normally be completed in four years of full-time study.

The Civil engineering graduate studies can be carried out in the given areas:

• Coastal
• Geotechnical
• Structural design and analysis
• Water resources
• Materials
• Hydraulics
• Hydrology
• Environmental engineering.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Memorial’s computer engineering undergraduate program covers both computer hardware and software design in applications ranging from telecommunications and information systems instrumentation and robotics, whereas the electrical engineering  program at Memorial University prepares students to serve a wide variety of roles in fields like power generation and transmission systems, emerging sustainable energy systems, motors, batteries and control systems,wireless systems, telecommunications, remote sensing, signal processing, digital circuits, instrumentation, audio, video and optoelectronics .

The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science offers BEng, MASc (Computer Engineering and Environmental Systems Engineering and Management, MEng, and PhD. The BEng program is theory-based and is of 5 years. Thesis-based graduate programs are offered by the department both at the master's and doctoral levels in Electrical and Computer Engineering. 

Students pursuing graduate studies in electrical engineering can carry out their studies in the following areas :

• Antennas
• Applied electromagnetics
• Broadband communications networks
• Industrial automation
• Robotics
• Electric machines
• Autonomous vehicles
• Power systems and electronics
• Wind and alternative energy
• Distributed power generation
• Intelligent control
• Controllers and sensors in harsh environments
• Wireless communications. 

Electrical Engineering and computer engineering students have access to the following softwares - students have access to a wide variety of engineering software for tasks, such as:

• Mathematical analysis (MAPLE and MATLAB)
• Electric circuit simulation (SPICE, PSPICE, electronics workbench)
• VLSI and FPGA design (Synopsys, Cadence and Xilinx)
• Software design (Rational Rose, Visual Paradigm and Microsoft development tools)

Special facilities offered by the department are :

• Instrumentation Control and Automation (INCA) Centre
• Computer Engineering Research Laboratories (made up of the Centre for Digital Hardware Applications Research
• Software Engineering Research Laboratory
• Multimedia Communications and Remote Sensing Laboratory
• Computer-Aided Design Laboratory for Analog and Mixed Signal VLSI Systems)
• Advanced Wireless Communications Research Laboratory (AWCRL)
• Power Devices and Systems Laboratory. 

Computer Engineering graduates can study the following areas :

• Digital and image processing
• Software design and verification
• Error-control codes
• Real-time discrete event systems
• Multimedia communications
• Image and video coding
• Cryptography
• Digital systems

Mechanical Engineering

Memorial University’s mechanical engineering undergraduate program encompasses academic learning in the areas of mechanics, vibration, controls, design, thermodynamics, materials and mechanical systems and basic electronics as well as technical streams in mechanics and materials, mechatronics, petroleum and thermo-fluids.

The BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering involves courses only and can be completed in less than two years of full-time study. The MEng program involves courses and a thesis and can be completed in two years of full-time study. The PhD program involves courses, a comprehensive exam, and a thesis along with an oral defense. It can be completed in three-four years of full-time study.

Mechanical Engineering graduates can study the following areas:

• Computer-aided design
• Controls
• Corrosion
• Fatigue and fracture mechanics
• Fluid dynamics
• Heat transfer
• Integrity assessment
• Materials
• Mechanical design
• Mechatronics
• Product development
• Resource utilization
• Robotics
• Structural dynamics
• Vision systems
• Biomechanics
• Occupational health

The department includes facilities like automation and control, computer, fluids, heat transfer and structures laboratories.

Specialized facilities include :

• Low speed wind tunnel
• SEM and XRD material characterization equipment
• Multiphase flow loop
• Cold rooms
• Wave/tow tank
• Machine vision and x-ray imaging
• Mechatronics laboratory

The department  also houses a manufacturing technology and rapid product development centre. The laboratories are backed by on-site technical services. 

Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering 

Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science offers the only co-operative ocean and naval architectural engineering program in the world. The BEng program is of 5 years. The MASc program involves courses only and can be completed in less than two years of full-time study. The MEng program involves courses and a thesis, and can be completed in two years of full-time study. The PhD program involves courses, a comprehensive exam, and a thesis. It can normally be completed in four years of full-time study. 

The university’s Ocean Engineering Research Centre (OERC) participates in research, development and consultation in areas related to ocean engineering. Scale model experiments, numerical modelling, software development and structural testing are some of the activities within the OERC.  

Graduates can study the following areas :

• Marine hydrodynamics
• Marine structures
• Underwater vehicles
• Arctic engineering
• Ocean environmental engineering
• Offshore safety
• Marine simulation. 

Process Engineering 

Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science is the only school in Canada to offer process engineering. This unique discipline is based on the principles of clean and green engineering and sustainable resource development. The BEng program includes coursework and is of 5 years. The MASc degree involves courses only and can be completed in less than two years of full-time study.

The MEng program involves courses and a thesis, and can be completed in two years of full-time study. The PhD program involves courses, a comprehensive exam, and a thesis. It can normally be completed in four years of study.

The department’s areas of research include :

• Design/development of processes to convert waste to bio-fuels and bio-products
• Safety and risk engineering
• Biochemical conversion processes
• Sustainability engineering
• Waste to energy
• Process modelling
• Control of the processing plants.

Pure Sciences

1. Biochemistry

The Department of Biochemistry was founded in 1967, and its first head was Dr. L.A.W. Feltham. For the BSc degree in Biochemistry, students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours (10 courses). The MSc is available in Biochemistry or Food Science. The program involves courses and a thesis and can be completed in two years of full-time study. The PhD is also available in Biochemistry or Food Science. The program involves courses, a comprehensive exam and a thesis, and can be completed in four years of study.

2. Biology 

B.Sc. with a major in biology has the following concentration areas:

• Applied ecology and conservation
• Aquatic life
• Biological tools and techniques
• Biology for health professions
• Comparative Biology
• Evolutionary Ecology
• Molecular, Microbial and Cell Biology

Biology is also a part of the interdisciplinary Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology (CABE) program, which offers both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. The MSc program involves courses and a thesis. Students can finish the degree in two years of full-time study . 

The PhD program involves courses, a comprehensive exam, and a thesis, and can be completed in four years of full-time study.

3. Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry has state-of-the-art spectroscopic and other analytical instrumentation as well as high performance computer facilities. Students must complete 30 credit hours (10 courses)  to finish the degree. The MSc program comprises of courses and a thesis and can be completed in two years of full-time study. The PhD program involves courses, a comprehensive exam and a thesis. The degree can be completed in four years of full-time study. The program prepares students for careers in government and industrial research, college teaching, and university research.

4. Computer Science

Memorial University’s Department of Computer Science was formed in 1978, consisting of seven faculty members and two support staff.

The Department offers the following degree programs in Computer Science:

• Bachelor of Science (Computer Science)
• Bachelor of Arts (Computer Science)
• Bachelor of Science (Hons.)
• Bachelor of Arts (Hons.)
• Master of Science (course based)
• Master of Science (thesis based)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science).

 
The BSc degree involves 24 credit hours (8 courses). The MSc program has two options – research-oriented thesis option and the applied course/work term option. The course/project master’s option will be appropriate for applicants whose objective is to gain work experience in the industry. The PhD program involves courses, a comprehensive exam, and a thesis, and can be completed in four years of full-time study.

5. Mathematics and Statistics 

The Master of Applied Statistics (MAS) is a highly structured program involving both courses and an applied statistics project. A full-time student usually requires one year to complete the degree. The Master of Science is available in Mathematics or Statistics. The Mathematics program has two options. The research-based program consists of graduate courses and a thesis. A full-time student is expected to complete the degree in two years. The course-based program is an intensive three semester (one-year) program comprising of graduate courses and a project. The Statistics program consists of graduate courses and a thesis. Full-time students should complete the degree requirements within two years.
 
The PhD programs in Mathematics and Statistics comprise of graduate courses, a two-part comprehensive examination, and a thesis demonstrating the results of original research of a high quality. Students are expected to complete the PhD degree requirements in three to four years.

Some of the research areas studied by the faculty and graduate students are the following:

• Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computation
• Analysis
• Combinatorics
• Topology
• Applied Statistics
• Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems
• Mathematical Models and Modeling / Numerical Optimization
• Algebra
• Mathematical Physics
• Mathematical Statistics
• Fluid Mechanics

6. Physics and Physical 

The Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography offers undergraduate programs in Physics and Environmental Physics along with several joint degree programs with other disciplines. The MSc is offered in Physics or Physical Oceanography. The program comprises of four courses and a thesis and can be completed in two years of full-time study. The PhD is offered in Atomic and Molecular Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, or Physical Oceanography. The program involves three courses, a comprehensive exam and a thesis and can be completed in four years of full-time study.

7. Oceanography 

The Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography offers an extensive program in undergraduate physics courses that includes not only minor, majors and honours in Physics, but also major and honours programs in Environmental Physics and several joint degree options. Graduate programs are offered at the M.Sc. level in Physics and Physical Oceanography for 2 years and at the Ph.D. level in Atomic and Molecular Physics, Physical Oceanography, Condensed Matter Physics and Theoretical Physics. The PhD course requires four years along with a thesis and oral defense.