Get the foundation you need to be an innovator

An engineering education that stands the test of time

Twenty years ago, the world looked very different. The iPhone had yet to be released, and neither Instagram nor the AI-generated images that now fill your feed existed. Large language models were years away from practical use. Renewable energy was only beginning to scale, sustainable building standards were in their infancy, autonomous drones belonged in science fiction and gene sequencing was too expensive to have widespread applications.

Looking back, the technologies and practices of 20 years ago feel almost quaint compared to the world we live in today. Yet the underlying scientific principles that have made these innovations possible have not changed.

That’s why engineering education and training focus on fundamentals and first principles. Successful engineers are people with a solid grounding in math, physics and engineering science who apply that knowledge to imagine, innovate and build the future.

Why the fundamentals matter

It’s easy – and fun! – to get obsessed with the latest technologies.

That’s what makes engineering such an exciting and rewarding field: engineers are always at the forefront of new ideas and breakthroughs that make products, processes and technologies better, more efficient and, at times, awe-inspiring.

But to do that, you need to start with the basics: the core bodies of knowledge that provide the foundation of engineering education.

“The fact is we can’t include every new advance when it comes to technology, programming languages or a myriad of other things,” says Carol Jaeger, Professor of Teaching and Associate Dean, Academic. “What we can teach are the foundations that allow students to both adapt to and learn new things – and to be the creators of new things, rather than just the consumer or operator of something new.”

Carol Jaeger

These fundamentals include math, physics and chemistry. They also include a way of thinking grounded in first principles – Newton’s laws, the laws of thermodynamics, fundamental material behaviour and others.

“The hot topics will change over time,” says Ms. Jaeger. “But what does not change is what underpins them: the fundamental foundations in math, physics, chemistry and engineering science – all of which are essential for our grads to go on to develop new products, tools, devices and theories.”

How UBC builds this foundation

At UBC, this foundation starts right in first year. You’ll take a foundational curriculum that includes courses in physics, chemistry, math and communication, along with a full-year course in engineering design, where you will integrate and apply your knowledge to solve real-world problems.

this foundation starts right in first year

As you move into second year and beyond, you’ll specialize in one of our 14 programs at our Vancouver campus or four at our Okanagan campus. Whether your courses have more of a science focus or engineering application, they will build a strong scaffolding that will support you throughout your degree and career.

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A career built for the future – whatever it holds

Engineers who graduated decades ago are still working at the forefront of innovation. That’s not because they are experts in every new tool or technology. It’s because they understand first principles and how to apply their knowledge to new situations.

Engineers have deep knowledge of why things work the way they do. This is one reason that engineering is a future-proof career – with a strong foundation in the fundamentals, you can adapt to new technologies, troubleshoot unfamiliar systems or move into emerging fields that didn’t even exist when you were a student.

engineering is a future-proof career

Just as 20 years ago we couldn’t have predicted what daily life would be like in the mid-2020s, we can’t predict what the future holds in the decades to come. But it’s safe to say that whatever the technological advance, an engineer will have been at the forefront of its development – imagining it, designing it, testing it and bringing it to life.

Engineering science embedded in the curriculum

Some universities offer two different streams of engineering education – a traditional program and an “engineering science” program that integrates advanced math, sciences and computing for a select number of specializations.

UBC takes a different approach.

Our curriculum follows the engineering science model and embeds it across all programs. All of our students – no matter which program they choose to specialize in from second year onwards – receive an interdisciplinary education in math, physics, chemistry and design thinking, complemented by courses in communication and ethics. This enables all students to be equipped to collaborate across engineering disciplines, think critically and creatively, and lead in innovation.

Learning by doing

A focus on the fundamentals doesn’t mean ignoring the latest advances. UBC Engineering professors work at the leading edge of their fields and bring real examples and case studies into their classrooms.

Throughout your degree you will have many opportunities to be an innovator. These include project-based learning in your courses; working on a capstone project with an industry partner; and joining one of our many design teams.

Many students pursue co-op, where they gain hands-on experience with innovative organizations and learn how engineering fundamentals drive innovation.

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Foundations that enable innovation

UBC Engineering alumni are working around the world, at the top of their fields. They are sought after by leading employers, and they are starting their own companies to advance new technologies and practices.

UBC Engineering alumni

There are many reasons UBC Engineering is consistently ranked one of the world’s and Canada’s best universities. Among them is our approach to first-year education and beyond that sets students up to succeed and innovate; strong connections to leading industry partners who support capstone projects and hire our co-op students; and a rigorous education that prepares you to begin working in your field right after you graduate.

Learn why engineering is the most versatile undergrad degree