APSC 100/101 Replacement

This information is intended to help you make informed decisions to complete your degree requirements in cases where students have not met their APSC 100 and/or APSC 101 requirement.

Engineering students are expected to complete APSC 100 and 101 as part of the first-year curriculum unless they are in the Pre-Biomedical Engineering program. If students transfer into Engineering and have not completed the first-year curriculum, they need to take a course to replace APSC 100/101.

Students who transfer into a program other than Biomedical Engineering and have CHEM 121 + CHEM 123 credit will be exempt from APSC 101 and CHEM 154.

If students transfer into Biomedical Engineering (BMEG) and are missing any of APSC 100, APSC 101, or PHYS 159, they will need to take courses to make up for this content. More information can be found under the “Year 2 Transfer: Biomedical Engineering” heading of the Transfer Student Registration webpage.   


Replacing APSC 100 and/or 101

Other than Biomedical Engineering:

  • If the student is in Year 2 or above, replace APSC 100 or APSC 101 with 3 credits of a 200-level or higher Technical elective in a program outside the program you are in. See Selecting a Technical Elective to Take for more information

Other than Biomedical Engineering:

  • New student, entering first year: Students will be registered for APSC 100 and APSC 101
  • If the student is in Year 2 or above:
    • Replace 3 credits with a 200-level or higher Technical elective in a program outside the program you are in. See “Selecting a Course to Take” for more information and
    • Replace 3 credits with a natural science course (any level, 100-400) that does not have Engineering or Applied Science elements. The course you choose cannot be required for your BASc program.
      • Examples of courses that can count for natural science are: ASTR 101, ASTR 102, ASTR 200, ASTR 333, ATSC 113, COGS 200, COGS 300, EOSC 110, EOSC 112, EOSC 114, EOSC 116, EOSC 118, EOSC 270, EOSC 311
      • Students can also take most BIOL, CHEM, MATH, and PHYS courses that are not requirements for their program. When selecting a course, ensure that it is not listed on the UBC Science Credit Exclusion list as an equivalent to a course that is required for the BASc

  • If the student has transferred into Year 2 of Biomedical Engineering, more information can be found under the “Year 2 Transfer: Biomedical Engineering” heading of the Transfer Student Registration webpage.

Selecting an Elective to Take

If a technical elective is required to replace APSC 100/101:  

  • The courses in the APSC 100/101 Replacement chart below have been pre-approved to be used.  The chart is not exhaustive and students are welcome to find another course to take, as long as it meets the requirements listed in the Course Eligibility Requirements and is approved.

    To propose a course that is not on the chart:
    1. Find a course that meets the Course Eligibility Requirements
    2. Complete the APSC 100/101 Replacement Form
    EAS will respond in 3-5 business days to confirm if the course can be taken.
  • If a course from the chart is selected, please submit an APSC 100/101 Replacement Form so we can ensure it is reflected on your Academic Progress Report.

If a natural science elective is required to replace APSC 100/101: 

  • Examples of courses that can count for natural science are: ASTR 101, ASTR 102, ASTR 200, ASTR 333, ATSC 113, COGS 200, COGS 300, EOSC 110, EOSC 112, EOSC 114, EOSC 116, EOSC 118, EOSC 270, EOSC 311
  • Students can take most BIOL, CHEM, MATH, and PHYS courses that are not requirements for their program. When selecting a course, ensure that it is not listed on the UBC Science Credit Exclusion List as an equivalent to a course that is required for the BASc
  • Please submit an APSC 100/101 Replacement Form should you be required to take a natural science elective so we can ensure it is approved and reflected on your Academic Progress Report

Course Eligibility Requirements

In order for a course to be used as an APSC 100/101 replacement, the course must be:  

  • Offered by the Faculty of Applied Science
  • Another course code other than APSC
    • An exception is APSC 461, which may be used as a replacement course for all Programs
  • An approved technical elective
    • For example: For a Civil Engineering student, a course cannot be taken that is on Civil’s approved technical elective list. A replacement course must be taken that is on another programs technical elective list. Program technical elective lists can be found below.
    • Outside of a core degree requirement. 
      • Students cannot take a course that is a required course for any Program, including their own. The course must be a listed technical elective.
*Integrated Engineering: Students are permitted to take a course that is outside of your IGEN 
major and minor. For example, the IGEN major is Mechanical, and the minor is Manufacturing,
students can use a technical elective that is approved for any program other than Mechanical
and Manufacturing.

*Engineering Physics: Students are permitted to take a course on the Approved Technical Elective list
as long as
a) the course is not being used towards an ENPH requirement and
b) the course is not a PHAS (Physics + Astronomy) course

Assessed Courses Chart

Click your program to view currently assessed courses.
Please review the notes carefully as some courses are only approved for certain sections or years. 

Biomedical Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
CHBE 402 Approved
CHBE 483 Approved
CHBE 497B See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MECH 485 Approved
MECH 488 Approved
MECH 491 Approved
MECH 495 Approved
MTRL 442 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 471 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Chemical and Biological Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
BMEG 310 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CIVL 478 Approved
ENVR 410 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MANU 465 Approved
MINE 406 Approved
MECH 375 See Notes *Approved for 24W & Prior
MECH 445 Approved
MECH 495 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MECH 496 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 442 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 478 Approved
MTRL 486 Approved
MTRL 494 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Civil Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
CHBE 373 Approved
CHBE 483 Approved
MECH 462 Approved
MECH 495 Approved
MECH 496 Approved
MINE 380 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MINE 404 Approved
MINE 406 Approved
MINE 455 Approved
MINE 480 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MINE 486 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 340 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 365 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 458 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Computer Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
BMEG 400H Approved
CHBE 402 Approved
CIVL 426 Approved
CHBE 486 Approved
ELEC 412 Approved
ELEC 442 Approved
MANU 453 Approved
MANU 465 Approved
MECH 325 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MECH 496 Approved
MINE 350 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 361 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 456 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 478 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Electrical Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
BMEG 320 Approved
CHBE 344 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CHBE 402 Approved
CHBE 485 Approved
CIVL 340 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CPEN 411 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MECH 469 Approved
MECH 495 Approved
MECH 496 Approved
MINE 486 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 456 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 478 Approved
MTRL 494 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Engineering Physics

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
Engineering Physics students are permitted to take a course on the Approved Technical Elective list
as long as
a) the course is not being used towards an ENPH requirement and
b) the course is not a PHAS (Physics + Astronomy) course
To ensure this course is correctly allocated on your Academic Progress Report on Workday, please submit an APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form

Environmental Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Geological Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
CIVL 315 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CIVL 340 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CIVL 416 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 472 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Integrated Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
Integrated Engineering students are permitted to take a course that is outside of your IGEN
major and minor.

For example, the IGEN major is Mechanical, and the minor is Manufacturing,
students can use a technical elective that is approved for any program other than Mechanical
and Manufacturing.
To ensure this course is correctly allocated on your Academic Progress Report on Workday, please submit an APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form

Manufacturing Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
MECH 426 Approved
MECH 495 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Mechanical Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
BMEG 456 Approved
CHBE 356 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CHBE 402 Approved
CHBE 484 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CHBE 485 Approved
CIVL 478 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CPEN 441 Approved
ELEC 412 Approved
ELEC 413 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
ELEC 433 Approved
ELEC 471 Approved
MINE 465 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 365 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 378 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 394 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 456 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MTRL 478 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Mining Engineering

Course Asssement Notes
APSC 461 Approved
CHBE 483 Approved
CHBE 484 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CHBE 485 Approved
CIVL 305 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CIVL 407 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
CIVL 475 Approved
MANU 465 Approved
MECH 495 Approved
MECH 496 Approved
MTRL 340 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

Materials Engineering

Course Assessment Notes
APSC 461 Approved
CHBE 373 Approved
CHBE 477 Approved
CHBE 483 Approved
ENVR 410 See Notes* *Approved for 24W & Prior
MECH 496 Approved
If you do not see the course you were hoping to take on this list, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Equivalency Request Form to have your course assessed.

If the course you wish to take is not on the currently approved list, please use the form to request a replacement assessment. 

APSC 100/101 Replacement Form

Common Questions

Yes! Please inform us of the course you want to take as an equivalency, as we will need to manually update your Academic Progress Report. Please ensure you still fill out the APSC 100/101 Replacement Form.
If you have already been approved for a course but it is not showing up on your Academic Progress Report please see below in our "When will my Academic Progress Report be updated" section.

The list above is not exhaustive and is subject to change.

To propose a course that is not on the chart:
1. Find a course that meets the Course Eligibility Requirements
2. Complete the APSC 100/101 Replacement Form

EAS will respond in 3-5 business days to confirm if the course can be taken.
If the course is approved, it will be updated on the student’s Academic Progress Report.

Our office will manually update your humanities, impact, and first year requirements during your final year at UBC. As a confirmation of your approved courses, please fill out the APSC 100/101 Replacement Form to notify EAS and keep a record of your Approval Email.

Seats for APSC 100/101 are reserved for incoming high school students. Year 1 and 2 Transfer students may register on the waitlist for the courses and our registration team will review your request on a priority basis, seat-dependent.  APSC 100/101 covers basic knowledge on our UBC Engineering Program and the content may not be relevant to upper-year students. Students are encouraged to take the Technical Elective equivalent at their appropriate year level.

Students can choose to take other courses for their APSC 100/101 technical elective. Please fill out the APSC 100/101 Replacement Form again to make sure that course will be approved.