Getting Started
As a first-year engineering student, you will be registering using a Standard Timetable (STT). See Course Planning for further details about the Engineering First Year Standard Timetable.
You can also refer to our First Year Registration Guide for a comprehensive look at STTs, registration, worklists, tips and tricks, and more:
General Registration
Create multiple worklists that include your preferred STTs, a 3 credit Humanities and Social Science elective, and a 3 credit English/Communication course. STTs will fill up quickly and you will find it helpful to be prepared with multiple registration options in advance.
STTs are coded with prefixes to help you easily identify which STTs are appropriate for you based on your previous academic experience. If your STT is full, register in the corresponding transitory STT. This table summarizes the coding applicable for most high school student registering in a first-year STT:
| STT Prefix | Transitory STT | Academic Experience |
|---|---|---|
| HP | HPAR | Entering with a deficiency in PHYS 12 or equivalent. You will complete PHYS 100 in Term 1, PHYS 157 and 159 in Term 2, and PHYS 118 the following Summer Session |
| HS | HSAR | Completed Pre-CALC 12 or equivalent. This is the STT the majority of our students will register in. |
| HV | Must be a Varsity Athlete with approval from Engineering Academic Services | |
| HZ* (MATH 120 and 121) | HZAR | MATH 120 and MATH 121 are enriched first-year calculus courses. HZ STT is intended for students who have completed high-school calculus and attained a score of 95% or higher in BC Principles of Mathematics 12 or Pre-calculus 12. Interested students who do not meet these conditions may request permission from the Undergraduate Chair of the Mathematics Department. |
| PBME** | Restricted to students accepted into the Pre-Biomedical Engineering Path Students registering in a PBME STT have the option to complete the first year English/Communication requirement in the Winter Session or the following Summer Session. The Humanities and Social Science elective is completed in an upper year of the program. Refer to the Academic Calendar for your program requirements. |
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| PM | Restricted to students accepted into the Pre-Med Alternative Path | |
| *AP and IB students, refer to the score equivalency to a percentage scale in the Academic Calendar ** Students who have not been given permission to register in a PBME STT, but register in a PBME STT, will be automatically dropped without notification |
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Reminder: Don't forget to add a 3 credit Humanities and Social Science elective, and a 3 credit English/Communication course.
- One course totaling 3 credits of a humanities and social science course. This is a non-scientific and non-technical course that is generally found in the Faculty of Arts. It is recommended that you select a 100-level course. If you are intending to pursue a minor in your third year, consider ECON 101 for the Minor in Commerce or Entrepreneurship or a 100-level pre-requisite to the Minor in Arts or Science. Please review the Humanities and Social Sciences list for exclusions.
- One of WRDS 150B, or ENGL 110 or ENGL 111, to satisfy the first-year English/Communication requirement.
- Review the First Year Credit page to see what UBC credits you may receive.
- It is recommended that you complete the Chemistry, Math and Physics courses in the first year engineering STT even if you have received UBC credits from AP, IB or A-Levels for these courses. The first year engineering program is designed to build a strong foundation for upper level courses.
- If you proceed and complete a course with a final grade for which you have already received credit from AP, IB or A-Levels, the UBC attempt will supercede the credits granted from AP, IB or A-Levels.
- If you decide to proceed and drop a course from the STT after having received UBC credits from AP, IB or A-Levels, you do not need to do anything further. The credits will apply automatically, where applicable, towards the degree requirements. A % grade is not assigned to these credits. For 2nd year placement, the average is calculated on courses attempted at UBC in the Winter Session, but the credits will apply to the credit requirements to determine your promotion to second year standing.
- Do not drop courses from your STT until you see the credits on your Student Service Centre (SSC) Transfer Credit page. You have until the course drop deadline to drop courses without a Withdrawal ('W') standing on your academic record.
- ENGL 1st (3) or WRCM 1st (3) will satisfy the first-year English/Communication requirement (ie: WRDS 150B/ ENGL 112 / First Year English Course)
- ENGL 1st (6) or WRCM 1st (3) + ENGL 1st (3) will satisfy the first-year English/Communication (ie: WRDS 150B/ ENGL 112 / First Year English Course) and 3 credits of humanities and social science requirements
- Only 3 credits of language courses may be applied towards the humanities and social sciences requirement, for details, please see Complementary Studies
IMPORTANT:
- ECON 1st does not satisfy the pre-requisite for courses which require ECON 101 or ECON 102
- AP CPSC 1st (3) does not cover APSC 160
In addition to your STT, add a 3 credit Humanities and Social Science elective, and a 3 credit English/Communication course (WRDS 150B or equivalent, ENGL 100, 110, 111, or 112). You can find more information on the Course Planning page.
Pre-Biomedical Engineering (PBME) Pathway
Only students who have been accepted into the Pre-Biomedical Pathway can register in a PBME Standard Timetable (STT). All others will be dropped and will be required to register in another STT.
Students accepted in Pre-Biomedical Engineering must self-register in a PBME STT during the first 3 days of first-year registration. To register into a PBME STT after the initial 3 days, you will need to contact students@bme.ubc.ca.
PBME STTs have most of the courses you need.
The Chemistry Department will register CHEM 121 and CHEM 123 to your schedule. The STT indicates which CHEM 121 and 123 sections will be added.
Register in a English/Communication course (WRDS 150B or one of ENGL 110, 111) which will NOT conflict with the Chemistry sections that will be added.
Students registering in a PBME STT can choose to complete the first year English/Communication requirement in the Winter Session or the following Summer Session.
The Humanities and Social Science elective is completed in an upper year of the Biomedical Engineering program. Refer to the Academic Calendar for your program requirements.
Chemistry and Physics Deficiencies
First-year engineering students complete a set of common courses:
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Traditional First-Year Requirements Standard Timetable (STT): HP, HS, HV, or HZ |
First-year Requirements for Pre-Biomedical Engineering Standard Timetable (STT): PBME
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APSC 100 APSC 101 APSC 160 CHEM 154 (pre-req CHEM 12) MATH 100 MATH101 MATH 152 PHYS 157 PHYS 158 PHYS 159 PHYS 170 WRDS 150B or equivalent first-year ENGL course 3 credits humanities and social science elective |
APSC 100 APSC 160 BMEG 101 BMEG 102 CHEM 121 (pre-req CHEM 12) CHEM 123 (pre-req CHEM 111 or CHEM 121) MATH 100 MATH 101 MATH 152 PHYS 157 PHYS 158 PHYS 170 WRDS 150B or equivalent first-year ENGL course |
- Traditional First-Year Requirements: If you are registering in a Traditional First-Year Standard Timetable (STT) with CHEM 154, you will be permitted to continue with CHEM 154.
- Pre-Biomedical Engineering: If you have been pre-approved for a PBME Standard Timetable (STT) and are deficient in CHEM 12 (or equivalent), register in PBME 11 (Chemistry 12 Deficiency). You will be registered in CHEM 111 and 123 at the end of June/early July. CHEM 111 will be completed in lieu of CHEM 121. Register in a section of WRDS 150B or an equivalent first-year ENGL course that will not conflict with the chemistry lectures and labs noted in the PBME 11 notes. WRDS 150B or equivalent can be delayed to the following Summer Session.
Physics 12 is a pre-requisite to PHYS 157. PHYS 157 is a pre-requisite to PHYS 158. These courses are requirements in the first-year engineering program. As a result of entering with a physics deficiency, you will complete:
- PHYS 100 (intended for students deficient in PHYS 12) in Term 1
- PHYS 157 in Term 2
- PHYS 118 (exempts PHYS 158) in the Summer Session following first-year*
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Traditional First-Year Requirements Standard Timetable (STT): HP |
First-year Requirements for Pre-Biomedical Engineering Standard Timetable (STT): PBME
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APSC 100 APSC 101 APSC 160 CHEM 154 MATH 100 MATH101 MATH 152 PHYS 100 PHYS 157 (pre-req PHYS 100) PHYS 118/158 (pre-req PHYS 157) – Summer* PHYS 159 PHYS 170 WRDS 150B or equivalent first-year ENGL course 3 credits humanities and social science elective |
APSC 100 APSC 160 BMEG 101 BMEG 102 CHEM 121 CHEM 123 MATH 100 MATH 101 MATH 152 PHYS 100 PHYS 157 (pre-req PHYS 100) PHYS 118/158 (pre-req PHYS 157) - Summer* PHYS 170 WRDS 150B or equivalent first-year ENGL course |
- Traditional First-Year Requirements: We have a limited number of Standard Timetables (STT) accommodating the physics changes. Register in a HP STT (with PHYS 100 and 157). You will register next March for PHYS 118 to be completed the following Summer Session.
- Pre-Biomedical Engineering: If you have been pre-approved for a PBME Standard Timetable (STT) and are deficient in PHYS 12 (or equivalent), register in PBME 04 (Physics 12 Deficiency). This STT will include PHYS 100 (Term 1) and PHYS 157 (Term 2). PHYS 118/158 will be completed the following Summer Session. Register in WRDS 150B or an equivalent first-year ENGL course. WRDS 150B or equivalent can be delayed to the following Summer Session.
Physics 12 Deficiency on Mechanical Engineering
If you are considering Mechanical Engineering in the second year, the delay in completing the physics requirements will not satisfy the August 1 pre-requisite deadline for the Mechanical Engineering program (MECH2). You can still be considered for a placement in MECH2, but a placement in Mechanical Engineering will defer the start of most of the MECH2 courses until the following Winter Session. As a result, your program will be extended by an additional year.
Refer to the admissions requirements in Mechanical Engineering under 2nd Year Placement.