Faculty of Engineering and Design

About Faculty of Engineering and Design

The Faculty of Engineering and Design is an academic division of Carleton University, located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Established alongside the university's early academic expansions in the mid-twentieth century, the faculty provides undergraduate and graduate degree programs in various technical disciplines. Ottawa's position as a major Canadian technology hub provides the institution with geographic proximity to public sector research institutions and private technology firms. The faculty operates as one of the primary center points for professional engineering, architecture, industrial design, and information technology education within the National Capital Region.

Academic offerings within the Faculty of Engineering and Design are organized into several specialized departments and schools. These include the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Department of Electronics, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, the School of Industrial Design, and the School of Information Technology. Through these units, the faculty offers Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.), Bachelor of Architectural Studies (B.A.S.), Bachelor of Industrial Design (B.I.D.), and Bachelor of Information Technology (B.I.T.) degrees, alongside Master of Science (M.Sc.), Master of Applied Science (M.A.S.c.), Master of Engineering (M.Eng.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs.

Engineering programs offered by the faculty are accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB), which ensures that graduates meet the academic requirements necessary to register as Professional Engineers (P.Eng.) in Canada. The professional architecture programs are accredited by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB). The curriculum across all departments integrates foundational sciences, mathematics, theoretical principles, and practical design methodologies. Specific areas of study include aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, communications engineering, computer systems engineering, sustainable and renewable energy engineering, software engineering, and civil engineering.

The faculty maintains specialized research and teaching facilities across the Carleton University campus. Key infrastructure includes the Canal Building, an energy-efficient facility equipped with laboratories dedicated to environmental and sustainable energy research, and the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering. Facilities feature wind tunnels, flight simulators, cleanrooms for microelectronics fabrication, materials testing laboratories, structures labs, and advanced computing centers. The Azrieli Pavilion and the Architecture Building house dedicated studio spaces, fabrication workshops, digital media labs, and 3D printing equipment utilized by architecture and industrial design students.

Research activities within the Faculty of Engineering and Design span several primary fields, supported by federal grant agencies such as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), as well as industry partnerships. Key academic strengths include aerospace systems, telecommunications, wireless networks, biomedical technology, autonomous systems, sustainable infrastructure, cybersecurity, and human-computer interaction. Faculty members and graduate researchers work in collaboration with government facilities such as the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC).

The faculty incorporates practical experience into its academic framework through cooperative education (co-op) options across its degree programs. The co-op program enables students to complete paid work terms in industry, government, and research organizations alongside their academic studies. Students also participate in capstone design projects during their final year of undergraduate study, where interdisciplinary teams develop functional prototypes, software systems, structural plans, or design solutions to address specific technical challenges.

Student organizations within the Faculty of Engineering and Design support academic development and practical application through extra-curricular engineering and design projects. These include student chapters of professional associations such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME). Student teams participate in international competitions, constructing vehicles, aircraft, satellites, and concrete canoes, utilizing campus workshop facilities to apply theoretical knowledge outside the formal classroom setting.