Complementary Studies Electives (2014-2018)
These lists are for B.Eng. students starting their program prior to Fall 2019 and later. For students who have entered the program later, use the updated Complementary Studies Lists.
Selection of complementary studies elective courses should be considered with regard to both personal interest and career aspirations so as to ensure that some maturity is attained in the elective area of study. Advice may be obtained from program counsellors or faculty advisors within the departments of the university offering the course or courses of interest.
B.Eng. students are required to take the following number of required Complementary Studies electives for their program. All students are required 2.0 credits of Complementary Studies Electives. The allocation for these credits is as follows:
- 0.5 credits (1 course) from list CS-1 Complementary Studies Electives: Central Issues
- 0.5 credits (1 course) from list CS-2 Complementary Studies Electives: Methodologies
- 0.5 credits (1 course) from list CS-3 Complementary Studies Electives: Social Sciences
- 0.5 credits (1 courses) from any of the lists:
- CS-1 Complementary Studies Electives: Central Issues
- CS-2 Complementary Studies Electives: Methodologies
- CS-3 Complementary Studies Electives: Social Sciences
- Note that students have the option to complete one language course instead. Please contact your Program Counsellor if you have questions about this.
A maximum of 1.5 credits at the 1000 course level is allowed for elective requirements (this limit applies to all electives, including technical electives, complementary studies electives and free electives, where applicable). (Rule no longer applies as of November 1, 2022.)
Students should refer to Course Descriptions in the current Undergraduate Calendar for prerequisites, class hours and the semester(s) in which courses are offered.
List CS-1 Central Issues
ASCI*3200 Issues in Public Health, S
CIS*2050 Computers and Society, S [Last Offering was S19]
EDRD*4020 Rural Extension in Change and Development, F
FARE*1300 Food, Poverty and Hunger, W (Equates: AGEC*1300)
GEOG*1200 Society and Space, F
GEOG*1220 Human Impact on the Environment, F/W
GEOG*2210 Climate and the Biophysical Environment, W
GEOG*2510 Considering Canada: A Regional Synthesis, W
GEOG*3020 Global Environmental Change, S/F
GEOG*3050 Development and the City, W
GEOG*3210 Management of the Biophysical Environment, S/F
IDEV*1000 Understanding Development and Global Inequalities, S/F/W
POLS*1500 World Politics, F
POLS*2080 Development and Underdevelopment, F
POLS*2200 International Relations, F
POLS*2250 Public Administration and Governance, W
POLS*2300 Canadian Government and Politics, F/W
POLS*3060 Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, U
POLS*3080 Politics of Latin America, U
POLS*3250 Public Policy: Challenges and Prospects, F
POLS*3270 Local Government in Ontario, U
POLS*3320 Politics of Aid & Development, F
POLS*3370 Environmental Politics and Governance, S/F
UNIV*2020 Pandemics: Culture, Science and Society, F/W
List CS-2: Methodologies
ACCT*1220 Introductory Financial Accounting, F/W (Equates: BUS*2220)
ACCT*2230 Management Accounting, F/W (Equates: BUS*2230)
ECON*1050 Introductory Microeconomics, S/F/W
ECON*1100 Introductory Macroeconomics, S/F/W
ECON*2100 Economic Growth and Environmental Quality, F
ECON*2310 Intermediate Microeconomics, S/F/W
ECON*2410 Intermediate Macroeconomics, S/F/W
EDRD*2650 Introduction to Planning and Environmental Law, F/W
EDRD*3140 Organizational Communication, W
EDRD*3160 International Communication, W
EDRD*4120 Leadership Development in Small Organizations, F
ENVS*2120 Introduction to Environmental Stewardship (Equates SOIL*2120, NRS*2120), F
FARE*1400 Economics of the Agri-Food System, W
FARE*2700 Survey of Natural Resource Economics, F (Equates: AGEC*2700)
FARE*4310 Resource Economics, W (Equates: AGEC*4310)
FARE*4360 Marketing Research, W (Equates: AGEC*4360)
HROB*2090 Individuals and Groups in Organizations, F,W
LARC*2820 Urban and Regional Planning, W
MCS*1000 Introductory Marketing, S/F/W
MCS*2600 Fundamentals of Consumer Behaviour, F/W
MCS*3010 Quality Management, W
MCS*3040 Business and Consumer Law, S/F/W
MGMT*2150 Introduction to Canadian Business Management, S/F/W
POLS*1400 Issues in Canadian Politics, F
POLS*3370 Environmental Politics and Governance, S/F
List CS-3: Social Sciences
ANTH*1150 Introduction to Anthropology, F/W
ANTH*2160 Social Anthropology, W
ARTH*XXXX All Art History courses
ENGL*1200 Reading the Contemporary World, F/W
ENGL*1410 Major Writers, U
ENGL*2200 Postcolonial Literatures, F
FARE*4310 Resource Economics, W (Equates: AGEC*4310)
FREN*2020 France: Literature and Society, F/W
FREN*2060 Québec: Literature and Society, F/W
FRHD*1010 Human Development, W
HIST*XXXX All History courses (except for HIST*1250 which is a required engineering course)
ISS*3420 Women Social and Political Theorists, W
MUSC*2030 Music in Canada, F
NUTR*1010 Introduction to Nutrition, F/W
PHIL*1000 Classic Thinkers, F
PHIL*1010 Introductory Philosophy: Social and Political Issues, F/W
PHIL*1050 Ethics, Knowledge and Reality, W
PHIL*2030 Philosophy of Medicine, F
PHIL*2060 Philosophy of Feminism I, W
PHIL*2070 Philosophy of the Environment, W
PHIL*2100 Critical Thinking, F/W
PHIL*2120 Ethics, F/W
PHIL*2180 Philosophy of Science, F
PHIL*2370 Metaphysics and Mind, W
PHIL*2600 Business and Professional Ethics, W
PHIL*3230 Theories of Justice, W
PSYC*1000 Introduction to Psychology, S/F/W
PSYC*2310 Social Psychology, S/F/W
PSYC*2330 Principles of Learning, F
PSYC*2450 Developmental Psychology, F
SOC*1100 Sociology, S/F/W
SOC*1500 Crime and Criminal Justice, F/W
SOC*2010 Canadian Society, U
SOC*2070 Social Deviance, S/F/W
SOC*2080 Rural Sociology, W
SOC*2280 Society and Environment, F
SOC*3380 Society and Nature, W
SOC*3410 Individual and Society, W
SPAN*2990 Hispanic Literary Studies, W
SPAN*3080 Spanish American Culture, F
UNIV*2020 Pandemics: Culture, Science and Society, F/W
WMST*XXXX All Women’s Studies courses
Why are Complementary Studies important?
Professional engineers often face complex situations involving sociological, political and economic factors in addition to technical and technological problems. Recognition of the human aspects is so important that special attention should be paid to the humanities, social sciences and areas of administrative studies. As an engineering student at the University of Guelph, you should strive to become aware of the role of professional engineers in society and the contribution engineering makes to the economic, social and cultural aspirations of society. In completing the complementary studies electives courses, along with ENGG*3240 (Engineering Economics) and HIST*1250 (Science & Technology in a Global Context), you should gain an understanding of:
- The nature of the human and natural environment and the impact of technology on it;
- The function and roles of individuals, organizations, business and governments in shaping our society and its values;
- The ethical and legal responsibilities, guidelines and constraints within which the engineering profession functions, and;
- Effective communication within the profession and society at large.
The term “complementary” within the context of CEAB requirements is not intended to mean “directly related to or relevant to your specific technical area of study within engineering”. These electives are meant to broaden your knowledge of society, culture, government, economy, etc. so that you may better understand the impact of engineering on society at large.
(Updated on November 2, 2022)