Experiential Learning

ENGINEER 3CX3 is a new course being offered to provide students with the opportunity to earn course credit for valuable experiential learning which occurs while heavily involved in extracurricular clubs and groups. For 3CX3, the student’s role and work must be non-technical in nature, as this course is meant to be the complementary elective version of the technical course for experiential credit offered already (Engineer 4EX3).

What is a non-technical role? There are too many to list here, but could be positions with the McMaster Engineering Society (MES), MacChangers, Engineers Without Borders, Women in Engineering, Engineering Musical, etc. Basically, these are roles that do not involve the technical side of students’ engineering skillset (design, calculations, simulations, programming, etc.), but focus more on complementary skillsets (teamwork, project management, leadership, communications, etc.)

The course is structured to maximize the value of the skills students learn during extracurriculars, to develop additional relevant skills, and to better articulate the skills students possess going forward.  Classroom time will largely be structured in a workshop-style format, relying heavily on peer-to-peer interactions, and will focus on developing skills such as:

• leadership and management,
• self-directed learning,
• teamwork and conflict management,
• communication,
• budgeting and sponsorship, etc.

Students will choose from different deliverables that align with their goals and their extracurricular duties, allowing students to track progress throughout the year, resulting in a tangible outcome demonstrating the skills that have been developed. This pass-fail course is a 3 credit complementary elective (2 terms, September-April) as credit towards a student’s degree.

To learn more about this course, email Steve Mattucci, the course instructor.

And complete the following forms:

Engineering Permission Form

ENG 3CX3 Enrolment Form 

One of the first of its kind in Canada, ENGINEER 4EX3 provides third and fourth year engineering students with an opportunity to receive formal recognition of experiential learning conducted within the atmosphere of technically-oriented McMaster Engineering teams such as Solar Car, Chem-E-Car, Concrete Toboggan, Baja SAE, EcoCar3, Formula Electric, and Rocketry.  

Students who are active participants in a team may seek their team faculty advisor’s permission to enroll in this course. This pass-fail course is used as a 3 credit technical elective as credit towards a student's degree. Students learn how to build a portfolio showcasing their extracurricular work, an asset when applying for a job or co-op.

To learn more about the course, email Elizabeth Hassan, Assistant Professor, Engineering 1 & Mechanical Engineering.

Please complete both the Engineering Permission form and the ENGINEER 4EX3 Course enrollment form, and email them to Elizabeth Hassan, the course instructor.

Engineering Permission Form

ENG 3CX3 Enrolment Form