Deadlines

January 2024 Admission Deadlines Online portal opens June 15, 2023 September 30, 2023 – Domestic applicants July 15, 2023 – International applicants

September 2024 Admission Deadlines Online portal opens November 1, 2023 June 30, 2024 – Domestic applicants April 30, 2024 – International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to apply early as the visa application process may take 3 months.

Application Checklist

Step 1: Click on the link above to open your application with McMaster University. Alternatively, please visit the Graduate studies portal.

Step 2: Answer all application-related questions.

Step 3: Register for your online interview (Kira) and ensure that you complete the $60 payment. Note that the $60 is in addition to your $110 application fee. They are separate charges.

• The registration and payment link are embedded in your application questions.

Step 4: Gather, and upload all required documents.

• Your current resume or CV, including academic and professional experience
• Your clearly written Statement of Interest (This is a letter explaining your interest in the program, at a maximum of 2 pages).
• Recent IELTS or TOEFL scores (within the last 2 years) required for international students. Minimum IELTS score 6.5 overall (minimum requirement 5.5 in reading and writing and 6 in listening and speaking). Minimum TOEFL score is 88. Note that if your medium of instruction was English and this is documented on your transcripts, you do not need to submit an ELP test.
• Transcripts from all post secondary institutions you have attended.
• Please note that all documents must be uploaded before application submission. CV, SOI, IELTS/TOEFL and Transcripts are uploaded in the same section of the application.

Step 5: Add Academic Referee contact information.

• Contact information for 2 Academic References must be entered in online application. Referees will be contacted via our electronic referencing system
  • Academic references are to come from instructors most familiar with your academic work.
  • In cases where an applicant has been away from academic study for 5 or more years, we will consider one professional reference.
  • Please note that we do not accept reference letters uploaded by the applicant.

Step 6: Pay $110 application fee, and submit application.

• Only submit your application once all the above documents have been uploaded, you have entered contact information for both academic references, and you have paid your Kira fee.
• *Applications will not be reviewed unless all items noted above are submitted at the time of application*.

Step 7: Complete your Kira interview.

• Applicants will be sent a link to complete their Kira interview within one week of application submission and Kira fee payment.
• Applicants will not receive a link unless they have fully submitted their application, and have submitted the $60 Kira fee payment.

Step 8: You will be contacted if there are any issues with your application. Please do not email about the status of your application. Applicants will be contacted once a decision regarding the application has been made.

• Please note that if you are accepted to one of our programs, you will be required to pay a non-refundable $500 deposit. This deposit is non-refundable if you withdraw your acceptance.

Important Notes:

• Applications will not be reviewed until all required documents are uploaded, the referees have responded, and the Kira online interview has been completed. All applications must be completed in full in advance of the application deadlines in order to be considered.
• Official transcripts are not required unless an applicant is granted an offer of admission. Documentation sent via post will not be considered for your application.
• Applications will not be considered until we receive copies of transcripts noting grades up to at least Term 7 of your undergraduate studies.

Tuition and Fees

Full-time Tuition & Fees (2021-2022)
30 credit units are required to complete this degree and tuition is paid per credit unit. Please view the per-unit fees for the current academic year here.

Expected Full-time Tuition & Fees (2022-2023)
30 credit units are required to complete this degree and tuition is paid per credit unit. Domestic: $281.58 per credit unit International: $1397.55 per credit unit

Students enrolled in multiple academic years ( e.g. January admission) pay the fees corresponding for the academic year the term is within. The University reserves the right to correct typographical errors or to adjust the Tuition and Fees schedule at any time it deems necessary.

Other Fees:

• Application Fee: $110.00
• Online Interview Fee (Kira Talent): $60.00
• Non-refundable deposit upon acceptance: $500.00

IELTS/TOEFL: International students are required to present a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 overall (minimum requirements 5.5 in reading and writing and 6 in listening and speaking). Minimum TOEFL score is 88.

Admission Requirements

Prior degree: Engineering or Technology Degree, B average in last two years of study (20 technical courses), equivalent to a McMaster 8.0 GPA out of 12

The Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Engineering is aimed at highly motivated students seeking advanced training in the broad area of Manufacturing. Application for admission to the program may be made through the W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology. The program accepts full-time and part-time students – see the Program Structure section for details.

In addition to the general requirements for entry into a graduate program in Engineering, students must hold a degree in Engineering or Technology with at least a B average (equivalent to a McMaster 8.0/12 GPA) in the penultimate and final years.

Candidates may be enrolled on a full- or part-time basis. Full-time students will complete the degree in twelve consecutive months of study. Students are admitted for September. Part-time students will normally be expected to complete the program in 28 months.

McMaster students may receive advanced standing for up to two courses (note that a maximum of two 600-level courses can count towards a SEPT graduate program) with the approval of the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.

The Discrete Manufacturing concentration will equip you with the capabilities to design and operate traditional and additive manufacturing, experiment with different materials, use robots, and monitor and manage production for automotive, aerospace, machinery, household products and other discrete manufacturing industries.

There are two pathways towards the degree:

• 8 courses (24 units) + project (6 units)
  • 2 professional development courses
  • 3 to 4 core courses
  • 1 to 2 technical elective courses
  • 1 cross-disciplinary elective
  • 2 project courses
• 10 courses (30 units)
  • 2 professional development courses
  • 4 to 6 core courses
  • 1 to 3 technical elective courses
  • 1 cross-disciplinary elective

All full-time students must register for the seminar series courses (attendance is mandatory), which are:

• SEP 771 / W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology Practitioner’s Forum Part I 
• SEP 771 / W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology Practitioner’s Forum Part II 

Full-time students are expected to complete the program in 16 months.  The actual duration of studies may be shorter (not less than 12 months) or longer (not more than 24 months), for students who work faster or slower.

Each concentration area has a set of recommended elective courses.  Students wishing to take an elective course outside of the recommended electives need to obtain a permission from their graduate advisor.

For more details please refer to the Graduate Calendar.

Domestic students (Canadian citizens or permanent residents) may complete their MEME degree on a part-time basis and establish their schedule according to how much time they can devote to studies. It is recommended that part-time students complete the program in 32 to 40 months.

Students pursuing the 8 courses + project pathway are also required to register for two project courses:

• MANUFACT 701 – MEng Project in Manufacturing Engineering, Part I (3 units)
• MANUFACT 701 – MEng Project in Manufacturing Engineering, Part II (3 units)

Professional Development courses, common to all pathways in MEME, are listed below:

• SEP 6TC3 – Technical Communications (3 units)
• SEP 725 – Practical Project Management for Today’s Business Environment (3 units)
• SEP 773 – Leadership for Innovation (3 units)
• SEP 760 – Design Thinking (3 units)
• SEP 741 – Project Management for High Tech Projects (3 units)

Discrete Manufacturing Course List

Choosing this concentration will equip you with the capabilities to design and operate traditional and additive manufacturing, experiment with different materials, use robots, and monitor and manage production for automotive, aerospace, machinery, household products and other discrete manufacturing industries.

Core courses:

• SEP 729 – Manufacturing Systems (3 units)
• SEP 731 – Lean Six Sigma for Engineers (3 units)
• SEP 726 – Discrete Manufacturing Processes 1 (3 units)
• SEP 727 – Discrete Manufacturing Processes 2 (3 units)
• SEP 738 – Artificial Intelligence Methods in Advanced Manufacturing (3 units)
• SEP 757 – Rapid Prototyping (also Mech Eng 759) (3 units)
• SEP 780 – Advanced Robotics and Automation (3 units)
• SEP 6I03 – Sustainable Manufacturing Processes (3 units)

Recommended technical elective courses:

• SEP 6T03 – Properties and processing of composites (3 units)
• SEP 767 – Multivariate Statistical Methods for Big Data Analysis and Process Improvement (3 units)
• SEP 718 – Industrial Automation (3 units)
• SEP 776 – Manufacturing Systems 2 (3 units)
• SEP 777 – Cyber-Physical Systems and Industry 4.0 (3 units)

Cross-disciplinary elective courses:

Candidates are required to complete one half course (3 units) which should be selected from the following approved cross-disciplinary elective list.

• SEP 709 – Emerging Issues, Technology and Public Policy (3 units)
• SEP 710 – International Governance and Environmental Sustainability (3 units)
• SEP 6X03 – Livable Cities, The Built and Natural Environment (3 units)
• SEP 793 – Entrepreneurial Opportunity Identification (3 units)
• SEP 770 – Total Sustainability Management (3 units)

W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology strives to offer a full complement of courses every academic year; some of the courses listed here are currently being reviewed. Their offering is subject to the pending internal approval.

*This new Masters program will be taking applications for the January 2023 cohort beginning on June 15th*

Biomanufacturing is the common operation that links together all the different market sectors of the world’s biotechnology industry.  It is a diverse field encompassing the massive production scales of the liquid biofuels industry at one end, to the high-quality and highly regulated biopharmaceutical and cell therapy industry at the other. The Master’s Program in Biomanufacturing at W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology trains science and technology graduates for leadership roles in this rapidly expanding and vitally important field.

This innovative Master’s program in Biomanufacturing combines a foundation in biomanufacturing, bioprocessing and biopharmaceutical theory, with experiential learning in areas including global regulatory affairs, protein characterization, cGMP manufacturing of influenza vaccine, monoclonal antibody production, advanced biomanufacturing and biocatalysis. The curriculum includes academic courses in science and business, along with professional training through case study projects. The program also includes professional skills training in effective oral, electronic, and written communications for both technical and business careers.

Students will develop and run live bioprocessing projects from start to finish, using industry-standard equipment in a simulated cGMP (current good manufacturing practices) environment. Offered with a flexible lecture and laboratory schedule, this concentration is designed for early and mid-career professionals who want to enter the biopharmaceutical industry in a range of capacities, including cell-line development, process development, regulatory compliance, quality assurance/quality control, manufacturing and business development.

There are 2 pathways towards the degree:

• 8 courses (24 units) + project (6 units)
  • 2 mandatory courses
  • 2 professional development courses
  • 2 to 3 core courses
  • 0 to 1 technical elective courses
  • 1 cross-disciplinary elective course
  • 2 project courses
• 10 courses (30 units)
  • 2 mandatory courses
  • 2 professional development courses
  • 3 to 5 core courses
  • 0 to 2 elective courses
  • 1 cross-disciplinary elective course

All full-time students must register for the seminar series courses (attendance is mandatory), which are:

• SEP 771 / W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology Practitioner’s Forum Part I 
• SEP 771 / W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology Practitioner’s Forum Part II 

Full-time students are expected to complete the program in 16 months.  The actual duration of studies may be shorter (not less than 12 months) or longer (not more than 24 months), for students who work faster or slower.

Each concentration area has a set of recommended elective courses.  Students wishing to take an elective course outside of the recommended electives need to obtain a permission from their graduate advisor.

For more details please refer to the Graduate Calendar.

Domestic students (Canadian citizens or permanent residents) may complete their MEME degree on a part-time basis and establish their schedule according to how much time they can devote to studies. It is recommended that part-time students complete the program in 32 to 40 months.

Students pursuing the 8 courses + project pathway are also required to register for two project courses:

• MANUFACT 701 – MEng Project in Manufacturing Engineering, Part I (3 units)
• MANUFACT 701 – MEng Project in Manufacturing Engineering, Part II (3 units)

Professional Development courses, common to all pathways in MEME, are listed below:

• SEP 6TC3 – Technical Communications (3 units)
• SEP 725 – Practical Project Management for Today’s Business Environment (3 units)
• SEP 773 – Leadership for Innovation (3 units)
• SEP 760 – Design Thinking (3 units)
• SEP 741 – Project Management for High Tech Projects (3 units)

Mandatory courses:

• SEP 744 – Biomanufacturing (3 units)
• SEP 767 – Multivariate Statistical Methods for Big Data Analysis and Process Improvement (3 units)

Core courses:

• SEP 764 – Current Good Manufacturing Practice Upstream Operations (3 units)
• SEP 745 – Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms (3 units)
• SEP 743 – Animal Cell Culture Engineering (3 units)
• SEP 765 – Current Good Manufacturing Practice Downstream Operation (3 units)

Recommended technical elective courses:

• SEP 749 – Biomedical Engineering (3 units)
• BIOMED 799 – Independent Study in Biomedical Engineering (3 units)
• SEP 766 – Membrane-Based bioseparation (3 units)
• SEP 6BI3 – Bioinformatics (3 units)
• SEP 6BS3 – Biotechnology Regulations  (3 units)

Cross-disciplinary elective courses:

Candidates are required to complete one half course (3 units) which should be selected from the following approved cross-disciplinary elective list.

• SEP 709 – Emerging Issues, Technology and Public Policy (3 units)
• SEP 710 – International Governance and Environmental Sustainability (3 units)
• SEP 6X03 – Livable Cities, The Built and Natural Environment (3 units)
• SEP 793 – Entrepreneurial Opportunity Identification (3 units)
• SEP 770 – Total Sustainability Management (3 units)

W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology strives to offer a full complement of courses every academic year; some of the courses listed here are currently being reviewed. Their offering is subject to the pending internal approval.

Stackpole International

Project: Deploying an Industry 4.0 Non-Destructive Testing solution to improve the reliability and throughput of product inspection.

Challenge: Stackpole International, a leader in manufacturing automotive parts using powder metallurgy, engaged a group of our students in a project to develop a new solution for their Non-Destructive Testing work cell. The system they were using was stand-alone and they saw opportunities to improve reliability and connectivity with their production line network. Students analyzed different technologies comparing open-source with commercial packages and custom hardware with off-the-shelf. Students finally developed, built and deployed the new work cell into the partner’s facility.

Canadian National Railway

Project: Re-designing a condensate blowdown valve assembly on to operate in the extreme cold of Canadian winters

Challenge: Students identified that the design of blowdown valves on trains were inadequately designed to cope with extreme cold weather, resulting in significant delays during the coldest parts of the year. Moisture freezing inside blowdown valves caused brakes to lock in place. The built-in electrical heaters affixed to the valve assembly was not thawing the ice, requiring maintenance crews to use portable heaters and manually de-ice the valves. Students in the program analyzed the system and proposed a solution to redesign the valve assembly so that it could operate in colder temperatures than existing vales.

Westhill Innovation Inc.

Project: Powering transportation refrigeration systems using solar power collected from the top of trailers.

Challenge: Westhill Innovation identified an opportunity to reduce emissions produced while powering refrigeration units and they engaged a group of students to help design a solar panel solution for truck trailers. Truck drivers are mandated to take rest periods while on the road, and while resting they must power refrigeration units using the truck’s diesel engine. By developing a system that allows solar panels to be mounted to the top of a transport trailer, the 425 square feet of space on the roof can charge a battery bank that will power the refrigeration unit and allow drivers to turn off their engines while parked. In the future, this technology could greatly extend the range of electric trucks and feed into the power grid when the trailers are parked for loading and unloading.

Edson Packaging Machinery Ltd.

Project: Developing a Fully Automated Picking and Packaging Solution

Challenge: Edson Packaging Machinery sought our student’s help to develop a robotic solution that could recognize between 1000s of products and identify the those bought by a single customer and place them into one box for shipment. The solution students worked on with Edson would also include a system to create and seal customized box sizes for e-commerce orders, minimizing the need for excess packaging. The final objective of these solutions would be that they need to operate quickly and accurately.

Other recent and notable partners include:

• Arcelor-Mittal Dofasco
• Linamar
• Magna
• Hamilton Community Energy
• Toyota
• Honda
• General Motors

Somak Mukherjee, Raj Patel, Perveen Vasudevan, and Jing Qian

Program: Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Engineering. Class of 2020

Project name: Robotic Greeter – Humanoid Robot with AI Capabilities

Project impact: Somak Mukherjee is investing his energy in fully embracing the age of artificial intelligence.

“There are still indefinite possibilities in the field of Automation with Robotics in Manufacturing Technologies,” he says.

Exploring the AI field, Somak grew interested in the area of humanoid robotic assistants- robots that can adapt to changes in their environments while continuing to pursue their goals.

In partnership with CareGo Tek Inc., Somak built a software-based platform for humanoid robot development, the TELIA Robot, as well as a map of humanoid robotics platform development. His work tackles a common problem: understanding and replicating human information processing; how the human brain interacts with the real world.

For Somak, his research pulled back the curtain on robotics as an intriguing and challenging research field. “I hope my contribution can play a role in robotics research and the many applications of the 21st century,” he says

Highlights:

• Humanoid robot, TELIA, that greets and guides customers
• Supports speech and face recognition
• Programmable via tablet and other touch screen devices
• Project partner
• CareGo Tek Inc.
• Preparing for success
• The MEME program gave Somak the tools to combine the disciplines of mechatronics, computer programming and manufacturing to develop a cradle-to-grave prototype robotic system.

Somak currently works as an Assistant Vice President with Citi Canada Technology Services.

Aswin Cmohan and Anirudh Vijayameenakshi

Program: Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Engineering. Class of 2020.

Project name: Automating Wessuc’s Dewatering System

Project impact: This project was part of an effort to optimize Wessuc’s dewatering process to be more lean and efficient. The project focused on automating key areas of the process used by this Southern Ontario wastewater management company. 

Their work included designing process flow charts, creating technical electrical layouts, and developing a Human Machine Interface (HMI) that allowed for remote and onsite system operation. 

Preparing for success: Aswin points to the MEME program’s practical coursework and projects as key components of his learning experience:

“The subjects and electives are so in-line to what you will find in an industry,” says Aswin. 

Coursework on Manufacturing Systems, Lean Six Sigma, and Industrial Networks is, according to Asmin, “delivered by professors who have had significant industrial experience. They helped me in gaining a better insight into how an industry functions.”

Project partner: Wessuc 

Aswin currently works as a Process Engineer at Vins Plastics, a manufacturer of flexible packaging products located in Southern Ontario.

Rapid Prototyping Lab (ETB 122)

he lab is equipped with 3D printers and machining equipment. You will develop your skills and comfort working with these tools to make your design vision into an operational prototype in metal or plastic.

Tools and equipment accessible in the lab include:

• 3D Metal Printers
• CNC lathe and router
• PCB soldering station
• 3D Polymer Printers
• Laser cutter for plastic sheets
• Bench scale tools including a drill press, band saw, etc.

MARC Facility (McMaster Automotive Resource Centre, located at 200 Longwood Ave.)

Students in the M.Eng. Manufacturing Engineering program can access this facility by appointment. The space can be used for prototyping in course and project work. The SEP 762 Prototyping tools and methods course uses the MARC facility.

Tools and equipment accessible in the lab include:

• CNC lathe and router
• PCB soldering station
• 3D Polymer Printers
• Bench scale tools including a drill press, band saw, etc.

Workstation Labs for CAD Design (MARC 266)

Houses workstation computers that can be accessed for CAD design and modelling simulation. Access is based on scheduled availability.

CAD/CAM computing network

Accessible within the ETB 524 studio space. This network supports engineering computing and 3D prototyping via your laptop. This allows you to use your laptop as an interface, while outsourcing the “heavy lifting” of highly detailed design work to a mainframe server.

Co-op is an optional component of the Master of Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering program. McMaster established its graduate student co-op program in 2017, seeing it grow rapidly. Employers are quickly embracing it as a mechanism for recruiting talent and expertise.

There are several steps you must complete before you begin applying to co-op positions. Firstly, ensure you enrol in the Graduate Co-op Prep Course ENG 701 in September. You will also need approval from your program chairperson before accepting a co-op placement. Speak with Co-op and Career Services if you have any questions.

If you intend to find a co-op placement remember that it is competitive, much like any job search. Start early and put in consistent effort throughout the school year to make connections and grow your network.

Here are some tips for finding your co-op position:

• Attend as many career events throughout the school year – and try to speak with the employers who attend. Events are posted in OSCAR plus and require you to register as an attendee.
• Search OSCAR plus for posted co-op opportunities. Hundreds of openings are offered by employers in a year and some of them might be right for you. Apply to any that look like a good fit – make sure you keep your resume current so you can apply as they’re posted.
• Find opportunities to network with professionals in your field. Look for networking events, become active on LinkedIn, make meaningful connections and schedule information interviews. Whenever you meet someone new, ask them if they can recommend anyone else you should speak with.
• Reach out to your existing network. This could be family, friends from your time in undergraduate studies who are now employed, or really anyone you have an established relationship with who works for a company that operates in your field.

Employers

If you’re an employer interested in hiring graduate students for a co-op term connect with our co-op office to discuss listing your open opportunities.

Thank you for your interest in McMaster University Faculty of Engineering. Please fill out the form below, and we will connect with you to answer all of your questions.