Mechanical Engineering – Railway Engineering Specialization

*2025-2026 - UG - Major Program Modification (Create New Calendar Entry)

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(A) Proposal summary
Next
  • STEP 1 - Complete the proposal summary information
  • Home faculty*
    Choose your faculty from the list of available options.
  • Content type*
    Choose ‘program’, unless you are certain the content you are creating should be a shared core. Contact ciqe@ontariotechu.ca if you require assistance.
  • Major Program Modification type*
  • Summary of proposed changes*

    Note: The changes listed here are for the Railway Engineering Specialization, not the Mechanical Engineering Comprehensive Program.

    • Move Liberal Studies elective in Year 3-1 to Year 4-2.
    • Add ENGR 3011U – Introduction to Railway Systems to Year 3-1.
    • Remove one Engineering Elective from Year 4-1.
    • Add ENGR 4022U – Railway Safety and Signalling to Year 4-1.
    • Remove three Engineering electives from Year 4-2.
    • Add ENGR 4033U – Railway Rolling Stock to Year 4-2.
    • Add ENGR 4044U – Railway Systems Operation and Maintenance to Year 4-2.

    Mechanical Engineering – Railway Engineering Specialization and 
    Mechanical Engineering and Management – Railway Engineering Specialization and their corresponding co-operative education programs. 

     

    Provide a brief point by point summary of the changes included in this proposal.
  • Is there a change to total credit hours in the program?*
  • Is a new course associated with this proposal?*
    Select 'yes' only if you are adding a brand new course to the calendar copy in this proposal.

  • If applicable, list new course codes, course titles and include hyperlinks to course proposals in Curriculog in the 'new courses' field below. To hyperlink, open a new window and search for the new course proposal in Curriculog. Copy the url from your web browser, return to this form and select the hyper link icon. Paste the url into the url field and save.

  • New courses

    ENGR 3011U – Introduction to Railway Systems
    ENGR 4022U – Railway Safety and Signalling
    ENGR 4033U – Railway Rolling Stock
    ENGR 4044U – Railway Systems Operation and Maintenance

  • Are you creating a new minor that is not associated with a standalone major?*
  • If you answered yes to the above question, please describe in detail the capacity available to deliver the minor.
  • Calendar start date*
    Choose when the change should first appear in the academic calendar (e.g., Fall 2021).
  • Registration start date*
    Specify the first active term (e.g., Fall 2021).
  • STEP 2 - Attach supporting documents, if applicable

  • Visit the files section of the toolbox on the right-hand side of the form to attach any supporting documentation.

  • Are you attaching any supporting documents*
(B) Program component information and calendar copy
Next
  • STEP 3 - Complete Section B
  • Title of new program component*
    Mechanical Engineering – Railway Engineering Specialization
    Mechanical Engineering – Railway Engineering Specialization
    This will be the title of the program or shared core in the calendar.
  • Program type*
    Select the corresponding program type from the list of options. If you feel an option is missing, please contact ciqe@ontariotechu.ca.
  • Degree type*
    Select the corresponding degree type from the list of options. If you feel an option is missing, please contact ciqe@ontariotechu.ca.
  • Description of new program component*

    The proposed specialization will replace the four existing engineering electives in the core Mechanical Engineering program with four railway specific courses: ENGR 3011 – Introduction to Railway Systems, ENGR 4022 – Railway Safety and Signalling, ENGR 4033 – Railway Rolling Stock, and ENGR 4044 – Railway Systems Operation and Maintenance.

    The description of the new program component will be included in the Academic Calendar.
  • Admission requirements*

    Admission is competitive. The specific average or standing required for admission varies from year to year. Students are selected by taking into consideration a wide range of criteria including school marks, distribution of subjects taken, and performance in subjects relevant to the academic program. Possession of the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Preference will be given to applicants with the best qualifications.

    Current Ontario secondary school students must complete the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with six 4U or 4M credits including English (ENG4U) with a minimum average of 60 per cent, Advanced Functions (MHF4U), Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U), Chemistry (SCH4U), and Physics (SPH4U). In addition, a combined minimum 70 per cent average in math and science courses is required, with no grade below 60 per cent. All other applicants should refer to admissions for the requirements for their specific category of admission.

    An outline of the requirements for admission to the new program component, including additional requirements or procedures, and recognition of prior learning experience.
  • Program map*
    Use this section to build a program map for the academic calendar that shows courses and/or research components offered each academic year.
  • Program structure*

    The proposed specialization will replace the four existing engineering electives in the core Mechanical Engineering program with four railway specific courses: ENGR 3011 – Introduction to Railway Systems, ENGR 4022 – Railway Safety and Signalling, ENGR 4033 – Railway Rolling Stock, and ENGR 4044 – Railway Systems Operation and Maintenance.

    Describe any experiential or other applied learning opportunities that are part of the new program component.
  • Program learning outcomes*

    The following learning outcome will be added to the existing learning outcomes for the Mechanical Engineering program for the specialization:

    • Understand the main elements of rail systems, including railway operations, safety, signalling, rolling stock, and maintenance.
    If you do not have a recent version of your program’s learning outcomes and alignment with the Degree Level Expectations, or would like to make a modification to them, please contact ciqe@ontariotechu.ca.

  • If you do not have a recent version of your program’s learning outcomes and alignment with the Degree Level Expectations, or would like to make a modification to them, please contact ciqe@ontariotechu.ca.

(C) Detailed proposal information
Next
  • STEP 4 - Complete Section C
  • Introduction
  • Brief background on existing program*

    Mechanical Engineering is the third oldest engineering program at Ontario Tech. Mechanical engineering is also one of the core engineering disciplines with the broadest range of areas.

  • Rationale for the new component*

    The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science was approached by Alstom and AtkinsRéalis about the possibility of developing a Railway Engineering specialization. Despite Canada’s strong reliance on the rail sector for moving people and freight, there are currently no engineering programs in Canada that educate engineers in railway systems. In fact, Canada is the only G7 nation without a railway engineering program (number of programs by nation: France 4, Germany 4, Italy 3, Japan 3, UK 3, and USA 3).

    Rail has played a central role in the creation of Canada and its development and economic prosperity. This contribution continues to today, where Canadian freight railways transported half of Canada’s exports in 2022 and a total of $380 billion worth of goods (source: Rail Trends 2023 by Railway Association of Canada). Rail is one of the key components in decarbonizing the transportation sector, especially in public transit. Rail is the singular, most efficient way to move people in urban environments.

    The growth of rail transit projects is enormous both in Canada and globally. Alstom, globally has close to a 100 billion euros (€) backlog of rail projects. As of September 2024, Alstom currently has over 100 open engineering positions in Canada alone, half of which are for early career engineering graduates.

    Figure 1 shows the number of new rail transit projects in Canada compared to the growth of Canada’s population. It shows a clear correspondence in the need for rail transit to meet the demand of an increasing population. Figure 2 shows a plot of the length of installed rail transit track compared to the growth of Canada’s population, again showing the correlation between population growth and rail growth.

    • See attachment for figures

    Figure 1: Rail Transit Projects in Canada (source: AtkinsRéalis)

    • See attachment for figures

    Figure 2: Installed Rail Transit Track Length (source: AtkinsRéalis)

    There is a clear need and demand from industry to train engineers with railway engineering expertise in Canada. The proposed Railway Engineering specialization is designed to provide engineering students from a wide range of engineering disciplines the necessary core competencies in railway engineering that employers need.

    As a sign of the commitment of our industry partners, Alstom and AtkinsRéalis have committed to offer guaranteed number of co-op and internship placements for students who enrol in the Railway Specialization. The Faculty is currently in discussion with other employers, including Hitachi Rail and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), to also offer guaranteed co-op and internship placements.

    How will this change enhance the program and/or opportunities for students and graduates?
  • Fit with the mission, mandate, strategic plans of the University and broader array of program offerings*

    The act that created the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Ontario Tech) states: “The objectives [sic] of the university are, (a) to provide undergraduate and postgraduate university programs with a primary focus on those programs that are innovative and responsive to the individual needs of students and to the market-driven needs of employers…” The proposed Railway Engineering specialization is a clear example of delivering on this objective. Industry has clearly demonstrated the need for engineers trained in Canada with knowledge of railway systems.

    The vision of Ontario Tech is: “Embracing technology with a conscience to advance knowledge and promote sustainability.” Railway is key to the sustainability of Canada, including making its cities livable, as well as playing a key role in the decarbonization of the transportation sector. As the population of Canada continues to grow, rail is the only viable solution to moving large numbers of people in urban centres to improve the livability of Canadian cities.

    The proposed specialization aligns well with Ontario Tech’s mission to “… equip future leaders to solve complex problems.” Modern railway systems are extremely complex. The proposed specialization will give our graduates the skill-set needed by the rail industry to allow them to make immediate contributions to this growing field.

    In addition, the proposed specialization will be a unique offering amongst engineering programs in Canada. Ontario Tech will be the only English language engineering school offering the Railway Engineering specialization with Polytechnique Montréal being the French language school offering the specialization.

    Description of how the proposed modifications fit into the broader array of program offerings, particularly those areas of teaching and research strengths, and complementary areas of study.
  • Resource requirements
  • Faculty members*

    Where possible, existing faculty will be used to teach the courses in the specialization as part of their regular teaching loads. As the specialization replaces four engineering elective spots in the program, there is no net new instruction to deliver the specialization. Further, it is anticipated that other engineering programs at Ontario Tech will incorporate the Railway Engineering specialization into their programs allowing for further efficiencies in course deliver to be found. If the Railway Engineering specialization proves to be popular, the case will be made to hire two faculty members with dedicated expertise in railway system

    List of core faculty associated with the program, including appointment status, home unit, areas of teaching and research interests, and any new faculty requirements and gaps they would be expected to fill.
  • Additional academic and non-academic human resources*

    It is expected that initially, some of the courses may be offered by sessional instructors with relevant railway engineering experience. Alstom and AtkinRéalis have already confirmed that they have engineers with the relevant background who could teach the courses as the specialization ramps up.

    Details of any administrative requirements, including support staff, adjunct and part-time faculty, supervision of experiential learning opportunities, and any other additional academic and non-academic human resources.
  • Physical resource requirements*

    No additional resources required.

    Details of any physical resource requirements, including library holdings, information technology support and student services, special equipment, and space requirements (classrooms, laboratory, graduate student work/study space, other).
  • Business plan
  • Statement of funding requirements*

    N/A

    A summary statement of the funding required to support the modification, including projected enrolments, start-up and continuing costs, if applicable.
  • Statement of resource/funding availability*

    Course delivery will fall under existing faculty teaching loads. Existing Faculty resources will used to deliver the specialization. Overtime, as the numbers warrant, the Faculty will request to hire two dedicated faculty members to support the specialization as the specialization is to be offered in multiple engineering programs.

    Statements attesting to the adequacy of resources to support the modification from Deans who may have faculty members involved in or are contributing resources, the Registrar or the Dean of Graduate Studies, the Chief Librarian and the Provost.
  • Transition and communication plan
  • Transition plan for both new and current students*

    Nominally, the specialization will launch with the Fall 2023 cohort of students who will be entering third year. There is no impact on the core Mechanical Engineering program since the specialization is simply replacing four existing engineering electives with specific courses for those students who take the specialization. Existing students can potentially take the specialization by taking the four specified courses.

    Semester (e.g., Fall 2025) for the implementation of the proposed changes; include a plan for all current students in the program, by year level. If this change impacts students that are not new and/or 1st year students as of the start date, then a transition plan is required. Please remember to consider off-map students.
  • Communication plan for both new and current students*

    When launched, communication to students who are eligible to enroll in the specialization will be made via Engineering Advising and our FEAS social media channels.

    Please explain how the current students will be made aware of this change (e.g., Who will be responsible for notifying students? How? Is Academic Advising aware?). Please remember to consider off-map students.
  • Converting to online options
  • Does this proposal contain any intended conversion of progam components to online options? If yes, please complete the remaining items below.*
  • Adequacy of technological platform

    N/A

    Describe the adequacy of the technological platform to be used for online delivery.
  • Maintenance of and/or changes to the quality of education

    N/A

    Describe how the quality of education will be maintained and/or changes when moving to online delivery.
  • Maintenance of and/or changes to program objectives

    N/A

    Describe how the current program objectives will be maintained and/or changed when moving to online delivery.
  • Maintenance of and/or changes to program-level learning outcomes

    N/A

    Describe how the current program-level outcomes will be maintained an/or changed when moving to online delivery.
  • Sufficiency of support services and training for teaching staff

    N/A

    Describe the support services and training for teaching staff that will be made available when moving to online delivery.
  • Sufficiency and type of support for students in the new learning environment

    N/A

    Describe the sufficiency and type of supports that will be available to students when moving to online delivery.
  • Other
  • Additional supporting information, if applicable

    N/A

    Describe any additional information needed to support the proposal.
(D) Impact and consultation
Next
  • STEP 5 - Complete Section D

  • Consultation is central to governance at Ontario Tech. Faculties are required to consult with all areas impacted by this change, and the home faculty dean is responsible for all consultation decisions in this section of the form. Note that any false statements related to consultation may require re-submission of proposals.

  • Faculty Consultation
  • Will this change impact any other faculties? Some examples may include, but are not limited to, the scenarios listed below.*

  • Examples:

    • A course from another faculty is being added or removed from the program map.
    • Changes to joint and/or service programs (e.g., 'and Management' programs, targeted minors).
    • Changes to year of offering for courses from another faculty (e.g., moving a course from Year 1 to Year 2).

    Additional examples can be found in the Resources section of the CIQE website.

  • If you answered yes to the question above, please explain and outline the consultation process in detail. Attach relevant documents (emails, Faculty Council minutes, etc.) or include links to corresponding documents. *

    N/A

  • Student Consultation
  • How have current or prospective students been consulted about this change? (e.g., informal conversations, attendance at meetings, survey, indirectly through academic advising). Please provide details below. *

    There is student representation on the Program Curriculum Committee. The idea of the proposed specialization was presented at the CMAI - Future Forward: Competencies Forum on September 19, 2024, in Toronto and it received a great amount of interest from students and industry.

  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
  • What considerations have been made for equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization?*

    The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS) is fully committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), including in all of its courses. The material covered in this specialization considers the development of railway systems that serve the public, so it is critical that EDI considerations are incorporated into the development of these systems, in particular ensuring these systems are accessible for all users.

    For students who have accommodation needs, existing Student Accessibility Services (SAS) support will be available to students who require specific accommodations.

  • For more information and guidance on incorporating equity, diversity and inclusion principles in curricula, please visit the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging resource section of the CIQE website.

  • Indigenous Content and Consultation
  • Does this change include any Indigenous content?*

  • For more information on how Indigenous content is defined at Ontario Tech University and how to consult with the Indigenous Education Advisory Circle, please refer to the Protocol for Consultation with the Indigenous Education Advisory Circle.

  • Has the IEAC been contacted?
  • If Yes, when?
  • What was the advice you received from the IEAC? And, how has it been included in your proposal? Please attach or provide links to documents that outline the consultation process and advice given.
  • Did the IEAC ask you to return the proposal to them for review?
    If Yes, have they completed their review?
  • Other Consultation
  • Have you consulted with the Office of the Registrar, Student Life, the Library and/or any other areas on campus that may be impacted? *
  • If yes, please explain and outline the consultation process in detail.*

    N/A

  • Does this change involve co-op?*
  • If yes, please acknowledge that you have consulted with Lindsay Coolidge, Director, External Relations and Partnerships by checking the box below.
(E) Routing
Next
  • STEP 6 - Enter routing information

  • Important note: it is imperative that you choose the correct routing path as it cannot be changed once a proposal has been launched. If you have made a routing error after launching the proposal, the proposal will be cancelled and a new proposal will be required. If you require assistance with routing, please contact ciqe@ontariotechu.ca.

    Please note that changes to joint or collaborative programs do require approval at Faculty Council of each faculty involved in the program. You do not need to include other faculties in the routing, however, consultation with other faculties should be noted and any required approval by other Faculty Councils (and date of approval) should be noted in the comments section as approval is logged on the home Faculty Council step.

  • Should this proposal be routed to the Program Approval step prior to Curriculum Committee?*
    If your curriculum committee is organized by program, or if program-level approval prior to curriculum committee is not required, select 'no'.
  • Faculty or program-level group*
    Choose your faculty or program-level group from the list of options. If your faculty has program-level committees, choose the corresponding program group from the list. Otherwise, choose the home faculty. You may choose more than one option, but please note that your proposal will go to the committees of all options selected. The proposal will not move on to the next step until all faculties have approved at their respective committees. Note: If you are making a change for a Bachelor of Engineering program in FESNS, you must select both the Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science, and the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science from the list of options.
  • Is this change for a Bachelor of Engineering program or program which requires Engineering Curriculum Committee approval?*
  • Are there departments associated with your faculty?*
  • Is this change for the Sustainability Studies program?*
(F) End of proposal
Next
  • STEP 7 - Save and ensure all required fields are complete
  • STEP 8 - Validate and launch proposal
  • STEP 9 - Approve proposal

  • As the originator, you must approve the proposal to send it on to the next step. To approve, navigate to the decisions section of the toolbox on the right-hand side of the form.

(G) CIQE use only
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  • Code

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