Headstart Program

Benefits of Headstart

  • Earn one or two University Course Credits in the summer:
    Successful graduates of the Headstart program who are enrolled in Engineering 1 at McMaster University will be awarded advanced transfer credits for one or both of ENGINEER 1P03 and ENGINEER 1C03. This will reduce your first year course load by 3 or 6 units.

    Please note: An advanced transfer credit will reduce the first year course load by one course but does not award a grade for the course, and is not considered for the cumulative average for admission into second year. This is due to McMaster policy for ALL summer courses.
  • Develop study skills that will aid in your first year of University.
  • Establish useful engineering skills for future summer jobs and beyond.
  • Meet friends and get to know the University before starting in September.
  • Great instructor-to-student ratio.
  • Establish advanced problem-solving and presentation skills.
  • Expland your knowledge of Engineering by getting the LEAP experience!

Please visit the Registration Information page to register!

Please note: Engineering I tuition is capped at 31 units. That is to say, any units that the student is registered in beyond 31 do not increase the tuition cost.

Courses Offered

Engineering 1P03: Engineering Profession and Practice

The intent of this course is to provide an introduction to problem-solving and engineering design. Topics covered will include design approaches, advanced problem-solving, written and oral communication, teamwork skills, change management, and life-long learning skills. Also the professional and academic ethical issues associated with design and the role of the PEO (Professional Engineers Ontario) will also be covered. By the end of the course students will be able to:

  • Apply the engineering design process to solve challenging problems both individually and in a group
  • Explain and follow the engineering design process
  • Communicate both verbally and in writing with professors, teaching assistants, and peers in a professional manner consistent with the norms of engineering practice
  • Explain the role of the professional engineer and the responsibilities of members of the profession to society
  • Explain, Recognize, and Apply the importance of academic and professional ethics in everyday engineering decisions


Course Structure

  • Assigned readings, lectures, tutorials, and instructor-led discussions
  • Activities and projects will be used to cover
    • The design process
    • Engineering ethics
    • Researching
    • Creating an effective presentation
  • Tutorials used to develop group, change management, problem-solving, and life-long learning skills
  • The culminating assignment will be a group design challenge to solve a problem assigned by Engineers Without Borders

 

Engineering 1C03: Engineering Design and Graphics

Visualization and communication are two of the main cornerstones of engineering design.  This course will develop graphical visualization skills through technical sketching and illustrate the importance of concise technical communication through two-dimensional and three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD).  Emphasis will also be placed on design using solid modelling methodologies.  Student will learn and employ the skills necessary to read existing designs and create their own engineering drawings to represent their unique designs.  By the end of the course students will be able to:

  • Sketch two and three-dimensional objects by hand
  • Convert simple sketches into two and three-dimensional CAD drawings
  • Create high-quality CAD models


Course Structure

  • Activities, lectures, tutorials, and projects will be used to reinforce:
    • Technical drawing skills
    • Computer based two and three-dimensional visualization
    • CAD software skills
  • Tutorials used to develop basic visualization and technical communication skills
  • Design projects will be integrated into workshops to provide an opportunity to test communication skills