3.5 Advice for Planning a Lighter Course Load
The Biomedical Engineering at UBC can be challenging, and some students may want to reduce their workload where possible. A potential solution to this is planning a lighter course load, and completing your degree in five or more years rather than four. If you are thinking of doing so, here are some things to consider:
Nearly all core courses are offered only once a year:
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- BMEG schedules core courses so that they will not conflict with each other in the same Year Level. Mixing core courses from different years will result in conflicts and/or lack of pre-requisites.
- Check the current year's course offerings: if a core course is offered in Term 1 this year, it will be offered again in Term 1 of the following year.
- Note that this does not hold true for electives.
- BMEG schedules core courses so that they will not conflict with each other in the same Year Level. Mixing core courses from different years will result in conflicts and/or lack of pre-requisites.
Consider summer courses:
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- Few BMEG courses are offered in the summer, but you may be able to find a complementary studies or elective course.
- Few BMEG courses are offered in the summer, but you may be able to find a complementary studies or elective course.
Always prioritize core courses / pre-requisites:
If you are trying to lighten a term, always remove the complementary studies and/or technical elective courses first. You are far more likely to have scheduling issues when you remove core courses as they are usually only offered once a year. Technical electives tend to have more flexibility.
We strongly advise against taking any core course off-schedule, including (but not limited to):
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- The design spine (BMEG 257, 357, 457)
- The biology spine (BMEG 245, 250, 350)
- BMEG 220
- BMEG 230
- CPEN 221/223
- BMEG 321
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Watch out for pre-requisites and co-requisites:
Make sure to check the SBME Course Calendar and the Courses Page to find out registration requirements in advance. In particular:
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- BMEG 257 is a pre-req for BMEG 357, which is a pre-req for BMEG 457.
- BMEG 245 is a pre-req for BMEG 250, which is a pre-req for BMEG 350, which is a pre-req for BMEG 457.
- MATH 264 003 is a corequisite for BMEG 220, and the courses must be taken together.
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Part-time study's implications:
Loans / Immigration:
Make sure you check your plan against any minimum credit load requirements you are subject to, such as study permit requirements, student loans, scholarship eligibility, housing, medical insurance, etc. You can reach out to Enrolment Services, your funding/housing agencies, or medical provider to obtain more information on your eligibility requirements.
Plan ahead and be prepared to adapt:
Plot your courses out ahead of time, keeping the above in mind. Remember that core courses may conflict when students mix courses from different years. The Faculty of Applied Science does not encourage course conflicts.
Course schedule may vary from year to year. If a course is offered at a new time, it may conflict with schedule changes, your plan to make-up a course from a previous year may encounter an unexpected conflict the following year. Check for changes frequently, and be prepared to adapt.
Implications for specific courses:
All Year 2 core courses are reserved for incoming Year 2 students. Anyone else will need to register in the waitlist until all year 2 students have been placed.
Communication Complementary Courses ( WRDS 150 & BMEG 201): Students who do not complete these requirement by the end of Year 3 will be limited to 12 credits in term 1 of their year 4 standing and no further credits until completion of the requirement.
After you have done your own research, feel free to drop-in one of our appointments, or to schedule an advising appointment. Link below:
https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/143502/pages/1-dot-1-advising-appointments?module_item_id=6744369