2 programs, side by side

Rows marked with a dot are where these differ. Everything is each university’s own published wording; the “your average” row is yours, calculated the way each program does it.

	Ottawa Multidisciplinary Design- Experiential Learning (4 years) OUAC OMC Remove	Waterloo Physical Sciences (Regular/Co-op) OUAC WPS Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	75%	80–83%“Low 80s”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	No course codes parsed — see prerequisites	ENG4U MCV4U MHF4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	one of ENG4U, FRA4U one of MCV4U, MHF4U one of ISC4U, SBI4U, SCH4U, SPH4U	two of MDM4U, SBI4U, SCH4U, SES4U, SPH4U
Prerequisitesas published	ENG4U or FRA4U MCV4U or MHF4U One of the following: SBI4U, SCH4U, ISC4U, SPH4U Students who do not have the 4U Math prerequisite can take the replacement course at the University either the summer before or during their first year.	English (ENG4U – min. 70%) Advanced Functions (min. 70%) Calculus and Vectors (min. 70%) Any two of the following: Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Mathematics of Data Management, or Physics
More than marks?supplementary application	Marks only	Marks only
Co-op	No	Available
Degree	—	—
First-year intakewhere published	21	250
What you study	Computer Science Design Interdisciplinary StudiesOthers in Technology	Astronomy Chemistry Geology Materials Science
What it is	You study design across multiple disciplines, blending computer science, visual and product design, and hands-on problem-solving. Unlike a single-discipline design program, this approach lets you explore how technology, creativity, and practical application intersect in real projects. It suits people who want to design solutions but aren't sure whether they lean toward coding, visual work, or engineering, and who learn best by doing.	Physical Sciences is a broad first-year program where you study foundational chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology before choosing a specialization in second year. The co-op option means you alternate between study and paid work terms at companies or research labs, giving you real experience in your field. This program suits students who are strong in math and science but not yet certain which specific physical science direction — from astronomy to polymer chemistry — they want to pursue.
The door tomajors you reach through it	Applied to directly	chemistry earth science physics
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	22 published, 5 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them
Source	University of Ottawa on OUInfo	University of Waterloo on OUInfo

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Ranges are what each university publishes, not guaranteed cutoffs, and limited-enrolment programs often admit above them. Confirm anything you are about to act on with the university; each column links to its source.