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.

	Waterloo Planning (Co-op Only) OUAC WP Remove	McMaster Engineering I - Discovery Track OUAC MED Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	80–83%“Low 80s”	87%“A minimum of 87% is required for consideration. Admission is by selection.”Admission by selection — the real bar may sit above this
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	ENG4U	ENG4U MCV4U SCH4U SPH4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	—	—
Prerequisitesas published	Any Grade 12 U English (min. 75%)	English 4U Calculus & Vectors 4U Chemistry 4U Physics 4U
More than marks?supplementary application	Marks only	Yes OUAC application deadline: January 15, 2027 Mandatory supplementary application Usually closes before January 15
Co-op	Available	Available
Degree	—	Bachelor of Engineering, BEng, Bachelor of Engineering and Management, BEng&Mgt, Bachelor of Engineering and Society, BEngSoc
First-year intakewhere published	200	—
What you study	Environmental StudiesPlanning	Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Electronic & Electrical Engineering General or Integrated Engineering
What it is	This program teaches you how to design and manage the built and natural environments — from city neighborhoods and transportation systems to parks and land use. The co-op requirement means you'll alternate between classroom semesters and paid work terms at planning firms, municipalities, or environmental organizations, giving you real experience while you study. It suits people who want hands-on learning, enjoy solving problems about how communities develop, and are willing to commit to the co-op schedule.	Engineering I – Discovery Track lets you explore multiple engineering specializations during your first year before committing to a specific stream like chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, or software engineering. You can also choose to combine engineering with management or social studies. The co-op option means you'll alternate between classroom and paid work terms, giving you real experience in the field while studying.
The door tomajors you reach through it	Applied to directly	engineering
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them	5 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 75%See them
Source	University of Waterloo on OUInfo	McMaster University on OUInfo

Also compare with

Same subject area and a similar published range, at a campus you have not got in the table yet.

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.