Cities Engineering & Management

Preparing you for a career in cities

A Master of Engineering Program addressing the various issues and growing needs of busy urban centres

Societal and engineering challenges in the 21st century require engineers to think holistically about the systems we design and build.

The MEngCEM program prepares students to use cross-disciplinary methods to solve the tough challenges that face municipalities.

Cities will face many challenges

Over 50 per cent of the world’s population lives in cities; by 2050, 66 per cent of the world's population is projected to be living in a major urban hub. The health and wealth of nations is dependent on how well these cities function. Global urbanization, climate change, natural resources and sustainability are all factors urban centres must take into account while managing infrastructure and providing services for citizens.

Solving city challenges - what you'll learn:

  • Gain a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between the systems and services of a city and its ability to generate prosperity and wealth.
  • Improve specific analytic skills to assess the environmental, economic, political, and social risks which will impact policy regarding a city's critical infrastructure.
  • Develop specialized management skills and evidence-based techniques that can be applied to address the unique challenges inherent in cities around the world.

Earn your MEngCEM on your schedule

You can enroll in the MEngCEM with the right blend of courses to fit your individual needs.

Complete the degree as a full time student in 12 months, or at an extended-full time pace which enables you to take just one or two courses per term for up to 24 months.  Flexible program options allow you to work at the pace that’s best for you.

Full Time

For students who can attend school for full-time study, this option means that students can begin in September or January, and can complete the program in 12 months.

Sample program completion:

  • Semester One: 2 core courses, and 2 infrastructure engineering electives courses
  • Semester Two: 2 core courses, 1 infrastructure engineering elective course and 1 technology management elective course
  • Semester Three: Practicum

Extended Full Time

An option for students who would like additional flexibility in order to complete the program, the extended full-time option means that students can begin in September or January, and can take up to 24 months to complete the program.

Sample program completion:

  • Year One: 2 core courses, and 2 infrastructure engineering electives courses
  • Year Two: 2 core courses, 1 infrastructure engineering elective course and 1 technology management elective course
  • Summer following Year Two: Practicum

Core courses are typically offered once a week during the daytime from Monday to Friday, and a limited number of electives are offered in the evenings.  Please see a typical course schedule here

Most courses are delivered in-person on the St. George Campus in downtown Toronto

Program requirements

Core Courses

4 core courses form the base of the program, allowing students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between the systems and services of a city and its ability to generate prosperity and wealth.

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Electives & Specialization

Students choose 3 infrastructure engineering electives in one of 8 specialization areas in topics as diverse as Healthcare Management, Social Entrepreneurship, Advanced and Sustainable Water Treatment, and Transportation Demand Analysis. Students also choose 1 technology management elective course.

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Practicum

In the 4-month full-time practicum component of the MEngCEM program, students engage with real city challenges, synthesize and apply their knowledge in an integrated way, and work with multidisciplinary teams.

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Core Courses

CEM1001

The Challenges of Urban Policy-Making

This course challenges engineers to think about how public policy is made and how it guides the practice of engineering both directly and indirectly. Particular focus is placed on urban policy and urban engineering.

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CEM1002

Data Analytics & Cities

This course explores how cities are measured. The strengths and limitations of various measures are examined including issues related the cost of collecting data and the challenges in ensuring its integrity. Metrics of interest include those related to city services, public health and well-being, environmental sustainability, and economic vitality.

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CEM1003

Infrastructure and Urban Prosperity

The course explores the evolution of great cities over time, looking at form and function to understand urban economic growth and accumulation of wealth. Using current and historical examples of urban development, the implications of infrastructure planning and management on the health/wealth of cities is examined.

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CEM1004

Cities as Complex Systems

Cities are "problems in organized complexity" (Jacobs, 1961). This course will explore this theme and its implications for city engineering and management in terms of: introduction to complex systems theory; exploration of cities as systems (physical, economic, social, etc.); holistic and reductionist approaches to 'a science of cities'; approaches to city planning and design in the face of complexity; challenges to sustainable design; and decision-making under uncertainty.

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Infrastructure Engineering Specializations

Students choose 3 electives from one of these 8 specializations.

For course descriptions and timetables for the courses contained in the specializations below, please see this page.

  • CIV516H1 - Public Transit Operations and Planning
  • CIV531H1 - Transport Planning
  • CIV1506H - Freight Transportation and ITS Applications
  • CIV1508H - Airport Planning and Engineering
  • CIV1532H - Fundamentals of Intelligent Transportation Systems
  • CIV1535H - Transportation and Development
  • CIV1538H - Transportation Demand Analysis
  • CIV1598H - Urban operations Research
  • ECE568H1 - Computer Security
  • ECE1508H - Special Topics in Communications
  • ECE1518H - Seminar in Identity, Privacy and Security
  • ECE1776H - Computer Security, Cryptography and Privacy
  • CIV576H1 - Sustainable Buildings
  • CIV1164H - Bridge Engineering
  • CIV1167H - Advanced Structural Dynamics
  • CIV1169H - Advanced Topics in Building Design
  • APS1024H - Infrastructure Resilience Planning
  • APS1025H - Infrastructure Protection
  • CIV1252H - Infrastructure Renewal
  • APS510H1 - Innovative Technologies & Organizations in Global Energy Systems
  • MIE515H1 - Alternative Energy Systems
  • MIE1240H - Wind Power
  • MIE1120H - Current Energy Infrastructure & Resources
  • MIE1715H - Life Cycle Engineering
  • ECE1092H - Smart Grid Case Studies
  • MIE1603H - Integer Programming
  • MIE1620H - Linear Programming and Network Flows
  • MIE1621H - Nonlinear Programming
  • MIE1723H - Engineering Maintenance & Management
  • MIE1727H - Quality Assurance
  • MIE1721H - Reliability
  • CIV549H1 - Groundwater Flow and Contamination
  • CIV1303H - Water Resources Systems Modelling
  • CIV1308H - Physical and Chemical Treatment Processes
  • CIV1309H - Biological Treatment Processes
  • CIV1311H - Advanced and Sustainable Water Treatment
  • CHE1433H - Air Dispersion Modelling
  • APS1024H - Infrastructure Resilience Planning
  • APS1025H - Infrastructure Protection
  • APS1031H - Infrastructure Planning
  • CIV1190H - Structures Under Blast and Impact
  • URD1044H - Urban Design and Development
  • URD2041H - Business and Land Use Planning in Real Estate
  • ECE1524H - Service Provider Networks
  • ECE1541H - Communication Networks I
  • ECE1548H - Advanced Network Architectures
  • ECE1508H - Special Topics in Communications
  • ECE1520H - Data Communications I
  • ECE1545H - Bridges and Routers

Technology Management Electives

Students choose 1 elective from this list

Course descriptions and timetables for electives.

  • APS1001H - Project Management
  • APS1005H - Operations Research for Engineering Management
  • APS1010H - Cognitive and Psychological Foundations of Effective Leadership
  • APS1012H - Management of Innovation in Engineering
  • APS1015H - Social Entrepreneurship
  • APS1016H - Financial Management for Engineers
  • APS1017H - Supply Chain Management and Logistics
  • APS1088H - Entrepreneurship and Business for Engineers
  • CHE1434H - Six Sigma for Chemical Processes
  • CIV1307H - Life Cycle Assessment and Sustainability of Engineering Activities

Further Customize your Degree

Students may consider an additional emphasis offered by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

About the Practicum

 

During their full-time practicum, MEngCEM students engage with real city challenges, synthesize and apply their knowledge in an integrated way, and work with multidisciplinary teams.

The practicum requirement may be satisfied via placements in companies, governments, NGOs and academic research positions with a professor, either paid or volunteer.

 

 

Previous Practicum Placements

Consulting

  • Academic Technology Ventures
    Strategy/Planning/Technology Acquisition
  • CIMA+
    Engineering Intern
  • Hatch
    Project Engineering Coordinator
  • IBI Group
    Engineering Intern
  • McElhanney Consulting Ltd.
    Engineering Tech

Environmental

  • City of Toronto - Water
    Technical Trainee
  • Navigant Consulting
    Energy Practice Intern
  • Terraprobe
    Environmental Engineering Intern

Planning

  • City of Toronto Planning Division
    Application Technician - Committee of Adjustment
  • Ontario Ministry of Transportation
    Co-op Student – Engineer
  • Regional Municipality of York
    Design Technician
  • Town of Aurora
    Senior Student, Engineering

Policy

  • Ontario Ministry of Environment & Climate Change
    Policy Advisor
  • Ontario Ministry of Transportation
    Policy, Systems Analysis and Forecasting Office

Project Management

  • St. Michael's Hospital
    Project Coordinator
  • Waterloo Region
    Construction Project Coordinator
  • York Region
    Engineering Assistant

Research

  • Centre for Resilience of Critical Infrastructure
    Research Assistant
  • University of Toronto Environmental Engineering
    Research Assistant
  • University of Toronto Transportation Modelling Group
    Research Assistant
  • University of Toronto Transportation Research Institute
    Research Assistant

Transportation

  • AECOM
    Transportation Intern
  • BA Consulting Group
    Transportation Analyst
  • IBI Group
    Transportation Planning Analyst
  • LEA Consulting Ltd
    Co-op student - Transportation
  • Paradigm Transportation Solution
    Transportation Engineering Intern
  • WSP Canada
    Transportation Planner
  • York Region
    Transportation Demand Management Assistant
  • York Region
    Research Assistant, Transportation Services
  • Yukon Government
    Transportation Co-Op

The People

Students

Our students come from varied and diverse backgrounds. Their bachelor level studies have been in areas such as:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Transportation Engineering
  • Urban Planning
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Business
  • Economics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Engineering & Management
  • Environmental Science
  • Geological Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Transportation planning

Alumni

Our graduates have gone on from their studies and are now working in companies and organizations like:

  • City of Toronto
  • Ontario Ministry of Transportation
  • Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
  • Toronto Transit Commission
  • EllisDon
  • Defence Construction Canada
  • Deloitte Canada
  • DIALOG
  • Dormer Homes
  • Emaar, The Economic City;
  • HDR
  • Highways and Public Works, Yukon
  • IBI Group
  • Metrolinx
  • Navigant Consulting Energy Practice
  • Hatch
  • Ontario Power Generation
  • Paradigm Transportation Solutions
  • WSP

Faculty & Instructors

Our courses are taught by faculty and instructors who are leaders in their fields. They are currently working in or conducting research related to cities.

Prof. Mark Fox is a Distinguished Professor of Urban Systems Engineering in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Nikolaos Kalyviotis is a postdoctoral fellow in infrastructure life cycle assessment and in the modelling of the greenhouse gas emissions generation

Melanie Lalani is a Senior Business Analyst with Health Canada

Prof. Eric Miller is an expert in the field of transportation planning, systems analysis and modelling. He is the Director of the University of Toronto Transportation Research Institute (UTTRI)

Prof. Shoshanna Saxe investigates the relationship between the infrastructure we build and the society we create, with a particular focus on environmental sustainability

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any other questions, please get in touch with our admissions staff at:
admissions.civmin@utoronto.ca