Do you feel pressured to finish your degree quickly? Or that you have to cram everything into the standard four years that most university students take to finish their degree? These can be difficult pressures to manage, especially in the context of the engineering program where students need to take six courses a semester to finish their degree in four years.
Meet Ryan Shaw, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student who is taking more than four years to finish his degree. He highlights how the five-year degree plan has made his degree much more enjoyable, and why you should consider it too.
About the Five-Year Degree Plan
1. Why did you choose a five-year degree plan instead of the traditional four years?
I’m originally from Vancouver, so because this was my first time moving out and living by myself, it was really difficult to adjust to adulting responsibilities while being thrown into six fairly difficult courses. The academic load was difficult to get through in my first year, and because I wanted to ease my workload in upcoming years, I decided to take the plan. My academic workload is now a lot more manageable now as I have more personal time and space to try extra-curriculars.
“It was really difficult to adjust to adulting responsibilities while being thrown into six fairly difficult courses”
2. How has the extra time allowed you to explore opportunities to benefit your professional life (e.g., internships, research, extracurriculars)?
With the extra time in my schedule, I actually reached out to one of my previous professors, Dr. Sina Kheirkhah, asking if there were opportunities to do research in his combustion laboratory. Luckily for me, there was a spot in his lab! I now do part-time research on hydrogen flame patterns, and I believe that it will be very useful in the future if I ever decide to pursue graduate studies. (It’s also a nice resume booster!) I also joined Marine Bots’ mechanical team, where I’m able to apply and extend the knowledge I learned from my classes, such as SolidWorks and fluid mechanics, to the torpedo and gripper arm that I’m designing for them!
General Degree Planning
3. What resources (e.g., advisors, career services) were most helpful in planning your degree path?
This isn’t mentioned very often, but I read the academic calendar like a book to ensure that I am meeting all of my degree requirements, especially because I also want to fit in a few co-op terms. The calendar helped me plan my course schedule accordingly, and I also consulted with
the academic advisors to make sure I was on the right track for pre-requisites etc. I believe these sources can be especially helpful if you’ve failed courses, or you need to re-organize your schedule for whatever reason.
4. If you could go back, would you change anything about how you planned your degree?
I actually wouldn’t change anything since I like my schedule the way it is now with enough time for extra-curriculars. I started my degree in 2021 and I’ll be graduating in 2027; in that time, I’ll also be completing a minor in computer science and co-op work terms, so it’s well worth it.
Advice and Reflection
5. What would you say to students who feel pressure to finish their degree “on time”?
Different students will have different difficulties (e.g. financial pressure, pressure to complete their degree in four years etc.). If you do face those difficulties, bring your concerns up to your parents or advisors to figure out if something can work with the resources you have. However, it is important to remember that university isn’t all about lectures- a lot of it is also being involved in extra curriculars and learning a lot more outside of the classroom.
“It is important to remember that university isn’t all about lectures- a lot of it is also being involved in extra curriculars and learning a lot more outside of the classroom.”
6. What tips do you have for students to prevent burnout while managing their workload?
Try to plan ahead to manage your workload, such as taking courses over the summer. Personally, I stayed on campus during the summer to complete additional courses, which helped lighten my schedule during the winter. Another option is taking a gap year to travel, volunteer, or participate in a co-op program. This can give you a clearer sense of your goals and what you’d like to achieve when you return. For each course you take, set specific goals and have a clear mindset about what you want to gain from it. Understanding how a course will benefit you helps prevent the feeling that you’re just there to “take notes and listen.”
Planning your degree can be an overwhelming experience, but there are many resources available to help you. The five-year degree plan is a great option for those who are looking to have more time to devote to extra-curriculars, or for those who are transitioning to university life. We would like to thank Ryan for his time and for the valuable insights he shared with us today. If you’re interested in the five-year degree plan, extending your education to allow for more extracurriculars, or simply want guidance on navigating your engineering degree, reach out to the Engineering Academic Services Team.