Bachelor of Science programs of study

Liberal programs provide students with the opportunity to study the core of one science discipline along with a breadth component from another area of science or from many other disciplines. In a Liberal program, students must complete a Core Science Component (CSC) (45–50 credits), plus a Breadth Component (at least 18 credits).

For the Breadth Component, students must complete one of the following:

• Minor Program (18–24 credits) – one of the minor programs listed in the table below.
• Arts Minor or Major Concentration (18 or 36 credits) – one of the Arts programs for Science students (see list in the Course Catalogue, formerly the eCalendar).
• A CSC in a second area (45–50 credits) – at least 24 credits must be distinct from the courses used to satisfy the primary CSC. Note that a second CSC can be selected from any of the Science groups.

EXAMPLE: Foundation Program (30 credits) + CSC in Atmospheric Science (48 credits) + Minor in Field Studies (18 credits) + 8 elective courses (24 credits) = 120 credits completed

For the list of available Core Science Components, consult the table below.

Major programs are more specialized than Liberal programs and are usually centered on a specific discipline. A Major is a versatile, comprehensive primary area of study. Most Major programs require about two-thirds the total credits in the B.Sc. degree. With the remaining credits, students can choose to add a Minor (option) or simply a variety of elective courses. Both the Minor and electives can be chosen from a wide variety of areas both within and outside Science.

EXAMPLE: Foundation Program (30 credits) + Major in Earth Systems Science (57 credits) + Minor in Philosophy (18 credits) + 5 elective courses (15 credits) = 120 credits completed

For a list of available Major programs, consult the table below.

Honours programs typically involve an even higher degree of specialization (as compared with Liberal and Major programs). They often include supervised research and require students to maintain a high academic standard. Although Honours programs are specially designed to prepare students for graduate studies, they are not normally required to be admissible to most graduate schools. Students who intend to pursue graduate studies in their discipline should consult a Program advisor regarding the appropriate selection of courses in their field.

Students interested in declaring an Honours program must consult the Course Catalogue (formerly eCalendar) information for their program of choice as some Honours programs require the completion of specific prerequisites during the U1 year. Students must obtain prior departmental approval before declaring an Honours program - consult appropriate Program advisors to request approval.

EXAMPLE: Foundation Program (30 credits) + Honours in Anatomy and Cell Biology (73 credits) + 6 elective courses (18 credits) = 121 credits completed

For a list of available Honours programs, consult the table below.

Joint programs bring together related sciences. They are for students interested in working at the intersection of two major areas, rather than students with an interest in both areas (where a major and minor combination might be more appropriate).

EXAMPLE: Foundation Program (30 credits) + Joint Major in Biology and Mathematics (76 credits) + 5 elective courses (15 credits) = 121 credits completed

Students interested in declaring a Joint Honours program must consult the Course Catalogye (formerly the eCalendar) as the completion of specific prerequisite courses may be required during the U1 year. Students must obtain prior departmental approval before declaring a Joint Honours program (consult appropriate Program advisors to request approval). Note that students may only pursue the specific joint programs listed below; combining two separate majors or honours outside these pre-designed combinations is not permitted.

For a list of available Joint programs, consult the table below.