Mar 28, 2024  
University of Alberta Calendar 2022-2023 
    
University of Alberta Calendar 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Bachelor of Science General


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Faculty of Science - Programs

General Information


The BSc General program provides students with a diverse education in more than one branch of study. Students must major in a Science subject area of concentration (as defined either by a single course designator or by groupings of course designators – see below). Students may elect to minor in a Science subject area of concentration, in an Arts subject area of concentration (see Bachelor of Arts ), in one of a select number of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences subject areas of concentration (see BSc General—Minor in Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences), or in Business (see BSc General—Minor in Business). In addition to providing a path to the BSc General Degree, this program of study allows for subsequent transfer to Specialization and Honors programs. Students intending to transfer to Honors or Specialization programs should consult the appropriate admission requirements for the program of interest (see Faculty of Science Admission Requirements ), select carefully their first-year core courses in accordance with the requirements of the specific Honors or Specialization program, and pay close attention to course load and GPA requirements for transfer. Students in the combined BSc/BEd program should consult Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education  when choosing courses for their major and minor.

Admission


See BSc General Admission Requirements  for admission requirements for the BSc (General) programs.

For information about admission to the Business minor, see BSc General—Minor in Business .

Selection of Courses


Note: For success in your chosen program, ensure you have satisfied the pre/corequisite requirements for all courses. Departments have the right to remove students from courses for failing to present a passing grade (or higher, where stipulated) in the prerequisite course(s) and/or for failing to be enrolled in the corequisite course(s). Please see High School Admission for more information.

Course Load Requirements


Students in the General program should normally take 30 units during the Fall/Winter of each year of the program if they wish to complete the program in four years. Although not held to a minimum Fall/Winter course load requirement while registered in the General program, students intending to transfer to an Honors or Specialization program should pay close attention to course load and GPA requirements for transfer to their program of interest. 

Academic Standing and Graduation


The following regulations govern General Programs:  To obtain a BSc General degree, a minimum 2.0 GPA must be attained on the last 60 units credited to the degree. Moreover, a minimum 2.3 GPA must be attained in all courses in the major. Students must be in Satisfactory Standing in the General program in order to graduate (a minimum 2.0 GPA in the final Fall/Winter).  BSc General degrees With Distinction are awarded when students obtain a GPA of at least 3.5 and no failing grades on the last 60 units, excluding courses declared extra-to-degree. If determination of the last 60 units requires consideration of one or more courses from a given term then all work from that term is included in the calculation for the purposes of qualifying for With Distinction. Normally, only U of A courses will be used in the calculation of the GPA for the last 60 units of the program.

Residence Requirement


A student transferring to the Faculty of Science with advanced standing must complete at least 60 units applicable to the BSc program while registered at the University of Alberta. Normally, at least 30 of the last 60 units must be completed while registered in the Faculty of Science. 

Time Limits for Program Completion


The Faculty of Science may permit a student to complete the requirements for a General degree over a period longer than four years or meet the requirements in a shorter time by attending Spring/Summer. Students wishing to extend their programs beyond four years must first obtain approval of the Senior Associate Dean of Science or designate. 

Regulations governing the General program:


To obtain a BSc General Degree


To obtain a BSc General Degree, a student must receive credit in 120 units of course weight, of which:

  • At least 72 units and not more than 102 units must be in courses offered by the Faculty of Science (see Faculty of Science Courses ).
  • At least 18 units and not more than 48 units must be in courses offered by the Faculty of Arts.
  • Not more than 42 units may be taken at the junior level.

General Program Core Courses


The General program includes a core of courses which must include the following:

6 units from


  • 6 units in junior ENGL 
  • 3 units in junior ENGL and 3 units in junior WRS

Complete a Science major


Each student must complete a Science major. See below for specific course requirements in each major subject area of concentration. With the exception of the Physical Science major, which requires 42 units, all Science majors require a minimum of 36 units with at least 12 units in 300-level or higher courses taken while registered in the Faculty of Science at the University of Alberta.

Each student must also either:


  1. complete a second Science major. Students who complete a second Science major will not have a minor. The Double Majors will be recorded on the student transcript; or
  2. complete a minor. With exception of the Physical Sciences minor, which requires 27 units, all minors must have at least 24 units with at least 6 units in 300-level or higher courses taken while registered in the Faculty of Science at the University of Alberta. The minor may be in Science (see below), in an Arts subject area of concentration (see BA Honors and BA Major/Minor Requirements ), in one of a select number of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences subject areas of concentration (see BSc General—Minor in Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences), or in Business (see BSc General—Minor in Business). For non-Science minors, students are responsible for meeting both the Faculty of Science minor requirements and any outside Faculty or department-specified course requirements. For information about admission to the Business minor, see BSc General—Minor in Business .

Students must declare their major(s) and minor to the Science Undergraduate Student Services Office following the accumulation of 60 units of course weight of their BSc program, though it is to a student’s advantage to declare the major(s) as soon as possible. Students are not permitted to change their major or minor once they have accumulated 90 units in their BSc program except with the written permission of the Associate Dean Undergraduate. See Statement of Major/Minor form in SciForms.

Courses taken from faculties other than Arts or Science


A maximum of 18 units may be taken from faculties other than Arts or Science. For applicants to the BSc General who have already taken courses from faculties other than Arts or Science, potential transfer credit for such courses will be assessed at the time of admission to the program. Such subjects are not included as part of the major or minor (with the exception of those courses meeting the requirements for a Business minor or one of the allowable minors from Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences), nor toward the minimum requirement of 18 units in Arts, nor toward the minimum requirement of 72 units in Science.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Faculty of Science - Programs