Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors) - Effective Fall 2024

General Information

The Bachelor of Science degree is designed to provide students with a diversified education and specialization in at least one subject area. Students in the Bachelor of Science degree must declare a Major subject area, and may declare a Minor subject area. Students in certain subject areas may declare a second Major subject area (from a list of eligible subject areas).

Alternatively, students may choose to complete a Bachelor of Science with Honors degree, which provides a challenging and rewarding learning experience within a subject area. It offers a greater depth of engagement, including a research or capstone experience, and demands a higher standard of performance. Students following this path must declare an Honors subject area. They may declare a Minor subject area; they may not declare a second Major or Honors subject area.

Admission

• General Undergraduate Admission Requirements  
• Faculty of Science Admission Requirements  

Regulations

• University Regulations  
• Faculty of Science Regulations  

Students must ensure they are familiar with and follow all University Regulations and Faculty of Science Regulations in addition to the program requirements outlined below.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors) degree requires the successful completion of 120 units including the following:

1. Communication/Writing Courses: Successful completion of a minimum of 6 units in English (ENGL) or Writing Studies (WRS).
    
2. Breadth from Outside the Faculty of Science: Successful completion of a minimum of 6 units, with at least 3 units from two of the following categories:

• Applied Sciences
• Business
• Humanities, Fine Arts, and Performing Arts
• Social Sciences

See the Breadth from Outside the Faculty of Science Course Lists for Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors)  for eligible courses in each of the above categories. Courses taken to fulfill Major/Minor/Honors requirements may also be used to satisfy this breadth requirement.
 

3. Breadth from Within the Faculty of Science: Successful completion of a minimum of 9 units, with at least 3 units from each of the following categories:

• Basic Sciences (i.e., common high school course offerings)
• Formal Sciences (i.e., primarily numerical in nature or based in logic)
• Specialized Sciences (i.e., uncommon high school course offerings)

See the Breadth from Within the Faculty of Science Course Lists for Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors)  for eligible courses in each of the above categories. Courses taken to fulfill Major/Minor/Honors requirements may also be used to satisfy this breadth requirement.
 

4. Lab/Field Experience: Successful completion of a minimum of 3 units in a Science course that includes substantial and meaningful lab or field experience, where students are required to engage in the analysis and interpretation of authentic data or observations that reflect the uncertain nature of science. See the Lab/Field Experience Course List for Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors)  for eligible courses. Courses taken to fulfill Major/Minor/Honors requirements, or the Breadth from Within the Faculty of Science requirement, may also be used to satisfy the Lab/Field Experience requirement.
    
5. Major/Minor/Honors: Students in the Bachelor of Science (Major program) must declare a Major subject area, and may declare a Minor (in a different subject area). Students in certain subject areas may declare a second Major (in a different subject area, from a list of eligible subject areas). Students in the Bachelor of Science (Honors program) must declare an Honors subject area. They may declare a Minor (in a different subject area); they may not declare a second Major or Honors subject area. See the Subject Areas table below for a list of subject areas that may be declared, the available Major/Minor/Honors, the subject areas that are eligible for a Double Major, and exceptions to the Minor/Double Major combinations allowed. The requirements that must be completed for each Major/Minor/Honors can be found by selecting the respective subject area links in the table.
   
   Some courses in certain subject areas may have prerequisites not included in the Major/Minor/Honors requirements. Students must plan accordingly to ensure these prerequisites are successfully completed (and included in the 120 units toward the degree) prior to attempting the associated Major/Minor/Honors course requirements.
   
   Students completing a Major/Minor, Honors/Minor or Double Major combination must ensure they complete the requirements for both subject areas within 120 units, which may be difficult to do with certain combinations. Students are advised to consult with an Academic Advisor to ensure this requirement is met.
   
   Minors from outside of the Faculty of Science must include at least 24 units. At least 6 units in 300- or 400-level courses must be taken while registered in the Faculty of Science at the University of Alberta. Students are responsible for meeting both the Faculty of Science Minor requirements and any outside Faculty or department-specified course requirements.
   
   For regulations governing internal changes related to Major/Honors programs and/or subject areas, please see Faculty of Science Regulations .
    
6. Double-counted Courses: Some courses may be listed in the requirements for more than one Major/Minor/Honors subject area.

• There is no limit on how many 100- and 200-level courses can be double-counted in a Major/Minor, Honors/Minor, or Double Major combination.
• For a Major/Minor or Honors/Minor combination, 300- and 400-level courses cannot be double-counted. Requirements at the 300- and 400-level must be satisfied separately; a 300- or 400-level course required by both subject areas may be credited toward only one subject area and must be substituted by an approved 300- or 400-level course for the other subject area. Students must consult an Academic Advisor for approved course substitutions.
• For a Double Major, up to 6 units in 300- and 400-level courses can be double-counted. Any 300- or 400-level courses required by both subject areas beyond this 6 unit limit may be credited toward only one subject area and must be substituted by an approved 300- or 400-level course for the other subject area. Students must consult an Academic Advisor for approved course substitutions.

7. Science Courses: Successful completion of a minimum of 72 units in Science courses for credit to the degree. Students completing a Major or Honors in Planning, Mathematics and Economics, or Mathematics and Finance are only required to reach a minimum of 66 units in Science courses.
    
8. Senior Courses: Successful completion of a minimum of 78 units at the 200-level or higher (and therefore, a maximum of 42 units at the 100-level is permitted for credit to the degree). In addition, Major programs require the successful completion of a minimum of 36 units at the 300-level or higher and Honors programs require the successful completion of a minimum of 42 units at the 300-level or higher.

Subject Areas