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University of Alberta Calendar 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors) - Effective Fall 2024
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Return to: Faculty of Science - Programs
Note:
The Bachelor of Science degree framework has undergone a major renewal. Starting Fall 2024 students will choose from two pathways, BSc (Major) versus BSc (Honors). The BSc General and BSc Specialization programs will be discontinued effective Fall 2024.
Students who entered a BSc General, BSc Specialization or BSc Honors program prior to Fall 2024 must complete all program requirements by April 30, 2029. Refer to the Calendar in effect at the time you were admitted or readmitted for the regulations governing the degree program requirements. It may be possible for some students to follow the program requirements and regulations governing the new Bachelor of Science degree program (as presented below); consult an Academic Advisor to discuss the possibility of transitioning between program pathways.
Please see Faculty of Science Admission Requirements for information regarding admission into the new Bachelor of Science degree program.
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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.
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:
- Communication/Writing Courses: Successful completion of a minimum of 6 units in English (ENGL) or Writing Studies (WRS).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 .
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Offered by the Faculty of Science:
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Honors |
Major |
Minor |
Eligible for
Double Major |
Minor & Double Major Exceptions |
Applied Mathematics |
X |
X |
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X |
May not be combined with Mathematics (Major or Minor) |
Astrophysics |
X |
X |
X |
X |
May not be combined with Geophysics (Minor), Physics (Honors, Major or Minor) |
Biochemistry |
X |
X |
X |
X |
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Bioinformatics - Biological Sciences Focus |
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X |
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May not be combined with Biological Sciences (Honors or Major), Cell Biology (Honors or Major), EE&E Biology (Honors or Major), Immunology and Infection (Honors or Major), Integrative Physiology (Honors or Major), MC&D Biology (Honors or Major), Pharmacology (Honors or Major), Physiology (Honors or Major) |
Bioinformatics - Computing Science Focus |
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X |
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May not be combined with Computing Science (Honors or Major), Computing Science - Artificial Intelligence Option (Honors or Major), Computing Science - Software Practice Option (Honors or Major) |
Biological Sciences |
X |
X |
X |
X |
May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Biological Sciences Focus (Minor), EE&E Biology (Honors or Major), Integrative Physiology (Honors or Major), MC&D Biology (Honors or Major) |
Cell Biology |
X |
X |
X |
X |
May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Biological Sciences Focus (Minor) |
Chemistry |
X |
X |
X |
X |
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Climate Dynamics |
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X |
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Computing Science |
X |
X |
X |
X |
May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Computing Science Focus (Minor) |
Computing Science - Artificial Intelligence Option |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Computing Science Focus (Minor), Computing Science (Minor) |
Computing Science - Software Practice Option |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Computing Science Focus (Minor), Computing Science (Minor) |
Earth Sciences |
X |
X |
X |
X |
May not be combined with Environmental Earth Sciences (Honors or Major), Geology (Honors or Major) |
Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (EE&E Biology) |
X |
X |
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X |
May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Biological Sciences Focus (Minor), Biological Sciences (Major or Minor), Integrative Physiology (Major), MC&D Biology (Major) |
Environmental Earth Sciences |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Earth Sciences (Minor) |
Geology |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Earth Sciences (Minor) |
Geophysics |
X |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Astrophysics (Honors, Major or Minor), Physics (Honors, Major or Minor) |
Immunology and Infection |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Biological Sciences Focus (Minor), Biological Sciences (Minor) |
Integrative Physiology |
X |
X |
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X |
May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Biological Sciences Focus (Minor), Biological Sciences (Major or Minor), EE&E Biology (Major), MC&D Biology (Major) |
Mathematical Physics |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Astrophysics (Minor), Geophysics (Minor), Mathematics (Minor), Physics (Minor) |
Mathematics |
X |
X |
X |
X |
May not be combined with Applied Mathematics (Honors or Major) |
Mathematics and Economics |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Economics (Minor), Mathematics (Minor) |
Mathematics and Finance |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Business (Minor), Mathematics (Minor) |
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MC&D Biology) |
X |
X |
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X |
May not be combined with Bioinformatics - Biological Sciences Focus (Minor), Biological Sciences (Major or Minor), EE&E Biology (Major), Integrative Physiology (Major) |
Neuroscience |
X |
X |
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Paleontology |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Biological Sciences (Minor), Earth Sciences (Minor) |
Pharmacology |
X |
X |
X |
X |
May not be combined with Bioinformatics – Biological Sciences Focus (Minor) |
Physics |
X |
X |
X |
X |
May not be combined with Astrophysics (Honors, Major or Minor), Geophysics (Honors, Major or Minor) |
Physiology |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Bioinformatics – Biological Sciences Focus (Minor) |
Planning |
X |
X |
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May not be combined with Human Geography (Minor) |
Psychology |
X |
X |
X |
X |
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Statistics |
X |
X |
X |
X |
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Subject Areas Available from other Faculties:
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Return to: Faculty of Science - Programs
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