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University of Alberta Calendar 2026-2027

Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors)

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

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:

Common Course Requirements

  1. Communication/Writing Courses: Successful completion of a minimum of 6 units in English (ENGL) or Writing Studies (WRS).
     
  2. Indigenous Course: Successful completion of a minimum of 3 units in a course(s) that focuses on themes such as Indigenous knowledge, ways of knowing, history, culture, languages, and/or contemporary issues.

    See the Indigenous Course List for Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors)  for eligible courses. Courses taken to fulfill Major/ Minor/Honors requirements, the Communication/Writing requirement, the Breadth from Outside the Faculty of Science requirement, or the Breadth from Within the Faculty of Science requirement, may also be used to satisfy the Indigenous Course requirement.
     
  3. 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 satisfy Major/Minor/Honors requirements may also be used to satisfy this breadth requirement.
 

  1. 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
  • Formal Sciences
  • Specialized Sciences

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 satisfy Major/Minor/Honors requirements may also be used to satisfy this breadth requirement.
 

  1. 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 satisfy 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 Requirements

  1. Major/Minor/Honors: Each Bachelor of Science student must select a subject area from the table below for either the BSc Honors or the BSc Major degree.
    Students may choose one of the following degree combinations:
  • BSc Major (no Minor)
  • BSc Major + Minor
  • BSc Double Major
  • BSc Honors (no Minor)
  • BSc Honors + Minor.

Subject areas may require specific courses as prerequisites that may not be listed in the requirements. These prerequisites must be considered when choosing options.

As per Provincial Government rules, all Bachelor of Science degrees must have 120 units. If a particular combination needs more than 120 units to complete, then the degree is not possible. Students may not take courses extra to their degree for the sole purpose of satisfying requirements for a particular combination. See Science Student Services for more options.

  1. Double-counted Courses: Courses may be listed as requirements for more than one subject area. Double-counting can fulfill a course requirement in more than one subject area of a degree program, but double-counted courses can only be counted towards the required number of units in one subject area and must be substituted with another course.
    1. Any course(s) can be used as a substitute course(s) when:
      1. Courses at the 100- and 200-level are required for more than one subject area in any Bachelor of Science degree.
      2. A Bachelor of Science Double Major degree uses 6 units at the 300- and/or 400-level in both Majors.
    2. Courses at the 300- or 400-level in the Subject Areas will be required as substitute courses when:
      1. A Bachelor of Science Double Major degree requires more than 6 units at the 300- and 400- level in both Majors.
      2. A Bachelor of Science degree with a Minor requires the same 300- and/or 400-level courses for both subject areas.

Students must consult an Academic Advisor for approved course substitutions.

  1. 300- and 400-level Courses:
    1. 300- and 400-level courses in the Degree:
      1. The Bachelor of Science (Major) program requires the successful completion of a minimum of 36 units at the 300- or 400-level, including at least 24 units taken at the University of Alberta.
      2. The Bachelor of Science with Honors program requires the successful completion of a minimum of 42 units at the 300- or 400-level, including at least 30 units taken at the University of Alberta.
    2. Courses for the Subject Areas:
      1. All required 400-level subject area courses must be taken at the University of Alberta.
      2. At most 6 units at the 300- or 400-level from another institution can be credited towards the subject area courses.
      3. A Minor subject area requires the successful completion of a minimum of 6 units at the 300- and/or 400-level taken at the University of Alberta.

Exceptions to this requirement for the purposes of Study Abroad  or equivalent must be approved by the Associate Dean, Undergraduate, or designate.

Science and Senior Level Course Requirements

  1. Science Courses: Successful completion of a minimum of 72 units in Science courses. Exceptions to this requirement are in place for students completing a Major or Honors in certain subject areas, as follows:
  • Honors in Planning: Successful completion of a minimum of 60 units in Science courses.
  • Major in Planning, Major or Honors in Mathematics and Economics, and Major in Mathematics and Finance: Successful completion of a minimum of 66 units in Science courses.
  1. 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).

Residence Requirement

A student transferring to the Faculty of Science’s Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors) program with advanced standing must complete at least 60 units applicable to the 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

Academic Standing and Graduation

  1. Continuation Requirements (also see Faculty of Science Regulations - Academic Standing ):
    Continuation in Bachelor of Science programs requires a minimum GPA in each preceding Fall/Winter:
    1. BSc Major - at least 2.0 GPA
    2. BSc Honors (except Neuroscience and Pharmacology) - at least 3.0 GPA
    3. BSc Honors Neuroscience and Pharmacology - at least 3.3 GPA
  2. Graduation Requirements (also see Faculty of Science Regulations - Graduation ):
    1. Students must meet the continuation requirements in their final Fall/Winter in order to graduate.
    2. Students require a minimum GPA on the last 60 units of course weight in courses with letter grades credited to the degree:
      1. BSc Major - at least 2.0 GPA
      2. BSc Honors (except Neuroscience and Pharmacology) - at least 3.0 GPA
      3. BSc Honors Neuroscience and Pharmacology - at least 3.3 GPA
    3. Students require a minimum Subject Area GPA in courses with letter grades credited to the degree:
      1. BSc Major - at least 2.3 GPA
      2. BSc Double Major - at least 2.3 GPA in each Major
      3. BSc Honors (except Neuroscience and Pharmacology) - at least 3.0 GPA
      4. BSc Honors Neuroscience and Pharmacology - at least 3.3 GPA

Note: If determination of the last 60 units of course weight in courses with letter grades requires consideration of one or more courses from a given term, then all work from that term is included in the calculation. Normally, only University of Alberta courses will be used in the calculation of the GPA for the last 60 units of course weight in courses with letter grades.

Declaring/Changing Subject Area(s)

Admission into certain subject areas is competitive and may require an application. Admission to the Minor in Business requires completion of a minimum of 24 units and is competitive. For details, see Faculty of Science Admission Requirements .

Declaring a Subject Area(s)

Declaring a subject area(s) varies according to the degree program.

  • Bachelor of Science Major students must declare a subject area(s) prior to accumulating 60 units.
  • Bachelor of Science with Honors students must declare a subject area upon application to the program.
  • Bachelor of Science students choosing to complete a Minor must declare a subject area prior to accumulating 75 units. 

Changing a Subject Area(s)

Changing a subject area(s) is processed through the Science Student Services Office. It is not normally permitted once 90 units have been accumulated towards the degree program. 

Transferring between the Major and Honors Programs

Students wishing to transfer from the Bachelor of Science Major program to the Bachelor of Science with Honors program, or vice versa, must submit an application.

Subject Areas

Subject Areas Offered by the Faculty of Science

Note: Not all subject area combinations are captured in the chart below. It is important to note that some areas of study cannot be combined as they require more than 120 units of course weight. Those combinations are therefore invalid. Please refer to the Faculty of Science degree page for information.

Subject Areas Offered by the Faculty of Science
Subject Area Available as Honors Available as Major Available as Minor Eligible for
Double Major		 Subject Area May Not Be Combined With
Applied Mathematics   Yes Yes No Yes Mathematics (Major or Minor)
Astrophysics   Yes Yes Yes Yes Geophysics (Minor), Physics (Honors, Major or Minor)
Biochemistry   Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A
Bioinformatics   No No Yes No N/A
Biological Sciences   Yes Yes Yes Yes EE&E Biology (Honors or Major), Integrative Physiology (Honors or Major), MC&D Biology (Honors or Major)
Cell Biology   Yes Yes No Yes N/A
Chemistry   Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A
Chemistry - Accredited Option   No Yes No Yes Chemistry (Minor)
Climate Dynamics   No No Yes No N/A
Computing Science   Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A
Computing Science - Artificial Intelligence Option   Yes Yes No No Computing Science (Minor)
Computing Science - Software Practice Option   Yes Yes No No Computing Science (Minor)
Data Science   Yes Yes No No Computing Science (Minor), Mathematics (Minor),  Statistics (Minor)
Data Science - Computing Option   Yes Yes No No Computing Science (Minor), Mathematics (Minor),  Statistics (Minor) 
Data Science - Mathematics Option   Yes Yes No No Computing Science (Minor), Mathematics (Minor),  Statistics (Minor) 
Data Science - Statistics Option   Yes Yes No No Computing Science (Minor), Mathematics (Minor),  Statistics (Minor) 
Earth Sciences   Yes Yes Yes Yes Environmental Earth Sciences (Honors or Major), Geology (Honors or Major)
Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (EE&E Biology)   Yes Yes No Yes Biological Sciences (Major or Minor), Integrative Physiology (Major), MC&D Biology (Major)
Environmental Earth Sciences   Yes Yes No No Earth Sciences (Minor)
Geology   Yes Yes No No Earth Sciences (Minor)
Geophysics   Yes Yes Yes No Astrophysics (Honors, Major or Minor), Physics (Honors, Major or Minor)
Immunology and Infection   Yes Yes No No Biological Sciences (Minor)
Integrative Physiology   Yes Yes No Yes Biological Sciences (Major or Minor), EE&E Biology (Major), MC&D Biology (Major)
Mathematical Physics   Yes Yes No No Astrophysics (Minor), Geophysics (Minor), Mathematics (Minor), Physics (Minor)
Mathematics   Yes Yes Yes Yes Applied Mathematics (Honors or Major)
Mathematics and Economics   Yes Yes No No Economics (Minor), Mathematics (Minor)
Mathematics and Finance   Yes Yes No No Business (Minor), Mathematics (Minor)
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MC&D Biology)   Yes Yes No Yes Biological Sciences (Major or Minor), EE&E Biology (Major), Integrative Physiology (Major)
Neuroscience   Yes Yes No No N/A
Paleontology   Yes Yes No No Biological Sciences (Minor), Earth Sciences (Minor)
Pharmacology   Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A
Physics   Yes Yes Yes Yes Astrophysics (Honors, Major or Minor), Geophysics (Honors, Major or Minor)
Physiology   Yes Yes No No N/A
Planning   Yes Yes No No Human Geography (Minor)
Psychology   Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A
Statistics   Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A

Minors Available from other Faculties

Some Major/Minor or Honors/Minor combinations cannot be completed within the 120 unit degree limit, and are therefore unavailable. Please visit the Faculty of Science website for details.