The Departments of Chemistry and Biology jointly offer a Specialized Honours (4-year) BSc degree in Biochemistry and, starting in 2017-18, will offer Honours Major, Double Major and Major-Minor degrees as well. There are also several other programs that combine different amounts of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biology.
Specialized Honours in Biochemistry
This program features courses with the BCHM designation which have cross-listed equivalents in either Biology, Chemistry or in both, and are thus fully transferable to other programs. Depending on course selection, the program has the equivalent of 32-41 CHEM credits and 47-56 BIOL credits. Students will get a strong foundation in both Chemistry and Biology but with predominance of biochemical topics beyond second year. Extensive laboratory exposure is included at all levels, and culminates with a Research Project course. As with all Chemistry degrees, the program requires first-year courses in Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science and, as with all Science degrees, General Education courses in Humanities and/or Social Sciences.
As explained below, there are other degree programs available that combine different amounts of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biology.
This degree is suitable for pursuits at the graduate level, as well as for entrance into professional schools in the health sector, law or business.
[More on suitability for graduate studies]
Honours Major in Biochemistry
Honours Double Major BSc with major in Biochemistry
Honours Major Minor BSc with major in Biochemistry
This program is very much like the Specialized Honours program but gives the student more elective freedom, an enhanced ability to complement the study of Biochemistry with courses in other disciplines. Students can take on a second science major (there are a few exclusions), or a minor in a large number of science and non-science disciplines, or students can take courses in several outside disciplines without committing to a second major or to a minor.
All of the required courses in this degree are entirely transferable to the Specialized Honours program, and vice versa.
Depending on course selection, the program has the equivalent of 27-39 CHEM credits and 39-51 BIOL credits. Students will get a strong foundation in both Chemistry and Biology but with predominance of biochemical topics beyond second year. Laboratory exposure is included in first- and second-year levels. As with all Chemistry or Biochemistry degrees, this program requires first-year courses in Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science and, as with all Science degrees, General Education courses in Humanities and/or Social Sciences.
As explained below, there are other degree programs available that combine different amounts of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biology.
This degree is suitable for pursuits at the graduate level, especially when additional laboratory courses are taken, as well as for entrance into professional schools in the health sector, law or business.
[More on suitability for graduate studies]
Alternative Programs
Students interested in biochemistry but not wishing a full degree in biochemistry have other choices.
They can instead choose to earn an Honours Double Major degree combining CHEM and BIOL, within which any amount of Biochemistry can be included, since Biochemistry courses can count toward the Chemistry major or the Biology major. This avenue provides more flexibility in course choices while still involving at least 36 BIOL credits.
For students wishing more emphasis in chemistry, alternative choices are the Pharmaceutical & Biological Chemistry stream, with 18 or more credits in BCHM/BIOL courses, or the Honours Major/Minor degree with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Biology, which requires 30 or more BCHM/BIOL credits. The requirements over the first two years of the Pharmaceutical & Biological Chemistry stream of the Specialized Honours Chemistry degree are nearly identical to those for the first two years of the Specialized Honours Biochemistry degree. The Major-Minor option allows more freedom in choosing courses. The first two years of the Honours Major degree are identical to those of the Specialized Honours BSc in Chemistry and virtually identical to those of the 3-year degree in order to facilitate transfers between them as students’ interests develop.
For students wishing less emphasis in Chemistry and more in Biology, there are several other choices. For instance, the Honours Major/Minor degree with a minor in Chemistry and a major in Biology requires 36 or more BIOL credits, some of which can be from courses in Biochemistry that are cross-listed to Biology courses, and only 30 credits in Chemistry, some of which can be from courses in Biochemistry that are cross-listed to Chemistry courses.
For even more flexibility. The Honours Major degree in Chemistry is a 4-year single-major degree that has the fewest specified Chemistry requirements, and therefore allows students to add courses in several disciplines, without committing to an additional 30-credit Minor or a 36+-credit Major in any one discipline. This degree is useful for students who are primarily interested in Chemistry, who are also interested in some Biology or Biochemistry, but who also want the freedom of exploring other disciplines. For instance, students preparing for entry into medicine and other health fields may also wish to take courses from Kinesiology & Health Science or Psychology, but may otherwise have difficulty fitting such choices within another Chemistry degree. This degree is also useful to develop several subjects for a teaching career. There are other degrees offered by the Department of Biology that require or that can be used to include various amounts of Chemistry.
Degree Requirements
The Department of Biology and the Department of Chemistry jointly offer Honours BSc programs in Biochemistry with core requirements as follows:
- 12 credits of eligible non-science General Education courses
- SC/MATH 1013 3.0 and 1014.0 3.0 (see Note 1)
- LE/EECS (formerly SC/CSE) 1520 3.0, or LE/EECS 1530 3.0, or LE/EECS 1540 3.0
- SC/PHYS 1011 3.0 & 1012 3.0, or SC/PHYS 1411 3.0 & 1412 3.0, or SC/PHYS 1421 3.0 & 1422 3.0 (see Note 2)
- SC/BIOL 1000 3.0 and SC/BIOL 1001 3.0 (or SC/BIOL 1010 6.0), SC/CHEM 1000 3.0 and SC/CHEM 1001 3.0
- SC/BCHM 2020 3.0 and SC/BCHM 2021 3.0 and SC/BIOL 2040 3.0 and SC/BIOL 2070 3.0 (or SC/BCHM 2020 4.0 and SC/BCHM 2021 4.0 and SC/BIOL 2040 4.0), SC/CHEM 2011 3.0, (SC/CHEM 2020 6.0 or) SC/CHEM 2020 3.0 and SC/CHEM 2021 3.0, and SC/CHEM 2030 3.0
- SC/BCHM 3010 3.00, SC/BCHM 3110 3.00, SC/BCHM 3130 3.00, SC/BCHM 3051 3.00 and SC/CHEM 3020 3.00.
Notes:
- Students transferring from another program with credit in other MATH courses may be wholly or partially exempted. For instance, transferring students with credit in MATH 1505 6.0, MATH 1506 3.0 and MATH 1507 3.0 may be exempted from MATH 1013 3.0 or from both MATH 1013 3.0 and MATH 1014 3.0, depending on the grade earned. Chemistry majors are not normally permitted to take MATH 1505 6.0, MATH 1506 3.0 and MATH 1507 3.0, and should in general not take MATH courses that are course credit exclusions of MATH 1013 3.0 or MATH 1014 3.0 except by permission from the Undergraduate Program Director.
- PHYS 1010 6.0, PHYS 1410 6.0 AND PHYS 1420 6.0 are also suitable Science Breadth Courses
Specialized Honours Biochemistry Program
- the program core, as specified above
- SC/BCHM 3140 4.00
- SC/BCHM 4000 8.00
- SC/BCHM 4050 3.00
- SC/BCHM 4290 4.00
- 9 credits from any other 3000/4000 level SC/BCHM, SC/BIOL or SC/CHEM courses
- additional elective credits, as required for an overall total of at least 120 credits.
To declare Specialized Honours in Biochemistry requires successful completion of at least 24 credits, a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.5 (B) over all science (SC) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 4.25 (C) over all courses completed.
To proceed in each year of the Specialized Honours in Biochemistry program requires a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.5 (B) over all science (SC) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted overall grade point average as specified in the Academic Standards section of the Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section.
To graduate in Specialized Honours in Biochemistry requires successful completion of all Faculty requirements and all required program courses, a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.50 (B) over all science (SC) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.00 (C+) over all courses completed.
Honours Major Biochemistry Program (starting Fall 2017)
- the program core, as specified above
- 12 credits from any other 4000-level SC/BCHM, SC/BIOL or SC/CHEM courses
- additional elective credits or credits satisfying a minor or second major at the 3000 or 4000 levels for a minimum total of 42 credits at the 3000 and 4000 levels
- additional elective credits or credits required by a minor or second major at any level, as required for an overall total of at least 120 credits.
To declare Honours in Biochemistry requires successful completion of at least 24 credits, a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.00 (C+) over all science (SC) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 4.25 (C) over all courses completed.
To proceed in each year of the Honours program in Biochemistry requires a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.00 (C+) over all science (SC) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted overall grade point average as specified in the Academic Standards section of the Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section.
To graduate in Honours in Biochemistry requires successful completion of all Faculty requirements and all required program courses, a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.00 (C+) over all science (SC) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.00 (C+) over all courses completed.
Honours Double Major Program (starting Fall 2017)
The Honours Major in Biochemistry may be combined with a major in a second science, other than Biology or Chemistry, by fulfilling the following requirements:
- the requirements of the Honours Major in Biochemistry
- the requirements for the second major, noting that some courses, in particular the General Education courses, specified for one Major will also satisfy some of the requirements of the second Major.
Some major subjects may specify more than the minimum 36 credits, such that the combined degree may require more than the minimum 120 credits required to graduate with an Honours degree.
To declare, proceed and graduate with an Honours Double Major BSc with a Major in Biochemistry, students must meet the standing requirements specified above for the Honours Major program. The second major may have more stringent requirements.
Honours Major Minor Program (starting Fall 2017)
The Honours Major in Biochemistry may be combined with a minor in a second subject, other than Biology or Chemistry, by fulfilling the following requirements:
- the requirements of the Honours Major in Biochemistry
- the requirements for the Minor, noting that some courses specified for one subject may also satisfy part of the requirements of the other subject.
Some minor subjects may specify more than the minimum 30 credits, such that the combined degree may require more than the minimum 120 credits required to graduate with an Honours degree.
To declare, proceed and graduate with an Honours Major Minor BSc with a Major in Biochemistry, students must meet the standing requirements specified above for the Honours Major program.