Note: This is the 2013–2014 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
Academic Programs
What is a Major Program?
A major is a versatile, comprehensive primary area of study. Most major programs require about two-thirds of your total credits. With the remaining credits, you can choose electives, or you may want to use those additional credits to take a minor, which can be chosen from a wide variety of areas both within and outside Science.
What is an Honours Program?
Honours programs typically involve an even higher degree of specialization than majors, include supervised research, and require students to maintain a high academic standard. An honours program provides solid preparation for graduate school. With an honours program, you will have fewer elective credits.
What is a B.Sc. Liberal Program?
This is a flexible and modular program. You combine a core science component (CSC) in a Science discipline with a breadth component, which may be a minor from a wide variety of areas, a major concentration from the Faculty of Arts, or a second CSC from any group in Science. Consider the Liberal program if you do not want to overly specialize—plus, you will still have room left over for elective courses.
What about Joint Programs?
The Faculty of Science also has quite a few joint programs. These programs combine two different disciplines, which allow you to gain expertise in two fields.
What about Interdisciplinary Programs?
There are many ways to create interdisciplinary programs in the Faculty of Science. You can add a minor to a major or honours program, you can take a liberal program that contains both a core science component and a breadth component, or you can select an explicit interdisciplinary major. The Faculty of Science offers three such interdisciplinary programs: Earth System Science, Environment, and Neuroscience.