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.
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.
The Bachelor of Science (Major and Honors) degree requires the successful completion of 120 units including the following:
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.
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.
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.
Exceptions to this requirement for the purposes of Study Abroad or equivalent must be approved by the Associate Dean, Undergraduate, or designate.
Exceptions to this requirement for the purposes of Study Abroad or equivalent must be approved by the Associate Dean, Undergraduate, or designate.
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
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.
Students in the Bachelor of Science program whose Major subject area is Undeclared must declare their Major subject area (and second Major subject area, if applicable) prior to accumulating 60 units towards their program. Students may have their second Major subject area removed prior to graduation.
Changing a Major subject area is not normally permitted once 90 units have been accumulated towards the degree program.
Admission into certain Major subject areas is competitive and may require an application.
Changing an Honors subject area is not normally permitted once 90 units have been accumulated towards the degree program.
Admission into certain Honors subject areas is competitive and may require an application.
Students choosing to complete a Minor must declare their Minor subject area prior to accumulating 75 units towards their program. Students may have their Minor subject area removed prior to graduation.
Changing a Minor subject area is not normally permitted once 90 units have been accumulated towards the degree program.
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 .
Students wishing to transfer from the Bachelor of Science program to the Bachelor of Science with Honors program, or vice versa, must submit an application.
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 | Yes | 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) |
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 |
Effective September 2019, there will be no further admissions into the Bachelor of Science with Honors in Atmospheric Sciences. Students who entered this program prior to September 2019 must complete all program requirements by April 2026. Refer to the Calendar in effect at the time you were admitted or readmitted for the regulations governing the degree program requirements. The last Bachelor of Science with Honors in Atmospheric Sciences will be granted Spring Convocation 2026.