Biological Science – Environmental Biology specialization

General information

The Environmental Biology specialization within the Biological Science program  prepares students for leadership roles in the environmental sector. The specialization combines disciplinary study in the natural sciences in the first two years of the program, followed by focused study in the last two years on the diversity of life from genomes to ecosystems in natural and human impacted environments.

In addition to the regular program, a co-op program is also available. Students in Environmental Biology interested in the co-op program, should contact the Faculty of Science Co-op Coordinator as early as the fall of their second year.

Admission requirements

Admission is competitive. The specific average or standing required for admission varies from year to year. Students are selected by taking into consideration a wide range of criteria including school marks, distribution of subjects taken, and performance in subjects relevant to the academic program. Possession of the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Preference will be given to applicants with the best qualifications.

Current Ontario secondary school students must complete the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with six 4U or 4M credits including English (ENG4U), Advanced Functions (MHF4U), and two of Biology (SBI4U), Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U), Chemistry (SCH4U), or Physics (SPH4U). In addition, a combined minimum 70 per cent average in math and science courses is required. It is recommended that all four MCV4U, SBI4U, SCH4U and SPH4U be taken. All other applicants should refer to admissions  for the requirements for their specific category of admission.

Program details and degree requirements

Although reasonable efforts will be made to adhere to the following program map, course requirements and term offerings may change.

Year 1 (30 credit hours)

• Elective*
• BIOL 1000U – Foundations in Bioscience
• BIOL 1010U – Biology I: Molecular and Cellular Systems
• BIOL 1020U – Biology II: Diversity of Life and Principles of Ecology
• CHEM 1010U – Chemistry I
• CHEM 1020U – Chemistry II
• CSCI 1040U – Introduction to Programming for Scientists
• MATH 1015U – Mathematics for Bioscience ++
• PHY 1030U – Introductory Physics +
• PHY 1040U – Physics for Biosciences

• 
  ++Students who wish to take upper-year physics courses must take MATH 1000U  or MATH 1010U , MATH 1020U , PHY 1010U  or PHY 1030U , and PHY 1020U . However, students who achieve a B standing or higher in PHY 1040U  will be permitted to proceed to higher-level physics courses. Students who wish to take upper-year mathematics courses must take MATH 1000U  or MATH 1010U , and MATH 1020U .

Year 2 (30 credit hours)

• Elective*
• BIOL 2010U – Human Physiology
• BIOL 2020U – Genetics and Molecular Biology
• BIOL 2030U – Cell Biology
• BIOL 2060U – Fundamentals of Microbiology
• BIOL 2080U – Biochemistry I
• CHEM 2020U – Introduction to Organic Chemistry
• CHEM 2130U – Analytical Chemistry for Biosciences
• ENVS 1000U – Environmental Science
• STAT 2020U – Statistics and Probability for Biological Science

Year 3 (30 credit hours)

• Three electives*
• BIOL 3020U – Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology
• BIOL 3610U – Comparative Zoology
• BIOL 3620U – Conservation Biology
• BIOL 3640U – Plant Biology
• BIOL 3660U – Ecology
• ENVS 3110U – Economics and Politics of the Environment
• STAT 3010U – Biostatistics

Year 4 (30 credit hours)

• Three electives*
• BIOL 4010U – Introduction to Environmental Research Methods
• BIOL 4020U – Introduction to Environmental Toxicology
• BIOL 4080U – Bioethics
• BIOL 4660U – Aquatic Ecology: Concepts and Environmental Applications
• CHEM 3050U – Environmental Chemistry

• One of:

• BIOL 4410U – Biology Thesis Project I ** or
• Senior Biology elective*
• BIOL 4420U – Biology Thesis Project II ^** or
• Senior Biology elective*

Note:

No more than 42 credit hours may be taken at the first-year level.

*Electives and breadth requirements

All students must complete 24 elective credit hours including at least one senior science elective. Students not accepted to take BIOL 4410U  and BIOL 4420U  must take an additional two senior biology electives for a total of 30 elective credit hours. A senior biology elective is defined as any 4000-level biology course not specified in the course map. 12 elective credit hours must be in courses offered by the Faculty of Science including the three credit hours in a senior science elective; the additional two senior Biology electives required for students who are not enrolled in thesis cannot be used to meet this requirement. 12 elective credit hours must be in courses outside the Faculty of Science.

**Thesis Project or Senior Biology electives

Students in clear academic standing who have completed 90 credit hours of their BIOL program and six third-year required courses may optionally apply to take a two-course sequence consisting of BIOL 4410U – Biology Thesis Project I and BIOL 4420U – Biology Thesis Project II. Students not accepted to take the thesis courses must complete two additional senior biology electives instead. A senior biology elective is defined as any 4000-level biology course not specified in the course map. A student meeting the above requirements who does not take BIOL 4410U and BIOL 4420U may optionally apply to take BIOL 4430U – Directed Studies in Biology as one of the required senior biology electives. Opportunities for the Thesis Project and Directed Studies options are limited; for either of these options, students must apply through Science Advising by March 30 following completion of the first three years of the program.