Biology Program Notes

The Biology Department offers Honours and Specialization programs in Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology, Environmental and Sustainability Science, and Systems and Information Biology, as well as Major and Minor programs in Biology.
Students planning a career or graduate studies in the biological sciences normally follow the appropriate honours or specialization program.
The major program is designed for students who wish to study biology and either obtain a more general education or pursue an additional program in another discipline. The major program can be combined with a major in another department.
Students registered in the Honours in Biology, Specialization in Biology, or Major in Biology may select Biology electives in various subject areas in order to obtain a broad overview of the discipline. However, it is possible for students to pursue in‑depth studies in specific areas such as animal biology, plant biology, or microbiology and biotechnology.
The minor program can only be taken by students registered in another degree program and provides an opportunity to gain a basic exposure to the main sub‑disciplines of Biology or to pursue one such area in some depth.
Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of academic counselling services available in the Biology Department in order to select the program and courses that best meet their needs.
Students may transfer among programs after the first year of study since the core courses in all programs are quite similar.