Undergraduate Programs

Explores the chemistry of living organisms and the molecular basis for the changes occurring in living cells. Students obtain the education necessary to unravel the complex chemical reactions that occur in various life forms.

The programs in biological sciences allow students to develop an overview of several aspects of life. These programs permit students to tailor their program to aspects of the biological sciences that are not served by the other programs offered by the department.

Biological sciences students gain expertise in one of three areas of concentration: 

• Biodiversity and Conservation: There is global demand for understanding, preventing, and solving biodiversity and conservation crises from an informed scientific perspective. Graduates from this concentration will be prepared to make informed policy and conservation decisions about sustainable development and environmental change and explore solutions to the global biodiversity crisis.
   
• Biotechnology: Biotechnology integrates knowledge from the traditional disciplines of biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, and chemistry and focuses on applications to commercial biological products or services. Courses in the proposed Biotechnology concentration cover a range of topics, including business and entrepreneurship, data science, microbiology, engineering, pharmacology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genomics and bioinformatics.
   
• Genetics and Evolution: The Genetics and Evolution concentration focuses on the genetic principles that underlie molecular, cellular and developmental biology and on how evolutionary processes shape the diversity of life by acting on genetic variation. Students will develop a solid foundation in genetics and evolution and have the flexibility to select courses according to their interests.

CMMB provides students with a strong foundation in contemporary microbiology and cell biology, with particular emphasis on molecular mechanisms that regulate cell function.

Offers students a wide variety of plant biology courses, including courses in plant relationships (systematics), structure (morphology), function (physiology) and development, and in the emerging area of plant biotechnology and molecular biology. Students complete this program with a broad appreciation of plant biology.

Introduces students to structure (morphology), function (physiology) and relatedness (systematics) among different groups of animals. Advanced courses provide a broad perspective on comparative and integrative animal biology

Everything you hear, see, smell, taste, and touch involves chemistry and chemicals (matter). Chemistry is the study of matter and the chemical reactions between substances. As a central science, it's closely connected with biology, math and physics.

Computers are at the heart of our everyday lives, and computer science explores the full potential of what is possible with this technology. Computer Science Students gain expertise in one of nine areas of concentration: Computer Game Development, Computer Graphics, Human Computer Interactions, Information Security, Networks and Distributed Computing, Scientific Computation, Software Engineering, Theoretical Computer Science, or Visualization and Analytics. 

Computer Science concentrations:

• Computer Game Development
• Computer Graphics
• Human Computer Interactions
• Information Security
• Networks and Distributed Computing
• Scientific Computation
• Software Engineering
• Theoretical Computer Science
• Visualization and Analytics

Energy-intensive applications like AI and electric vehicles grow global energy needs each year. That means energy science is more important than ever to help ensure a sustainable energy future for everyone. 

The Environmental Science Program aims to produce graduates who can critically and objectively address potential or actual environmental issues. Students gain expertise in one of six areas of concentration: Biological sciences, Chemistry, Geography, Geoscience, Physics or Statistics.

Geologists study the history, composition, and physical aspects of our planet. The entire world is your laboratory - geology is the most outdoor-oriented discipline of the basic sciences.

Geophysics is the application of the laws and techniques of physics to uncover knowledge about the earth’s dynamic processes and subsurface structure. 

How is the premium rate for flood insurance calculated? Can an insurance company cover all of their claims? What is the value of a company’s pension commitments? Actuarial science is concerned with the construction of models and solutions for financial, business, and societal problems involving uncertain future events. During the course of your studies, much of your learning will occur while actively working on problems in class and during tutorials. By exploring the complicated world of financial risk, this degree will equip you with the fundamental and practical tools you’ll need to assess and forecast risk in order to make sound financial decisions.

The Mathematics major explores the various branches of mathematics and statistics and their applications in the real world. During the course of your studies, much of your learning will occur while actively working on problems in class, during tutorials and in take-home written assignments. You’ll learn mathematical and statistical fundamentals and gain exposure to a variety of modern subdisciplines of these subjects including abstract algebra, analysis, biostatistics, differential equations, geometry, logic, number theory, machine learning, probability and stochastic processes.

Note: This program is combined with a Bachelor of Education through Werklund School of Education. 

The emphasis of the general mathematics program is on the breadth of mathematical knowledge. Specifically, students in the general mathematics program have increased flexibility in selecting courses to meet their program requirements. This makes it highly attractive for students who wish to pursue another academic field of study to complement general mathematics.

The Mathematics major explores the various branches of mathematics and statistics and their applications in the real world. During the course of your studies, much of your learning will occur while actively working on problems in class, during tutorials and in take-home written assignments. You’ll learn mathematical and statistical fundamentals and gain exposure to a variety of modern subdisciplines of these subjects including abstract algebra, analysis, biostatistics, differential equations, geometry, logic, number theory, machine learning, probability and stochastic processes.

Astrophysics is the application of physics to the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. The goal of astrophysics is to understand and explain how astronomical objects and phenomena occur and work.

Physics is the study of laws that govern the behaviour and interaction of energy and matter. Physicists seek to understand fundamental phenomena through experiments, observation and mathematical models.

In the world around us, people look for patterns and stories in data. In data science, we explore methods from statistics and computing in combination what we know from other subject areas to better understand our data and how to interpret our findings.  We learn to handle data more efficiently, the possibilities and limits of data-centric techniques such as machine learning, and the ways in which our humanity affects how we collect, curate and present data and stories from our immediate contexts to the world.

The Bachelor of Science degree in natural sciences is an innovative, multidisciplinary program where students have unparalleled opportunity to tailor-make their undergraduate education. The Natural Sciences Program is for those who have a broad interest in science and wish to emphasize the fundamental importance of a multidisciplinary approach. Students gain substantial expertise in two concentrations and learn to communicate effectively with scientists in other fields. Our students have the knowledge to help solve multidisciplinary research problems and the skills to become an outstanding team member in any number of career disciplines.

Neuroscience is a rapidly expanding branch of the life sciences dealing with the form, function, development and evolution, disease and repair of nervous systems. Central to this is the desire to understand the molecular and cellular foundations of the behavioural processes that allow animals and humans to respond to challenges encountered in daily life. Advancing our knowledge of these topics is essential to meeting the challenges of various nervous system disorders threatening health and wellness. Our program is a vibrant, interdisciplinary program providing experiential learning, small class sizes, and opportunities for direct mentorship. Students will learn to think critically, synthesize concepts across scientific disciplines and master a variety of scientific techniques through research in laboratory and field course settings.

You can complement your major with a Science minor in the following areas: Actuarial Science, Astrophysics, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Data Science, Energy Science, Geology, Geophysics, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics.