Program Requirements
Notes on Course Requirements
- Biology 12 is normally required for entry into Major, Honours, General or Minor Programs. Students with Biology 11 only are required to take BIOL 150B to enter Majors, Honours or General Programs.
- Major and Honours students are expected to participate fully in all aspects of laboratory work including handling live and preserved organisms. Laboratory work using animals is reviewed annually by the UVic Animal Care Committee and complies with guidelines established by the Canadian Council on Animal Care. Students who are unwilling to use animals and plants for educational purposes will not normally be able to complete a Major or Honours Program. The General Program provides an alternative for students in such a position. Students who have ethical or health concerns that interfere with normal program requirements should write to the Chair of the Biology department. This should be done at least six weeks before the beginning of the term in which the course of concern is being offered.
- Students from outside the department of Biology wanting to take BIOL courses are encouraged to take BIOL 150A and B or BIOL 190A and B, and as many as possible of BIOL 215, 225 and 230. Students who wish to take upper-level courses should contact the undergraduate adviser or instructor to determine which core courses are most suitable as prerequisites.
- Students considering going on to professional schools (e.g., Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science) should include the Science, Math and English courses that are prerequisite to entry into these professional programs. Three units of PHYS are required for most first-year preprofessional programs. Students contemplating entry into Medicine after the third year should consult with the department.
- Students considering a teaching career are advised to consider the following programs:
- for Senior Secondary level: a BSc Major or Honours
- for Junior Secondary School and Elementary level: a BSc or BA General Program
- for teacher certification: consult the Faculty of Education.
- Because of the importance of biometrics in most biological work, students in Biology programs should consider taking additional STAT courses.
- Students may be required to meet part of the expenses involved in required field trips.
- The department does not offer supplemental examinations.
Notes on Biology Upper Level Electives 
Biology upper level electives should be chosen with the student’s full program in mind. Students cannot expect to be admitted to courses without the prerequisites.
Honours Program
Honours students complete the program of required courses shown below and the Biology electives as described for the Major, and in addition take BIOL 460 (1.0) and BIOL 499 (3.0) in their fourth year. Of the remaining 9 units to complete the 61 unit degree requirement, at least 3 units must be from an additional course(s) in Biology chosen in consultation with the department.
Any prospective Honours students should first discuss proposed thesis research with a faculty member and obtain the member’s consent to serve as thesis supervisor. The student should then apply to the departmental Honours Adviser for admission to the Honours Program before May 1 in the third year of studies. However, applications will be accepted up to the end of fall registration in the fourth year of studies. The completed thesis will be examined by a small committee including the supervisor. Applicants should have and maintain a GPA of at least 6.0 in all department courses.
A student who obtains a minimum GPA of 5.5 and a minimum grade of A- in BIOL 499, will receive an Honours in Biology. A student with a GPA of less than 5.5 will receive a Major in Biology, regardless of the grade obtained in BIOL 499. The submission date for the thesis is the last day of lectures.
Proficiency in more than one language is often required in graduate studies. Students planning graduate work are encouraged to elect one or two language courses.
Course Requirements
Honours Program
| Third Year |
| BIOL upper-level electives3 |
9.0 |
| Science electives2 |
3.0 |
| Electives |
3.0 |
| Total |
15.0 |
| Fourth Year |
| BIOL 460, 499A, 499B |
4.0 |
| BIOL upper-level electives3 |
6.0 |
| Electives |
6.0 |
| Total |
16.0 |
| Total units |
61.0 |
Major Program
| Third Year |
| BIOL upper-level electives3 |
9.0 |
| Science electives2 |
3.0 |
| Electives |
3.0 |
| Total |
15.0 |
| Fourth Year |
| BIOL upper-level electives3 |
6.0 |
| Electives |
9.0 |
| Total |
15.0 |
| Total units |
60.0 |
General and Minor Programs
BSc
| Second Year |
| BIOL 215 or 225 |
1.5 |
| Electives |
13.5 |
| Total |
15.0 |
| Third and Fourth Year |
| BIOL 200-level or above |
1.5 |
| BIOL upper-level electives3 |
9.0 |
| Electives4 |
19.5 |
| Total |
30.0 |
| Total units |
60.0 |
BA
| Second Year |
| BIOL 215 or 225 |
1.5 |
| Electives |
13.5 |
| Total |
15.0 |
| Third and Fourth Year |
| BIOL 200-level or above |
1.5 |
| BIOL upper-level electives3 |
9.0 |
| Electives4 |
19.5 |
| Total |
30.0 |
| Total units |
60.0 |
1. BIOC 300A or 300B may be used to fulfill the Biochemistry requirement in Biology programs; however, BIOC 299 is a prerequisite for some 300-level BIOL courses.
2. Science electives are courses at any level offered by the Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Physics and Astronomy, or the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences. Only one of EOS 350, 360, 370 may be taken for credit as a science elective.
3. Students are encouraged to seek advice regarding program requirements and prerequisites from an Undergraduate Adviser. MRNE courses are considered upper-level biology courses.
4. The 19.5 units of electives in third and fourth years must include 9 units of 300-level or above in second area of concentration for the General Program.
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