Program Requirements
Students who need 97-120 credits to complete their degree requirements will normally be registered in the Science Freshman/Foundation Year until they complete their first year. They must consult an adviser in the Science Office for Undergraduate Student Advising (SOUSA) to obtain advice and approval of their course selection.
Full details are available on the SOUSA website at . Academic advising is also available by email. The address is newstudentadvising.science [at] mcgill.ca.
Students normally complete 30 credits which must include at least seven courses from the list of Approved Freshman/Foundation Year Science Courses, selected as follows:
General Math and Science Breadth
Six of the Freshman/Foundation Year courses to satisfy one of the following:
Option 1) 2 courses from MATH and 4 courses from BIOL, CHEM or PHYS;
or
Option 2) 3 courses from MATH and 3 courses from BIOL, CHEM or PHYS.
Science Complementary
The seventh course is chosen from the list of Approved Freshman/Foundation Year Science Courses.
Notes:
1. Students who have not studied all of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at the grade 12 level or equivalent are strongly advised to include at least one course in the missing discipline in their Freshman/Foundation Year.
2. Many students will complete more than seven courses from the Approved Freshman/Foundation Year Science Courses list, particularly those who wish to leave several options open for their choice of major.
3. Students entering the Freshman/Foundation Year should be aware of the department specific requirements when selecting their courses. Detailed advising information is available at .
4. The maximum number of courses per term, required, complementary, and elective, is five.
5. Some medical and dental schools have specific freshman course requirements. Check the admission requirements of the school(s) to which you intend to apply.
List of approved Freshman/Foundation Year Science Courses
Select the approved courses according to the instructions above.
-
ATOC 100 Extreme-Weather and Climate-Change Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : This course will provide an overview of extreme weather and climate phenomena, using calculus-based mathematical and physical principles. It will examine the physics and dynamics associated with extreme weather and climate phenomena, including blizzards, heat waves, cold waves, ice storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes. The atmospheric and oceanic observing system will be used to quantify the structure and mechanisms of extreme weather and climate events. The physics of climate change will be interpreted through the natural and anthropogenic changes to Earth's radiation and energy balances. An introduction to climate models (both simple and complex) will illustrate the concepts of forcing, feedbacks, and climate sensitivity, and provide the foundation for understanding future changes in extreme weather.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
-
BIOL 111 Principles: Organismal Biology (3 credits)
Overview
Biology (Sci) : An introduction to the phylogeny, structure, function and adaptation of unicellular organisms, plants and animals in the biosphere.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Hargreaves, Anna; L'Heureux, Anne-Marie; Shapiro, Benjamin Jesse; Hendry, Andrew; Cristescu, Elena (Fall)
Fall
2 hours lecture and 2 hours laboratory
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UK or equivalent; or BIOL 115.
This course serves as an alternative to CEGEP objective code 00UK
Labs are held weekly, starting from the second week of term. Attendance at the first lab is mandatory to confirm registration in the course.
-
BIOL 112 Cell and Molecular Biology (3 credits)
Overview
Biology (Sci) : The cell: ultrastructure, division, chemical constituents and reactions. Bioenergetics: photosynthesis and respiration. Principles of genetics, the molecular basis of inheritance and biotechnology.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Dent, Joseph Alan; L'Heureux, Anne-Marie; Schöck, Frieder (Winter)
Winter
2 hours lecture and 3 hours laboratory
Labs are held weekly, starting from the second week of term. Attendance at the first lab is mandatory to confirm registration in the course.
This course serves as an alternative to CEGEP objective code 00XU
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking CEGEP objective 00XU or equivalent;or BIOL 115; or AEBI 122
-
CHEM 110 General Chemistry 1 (4 credits)
Overview
Chemistry : A study of the fundamental principles of atomic structure, radiation and nuclear chemistry, valence theory, coordination chemistry, and the periodic table.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Sirjoosingh, Pallavi; Kakkar, Ashok K; McKeague, Maureen; Denisova, Irina (Fall)
Fall
Prerequisites/corequisites: College level mathematics and physics or permission of instructor; CHEM 120 is not a prerequisite
Each lab section is limited enrolment
-
CHEM 120 General Chemistry 2 (4 credits) *
Overview
Chemistry : A study of the fundamental principles of physical chemistry.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sirjoosingh, Pallavi; Sewall, Samuel Lewis; Wiseman, Paul; Denisova, Irina (Winter)
Winter
Prerequisites/corequisites: College level mathematics and physics, or permission of instructor: CHEM 110 is not a prerequisite
Each lab section is limited enrolment
-
COMP 202 Foundations of Programming (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Introduction to computer programming in a high level language: variables, expressions, primitive types, methods, conditionals, loops. Introduction to algorithms, data structures (arrays, strings), modular software design, libraries, file input/output, debugging, exception handling. Selected topics.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: M'hiri, Faten (Fall) M'hiri, Faten (Winter)
3 hours
Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 204, COMP 208, or GEOG 333; not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 206 or COMP 250.
COMP 202 is intended as a general introductory course, while COMP 204 is intended for students in life sciences, and COMP 208 is intended for students in physical sciences and engineering.
To take COMP 202, students should have a solid understanding of pre-calculus fundamentals such as polynomial, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions.
-
ESYS 104 The Earth System (3 credits)
Overview
Earth System Science : Earth system science examines the complex interactions among the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere. It focuses on physical, chemical, and biological processes that extend over spatial scales ranging from microns to the size of planetary orbits, and spans time scales from fractions of a second to billions of years.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Minarik, William (Winter)
Winter
3 hours lecture
-
GEOG 205 Global Change: Past, Present and Future (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An examination of global change, from the Quaternary Period to the present day involving changes in the physical geography of specific areas. Issues such as climatic change and land degradation will be discussed, with speculations on future environments.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Chmura, Gail L (Winter)
Winter
3 hours
-
MATH 133 Linear Algebra and Geometry (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Systems of linear equations, matrices, inverses, determinants; geometric vectors in three dimensions, dot product, cross product, lines and planes; introduction to vector spaces, linear dependence and independence, bases. Linear transformations. Eigenvalues and diagonalization.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Macdonald, Jeremy; Ayala, Miguel; Branchereau, Romain; Giard, Antoine (Fall)
3 hours lecture, 1 hour tutorial
Prerequisite: a course in functions
Restriction(s): 1) Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UQ or equivalent. 2) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 123, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
-
PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
Overview
Psychology : Introduction to the scientific study of mind and behavior, including basic concepts and methods in psychology while also highlighting the relevance of psychology to everyday life; attachment, aggression, depression, parenting and personality change.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Tchalova, Kristina (Fall)
Fall
2 lectures; 1 conference
Restriction: Not open to students who have passed an Introductory Psychology course in CEGEP: 350-101 or 350-102 or equivalent
* CHEM 120 is not open to students who have taken CHEM 115.
First calculus course, one of:
-
MATH 139 Calculus 1 with Precalculus (4 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of trigonometry and other Precalculus topics. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Mazakian, Hovsep; Trudeau, Sidney (Fall)
Fall
4 hours lecture, 1 hour tutorial
Prerequisite: a course in functions
Restriction: 1) Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UN or equivalent.2) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 140 or MATH 150. 3) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Students continue in MATH 141
Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
-
MATH 140 Calculus 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of functions and graphs. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Sabok, Marcin; Trudeau, Sidney; Kalmykov, Artem (Fall)
3 hours lecture, 1 hour tutorial
Prerequisite: High School Calculus
Restriction(s): 1) Not open to students who have taken MATH139 or MATH 150 or CEGEP objective 00UN or equivalent. 2) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
-
MATH 150 Calculus A (4 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Functions, limits and continuity, differentiation, L'Hospital's rule, applications, Taylor polynomials, parametric curves, functions of several variables.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Kelome, Djivede (Fall)
Fall
3 hours lecture, 2 hours tutorial
Students with no prior exposure to vector geometry are advised to take MATH 133 concurrently. Intended for students with high school calculus who have not received six advanced placement credits
Restriction(s): 1) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 139 or MATH 140 or CEGEP objective 00UN or equivalent. 2) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122,except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
MATH 150 and MATH 151 cover the material of MATH 139, MATH 140, MATH 141, MATH 222
Second calculus course, one of:
-
MATH 141 Calculus 2 (4 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : The definite integral. Techniques of integration. Applications. Introduction to sequences and series.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Hassan, Hazem; Trudeau, Sidney; Zlotchevski, Andrei (Fall) Trudeau, Sidney (Winter)
Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UP or equivalent.
Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122,except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
-
MATH 151 Calculus B (4 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Integration, methods and applications, infinite sequences and series, power series, arc length and curvature, multiple integration.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Roth, Charles (Winter)
Winter
3 hours lecture; 2 hours tutorial
Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
Prerequisite: MATH 150
Restriction(s): 1) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 141 or CEGEP objective 00UP or equivalent. 2) Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122, except by permission of the Department of Mathematic sand Statistics.
First physics course, one of:
-
PHYS 101 Introductory Physics - Mechanics (4 credits)
Overview
Physics : An introductory course in physics without calculus, covering mechanics (kinematics, dynamics, energy, and rotational motion), oscillations and waves, sound, light, and wave optics.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Caron-Huot, Simon (Fall)
Fall
3 hours lectures; 2 hours laboratory; tutorial sessions
Restriction: Not open to students taking or having taken PHYS 131, CEGEP objective 00UR or equivalent
Laboratory sections have limited enrolment
-
PHYS 131 Mechanics and Waves (4 credits)
Overview
Physics : The basic laws and principles of Newtonian mechanics; oscillations, waves, and wave optics.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ragan, Kenneth J (Fall)
Fall
3 hours lectures; 1 hour tutorial, 3 hours laboratory in alternate weeks; tutorial sessions
Corequisite: MATH 139 or higher level calculus course.
Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking PHYS 101, or who have taken CEGEP objective 00UR or equivalent.
Laboratory sections have limited enrolment
Second physics course, one of:
-
PHYS 102 Introductory Physics - Electromagnetism (4 credits)
Overview
Physics : Electric field and potential. D.C. circuits and measurements. Capacitance. Magnetic field and induction. Electromagnetic waves and geometrical optics.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Provatas, Nikolaos (Winter)
-
PHYS 142 Electromagnetism and Optics (4 credits)
Overview
Physics : The basic laws of electricity and magnetism; geometrical optics.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Guo, Hong (Winter)
Winter
3 hours lectures, 3 hours laboratory in alternate weeks; tutorial sessions
Prerequisite: PHYS 131.
Corequisite: MATH 141 or higher level calculus course.
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking PHYS 102, or who have taken CEGEP objective 00US or equivalent.
Laboratory sections have limited enrolment
Electives
Students wishing to take elective courses may choose them from introductory courses offered by departments in the Faculties of Science or of Arts. A list of recommended courses is found at . Certain courses offered by other faculties may also be taken, but some restrictions apply. Consult the SOUSA website at for more information about taking courses from other faculties.
