Courses for your Science and Business degree

First-year courses and beyond

Programs/majors in the Faculty of Science start right in first year. To select your program with confidence, here’s some handy info to get you started.

What is the balance of science and business courses in the program?

There is about a 50/50 split between both science and business courses! This allows you to explore both disciplines and tailor your degree to courses that interest you. You can specialize your degree in either biology, biochemistry, or biotechnology, or even remain unspecialized. On the business side, you can take courses such as economics, accounting, finance, human resources management, business law, marketing, and more.

September to December

AFM 131 – Introduction to Business in North America
CHEM 120/120L – General Chemistry 1/Laboratory
MATH 127 – Calculus 1 for the Sciences
SCBUS 123 – Workshop 1: Science and Business

Plus one course from

100-level or 200-level Biology course
EARTH 121/121L – Introductory Earth Sciences/Laboratory
PHYS 111/111L – Physics 1/Laboratory
PHYS 121/121L – Mechanics/Laboratory

January to April

CHEM 123/123L – General Chemistry 2/Laboratory
ECON 101 – Introduction to Microeconomics
SCBUS 122 – Management of Business Organizations
ENGL 193/COMMST 193 – Communication in the Sciences

Plus one course from

100-level or 200-level Biology course
EARTH 122/122L – Introductory Environmental Sciences/Laboratory
PHYS 112/112L – Physics 2/Laboratory
PHYS 122/122L – Waves, Electricity and Magnetism/Laboratory

This a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.

After first year

Most of the classes you’ll take will be in subjects offered by the Faculty of Science along with some Economics and Accounting and Financial Management courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.

View a list of all the courses required for your degree.

Sample upper-year courses

AFM 231 – Business law
BIOL 239 – Genetics
SCBUS 223 – Workshop 2: Strategies Behind Technological Innovation
SCBUS 323 – Workshop 3: Technology Development

Types of courses you'll take

39% science electives, 5% math, 15% science and business workshops, 12% economics, 5% chemistry, 10% accounting and financial management, 12% other, 2% free electives

This is a general guideline. The ratio of courses may change slightly from year to year.

Skills you'll develop with this major

Business strategy
Public speaking
Conflict resolution
Leadership
Critical thinking

This isn't an exhaustive list – rather a glimpse into the skills a Science and Business major can provide.

Your experience will be unique, and the skills you develop will depend on your goals; which courses you take; and your involvement with any clubs, jobs, or research projects.

Advisors are here to help

With so much flexibility, you might have a lot of questions. We're here to help! If you're applying for admission, contact our Faculty of Science recruitment co-ordinator.

Once you're a Waterloo student, you'll have access to academic advisors who can help you