Honours Science

Craft your own Bachelor of Science degree

With so many different sciences to love, why limit yourself? Honours Science at Waterloo lets you keep your interests broad.

Take a range of courses in chemistry, biology, physics, earth sciences, and more in the most flexible program within the Faculty of Science. Because you don’t have to commit to a specific discipline, more than half of your Science courses are electives. In addition, you also have space to take courses from other faculties or departments across the university.

An Honours Science degree is an excellent foundation for many science-related careers. It also makes it easy to meet the requirements for professional programs such as medicine, dentistry, optometry, and more.

What courses will you take in Honours Science?

First-year courses

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.

September to December

Choose two courses from
- 100-level or 200-level BIOL course with associated labs (excluding BIOL 225, and BIOL 280)
- CHEM 120/120L – General Chemistry 1/ Laboratory
- EARTH 121/121L – Introductory Earth Sciences/ Laboratory
- PHYS 111/111L – Physics 1/ Laboratory
One Mathematics elective
Two electives

January to April

Choose two courses from
- 100-level or 200-level BIOL course with associated labs (excluding BIOL 225, and BIOL 280)
- CHEM 123/123L – General Chemistry 2/ Laboratory
- EARTH 122/122L – Introductory Environmental Sciences/ Laboratory
- PHYS 112/112L – Physics 2/ Laboratory
One Mathematics elective
ENGL 193/COMMST 193 – Communication in the Sciences
One elective

This is 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. 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.

Customize your Honours Science degree

You can add additional areas of expertise to your degree by including one or more of the minors available to all Waterloo students, or our Bioinformatics Option.

In fact, most of our Honours Science graduates complete their program with at least one minor, often two. Popular areas of focus include biology, psychology, and chemistry.

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Faculty:
Faculty of Science

Degree:
Bachelor of Science in Honours Science

Available as a co-op program?
No

Available as a regular program?
Yes

Available as a minor?
No

Choose your own courses. In Waterloo’s most flexible science program, you get to customize your degree based on your interests in science and other areas of study.

Excellent preparation for health professions. Honours Science is a recommended major for preparing for our Pharmacy and Optometry programs.

What can I do with a degree in Honours Science?

With its flexible course selection, Honours Science leads to a wide variety of careers in health care and research, education, energy and oil, pharmaceuticals, environmental science and research, insurance, agriculture and food, and natural resources.

Sample graduates

Teacher — Halton District School Board
Cardiac Ethnographer — University Health Network
Coordinator Forests Without Borders — The Canadian Ecology Centre
Environment, Health Safety Advisor — Suncor Energy Products Inc.
Food Processing Specialist — Maple Leaf Consumer Foods
Industrial Hygienist — Petro-Canada
Lab Technologist — Stratford General Hospital

Learn about the future of careers in science.

Tuition fees for programs in the Faculty of Science

First-year tuition

Type of fees	Tuition (8 months of school)
Domestic (Ontario residents)	$9,000
Domestic (Out of province students)	$9,000
International (visa students)	$52,000

Estimated amounts listed include incidental fees. Fees based on 2024-25 tuition rates.
Visit our financing page to learn about scholarships, estimate your total expenses, and see how co-op can help pay for your education.

"The best thing about Waterloo is the high-quality education. Every class I’ve taken has been amazing. The professors are passionate about their fields and helping students. My peers are curious and driven, which has encouraged me to do my best and grow." Lindsay, Honours Science student (minors in Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology)

"Honours Science really allows you to personalize your own degree and work at your own pace. It’s so flexible you can take anything — from mythology to languages — while you gain skills and knowledge in the sciences you love. " Maggie, Honours Science student

Admission requirements

Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including

English (ENG4U) (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
Advanced Functions (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
Calculus and Vectors (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
Two of Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Mathematics of Data Management, and Physics

Admission averages: Low 80s

Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements.

How to apply?

Apply directly to this program on your application.

Related programs

Monthly topics include how to choose a university program, what it's like to be a Waterloo student, and more.

Contact a Science student ambassador to learn about their experience.

Ask them questions such as why they chose their program, what the classes are like, and how you can get involved on campus.

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Questions about courses, programs, requirements, or careers?

Please contact our Faculty of Science recruitment team who can answer any questions you have.