Life Physics

Rocket science, meet medical science

A student in the Life Physics program at the University of Waterloo.

If you enjoy biology and physics and want a career in medical technology or health research, Life Physics at Waterloo is for you.

Run by the Department of Physics and Astronomy — one of the largest and most innovative physics departments in Canada — this flexible and interdisciplinary program is based on a solid foundation of physics, chemistry, and biology. Not to mention that students have the opportunity to gain paid work experience through their co-op work terms.

You’ll enjoy small classes, hands-on labs, and the opportunity to get involved in research and teaching.

Join a program that fosters curious minds to question the smallest particles, the largest forces, and everything in between. Be part of a community that includes Nobel Prize laureate professor Donna Strickland and professor Avery Broderick, part of the team to take the first image of a black hole.

Program highlights

Learn from top researchers. Get the scoop on the latest research in the physics seminar, which brings together all Waterloo physics students for talks from top scientists.
Make friends for life. Plan to live in residence? Join a Science Academic Cluster to connect with students who share your passion (and get study support).

Available as a regular or co-op program
Graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Life Physics
Offered by the Faculty of Science

Person taking a pulse reading.

What will you learn?

First-year courses

In your first year, you'll take a mixture of Physics, Biology, Mathematics, and Chemistry courses to give you the foundations for your upper-year classes. After first year, most of your classes will be Physics courses with some Biology courses.

Learn more about courses you'll take for your Life Physics degree.

Customize your degree

You can add additional areas of interest and expertise by including one of the minors available to all Waterloo students or a specialization as part of your degree.

Get tips from Waterloo students

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

Questions? Ask a student!

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.

What's the difference between the Medical Physics and Biophysics specializations?

Each specialization has set course requirements which must be completed in addition to the core Life Physics requirements. Biophysics looks to understand biological systems using physical concepts, for example, studying how muscles work and the physics behind muscle movement and growth. This specialization is strongly rooted in math and physics, and includes both theoretical and experimental ideas.

In contrast, medical physics is the practical application of physics to the human body and includes x-rays, radiation therapy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasounds, computed tomography, and nuclear medicine. You can learn more about medical physics and career options on the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists website.

Co-op = relevant paid work experience

By alternating school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout your degree, you can explore new career areas and types of employers as your career interests evolve.

Sample co-op job titles

Medical device design assistant
Ultrasound image reconstruction specialist
X-ray diffraction technologist
Science and math peer tutor
Undergraduate research assistant
Quality assurance analyst

Sample co-op employers

National Research Council of Canada
TRIUMF particle accelerator centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
CERN - European Organization for Nuclear Research
SNOLAB neutrino and dark matter physics lab
Antibody Healthcare Communications

What can you do with a degree in Life Physics?

Life Physics is a uniquely interdisciplinary degree, which gives you a great deal of flexibility depending on which electives you choose. You could pursue professional programs such as medicine or optometry or work in fields such as radiation oncology and medical imaging. You could specialize as a health physics technician in industries, or as a medical physicist or medical imaging technician in hospitals. You could also go on to do research related to biology, physics, or both.

You can learn more about medical physics and career options on the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists website.

Possible careers for graduates

Senior Scientist, Drug Discovery - Merck Canada
Medical Physicist - Cancer Centres
Health and Safety Officer - Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Customer Support, Scientific Instrumentation - Olympus
Product Developer - Christie Medical

"Co-op completely changed my career goals, and I'm so thankful. It taught me that I do have the ability to do research – and that I could be happy working in industry. Without co-op, I wouldn't have known which field to pursue after graduation."Amber, fourth-year Life Physics student (specialization in Medical Physics)

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, or Physics

Admission averages: Low 80s

Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements.

How to apply

Apply to Physical Sciences and select Life Physics as your major in first year.

Connect with us

Questions about courses, programs, requirements, or careers?

Please contact Katelyn, our Science recruitment coordinator who can answer any questions you have.

Katelyn Doerbecker