Science and Business Program Updates (2025)

The Faculty of Science and Business is proposing several updates to the program requirements across all Science and Business specializations.

Program Changes

These course substitutions will be applied to all Science and Business students if needed.

Course Substitutions

MATH 128 may be substituted with any course offered by the Faculty of Mathematics, excluding CS 100, MATH 103, MATH 104, and MTHEL courses.

If you choose to make a substitution, please email Luke Balch at luke.balch@uwaterloo.ca to confirm your selection so it can be recorded.

Examples of eligible substitutions include:
MATH 106, MATH 114, STAT 202, CS 105, CS 115
(Courses may be selected from ACTSC, AMATH, CO, CS, MATH, PMATH, or STAT subject areas.)

Program Electives

Program-approved electives will now be considered free electives meaning you can take any course to fulfill these requirements. You do not need to email your selection for these.

Specialization Changes

The following are the changes that affect the specific specializations in 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 requirement terms.

Program Updates: Science And Business, Unspecialized

Proposed Update:
Adjustment to the required Science elective units to align with the 2022-2023 calendar.

New Structure:

  • 8.0 units of Science courses from: BIOL, CHEM, EARTH, MNS, and PHYS

    • 2.0 units of lecture and lab courses listed below

    • 3.0 units at the 200-level

    • 2.5 units at the 300-level

    • 0.5 units at the 400-level

Program Updates: Science and Business, Biochemistry Specialization

Proposed Update:
Revision of required and elective Science units for alignment with the 2022-2023 calendar.

New Structure:

  • 21.0 total units, including:

    • 17.0 units of required courses

    • 1.0 unit of approved courses (free electives)

    • 1.0 unit of additional BIOL or CHEM or approved courses/free electives

    • 1.0 unit of additional BIOL courses (100- or 200-level)

    • 0.5 unit of additional CHEM courses (200-level)

    • 0.5 unit of elective courses

Plus, complete 5 of the following:

(each worth 0.5 units)

  • BIOL308 - Principles of Molecular Biology (0.50)
  • BIOL341 - Fundamentals of Immunology (0.50
  • BIOL342 - Molecular Biotechnology 1 (0.50)
  • BIOL345 - Microorganisms in Foods (0.50)
  • BIOL365 - Methods in Bioinformatics (0.50)
  • BIOL370 - Comparative Animal Physiology: Environmental Aspects (0.50)
  • BIOL371 - Comparative Animal Physiology: Evolutionary Themes (0.50)
  • BIOL403 - Developmental Biology and Embryology (0.50)
  • BIOL431 - Bacterial Molecular Genetics (0.50)
  • BIOL432 - Molecular Biotechnology 2 (0.50)
  • BIOL433 - Plant Biotechnology (0.50)
  • BIOL434 - Human Molecular Genetics (0.50)
  • BIOL439 - Environmental and Natural Products Biochemistry (0.50)
  • BIOL441 - Advances in Immunology (0.50)
  • BIOL442 - Virology (0.50)
  • BIOL447 - Environmental Microbiology (0.50)
  • CHEM430 - Special Topics in Biochemistry (0.50)
  • CHEM432 - Metabolism 2 (0.50)
  • CHEM433 - Advanced Biochemistry (0.50)
  • CHEM464 - Spectroscopy in Organic Chemistry (0.50)

Condition: One 0.5-unit BIOL or CHEM course must be at the 400-level.

Program Updates: Science And Business, Biotechnology Specialization

Proposed Update:

  • Removal of the condition that at least 1.5 units of chosen BIOL and CHEM courses must be at the 400-level.

    • This would align with the 2022-2023 calendar requirements.

Program Updates: Science and Business, Biology Specialization

Proposed Update:
Adjustment to the required BIOL units to align with 2022-2023 requirements.

New Structure:

  • 7.0 units of BIOL courses, including:

    • 3.0 units at the 100- or 200-level

    • 3.5 units at the 300- or 400-level

    • 0.5 units at the 400-level