Entry to the Biology Majors Program is competitive and based on academic standing.

To be considered for admission to the program students must have successfully completed Biology 1001/1002 with an average of at least 65%. In addition, applicants will normally have successfully completed the following courses (or their equivalents) and must have a minimum overall average of 60% in these courses.

1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses.

2. Mathematics 1090 and Mathematics 1000 (or Mathematics 109A/B and Mathematics 1000, or Mathematics 1000 only)

3. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or 1200 and 1001, or 1010 and the former 1011) (or Physics 1020/1021 (or equivalent)

4. If Mathematics 1000 taken, any one other first year course.

Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or 1200 and 1001) should be taken in the first year, as it is a prerequisite for other required courses in the programs, and delaying chemistry until second year may make it difficult to complete the program in the normal eight semesters.

A minor in Biology will consist of 24 credit hours in Biology courses: 1001 and 1002 (or equivalent) plus any 18 credit hours chosen from the list of Biology courses except Biology 2040, 2041, 2120, 3053, and 3820. The choice of courses must be made in consultation with the Academic Program Officer and it is recommended (but not required) that students take at least two Biology courses at the 3000 level or above.

Each Major is assigned an academic advisor who should be consulted on academic problems, including course selection.

All students majoring in Biology are required to complete a minimum of 45 credit hours in courses from the Department of Biology offering. Those 45 credit hours must include: Biology 1001 and 1002 or their equivalents; the 15 credit hours in core courses listed below; and 24 credit hours in Biology electives at the 2000, 3000 or 4000 level except Biology 2040, 2041, 2120, 3053, and 3820.

Biology Core (15 credit hours): Biology 2060, 2250, 2600, 2900, plus one of Biology 3401, 3402, or 4404.

A maximum of half of all Biology electives can be Biology courses with no associated laboratory/seminar (i.e., courses that have 3 contact hours/week).

All majors must also successfully complete the following courses or their equivalents:

1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses

2. Physics 1020 and 1021 (or equivalent)

3. Mathematics 1000

4. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or 1200 and 1001, or 1010 and the former 1011), and Chemistry 2400

5. Statistics 2550 or any of the courses listed in the credit restrictions of Statistics 2550

6. Human Biosciences 2001 or the former Biochemistry 2101 or 2201, and Human Biosciences 2003 or the former Biochemistry 3106 or 3206

7. Extra Science courses as necessary to fulfil the requirement for 78 credit hours in Science as stipulated under Electives in the Degree Regulations for the General Degree of Bachelor of Science.

It is recommended, but not required, that a Computer Science course be included and the Department of Biology strongly recommends Computer Science 1000 or 1600.

www.mun.ca/coop

This program is available to full-time Biology majors only.

The Biology (Co-operative) Program (BCOP) provides an opportunity for students to learn valuable practical skills while working in fields related to Biology. Students complete three Work Terms, which consist of full-time, normally paid employment in the field of Biology of at least 12 weeks in duration. The timing of the Work Terms is such that employers stand to gain from the acquired skills of biology majors in training. The objectives of the Work Term component of the BCOP are embodied in the Work Term descriptions found at the end of the Faculty of Science section under Course Descriptions, Biology, Work Term Descriptions.

1. Admission Requirements

   1. Admission is limited, competitive, and selective.

   2. The primary criteria used in reaching decisions on applications for admission are motivation and overall academic achievement. Students may be required to participate in an interview as part of the selection process.

   3. A student must first be admitted to the Biology Major.

   4. Application deadline: October 15 for the following Spring semester work term (normally the third semester in year two).

   5. To be eligible for admission, a student must have completed the second year Biology Core, with an overall average of at least 65%, and an overall average of at least 65% in all Biology courses before the start of the first work term. A student must have an overall average of 65% in all other required courses, and must be registered as a full- time student in the semester in which application is made.

2. Program of Study

   1. In addition to the requirements below, a student must fulfill all requirements for a Major in Biology or Honours in Biology.

   2. Students’ status in the program is assessed at the end of each semester. To remain in BCOP, a student must receive a passing grade in all required courses, and must maintain an overall average of at least 65% in all Biology courses and an overall average of at least 65% in all courses, including electives. A student who fails a required course, fails to maintain an overall average of 65% in Biology courses, or fails to maintain an overall average of 65%, will be required to withdraw from BCOP. The student in question may apply for readmission in a subsequent year after passing the specified required course(s) previously failed, or re-establishing the required average.

   3. A student is required to successfully complete three work terms, one of which will normally be either in the Fall or Winter semester.

3. Work Term Placement

   1. General management of the BCOP is the responsibility of the designated Academic Staff Member in Co-operative Education (ASM-CE). ASM-CE’s are responsible for facilitating the engagement of potential employers in the program, organizing competitions for Work Term employment, arranging job interviews and facilities, managing the co-op data base, and developing employment opportunities and monitoring and evaluating students during the work term.

   2. Students are ultimately responsible for securing their work term placements. ASMs-CE provide support for the job search and inform students of potential opportunities.

   3. A student who is admitted to the co-op program gives permission to the University to provide a copy of the applicant’s resume, university transcript and work term evaluations to potential employers.

   4. A student who has been accepted to BCOP may independently obtain a work term placement in consultation with the ASM-CE. Such employment positions must satisfy the criteria for work terms, be confirmed in writing by the employer and be approved by the ASM-CE before the first day of the work term according to the Co-operative Education website.

4. Registration and Evaluation of Performance

   1. In Work Terms I, II, and III, a student must register for Biology 199W, 299W, and 399W respectively.

   2. The Work Term evaluations shall consist of two components:

      1. On-the-job Student Performance:

         Job performance shall be assessed by Co-operative Education in consultation with the department using information gathered during the Work Term and input from the employer towards the end of the Work Term. Formal written documentation from the employer shall be sought. Evaluation of the job performance will result in one of the following classifications: OUTSTANDING, ABOVE EXPECTATIONS, SATISFACTORY, MARGINAL PASS, FAIL.

      2. Assignment(s):

         • A student is required to submit one or more assignment(s) to Co-operative Education as outlined in the course syllabus.

         • Assignment(s) are evaluated by a faculty member and an ASM-CE.

         Evaluation of the work term assignment(s) will result in one of the following classifications: OUTSTANDING, ABOVE EXPECTATIONS, SATISFACTORY, MARGINAL PASS, FAIL.

         The evaluation of the job performance and the assignment(s) are recorded separately on the transcript. Overall evaluation of the work term will result in one of the following final grades being awarded:

         • Pass with Distinction: Indicates OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE in both the assignment(s) and the job performance.

         • Pass: Indicates that PERFORMANCE MEETS EXPECTATIONS in both the assignment(s) and the job performance.

         • Fail: Indicates FAILING PERFORMANCE in the assignment(s) or the job performance, or both. To remain in BCOP, a student must obtain a final grade of Pass or higher.

   3. If a student fails to achieve the Work Term standards specified above, the student will be required to withdraw from BCOP. Such a student may reapply to the program, at which time the student will be required to repeat the Work Term with satisfactory performance. Only one Work Term may be repeated in the entire program.

   4. A student who withdraws from a Work Term without acceptable cause subsequent to a job placement will be required to withdraw permanently from BCOP.

   5. A student who drops a Work Term without prior approval from both Co-operative Education and the Biology Co-op Liaison, or who fails to honour an agreement to work with an employer, or who conducts in such a manner as to cause the discharge from the job, will be awarded an overall grade of FAIL for the Work Term in question and will be required to withdraw permanently from BCOP.

   6. Permission to drop a Work Term does not constitute a waiver of degree requirements, and a student who has obtained such permission must successfully complete an approved Work Term in lieu of the one dropped.

The attention of students wishing to take Honours is called to those sections of the Calendar dealing with the Degree Regulations for the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science.

Sixty-nine credit hours in courses, including the 6 first year credit hours and the 15 required core credit hours outlined in the regulations for the General Degree, and the Honours Dissertation (Biology 499A/499B), shall be taken from the Department of Biology offering. Students may elect to complete an Honours Program in Biology or one of the Joint Honours Programs listed at the start of the Biology section of the Calendar. Programs of students taking Honours shall be drawn up in consultation with the student's supervisor, and must be approved by the Head of the Department (or delegate).

A dissertation (6 credit hours) is to be presented on some original piece of work undertaken by the candidate, under the guidance of a faculty member of the department, as appointed by the Head of Department. For students electing to take one of the Joint Honours Programs, the dissertation shall be on a topic representative of the selected program. The Department of Biology considers the dissertation to be an important part of the Honours Program.

The dissertation will be based on a 6 credit hours course (Biology 499A/499B). It will involve directed reading relevant to the dissertation topic, preparation of a dissertation outline, supervised research, data synthesis and interpretation, and preparation and defence of the dissertation.

Two typed copies of the dissertation, complete with figures and tables, are to be submitted not less than two weeks before the end of lectures in the semester in which the candidate is registered for Biology 499B. These copies must be submitted to the Head of Department, and must have met the prior approval of the candidate's Honours supervisor.

Before the last day for examinations in the semester, the candidate will be examined orally on the contents of the dissertation. The examining committee shall consist of the Head of the Department, or delegate, the candidate's supervisor, and an examiner appointed by the Head of the Department in consultation with the candidate's supervisor.

An Honours degree in Biology may comprise a broadly based selection of courses according to the student’s interests, or it may be more narrowly focussed. An Honours student may focus on any area of Biology where an appropriate supervisor can be found. All Honours students should choose courses in consultation with their supervisors, but it is particularly important that students wishing to focus within the Honours degree should discuss course selection with an Honours supervisor within their area of interest.

1. Biology Course Requirements:

   Students seeking an honours degree in Biology are required to successfully complete a minimum of 69 credit hours in courses from the Department of Biology offering. Those 69 credit hours must include:

   1. Biology 1001 and 1002 or their equivalents;

   2. 15 credit hours in the following core courses: Biology 2060, 2250, 2600, 2900, plus one of Biology 3401, 3402, or 4404; and

   3. 42 credit hours from Biology electives at the 2000, 3000 or 4000 level (except Biology 2040, 2041, 2120, 3053, and 3820) and Biology 499A and 499B.

   4. A maximum of half of all Biology electives can be Biology courses with no associated laboratory/seminar (i.e., courses that have 3 contact hours/week).

2. Core Course Requirements:

   All honours students must also successfully complete the following courses or their equivalents:

   1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses.

   2. Physics 1020 and 1021 (or equivalent)

   3. Mathematics 1000

   4. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or 1200 and 1001, or 1010 and the former 1011), and Chemistry 2400

   5. Statistics 2550 or any of the courses listed in the credit restrictions of Statistics 2550

   6. Human Biosciences 2001 or the former Biochemistry 2101 or 2201, Human Biosciences 2003 or the former Biochemistry 3106 or 3206

   7. Electives to make up 120 credit hours

To minimize timetabling problems, students on the St. John’s Campus are advised to take Biology 2250 and 2600 in their third semester (Fall), and Biology 2060 and 2900 in their fourth semester (Winter).

www.mun.ca/coop

1. Admission Requirements:

   See Major in Biology (Co-operative)

2. Program of Study:

   1. In addition to the requirements below, a student must fulfill all requirements for an Honours in Biology.

   2. To remain in the Honours in Biology (Co-operative), a student must receive a passing grade in all required courses, and must maintain an average of at least 65% in all Biology courses and an overall average of at least 70% in all courses, including electives.

   3. A student is required to successfully complete three work terms, one of which will normally be either in the Fall or Winter semester.

3. Work Term Placement:

   See Major in Biology (Co-operative)

4. Registration and Evaluation of Performance:

   See Major in Biology (Co-operative)

While meeting the requirements for a program in Biology, other than a Minor in Biology, students may choose to select courses in one of the following formal concentrations which, if completed, will be noted on the student’s transcript.

Particular attention should be paid to necessary prerequisites when scheduling courses. Students should consult with the Academic Program Officer regarding the availability of courses applicable to their chosen concentration.

Students selecting an Applied Ecology and Conservation concentration are required to complete 18 credit hours from the following courses:

1. Biology 3610, 3650, 4122, 4306, 4307, 4360, 4405, 4605, 4650, 4651, 4710, 4810, 4820, 4911

Students selecting an Aquatic Life concentration are required to complete 18 credit hours from the following courses:

1. Biology 3014, 3050, 3630, 3709, 3710, 3711, 3712, 3714, 3715, 4122, 4601, 4710, 4750, 4912

Students selecting a Biological Tools and Techniques concentration are required to complete 18 credit hours from the following courses:

1. Biology 3050, 3709, 3950, 3951, 4270, 4360, 4405, 4605, 4606, 4607, 4710, 4770, 4810, 4820

Students selecting a Biology for Health Professions concentration are required to complete 18 credit hours from the following courses:

1. Biology 3050, 3052, 3500, 3530, 4010, 4050, 4200, 4241, 4245, 4404, 4550, 4605

2. Medicine 310A/B

Students selecting a Comparative Biology concentration are required to complete 18 credit hours from the following courses:

1. Biology 3202, 3300, 3401, 3402, 3640, 3715, 3750, 4122, 4620, 4630, 4701, 4770, 4910

Students selecting an Evolutionary Ecology concentration are required to complete 18 credit hours from the following courses:

1. Biology 3295, 3715, 3811, 3951, 4005, 4250, 4270, 4505, 4605, 4620, 4630, 4701, 4710, 4800, 4910

Students selecting a Molecular, Microbial and Cell Biology concentration are required to complete 18 credit hours from the following courses:

1. Biology 3050, 3052, 3401, 3402, 3530, 3950, 3951, 4050, 4052, 4241, 4250, 4251, 4404, 4606

2. Human Biosciences 3207 or the former Biochemistry 3207