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This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://calendar.carleton.ca.

B.Sc. Regulations

The regulations presented in this section apply to all Bachelor of Science programs. In addition to the requirements presented here, students must satisfy the University regulations common to all undergraduate students including the process of Academic Continuation Evaluation (see the Academic Regulations of the University section of this Calendar).

Breadth Requirement for the B.Sc.

Students in a Bachelor of Science program must present the following credits at graduation:

  1. 2.0 credits in Science Continuation courses not in the major discipline; students completing a double major are considered to have completed this requirement providing they have 2.0 credits in Science Continuation courses in each of the two majors;
  2. 2.0 credits in courses outside of the faculties of Science and Engineering and Design (may include NSCI 1000)

In most cases, the requirements for individual B.Sc. programs, as stated in this Calendar, contain these requirements, explicitly or implicitly.

Students admitted to B.Sc. programs by transfer from another institution must present at graduation (whether taken at Carleton or elsewhere):

  1. 2.0 credits in courses outside of the faculties of Science and Engineering and Design (may include NSCI 1000) if the student received fewer than 10.0 transfer credits; or,
  2. 1.0 credit in courses outside of the faculties of Science and Engineering and Design (may include NSCI 1000) if the student received 10.0 or more transfer credits.

Declared and Undeclared Students

Degree students are considered "Undeclared" if they have been admitted to a degree, but have not yet selected and been accepted into a program within that degree. The status "Undeclared" is available only in the B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. Undeclared students must apply to enter a program upon or before completing 3.5 credits.

Change of Program within the B.Sc. Degree

To transfer to a program within the B.Sc. degree, applicants must normally be Eligible to Continue (EC) in the new program, by meeting the CGPA thresholds described in Section 3.1.9 of the Academic Regulations of the University. 

Applications to declare or change programs within the B.Sc. degree must be made online through Carleton Central by completing a Change of Program Elements (COPE) application form within the published deadlines. Acceptance into a program, or into a program element or option, is subject to any enrolment limitations, and/or specific program, program element or option requirements as published in the relevant Calendar entry.

Minors, Concentrations, and Specializations

Students may add a Minor, Concentration, or Specialization by completing a Change of Program Elements (COPE) application form online through Carleton Central. Acceptance into a Minor, Concentration, or Specialization normally requires that the student be Eligible to Continue (EC) and is meeting the minimum CGPAs described in Section 3.1.9 of the Academic Regulations of the University, as well as being subject to any specific requirements of the intended Minor, Concentration, or Specialization as published in the relevant Calendar entry.

Experimental Science Requirement

Students in a B.Sc. degree program must present at graduation at least two full credits of Experimental Science chosen from two different departments or institutes from the list below:

Approved Experimental Science Courses
Biochemistry
BIOC 2200 [0.5]
Cellular Biochemistry
BIOC 4001 [0.5]
Methods in Biochemistry
BIOC 4201 [0.5]
Advanced Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering
Biology
BIOL 1103 [0.5]
Foundations of Biology I
BIOL 1104 [0.5]
Foundations of Biology II
BIOL 2001 [0.5]
Animals: Form and Function
BIOL 2002 [0.5]
Plants: Form and Function
BIOL 2104 [0.5]
Introductory Genetics
BIOL 2200 [0.5]
Cellular Biochemistry
BIOL 2600 [0.5]
Ecology
Chemistry
CHEM 1001 [0.5]
General Chemistry I
CHEM 1002 [0.5]
General Chemistry II
CHEM 1005 [0.5]
Elementary Chemistry I
CHEM 1006 [0.5]
Elementary Chemistry II
CHEM 2103 [0.5]
Physical Chemistry I
CHEM 2203 [0.5]
Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 2204 [0.5]
Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 2302 [0.5]
Analytical Chemistry I
CHEM 2303 [0.5]
Analytical Chemistry II
CHEM 2800 [0.5]
Foundations for Environmental Chemistry
Earth Sciences
ERTH 1006 [0.5]
Exploring Planet Earth
ERTH 1009 [0.5]
The Earth System Through Time
ERTH 2102 [0.5]
Mineralogy to Petrology
ERTH 2404 [0.5]
Engineering Geoscience
ERTH 2802 [0.5]
Field Geology I
ERTH 3111 [0.5]
Vertebrate Evolution: Mammals, Reptiles, and Birds
ERTH 3112 [0.5]
Vertebrate Evolution: Fish and Amphibians
ERTH 3204 [0.5]
Mineral Deposits
ERTH 3205 [0.5]
Physical Hydrogeology
ERTH 3806 [0.5]
Structural Geology
Food Sciences
FOOD 3001 [0.5]
Food Chemistry
FOOD 3002 [0.5]
Food Analysis
FOOD 3005 [0.5]
Food Microbiology
Geography
GEOG 1010 [0.5]
Global Environmental Systems
GEOG 3108 [0.5]
Soil Properties
Neuroscience
NEUR 3206 [0.5]
Sensory and Motor Neuroscience
NEUR 3207 [0.5]
Systems Neuroscience
NEUR 4600 [0.5]
Advanced Lab in Neuroanatomy
Physics
PHYS 1001 [0.5]
Foundations of Physics I
PHYS 1002 [0.5]
Foundations of Physics II
PHYS 1003 [0.5]
Introductory Mechanics and Thermodynamics
PHYS 1004 [0.5]
Introductory Electromagnetism and Wave Motion
PHYS 1007 [0.5]
Elementary University Physics I
PHYS 1008 [0.5]
Elementary University Physics II
PHYS 2202 [0.5]
Wave Motion and Optics
PHYS 2604 [0.5]
Modern Physics I
PHYS 3007 [0.5]
Third Year Physics Laboratory: Selected Experiments and Seminars
PHYS 3606 [0.5]
Modern Physics II
PHYS 3608 [0.5]
Modern Applied Physics

Course Categories for B.Sc. Programs

Science Geography Courses
GEOG 1010 [0.5]
Global Environmental Systems
GEOG 2006 [0.5]
Introduction to Quantitative Research
GEOG 2013 [0.5]
Weather and Water
GEOG 2014 [0.5]
The Earth's Surface
GEOG 3003 [0.5]
Quantitative Geography
GEOG 3010 [0.5]
Field Methods in Physical Geography
GEOG 3102 [0.5]
Geomorphology
GEOG 3103 [0.5]
Watershed Hydrology
GEOG 3104 [0.5]
Principles of Biogeography
GEOG 3105 [0.5]
Climate and Atmospheric Change
GEOG 3106 [0.5]
Aquatic Science and Management
GEOG 3108 [0.5]
Soil Properties
GEOG 4000 [0.5]
Field Studies
GEOG 4005 [0.5]
Directed Studies in Geography
GEOG 4013 [0.5]
Cold Region Hydrology
GEOG 4017 [0.5]
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
GEOG 4101 [0.5]
Two Million Years of Environmental Change
GEOG 4103 [0.5]
Water Resources Engineering
GEOG 4104 [0.5]
Microclimatology
GEOG 4108 [0.5]
Permafrost
Science Psychology Courses
PSYC 2001 [0.5]
Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
PSYC 2002 [0.5]
Introduction to Statistics in Psychology
PSYC 2700 [0.5]
Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 3000 [1.0]
Design and Analysis in Psychological Research
PSYC 3506 [0.5]
Cognitive Development
PSYC 3700 [1.0]
Cognition (Honours Seminar)
PSYC 3702 [0.5]
Perception
PSYC 2307 [0.5]
Human Neuropsychology I
PSYC 3307 [0.5]
Human Neuropsychology II
Science Continuation Courses
A course at the 2000 level or above may be used as a Science Continuation credit in a B.Sc. program if it is not in the student's major discipline, and is chosen from the following:
BIOC (Biochemistry)
BIOL (Biology) Biochemistry students may use BIOL 2005 only as a free elective.
CHEM (Chemistry)
COMP (Computer Science) A maximum of two half-credits at the 1000-level in COMP, excluding COMP 1001 may be used as Science Continuation credits.
ERTH (Earth Sciences), except ERTH 2415 which may be used only as a free elective for any B.Sc. program. Students in Earth Sciences programs may use ERTH 2401, ERTH 2402, and ERTH 2403 only as free electives.
Engineering. Students wishing to register in Engineering courses must obtain the permission of the Faculty of Engineering and Design.
ENSC (Environmental Science)
FOOD (Food Science and Nutrition)
GEOM (Geomatics)
HLTH (Health Sciences)
ISAP (Interdisciplinary Science Practice)
MATH (Mathematics)
NEUR (Neuroscience)
PHYS (Physics), except PHYS 2903
Science Geography Courses (see list above)
Science Psychology Courses (see list above)
STAT (Statistics)
TSES (Technology, Society, Environment) except TSES 2305. Biology students may use these courses only as free electives. Integrated Science and Environmental Science students may include these courses in their programs but may not count them as part of the Science Sequence.
Science Faculty Electives
Science Faculty Electives are courses at the 1000-4000 level chosen from:
BIOC (Biochemistry)
BIOL (Biology) Biology & Biochemistry students may use BIOL 1010 and BIOL 2005 only as free electives
CHEM (Chemistry) except CHEM 1003, CHEM 1004 and CHEM 1007
COMP (Computer Science) except COMP 1001
ERTH (Earth Sciences) except ERTH 1010, ERTH 1011 and ERTH 2415. Earth Sciences students may use ERTH 2401, ERTH 2402, and ERTH 2403 only as free electives.
Engineering
FOOD (Food Science and Nutrition)
GEOM (Geomatics)
HLTH (Health Science)
ISAP (Interdisciplinary Science Practice)
MATH (Mathematics)
NEUR (Neuroscience)
PHYS (Physics) except PHYS 1901, PHYS 1902, PHYS 1905, PHYS 2903
Science Geography (see list above)
Science Psychology (see list above)
STAT (Statistics)
TSES (Technology, Society, Environment) Biology students may use these courses only as free electives.
Advanced Science Faculty Electives
Advanced Science Faculty Electives are courses at the 2000-4000 level chosen from the Science Faculty Electives list above.
Approved Courses Outside the Faculties of Science and Engineering and Design (may include NSCI 1000)
All courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Public Affairs, and the Sprott School of Business are approved as Arts or Social Sciences courses EXCEPT FOR: All Science Geography courses (see list above), all Geomatics (GEOM) courses, all Science Psychology courses (see list above). NSCI 1000 may be used as an Approved Course Outside the Faculties of Science and Engineering and Design.
Free Electives
Any course is allowable as a Free Elective providing it is not prohibited (see below). Students are expected to comply with prerequisite requirements and enrolment restrictions for all courses as published in this Calendar.
Courses Allowable Only as Free Electives in any B.Sc. Program
BIOL 4810 [0.5]
Education Research in Undergraduate Science
CHEM 1003 [0.5]
The Chemistry of Food, Health and Drugs
CHEM 1004 [0.5]
Drugs and the Human Body
CHEM 1007 [0.5]
Chemistry of Art and Artifacts
ERTH 1010 [0.5]
Our Dynamic Planet Earth
ERTH 1011 [0.5]
Evolution of the Earth
ERTH 2415 [0.5]
Natural Disasters
ISCI 1001 [0.5]
Introduction to the Environment
ISCI 2000 [0.5]
Natural Laws
ISCI 2002 [0.5]
Human Impacts on the Environment
MATH 0107 [0.5]
Algebra and Geometry
PHYS 1901 [0.5]
Planetary Astronomy
PHYS 1902 [0.5]
From our Star to the Cosmos
PHYS 1905 [0.5]
Physics Behind Everyday Life
PHYS 2903 [0.5]
Physics Towards the Future
Prohibited Courses
The following courses are not acceptable for credit in any B.Sc. program:
COMP 1001 [0.5]
Introduction to Computational Thinking for Arts and Social Science Students
MATH 0005 [0.5]
Precalculus: Functions and Graphs
MATH 0006 [0.5]
Precalculus: Trigonometric Functions and Complex Numbers
MATH 1009 [0.5]
Mathematics for Business
MATH 1119 [0.5]
Linear Algebra: with Applications to Business
MATH 1401 [0.5]
Elementary Mathematics for Economics I
MATH 1402 [0.5]
Elementary Mathematics for Economics II