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Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)

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Environmental Biology (ENVB)

School of Environmental Sciences, Ontario Agricultural College

The honours B.Sc. program in Environmental Biology combines a broad education in the life sciences with a more specialized understanding of the biological consequences of interactions between humans and the environment. This major prepares students for post-graduate work in environmental biology and related life sciences and provides a strong foundation for students wishing to pursue careers in teaching, government service or the private sector.

Major (Honours Program)

Students may enter this major in Semester 1 or any semester thereafter. A student wishing to declare the major may wish to consult the Faculty Advisor. This major requires the completion of 20.00 credits. A minimum of 16.00 of these 20.00 must be science credits.

Semester 1
BIOL*1070 [0.50] Discovering Biodiversity
CHEM*1040 [0.50] General Chemistry I
MATH*1080 [0.50] Elements of Calculus I
PHYS*1080 [0.50] Physics for Life Sciences
0.50 Arts or Social Science elective
Students lacking Grade 12 or 4U Biology, Chemistry or Physics should follow the revised schedule of study for this major found at: https://www.uoguelph.ca/bsc/revised_SS
Semester 2
BIOL*1090 [0.50] Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology
CHEM*1050 [0.50] General Chemistry II
PHYS*1070 [0.50] Physics for Life Sciences II
One of:
CIS*1200 [0.50] Introduction to Computing
CIS*1500 [0.50] Introduction to Programming
MATH*2080 [0.50] Elements of Calculus II
STAT*2040 [0.50] Statistics I
0.50 Arts or Social Science elective
Semester 3
BIOC*2580 [0.50] Introduction to Biochemistry
ENVS*2330 [0.50] Current Issues in Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity
STAT*2040 [0.50] Statistics I (if not taken in semester 2)
TOX*2000 [0.50] Principles of Toxicology
0.50 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D (or 1.00 if STAT*2040 was taken in semester 2)
Semester 4
BIOL*2060 [0.50] Ecology
MBG*2040 [0.50] Foundations in Molecular Biology and Genetics
1.50 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D
Semester 5

2.50 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D (at least 1.00 restricted electives must be selected, including at least one ENVS course)

Students are encouraged to take (ENVS*3410 and ENVS*3420) or ENVS*3430 in Semesters 5 and 6.

Semester 6
BIOL*2400 [0.50] Evolution
2.00 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D
Semester 7
2.50 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D

Students contemplating graduate studies are encouraged to take ENVS*4410 in semester 7 and ENVS*4420 in semester 8, or ENVS*4430 in either semester 7 or 8.

Semester 8

2.50 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D

Restricted Electives

  1. A minimum of 1.00 credits of Approved Arts and Social Science electives

  2. Select 4.50 credits from the following lists of restricted electives during Semesters 3-8. 1.00 credits must be completed in each of lists A, B and C. Of the total 4.50 credits at least 1.00 of these credits must be from ENVS courses.

Students should note that some restricted electives (marked by asterisks **) require other restricted electives as prerequisites. Students should consult the most recent undergraduate calendar for specific requirements.

List A - Environment & Agriculture

Minimum of 1.00 credits from the following list:

AGR*2050 [0.50] Agroecology
ENVS*2040 [0.50] Plant Health and the Environment
ENVS*2340 [0.50] Current Issues in Agriculture and Landscape Management
ENVS*3040 [0.50] Natural Chemicals in the Environment
ENVS*3210 [0.50] Plant Pathology
ENVS*3310 [0.50] Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function **
ENVS*4100 [0.50] Integrated Management of Invasive Insect Pests **
MICR*3220 [0.50] Plant Microbiology
PBIO*4750 [0.50] Genetic Engineering of Plants **
List B - Impacts of Pollution on Living Organisms

Minimum of 1.00 credits from the following list:

BIOL*3450 [0.50] Introduction to Aquatic Environments
BIOL*4350 [0.50] Limnology of Natural and Polluted Waters **
BIOL*4610 [0.75] Arctic Ecology
ENVS*3010 [0.50] Climate Change Biology
ENVS*3020 [0.50] Pesticides and the Environment
ENVS*3290 [0.50] Waterborne Disease Ecology
ENVS*4180 [0.50] Insecticide Biological Activity and Resistance
ENVS*4190 [0.50] Biological Activity of Herbicides
GEOG*3020 [0.50] Global Environmental Change
MBG*4270 [0.50] DNA Replication, Recombination and Repair **
PBIO*4530 [0.50] Plants and Environmental Pollution **
STAT*3510 [0.50] Environmental Risk Assessment
TOX*3360 [0.50] Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology
List C - Conservation of Biodiversity & Natural Resources

Minimum of 1.00 credits from the following list:

BIOL*3060 [0.50] Populations, Communities & Ecosystems
BIOL*3130 [0.50] Conservation Biology
BIOL*4150 [0.50] Wildlife Conservation and Management
BIOL*4500 [0.50] Natural Resource Policy Analysis
ENVS*2120 [0.50] Introduction to Environmental Stewardship
ENVS*3080 [0.50] Soil and Water Conservation **
ENVS*3090 [0.50] Insect Diversity and Biology
ENVS*3150 [0.50] Aquatic Systems
ENVS*3230 [0.50] Agroforestry Systems **
ENVS*3250 [0.50] Forest Health and Disease
ENVS*3270 [0.50] Forest Biodiversity **
ENVS*3370 [0.50] Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology
ENVS*4230 [0.50] Biology of Aquatic Insects **
ENVS*4260 [0.50] Field Entomology **
ENVS*4350 [0.50] Forest Ecology **
ENVS*4390 [1.00] Soil Variability and Land Evaluation
List D - Supporting Courses
ENVS*3410 [0.50] Independent Research I
ENVS*3420 [0.50] Independent Research II
ENVS*3430 [1.00] Independent Research
ENVS*3510 [0.50] Independent Study I
ENVS*3520 [0.50] Independent Study II
ENVS*3530 [1.00] Independent Study
ENVS*4410 [1.00] Advanced Independent Research I
ENVS*4420 [1.00] Advanced Independent Research II
ENVS*4430 [2.00] Advanced Independent Research
ENVS*4510 [0.50] Advanced Independent Study I
ENVS*4520 [0.50] Advanced Independent Study II
ENVS*4530 [1.00] Advanced Independent Study

The following restricted elective courses are required as prerequisites for some courses in lists A, B and C:

BIOL*3060 [0.50] Populations, Communities & Ecosystems
BOT*2100 [0.50] Life Strategies of Plants
ENVS*2060 [0.50] Soil Science
MCB*2050 [0.50] Molecular Biology of the Cell

Credit Summary (20.00 Total Credits)

4.00 - First year science credits

3.50 - Required science courses semesters 3 – 8 (3.00 if STAT 2040 is taken in Semester 2)

4.50 - Restricted electives (some restricted electives do not count as science electives towards degree therefore additional science electives may be required)

4.00 - Approved Science electives (4.50 if STAT 2040 is taken in semester 2, in place of CIS)

1.00 - Arts and/or Social Science electives (# 1 in restricted elective list)

3.00 - Free electives - any approved elective for B.Sc. students. (could be less if restricted electives do not count as science)

Of the total credits required, students are required to complete 16.00 credits in science of which 2.00 credits must be at the 4000 level and an additional 4.00 credits must be at the 3000 or 4000 level.

University of Guelph
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1
Canada
519-824-4120