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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
ENVS*1100 [0.50] Fundamentals of Environmental Sciences
MATH*1080 [0.50] Elements of Calculus I
PHYS*1080 [0.50] Physics for Life Sciences
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*1090 [0.50] Elements of Calculus II
STAT*2040 [0.50] Statistics I
0.50 Liberal Education elective
Semester 3
BIOC*2580 [0.50] Introduction to Biochemistry
STAT*2040 [0.50] Statistics I (if not taken in semester 2)
TOX*2000 [0.50] Principles of Toxicology
1.00 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D or Liberal Education elective (or 1.50 if STAT*2040 was taken in semester 2)
Semester 4
BIOL*2060 [0.50] Ecology
ENVS*2090 [0.50] Problem Solving in Environmental Biology
MBG*2040 [0.50] Foundations in Molecular Biology and Genetics
1.00 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.

Semester 6
2.50 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D
Semester 7
ENVS*4001 [0.50] Project in Environmental Sciences
2.00 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 or ENVS*4430 in 8.

Semester 8
ENVS*4000 [0.50] Toxicological Risk Assessment
ENVS*4002 [0.50] Project in Environmental Sciences
1.50 electives or restricted electives chosen from lists A, B, C and/or D

Restricted Electives

  1. A minimum of 1.00 credits of Liberal Education electives is required. The list of Liberal Education electives for B.Sc. students can be found at: https://www.uoguelph.ca/bsc/

  2. Select a minimum of 6.00 credits from the following lists of restricted electives during Semesters 3-8. 2.00 credits must be completed from List A. 1.00 credit must be completed from List B. A minimum 3.00 credits must be completed from List C.

  3. Students should note that some restricted electives are prerequisites for other restricted electives. Students should consult the most recent undergraduate calendar for specific requirements.

List A - Environmental Processes

Minimum of 2.00 credits from the following list:

BIOL*2400 [0.50] Evolution
ENVS*2040 [0.50] Plant Health and the Environment
ENVS*2060 [0.50] Soil Science
ENVS*2330 [0.50] Current Issues in Ecosystem Science and Biodiversity
ENVS*3010 [0.50] Climate Change Biology
ENVS*3020 [0.50] Pesticides and the Environment
ENVS*3040 [0.50] Natural Chemicals in the Environment
ENVS*3150 [0.50] Aquatic Systems
ENVS*3220 [0.50] Terrestrial Chemistry
ENVS*3340 [0.50] Use and Management of Environmental Data
ENVS*3370 [0.50] Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology
List B - Organismal Biology

Minimum of 1.00 credits from the following list:

BOT*2100 [0.50] Life Strategies of Plants
BOT*3050 [0.50] Plant Functional Ecology
ENVS*2080 [0.50] Introduction to Environmental Microbiology
ENVS*3090 [0.50] Insect Diversity and Biology
ENVS*4230 [0.50] Biology of Aquatic Insects
MICR*3090 [0.50] Mycology
ZOO*4070 [0.50] Animal Behaviour
List C -

Students in the Environmental Biology Major are required to take a minimum 3.00 restricted elective credits from any of the following lists:

Forestry

ENVS*3230 [0.50] Agroforestry Systems
ENVS*3250 [0.50] Forest Health and Disease
ENVS*3270 [0.50] Forest Biodiversity
ENVS*4350 [0.50] Forest Ecology

Soil/Aquatic Systems

ENVS*3060 [0.50] Groundwater
ENVS*3080 [0.50] Soil and Water Conservation
ENVS*3310 [0.50] Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function
ENVS*4090 [0.50] Soil Management
ENVS*4160 [0.50] Soil and Nutrient Management
ENVS*4320 [1.00] Laboratory and Field Methods in Soil Biodiversity
ENVS*4390 [1.00] Soil Variability and Land Evaluation

Environmental Toxicology/Pollutants

BIOL*4350 [0.50] Limnology of Natural and Polluted Waters
ENVS*3290 [0.50] Waterborne Disease Ecology
ENVS*4180 [0.50] Insecticide Biological Activity and Resistance
ENVS*4190 [0.50] Biological Activity of Herbicides
ENVS*4370 [0.50] Environmental Organic Chemistry
PBIO*4530 [0.50] Plants and Environmental Pollution
TOX*3360 [0.50] Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology

Conservation of Biodiversity and Plant Protection

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*3210 [0.50] Plant Pathology
ENVS*4070 [0.50] Pollinator Conservation
ENVS*4100 [0.50] Integrated Management of Invasive Insect Pests
ENVS*4260 [0.50] Field Entomology
ENVS*4350 [0.50] Forest Ecology
ENVS*4390 [1.00] Soil Variability and Land Evaluation
PBIO*4000 [0.50] Molecular and Cellular Aspects of Plant-Microbe Interactions
PBIO*4750 [0.50] Genetic Engineering of Plants
List D - Independent Research and Study Courses
BIOL*4610 [0.75] Arctic Ecology
ENVS*3030 [0.50] Conservation Field Course
ENVS*4260 [0.50] Field Entomology
ENVS*4410 [0.50] Introduction to Advanced Independent Research
ENVS*4420 [0.50] Advanced Independent Research
ENVS*4430 [1.00] Advanced Independent Research
ENVS*4510 [0.50] Topics in Environmental Sciences

Credit Summary (20.00 Total Credits)

4.00 - B.Sc. core credits

5.00 - Required credits for the Major (4.50 if STAT*2040 is taken in Semester 2)

6.00 - Restricted elective credits for the Major (some restricted electives do not count as science electives towards degree therefore additional science electives may be required)

1.00 - Approved Science electives (1.50 if STAT 2040 is taken in semester 2)

1.00 - Liberal Education electives (#1 in restricted elective list)

3.00 - Free electives - any approved elective for B.Sc. students.

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