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2008-2009 UNDERGRADUATE CALENDAR

International Bachelor of Science - Science and Engineering

The degree builds on the established strengths of the Honours BSc programs, and combines them with general education requirements and other required courses outside the major, most of which will be taken in the Faculty of Arts, and a mandatory period of study abroad. The program requires students to acquire an international language and to gain international experience on exchange at one of York University's partner institutions abroad.

The principal components will be the following:

  • a total of 120 credits;
  • 90 credits in science courses;
  • 30 required credits outside the science major, consisting of:
  • 12 credits of language study in one of the languages offered at York University;
  • 18 credits of non-science international content courses;
  • one or two exchange terms abroad as a full-time student at an institution with which York has a formal exchange agreement.

Language Study

Each student will choose a modern language of study as an integral part of the program. The languages are those offered at York University. No prior knowledge of the language is necessary. All entering students will be given a placement test by the Department of Languages, Literature and Linguistics to determine their appropriate course entry level. All students must successfully complete at least the second university-level course in their chosen language. If entering students are placed in a course above the 1000-level, they must successfully complete 12 credits in that language; if students have a very high level of competence in the language, so that there are not 12 credits which they can do, i.e., the students are placed in the 4000 level, they must successfully complete the remaining six credits in that language and six credits of another language. If entering students already have a second-language competency in one of the designated program languages, they must select an additional language.

Students intending to study abroad in a language other than English should also get an assessment of their language ability from a member of the Department of Languages, Literature and Linguistics. Students whose language ability is deemed insufficient for exchange may do their exchange in an English-speaking country or take courses taught in English at a university where English is not the principal language of instruction.

International Exchange (Mandatory)

Every student is required to spend at least one full term abroad at one of York University's exchange partners. While on exchange, students must carry a full-time course load. The exchange should take place during the student's second or third year, depending on the requirements of the specific science program, and/or the student's language capacity.

International Content Courses

Sample list of relevant country, region and thematic courses:

East Asia

AS/GEOG 1000 6.00
AS/HIST 1030 6.00
AS/HIST 2710 6.00
AS/HIST 3760 6.00
AS/HUMA 1400 9.00
AS/HUMA 2420 9.00
AS/POLS 2920 6.00
AS/POLS 3510 3.00
AS/POLS 3515 3.00

Europe

AS/GER 3790 6.00
AS/HIST 2300 6.00
AS/HIST 3355 6.00
AS/HIST 3391 6.00
AS/HUMA 2195 9.00
AS/POLS 2920 6.00
AS/POLS 3530 3.00
AS/RU 3770 6.00

Latin America

AS/HIST 2720 6.00
AS/HIST 3731 6.00
AS/POLS 2920 6.00
AS/POLS 3553 6.00

Themes

Health:

AS/ANTH 3190 3.00
AS/ANTH 3200 3.00
AS/SOSC 2102 3.00

Cities:

AS/SOSC 1731 9.00
AS/SOSC 2730 6.00
AS/SOSC 3730 6.00

Note 1: This list indicates types of courses that will fulfill the requirement for courses that focus on a particular country or region or a particular theme. Other relevant courses, including those offered at Glendon, Atkinson, Environmental Studies and Fine Arts, will also be acceptable.

Note 2: In order to also meet the general education requirement, courses must be chosen from two different disciplines, i.e. for a focus on Latin America, take at least one history course, and at least one political science course.

Specialized Honours in Biology (iBSc Honours)

Students may follow a stream in biology or conservation ecology.

i) All iBSc Honours degree candidates must complete the program core: SC/BIOL 1010 6.00; any five of SC/BIOL 2010 4.00, SC/BIOL 2020 4.00, SC/BIOL 2021 4.00, SC/BIOL 2040 4.00, SC/BIOL 2050 4.00, SC/BIOL 2060 3.00, SC/CHEM 2020 6.00; SC/BIOL 3100 3.00; SC/BIOL 4000 3.00 or SC/BIOL 4000 8.00.

Honours Programs

To declare Honours requires successful completion of at least 24 credits, a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 6.00 (B) over all biology (BIOL) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 4.25 over all courses completed.

To proceed in each year of an Honours program requires a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 6.00 (B) over all biology (BIOL) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted overall grade point average as specified in the Academic Standards section of the Faculty of Science and Engineering Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section (III) of this calendar.

To graduate in an Honours program requires successful completion of all Faculty requirements and departmental required courses, requires a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 6.00 (B) over all biology (BIOL) courses completed, and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.00 (C+) over all courses completed.

Biology Stream

ii) All iBSc Honours degree candidates must comply with the Faculty of Science and Engineering general education and 1000-level science requirements by completing the following (in addition to SC/BIOL 1010 6.00 from the program core):

iii) International component:

  • 12 credits of language study in one of the languages offered at York University;
  • 18 credits of non-science courses with an international component (see sample list of courses above), which will also serve to meet the general education requirement;
  • one to two exchange terms abroad as a full-time student at an institution with which York University has a formal exchange agreement.

iv) All iBSc Honours degree candidates must comply with general regulation 7 (see the Faculty of Science and Engineering Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of this calendar) and, in so doing, must satisfy the course, credit and standing requirements specified below:

  • students must complete additional elective credits, as required for an overall total of at least 120 credits, including at least 90 credits from science (SC) courses, at least 42 credits at the 3000 or higher level, and at least 54 credits in biology.

Conservation Ecology Stream

v) All iBSc Honours degree candidates must comply with general regulation 7 (see the Faculty of Science and Engineering Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of this calendar) and, in so doing, must satisfy the course, credit and standing requirements specified below:

  • students must complete additional elective credits, as required for an overall total of at least 120 credits, including at least 90 credits from science (SC) courses, at least 42 credits at the 3000 or higher level, and at least 68 credits in biology.

Computer Science - Honours Major (iBSc Honours)

i) All iBSc degree candidates must complete the program core: SC/CSE 1019 3.00; SC/CSE 1020 3.00; SC/CSE 1030 3.00; SC/CSE 2001 3.00; SC/CSE 2011 3.00; SC/CSE 2021 4.00; SC/CSE 2031 3.00; SC/CSE 3101 3.00; SC/CSE 3221 3.00; SC/CSE 3311 3.00; SC/MATH 1090 3.00; SC/MATH 1300 3.00; SC/MATH 1310 3.00 (See Note 2 below).

ii) All iBSc degree candidates must comply with general regulation 4 (see the Faculty of Science and Engineering Requirements Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of this calendar) by completing the following (in addition to the computer science and mathematics courses from the program core):

iii) International component:

  • 12 credits of language study in one of the languages offered at York University;
  • 18 credits of non-science courses with an international component (see sample list of courses above), which will also serve to meet the general education requirement;
  • one to two exchange terms abroad as a full-time student at an institution with which York has a formal exchange agreement.

iv) All iBSc degree candidates must comply with general regulation 7 (see the Faculty of Science and Engineering Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of this calendar) and, in so doing, must satisfy the course, credit and standing requirements specified below.

Note 1: See the general prerequisites for 2000-, 3000- and 4000-level computer science courses (under the Courses of Instruction section of this calendar) for information about cumulative grade point average requirements in completed computer science courses.

Note 2: To satisfy computer science degree requirements, SC/MATH 1000 3.00 or SC/MATH 1013 3.00 may be taken in lieu of SC/MATH 1300 3.00; SC/MATH 1010 3.00 or SC/MATH 1014 3.00 may be taken in lieu of SC/MATH 1310 3.00; SC/MATH 1021 3.00 or SC/MATH 2221 3.00 may be taken in lieu of SC/MATH 1025 3.00.

iBSc Honours Program

To graduate in an Honours program requires successful completion of all Faculty requirements and departmental required courses and a minimum cumulative credit-weighted grade point average of 5.00 (C+) over all courses completed.

iBSc Honours Program

  • the program core, as specified in i) above;
  • SC/MATH 1025 3.00; SC/MATH 2030 3.00;
  • SC/CSE 3000 3.00; SC/CSE 3401 3.00;
  • at least 12 credits from computer science courses at the 4000 level, for an overall total of at least 49 credits from computer science courses;
  • international component (see item iii) above;
  • additional elective credits, as required, for an overall total of at least 120 credits, including at least 90 credits from science (SC) courses, at least 42 credits at the 3000 or higher level, at least 18 credits in courses designated to have an international content.