Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences (Co-op)

at University of Guelph Canada

Molecular Biology and Genetics covers genomes and the genetics of microorganisms, plants and animals, and the structure and function of cells.

The variety of courses offered in the program covers a broad range of topics such as molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, developmental biology and agricultural genetics. Undergraduate laboratories will provide you with the practical skills and knowledge needed to perform basic procedures commonly used in the field of molecular biology and genetics. Additionally, you will develop the ability to analyze and interpret experimental results obtained in a laboratory setting. In your upper years, you will also have the opportunity to access some of the University of Guelph’s outstanding research labs and facilities.

Learning Outcomes
You can expect to learn how to:

• Explain the molecular mechanisms of genetic inheritance that drive the evolution of populations.
• Describe the synthesis and structure of macromolecules and their roles in cellular processes.
• Explain how gene regulation networks and signal transduction cascades enable development and adaptation to the environment.
• Design and implement experimental procedures using relevant techniques in gene analysis and manipulation and genetic engineering in model systems.

Co-Op Options
Molecular Biology and Genetics co-op is a five-year program, which includes four work terms. Below is an example of how the academic and work sequence will look for a Microbiology major.

*Please note this sequence may change. The current undergraduate calendar will house the most accurate sequence that students must follow. 

Students in this co-op major complete a course, COOP*1100, in the fall semester of second year.  This course helps students prepare for their work term by developing professional attitudes and skills for the workplace. This course also provides students with a toolkit of resume and cover letter writing as well as interview skills, which helps students to apply, interview and secure their work term positions.

Do you want a career where you can make a real difference? In the Environmental Management program, you'll gain the knowledge you'll need to play a significant role in protecting the environment. The program combines the applied aspects of environmental science and technology with extensive business training focused on leadership in environmental maintenance, remediation and regulation.

The Bachelor of Bio-Resource Management (B.B.R.M) program is Canada's first degree program to offer a specialization in equine management. The unique program combines learning the biology, physiology and behaviour of horses with developing competencies in handling horses and knowledge of the economic and managerial aspects of the equine industry. It features a hands-on approach to managing horses and provides a solid foundation in business principles and ethics with a focus on the environment and sustainability.

Students will study elements of physics including the exotic aspects of the universe, such as black holes and subatomic particles, or be involved in the development of exciting modern devices such as particle accelerators and gamma-ray spectrometers.

With an emphasis on hands-on lab work, the physics major covers the fundamentals of mechanics, electromagnetism, and quantum physics, grounding students in foundational physics while preparing them for more specialized study in upper years. The strong analytical, computational, and lab skills developed during the degree provide the flexibility to pursue a broad range of careers upon graduation.

The major builds upon nationally recognized expertise in teaching and research with many of our faculty members having received both national and international awards. Students take an integrated MATH and PHYS course in first year along with the chemistry and biology taken by other science students. Second through fourth year, students will focus on physics specialty courses with an emphasis on hands-on, laboratory learning. Unique to the University of Guelph, students will also take a Science Communications course where they develop activities to help people understand the concepts of physics.

Learning Outcomes
You can expect to learn how to:

• Demonstrate mastery in advanced Electricity and Magnetism, Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics, Optics, and Quantum Mechanics
• Apply Intermediate level Mathematics techniques to enhance understanding in the aforementioned major subject areas
• Demonstrate advanced laboratory skills in order to practically realize concepts in Electricity & Magnetism, Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Quantum Physics, Optics, Nuclear Physics, Spectroscopy, and Electronics and apply these skills in self-directed learning
• Apply modern computational techniques to investigate various physical phenomena and demonstrate proficiency in mathematical software such as Maple, MatLab, and/or Mathematica

Co-Op Options
Physics co-op is a five-year program, which includes five work terms. Below is an example of how the academic and work sequence will look for a Physics major.*

*Please note this sequence may change. The current undergraduate calendar will house the most accurate sequence that students must follow. 

Students in this co-op major complete a course, COOP*1100, in the fall semester of second year.  This course helps students prepare for their work term by developing professional attitudes and skills for the workplace. This course also provides students with a toolkit of resume and cover letter writing as well as interview skills, which helps students to apply, interview and secure their work term positions.

In this major, students will acquire the management education needed to succeed in the dynamic and innovative food and agribusiness industries. Building on an understanding of economic theory and applied methods in both the Canadian and the global context, the program prepares graduates with technical, entrepreneurial and leadership skills for a variety of professional opportunities in industry, government agencies and non-governmental organizations. The major provides a complete foundation for further studies leading to a graduate degree or professional accounting designation.

Biochemistry is the study of biological processes at the cellular and molecular level. The study of biochemistry showcases the complexity of life.

The Honours B.Sc. major in Biochemistry (BIOC) is offered by the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, home to many distinguished biochemists, microbiologists, geneticists, and molecular & cellular biologists. The variety of courses will cover everything from the atomic structure of proteins to the organization of cells in humans, plants, and animals. Undergraduate laboratories will provide you with many practical skills in manipulating and analyzing biological molecules. In your upper years, you will also have the opportunity to access some of the University of Guelph’s outstanding research labs and facilities. Our biochemistry program provides you with a degree that is truly interdisciplinary, ensuring that upon graduation you have acquired an expertise and proficiency in great demand by employers.  

Combine practical laboratory training in biochemistry, molecular biology and microbiology with courses in areas such as immunology, enzymology or physiology. Students in biochemistry can focus in the areas plants, nutrition, physiology, immunology or toxicology, just to name a few. Gain real-world experience from co-op work terms and complete an undergraduate research project.  

Learning Outcomes
You can expect to learn how to:

• Apply thermodynamic principles to the molecular basis of biological energy generation, storage and usage  
• Conduct research by applying scientific methods and processes and interpreting data to draw appropriate and scientifically based conclusions. 
• Design and implement experimental procedures using relevant techniques to purify, characterize and quantify metabolites and macromolecules. 
• Describe how cells are capable of producing almost all required metabolites and macromolecules from diverse precursors.  
• Understand the relationship between the structure and the functional properties of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and carbohydrates.  

Co-Op Options
Biochemistry co-op is a four- and half-year program, which includes four work terms. Below is one example of how the academic and work sequence will look for a biochemistry major.

*Please note this sequence may change. The current undergraduate calendar will house the most accurate sequence that students must follow.   

Students in this co-op major complete a course, COOP*1100, in the winter semester of first year.  This course helps students prepare for their work term by developing professional attitudes and skills for the workplace. This course also provides students with a toolkit of resume and cover letter writing as well as interview skills, which helps students to apply, interview and secure their work term positions

The Real Estate and Housing major in the B.Comm. program is one of only a few undergraduate programs in Canada that specialize in the real estate sector. It takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of residential and commercial/investment real estate.

The purpose of this major is to develop the conceptual, analytical and management skills required for careers in real estate and housing. Students graduate with a degree that can lead to a variety of professional positions in the private or public sectors of the Canadian real estate industry or they can continue on to graduate work in business, planning or the social sciences.

A principal aim of the Co-op program in Real Estate and Housing is to facilitate the transition of students from academic studies to a professional career by enhancing the integration of theory and practice. The Co-op program in Real Estate and Housing is a five year program, including five work terms. Students must complete a Fall, Winter and Summer work term and must follow the academic work schedule as outlined below (also found on the Co-operative Education website: https://www.recruitguelph.ca/cecs/). Please refer to the Co-operative Education program policy with respect to adjusting this schedule.

To be eligible to continue in the Co-op program, students must meet a minimum 70% cumulative average requirement after second semester, as well as meet all work term requirements. Please refer to the Co-operative Education program policy with respect to work term performance grading, work term report grading and program completion requirements. 

The BA Music at the University of Guelph is geared to students who have a significant interest in music and music studies within a wider liberal arts education. It is a comprehensive and flexible program that offers instruction in music history, theory and criticism and and examines the significance of classical, world, and popular musics. Students develop a high degree of musicianship through skills training, music lessons (for those interested in advanced instrumental and vocal training), and participation in a variety of ensembles. With new facilities in digital technology, we support the increasing importance of technology in musical production, distribution, and listening. Our students go on to further studies and careers in music education (institutional and private), graduate music research, arts administration, performance, and production.

The Bachelor of Indigenous Environmental Science and Practice (BIESP) is an interdisciplinary science degree that focuses on the development of leaders in areas of environmental science, land-use and policy development who are grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being. This science degree emphasizes the respectful and consensual braiding of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems to address complex environmental issues and challenges. It focuses on the responsible use and protection of the natural environment through practices based on Indigenous ways of knowing and doing and the practice of Indigenous land ethics grounded in Indigenous epistemologies, ontologies, traditions and aspirations. By explicitly recognizing the inherent validity and value of Indigenous ways of knowing and doing, this interdisciplinary program offers a critical, yet constructive, view of environmental science, grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems, methodologies, priorities and values and oriented towards concrete action. In addition to their studies of natural and applied science, students will examine the historical and contemporary relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada and the legal, political and economic context of environmental science and practice.  

Experiential learning is incorporated into each year of study through opportunities to interact and work directly with Indigenous communities and organizations supporting cross-cultural learning and practice. In the final year, students will conduct a group project that focuses on a current environmental issue and provides the opportunity to obtain realistic experiences within the interdisciplinary context of practicing environmental science with Indigenous communities. The BIESP is also offered as a co-op option. 

Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the BIESP degree will have demonstrated they can:

• Build awareness of Indigenous cultural frameworks of environmental science including the role of traditional knowledge keepers, right relations, multi-generational environmental stewardship, and inclusion of non-human beings. 
• Consider the implications of historical and contemporary relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in influencing governance, practices, policies, interactions and decision making in environmental science and practice. 
• Apply a critical and decolonial lens to the existing approach to environmental science and practice in Canada through the exploration of Indigenous principles, aspirations and practices while cognizant of the historical and ongoing legacy of colonization, land dispossession, and intergenerational trauma. 
• Apply the evolving legal frameworks of Indigenous and non-Indigenous environmental science, which include Indigenous People’s inherent, treaty and constitutionally-protected rights, historic and contemporary lands, the minimal standard of free, prior, and informed consent, duty to consult and Indigenous-led practices of protection and restoration of special places and community well-being, to environmental stewardship.  
• Bridge and braid Indigenous and Western knowledge systems to propose and evaluate answers and solutions to environmental questions.  
• Formulate relevant and testable research questions, develop and implement an effective method of inquiry and perform appropriate quantitative and qualitative analyses for use in evidence-based environmental planning, policy development and implementation across different knowledge systems from Indigenous and Western research paradigms and methodologies.  
• Utilize techniques and skills including mapping and GIS, data classification, spatial analysis, map design, Indigenous research methodologies and environmental risk assessment practices to analyze environmental management issues across different knowledge systems. 
• Demonstrate project management skills (leadership, negotiation, communication, problem-solving, decision-making, time and task management, and budgeting) to effectively work within a team to complete multifaceted projects related to environmental management, research, and community engagement. 
• Communicate ideas, arguments and analyses to Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences accurately and effectively, recognizing the role of language, personal values, strengths and limitations, and respecting diverse perspectives.  
• Demonstrate moral maturity and intercultural competency by considering diverse perspectives on environmental issues and Indigenous world views when acting as a professional and community member in decision making processes related to topics of land use, conservation, sustainability and environmental remediation and restoration. 
• Critically reflect on their personal values, academic and professional goals and determine how they can continue to respectfully engage and sustain relationships with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities to address environmental challenges utilizing both Indigenous and Western scientific knowledge systems and ethical protocols. 
• Appreciate and support the needs and priorities of Indigenous communities to promote respect, protect and sustain Indigenous knowledge and practice in Indigenous communities.

Co-op
The Co-op program in Indigenous Environmental Science and Practice is a five-year program including four work terms. Students must follow the academic work schedule as outlined below (also found on the Co-operative Education website: https://www.recruitguelph.ca/cecs/). 
Indigenous Environmental Science and Practice Academic and Co-op Work Term Schedule

By combining the conceptual and quantitative elements of accounting while promoting the integration of theory and practice, the accounting major provides graduates with the academic requirements for the postgraduate pursuit of a Professional Accounting designation. Students will develop the technical, analytical, evaluative and communication skills needed for a successful career in accounting and related management areas.

The program provides a strong foundation of accounting and general business knowledge while allowing significant opportunity to develop breadth and depth of knowledge in related areas of study.