Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Biotechnology (Co-op)

at Wilfrid Laurier University - Waterloo Campus Canada

Chemistry touches every aspect of our lives. The study of the complex molecular world, a world that exists at the submicroscopic level, is a discipline of enormous scope.

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Chemistry at Laurier, you will have the opportunity to work with professors who are both devoted to teaching and active in research. The broad chemical principles learned are the basis of many of today's unique products, providing a foundation for a variety of career options.

Classroom and laboratory time are balanced to provide you with solid theoretical foundations and mastery of experimental techniques. Also, the small size of the department means there are plenty of opportunities to interact with faculty. 

The Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Laurier and the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo (UW) have teamed up to give you 2 highly respected degrees from our two outstanding institutions. In this double-degree program, you’ll earn both a Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) from UW and a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Laurier in only 5 years.

The renowned Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, is one of the first internationally accredited business schools in Canada (AACSB accreditation), where you’ll learn to work in teams tackling real-world problems that exist in society and in business. Our Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program is full time and direct entry, which means your business education begins on day one.

You'll build a solid foundation and become a well-rounded business graduate, as well as a specialist in your area of focus by choosing one of ten business concentrations:

• Accounting
• Marketing
• Marketing Communications
• Sustainability
• Finance
• Entrepreneurship
• Human Resource Management
• Risk Management
• International Business
• Supply Chain Management

You also have the opportunity to earn all the university credits required for the major professional designations: CPA (accounting), CFA (finance) and CHRP (human resources).

ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AT LAURIER
In our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Environmental Science program, you will learn and understand how concepts from biology, chemistry and geography can be integrated to explain the processes that affect the physical environment and how these processes influence the biotic performance, from individual organisms to whole ecosystems.

The Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Environmental Science will give you the skills needed to understand how to use analytical tools, including lab and field methods, to quantify and assess the physical and chemical properties of soil, water and air for assessing and monitoring populations of organisms.

You will develop a broad range of techniques that will allow you to identify and devise solutions to environmental problems caused by human activities. You will be able to communicate these issues to diverse audiences for a number of purposes, such as helping to restore ecosystems or advocating for environmental issues.

Students in Environmental Science take one mandatory field course, and have opportunities to take others through the Ontario Universities’ Program in Field Biology.

Faculty members hire students as research assistants to work help with studies in the lab and field.

HONOURS THESIS OPTION
Students completing an honours thesis will conduct a yearlong research project that includes data collection, analysis and write-up.

Examples of honours thesis topics include:

• "Relating intensity of forest fires to caribou herd depletion in the Northwest Territories"
• "Effects of climate change on frozen landscapes in the north"
• "Effects of atmospheric processes on the movement and fate of pollutants"
• "Identification and conservation of rare and threatened plant species"

In our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Honours Science program, you have the opportunity to solidify and pursue your scientific interests before committing to a specific major — or you can decide not to major at all and graduate with an extensive science degree.

Either way, you'll be prepared for future studies in professional or academic science-related fields. You have the flexibility to choose courses that interest you in order to tailor your degree to your career aspirations or postgraduate plans.

Choose to take courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, statistics and/or psychology, all while developing a myriad of research, analytic and technical skills.

Apply what you learn in hands-on labs and engage in research activities as part of a directed study or undergraduate thesis project. At Laurier, you can immerse yourself in cutting-edge research alongside faculty members at the undergraduate level.

We've combined our internationally accredited Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree and our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science, providing you with the technical know-how to go along with analytical skills and business expertise. Skills in database and Internet computing are especially valued as marketing diversifies from print and broadcast media to new technologies, and the market is strong for the technically savvy business graduate.

Biochemistry is a fundamental multidisciplinary science that explores the molecular aspects of life and is the basis for many other disciplines in life sciences, including cell and molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, and molecular medicine.

Biotechnology is the application of biochemistry to develop technologies, materials and products that help improve, replenish and sustain the health of our planet.

ABOUT BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY AT LAURIER
In our program, we emphasize the health and pharmaceutical sciences, which constitute more than 50% of the total activity in biochemical research and biotechnology in Canada.

You’ll take several courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and biochemistry, along with courses in applied biochemistry, and gain the practical skills and the academic knowledge you’ll need to succeed in a career in research, service, industry or academia.

You’ll benefit from a research-intensive environment. In your fourth year, you'll have an option to complete a senior thesis research project. The thesis option will provide you with hands-on experience using state-of-the-art equipment in a new and challenging area of biochemical research.

STUDY MUSIC AT LAURIER:-
Built around world-class instructors and a supportive learning environment, you’ll start your Bachelor of Music as a common first-year student, giving you the flexibility to delve deeper into all areas of music before choosing a major. Concentrations are chosen in second year and are offered in:

• Composition
• Comprehensive
• Integrated music arts
• Music education
• Music history, theory and critical analysis
• Performance

As a first-year student, you’ll receive weekly one-hour private lessons, ensemble experience and masterclasses plus access to professional coach-accompanists. We admit 100 students annually in winds, brass, percussion, piano, harp, organ, voice, strings, classical guitar and historical instruments.

STUDY MUSIC AT LAURIER
Built around world-class instructors and a supportive learning environment, you’ll start your Bachelor of Music as a common first-year student, giving you the flexibility to delve deeper into all areas of music before choosing a major. Concentrations are chosen in second year and are offered in:

• composition
• comprehensive
• integrated music arts
• music education
• music history, theory and critical analysis
• performance

As a first-year student, you’ll receive weekly one-hour private lessons, ensemble experience and masterclasses plus access to professional coach-accompanists. We admit 100 students annually in winds, brass, percussion, piano, harp, organ, voice, strings, classical guitar and historical instruments.

The combination of Laurier's internationally accredited Lazaridis School of Business and Economics and the University of Waterloo's world-renowned Faculty of Mathematics lets you harness the strengths of two top-tier institutions in one program. This is a unique opportunity to learn about business and the applications of math while simultaneously earning two degrees from two universities in five years: a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Laurier Bachelor of Math (BMath) from Waterloo.