Honours Life Sciences Co-op (B.Sc.)

Admission

Enrolment in this program is limited and possession of the published minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Selection is based on academic achievement and an interview but requires, as a minimum, submission of the on-line application by the stated deadline and completion of Level II Honours Life Sciences with a Grade Point Average of at least 5.0 and completion of the following courses:

Admission (Effective September 2025)

Enrolment in this program is limited and possession of the published minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Selection is based on academic achievement and an interview but requires, as a minimum, submission of the on-line application by the stated deadline and completion of Level II Honours Life Sciences  with a Grade Point Average of at least 5.0 and completion of the following courses:

Program Notes

1. This is a five-level (year) co-op program which includes two eight-month work terms which must be spent in life sciences related placements.
2. Students must be registered full-time and take a full academic workload, as prescribed by Level and Term.
3. Students are required to complete SCIENCE 2C00  prior to the Fall Term of Level III. Students are required to complete SCIENCE 3C00  before the first work placement.   
4. Registration in the Honours Life Sciences Co-op program does not guarantee access to all courses. Some courses have program restrictions and students are responsible to read course prerequisites carefully.
5. Students interested in completing a thesis or independent study course should consider completing LIFESCI 3RP3  in Level III.
6. Students interested in graduate school may wish to consider completion of a thesis or independent study course (see LIFESCI 4A03 , 4B09 A/B S , 4C12 A/B S , 4D15 A/B S , SCICOMM 4A03 ).
7. Level IV Research Seminar topics may change from year to year. Research Seminar topics and descriptions are available on the program web site (https://sis.mcmaster.ca/undergraduate/life-sciences/registered-students/).
8. Students entering Level IV or V of Honours Life Sciences Co-op must complete and submit a ballot, rank ordering their preference for enrolment in Level IV seminar offerings by the end of March. Students will be informed of their ballot result by the end of May. Failure to submit a ballot by the stated deadline may compromise enrolment in a preferred seminar. The Life Sciences program pre-registration ballot will include all Level IV Life Sciences research seminar courses. Co-op students will have access to the ballot only once during their undergraduate degree. Students fulfilling Course List E through eligible thesis or project courses can opt out of balloting for research seminar course topics.
9. LIFESCI 4CM3  is required for students completing the Honours Life Sciences - Origins of Disease Specialization (B.Sc.)  and is not included in the pre-registration ballot. 
10. LIFESCI 4XX3  is required for students completing the Honours Life Sciences - Sensory Motor Systems Specialization (B.Sc.)  and is not included in the pre-registration ballot.
11. Students must complete at least one of EXPLORE 3IS3 , LIFESCI 3EP3 , 3RP3 , 3XX3 , 4A03 , 4B09 A/B S , 4C12 A/B S , 4D15 A/B S ,  4EP6 A/B S , SCIENCE 2A03 , 3A03, 3WT0 .
12. The Co-op option is not available with either the Origins of Disease  or Sensory Motor Systems  Specializations.
13. Course planning is extremely important. Students must review and consider the requisites on Level II, III and IV courses when enrolling in the previous Levels.

Interdisciplinary Topics Course List

Requirements for Students Who Enter in September 2024 or Prior

120 units total (Levels I to IV), of which no more than 48 units may be Level I

Requirements (Effective September 2025)

120 units total (Levels I to IV), of which no more than 48 units may be Level I

Co-op Program Chart