Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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- Students apply to one or more Biological Sciences programs after completion of a minimum of 4.0 full credits, including 1.0 credit in Biology (excluding BIOA11), 1.0 credit in Chemistry, and 0.5 credit in Mathematics (excluding MATA02H3) or Statistics and with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.0 (for Specialist programs) or based on academic performance (for Major programs).
- For Biology Minor program, students can add the Subject POSt any time.
- If you are enrolled in our Specialist Program you should be completing 1.0 D level credits (two courses) within Biological Sciences. Students are encouraged to plan well ahead to ensure that they have appropriate pre-requisite courses in 2nd and 3rd year in order to meet the enrollment requirements for the D -level courses. The department will work with students such that they are able to enroll in D level courses that align with their interests; however, we ask that students maintain some flexibility in their interests in D level courses so that we can ensure that they are able to complete this program requirement. Program supervisors and the course coordinator are available for consultation regarding D-level enrollment.
- If you are enrolled in one of our Major programs you should complete 0.5 (one course) within Biological Sciences that will meet your program requirements. You should choose another D level in your other Major program outside of Biological Sciences or at a different campus, to complete your degree requirements. In rare occasion, there might still be space in D level courses after all students requesting enrollment have been considered. In such cases, these remaining spaces will open to students in all of Biological Sciences programs (Specialist and Major). Given that this is a very unlikely event, we do not advice students in Major programs to wait to enroll in more than one course (0.5) at the D level within Biological Sciences.
- If you are enrolled in our Minor program you should be looking for D levels in the department you are completing a Major or Specialist program, and not from within the Biological Sciences.
The department of Biological Sciences strives to engage students in their interests and to prepare them for their next step in academia and/or the work force. We endeavor to create and offer courses that are engaging to the current and future student population and varied student interests. In recent years we have greatly increased our D-level course offerings in response to the enthusiasm and growth of our student body and we make every effort to ensure that all of our Specialist and Major program students are able to enroll and complete their D level program requirements in a timely manner. Our D level courses involve a critical evaluation of current research in the field and out faculty work tirelessly to ensure that students develop a variety of skills including written scientific communication, critical thinking and oral presentation skills. Such learning outcomes mandate small class sizes such that our faculty can nurture development of these skills in individual students. We are therefore committed to maintaining limited enrollment courses at the D-level with learning outcomes that ensure that our graduates are poised to thrive in their future studies and careers.
Our current students cite their curiosity in learning biology and their interest in medical, graduate or other related professional schools as the primary reasons for their interest in our programs. As the number of students in our programs continue to grow, our goal remains to continue to inspire our students and equip them with the essential skills required to pursue their future interests. We are extremely pleased with the large number of students who wish to actively engage in our D level courses again this year and we look forward to working together to ensue that you participate in these immersive learning experiences of your choice, prior to graduation.
Please note that due to the high demand of all Biology D level courses we will be restricting the enrollment to 0.5 credits for Biological Science students enrolled in our Major programs, effective Summer 2018. Note that this restriction does not apply to students in our Specialist Programs (who require 1.0 credits of D level courses from within Biological Sciences).
Students request D level courses on ACORN, but will not be officially enrolled until approval has been granted. You should choose D levels that you are interested in taking that follow your program. Enrollment status can be checked on ACORN. "APP" means that your registration has been approved and "REF" means that you have been refused enrollment in the course. Your status in a course will remain as "INT" until the department makes a decision. The department's decision will be based on the courses that you have requested to enroll in and hence we ask that you only choose those courses that you actually intend to remain in. Priority enrollment will be given to students who are in their fourth year and will be graduating in June of the following year. It is critically important that students in our Specialist programs enroll in D-level courses within the appropriate time frame for course enrollment, as this places the department in a difficult position should we need to accommodate you into courses once the enrollment deadlines have passed and spaces have been opened to all students in our programs.
Please note that this new enrollment procedure in D-levels does not apply to BIOD95H3 BIOD67H3, BIOD96Y, BIOD98Y3, or BIOD99Y3 as there is already a separate registration process for these courses. As a reminder, theses courses also do not fulfill the D-level program requirements in several of our programs.
Yes. You can take up to 5.0 credits at other U of T campus. For first-year student, you can take up to 1.0 credit at other campus.
If you are hoping to use any courses from the St. George or UTM campuses to meet program requirements in Biological Sciences you must get permission to take them prior to the course start date. If you are already enrolled in a Biological Sciences program please contact your Program Supervisor. If you are not enrolled in a Biological Sciences program, but wish to enroll in one in the future please contact the Biological Sciences Undergraduate Advisor Jennifer Campbell directly. Jennifer is in SW 421 - D and can be reached by e-mail at jacampbell@utsc.utoronto.ca
Students wishing to take BIOA01H3F and/or BIOA02H3S who do not have grade 12 biology may take BIOA11H3F to fulfill the grade 12 Biology pre-requisite requirement. BIOA11H3 will not satisfy the Advanced Functions (or equivalent) pre-requisite. If you are missing Advanced Functions you will need to either complete the course at an Ontario high school or complete the University of Toronto Mathematics Preparation Course (PUMP). For more information on PUMP please check the Admissions and Student Recruitment website.
Please see the Future Course Offering page at: https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/registrar/future-course-offerings.
- As of April 1, 2013, students must satisfy the admission requirements and complete the program requirements that are in place effective April 1st of the year in which they select a Program(s) as a Subject POSt, or any subsequent year.
- Students are permitted to change their Subject POSt(s), but should be mindful that admission and program requirements can change from year to year, and as of April 1, 2013, the requirements they ultimately must complete are those that are in place effective April 1st of the year in which they change their Subject POSt, or any subsequent year.
Application for admission is made to the Registrar through ROSI, in April/May and July/August. See the UTSC Registrar's website for information on program (Subject POSt) selection at: www.utsc.utoronto.ca/subjectpost.
- A subject POSt is a program of study. It is a package of courses designed to provide you with direction in a particular academic area. It may be a Specialist, Major or Minor program and is part of the requirements needed for completion of a degree. Some subject POSts have a co-op component to them.
- There are two types of Subject POSts:
- Unlimited Subject POSt - has no enrolment specifications and can be added on ROSI at any time.
- Limited enrolment Subject POSt - is one where demand exceeds available space. At specific times, students compete for a place on the basis of courses, grades and, sometimes, other criteria. Students apply for these Subject POSts by the deadlines. Choose an alternate "unlimited" Subject POSt(s) (and courses) as back up in case you are not offered admission to the limited enrolment subject POSt you applied for!