The following Specialist Programs are offered by the Department
of Physical and Environmental Sciences:
- Biological Chemistry
- Chemistry
- Environmental Biology
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Geosciences
- Environmental Physics
- Environmental Science and Technology
- Physical and Mathematical Sciences
- Physics and Astrophysics
The following Major Programs are offered by the Department
of Physical and Environmental Sciences:
- Biochemistry
- Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Physical Sciences
- Physics and Astrophysics
The Department also offers a Minor Program in Environmental
Science and the Minor Program in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
For more information on these programs, see the appropriate section
of this Calendar.
Students are strongly advised to take the courses in the sequence
recommended by their program(s) of choice. Irreconcilable timetable
differences may arise if courses are delayed to later years. Students
should pay careful attention to all pre- and co-requisite courses
to ensure that they are eligible to take their courses at the proper
time. Some C- and D-level courses are offered in alternate years.
Students are advised to consult with their Program Supervisor(s) to
find out when particular courses will be available.
Service Learning and Outreach (Previously known as Science
Engagement)
For experiential learning through community outreach and classroom
in-reach, please see the Centre for Teaching and Learning section
of this Calendar.
CO-OPERATIVE PROGRAM IN PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Supervisor of Studies: S. Dalili (416-287-7215) Email:
sdalili@utsc.utoronto.ca
Co-op Contact: askcoop@utsc.utoronto.ca
The Co-operative Program in Physical Sciences allows students to combine
their chosen academic program with an integrated and complementary
work experience. Students are required to complete any one of the
Specialist Programs offered by the Department of Physical and Environmental
Sciences or the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences,
except those in Computer Science and the Joint Specialist Program
in Environmental Science and Technology, or an approved combination
of two Major Programs within their 20-credit degree program. They
will also complete three work terms of four months each, as well as
a specially designed series of enhancement seminars. The overall purpose
of the Co-op Program is to provide for students an educational milieu
that will allow them to develop as highly qualified scientists, with
excellent experience in both the academic and workplace environments.
For information on fees, work terms, and studying in the program,
please see the Co-operative Programs section of this Calendar.
Note: The Co-op in Computer Science is not part of
the Physical Sciences Co-op. For more information on it, see the Computer Science
section of this Calendar.
Eligible Programs of Study for Co-op:
Students may take any of the Specialist Programs offered in the Department
of Physical and Environmental Sciences or the Department of Computer
and Mathematical Sciences, except those in Computer Science and the
Joint Specialist Program in Environmental Science and Technology.
Currently, these Programs are:
- Biological Chemistry
- Chemistry
- Environmental Biology
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Geosciences
- Environmental Physics
- Mathematics
- Physical and Mathematical Sciences
- Physics and Astrophysics
- Quantitative Analysis
Alternatively, with the approval of the Co-op Supervisor of Studies,
students may select one of the Major Programs offered in the Department
of Physical and Environmental Sciences or the Department of Computer
and Mathematical Sciences, except for Computer Science, as their primary
major, and take this in combination with a second Major Program thus
fulfilling the requirements for the 20 credit degree. Currently, the
eligible Major Programs are:
- Biochemistry
- Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Mathematics
- Physics and Astrophysics
- Physical Sciences
- Statistics
The second major may be from those offered in the Department of Physical
and Environmental Sciences, or from another Department. All double-major
combinations must be discussed with and approved by the Supervisor
of Studies. The second major may be in Computer Science. Students
must meet all the requirements for admission to and continuation in
this or any other limited enrolment Major Program.
For academic program descriptions and requirements, please refer to
the sections of the Calendar related to each discipline.
All program registrations must be approved and confirmed each year
by the Supervisor of the Co-op Program and the Supervisor of the particular
program(s).
Students are individually responsible for ensuring that they have
correctly completed all program and degree requirements for graduation.
Program Admission
Prospective Applicants: For direct admission from secondary
school or for students who wish to transfer to U of T Scarborough
from another U of T faculty or from another post-secondary institution,
see the Co-operative
Programs section in this Calendar.
Current U of T Scarborough students: Application procedures
can be found at the Registrar's Office website at: www.utsc.utoronto.ca/subjectpost
The minimum qualifications for entry are:
- Physics & Astrophysics (Major): 4.0 full
credits including MATA30H3,
[MATA36H3 or MATA37H3],
MATA23H3, PHYA10H3
& PHYA21H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Biochemistry (Major): 4.0 full credits including
BIOA01H3, BIOA02H3,
CHMA10H3, CHMA11H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Biological Chemistry (Specialist): 4.0 full credits
including BIOA01H3,
BIOA02H3, CHMA10H3,
CHMA11H3, MATA30H3,
[MATA35H3 or MATA36H3
or MATA37H3], PHYA10H3
& PHYA21H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Chemistry (Major): 4.0 full credits including
CHMA10H3, CHMA11H3,
MATA30H3, [MATA35H3
or MATA36H3 or
MATA37H3], PHYA10H3
& PHYA21H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Chemistry (Specialist): 4.0 full credits including
CHMA10H3, CHMA11H3,
MATA30H3, [MATA36H3
or MATA37H3], PHYA10H3
& PHYA21H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Environmental Biology (Specialist): 4.5 full
credits as follows: BIOA01H3,
BIOA02H3, CHMA10H3,
CHMA11H3, EESA01H3,
EESA06H3, MATA30H3,
[MATA35H3 or MATA36H3
or MATA37H3] &
PHYA10H3 plus
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Environmental Chemistry (Specialist): 4.5 full
credits as follows: BIOA01H3,
BIOA02H3, CHMA10H3,
CHMA11H3, EESA01H3,
EESA06H3, MATA30H3,
[MATA35H3 or MATA36H3
or MATA37H3] &
PHYA10H3 plus
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Environmental Geoscience (Specialist): 4.5 full
credits as follows: BIOA01H3,
BIOA02H3, CHMA10H3,
CHMA11H3, EESA01H3,
EESA06H3, MATA30H3,
[MATA35H3 or MATA36H3
or MATA37H3] &
PHYA10H3 plus
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Environmental Physics (Specialist): 4.5 full
credits as follows: CHMA10H3,
CHMA11H3, EESA01H3,
EESA06H3, MATA30H3,
[MATA36H3 or MATA37H3],
PHYA10H3 &
PHYA21H3 plus
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Environmental Science (Major): 4.0 full credits
including BIOA01H3,
BIOA02H3, EESA06H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Mathematics (Major): 4.0 full credits including
[CSCA48H3 or
PSCB57H3], MATA23H3,
MATA30H3 & [MATA36H3
or MATA37H3] plus
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Mathematics (Specialist): 4.0 full credits including
CSCA48H3, MATA23H3,
MATA30H3, MATA37H3,
PHYA10H3 &
PHYA21H3 plus
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. The Computational Physical Sciences
Stream also requires ASTA01H3,
ASA02H3, PHYA10H3
& PHYA21H3.
- Physical Sciences (Major): 4.0 full credits as
follows: CHMA10H3, CHMA11H3,
MATA30H3, [MATA36H3
or MATA37H3], MATA23H3,
PHYA10H3 &
PHYA21H3 plus
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Physical & Mathematical Sciences (Specialist): 4.0
full credits including ASTA01H3,
ASTA02H3, MATA23H3,
MATA30H3, [MATA36H3
or MATA37H3], PHYA10H3
& PHYA21H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Physics & Astrophysics (Specialist): 4.0
full credits including MATA23H3,
MATA30H3, [MATA36H3
or MATA37H3], PHYA10H3
& PHYA21H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
- Quantitative Analysis (Specialist): 4.0 full
credits including CSCA08H3,
CSCA48H3, CSCA67H3,
(CSCA65H3), MATA23H3, MATA30H3
& MATA37H3 plus a cumulative
GPA of at least 2.5
- Statistics (Major): 4.0 full credits including
CSCA48H3, MATA23H3,
MATA30H3 & MATA37H3
plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
Work Terms
To be eligible for their first work term, students must have completed
at least 7.0 full credits. Students must also successfully complete
Arts & Science Co-op Work Term Preparation Activities, which include
multiple networking sessions, speaker panels and industry tours along
with seminars covering resumes, cover letters, job interviews and
work term expectations, prior to their first work term.
Students will work in areas as closely related as possible to their
academic Programs. If a student is taking a double-major Program,
and if the second major is in Computer Science or in another Department,
the work term will be primarily associated with the primary Physical
Sciences major. Students are not permitted to complete more than one
summer work term.
Programs and Courses
The Programs offered by the Department of Physical and Environmental
Sciences emphasize co-ordination among traditional subject areas.
The aim is to provide students with an integrated view of science.
The Concurrent Teacher Education Program (CTEP) and the Co-operative
Programs offered in the Department build on this inter-disciplinary
theme. Note: Corequisites and prerequisites
must be carefully checked; for example, MATB41H3
is a corequisite for PHYB21H3.
The Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences offers interdisciplinary
courses under the PSC designation. They are designed for students
with a broad interest in Physical Science. Many of the Specialist
and the Major Programs offered by the disciplines of the Department
of Physical and Environmental Sciences require one or more PSC courses.
The Department offers an interdisciplinary Specialist Program in the
Physical and Mathematical Sciences. This Program provides an excellent
opportunity to combine studies from a number of disciplines.
SPECIALIST PROGRAM IN NATURAL SCIENCES
Supervisor of Studies: N. Cheredeko (416-287-7226) Email:
n.cheredeko@utoronto.ca
This program has been withdrawn from the curriculum. Every effort
will be made to ensure that degree students who first enrolled at
UTSC prior to the 2010 Summer Session will be able to complete it.
Students should refer to the 2009/2010 UTSC Calendar.
MAJOR PROGRAM IN PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Supervisor: G. Lorincz (416-287-7248) Email: lorincz@utsc.utoronto.ca
See Physics and Astrophysics section of this Calendar.
SPECIALIST PROGRAM IN PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
Supervisor: J. Lowman (416-208-4880) Email: lowman@utsc.utoronto.ca
See Physics and Astrophysics section of this Calendar.
Physical Sciences Courses
PSCB57H3 Introduction
to Scientific Computing
This course is an introduction to the use of computers in the physical
and biological sciences emphasizing the choice and design of algorithms
and their implementation in a high-level computer language for the
solution of problems arising in the physical and biological sciences.
Topics will include elementary numerical analysis, such as numerical
integration, mathematical modeling of physical systems, data fitting
and interpolation. (Intended primarily for physical and biological
science students who do not plan to pursue any of the Programs in
computer science or cognitive science.)
Corequisite: [MATA36H3 or
MATA37H3] or MAT35H3 with
permission of instructor & one A-level science course
Breadth Requirement: Quantitative Reasoning
PSCD01H3 The
Physical Sciences in Contemporary Society
Current issues involving physical science in modern society. Topics
include: complex nature of the scientific method; inter-connection
between theory, concepts and experimental data; characteristics of
premature, pathological and pseudo-science; organization and funding
of scientific research in Canada; role of communication and publishing;
public misunderstanding of scientific method. These will be discussed
using issues arising in chemistry, computer science, earth sciences,
mathematics and physics.
Note: Where PSCD01H3
is a Program requirement, it may be replaced by PHY341H with the approval
of the Program supervisor.
Prerequisite: Completion of at least one-half of the credits required
in any one of the programs offered by the Department of Physical &
Environmental Sciences.
Corequisite: Continued participation in one of the Physical and Environmental
Sciences programs.
Exclusion: PHY341H
Breadth Requirement: Social & Behavioural Sciences
PSCD02H3 Current
Questions in Mathematics and Science
Topics of current prominence arising in chemistry, computer science,
earth sciences, mathematics and physics will be discussed, usually
by faculty or outside guests who are close to the areas of prominence.
Topics will vary from year to year as the subject areas evolve.
Note: Where PSCD02H3
is a Program requirement, it may be replaced by PHY342H with the approval
of the Program supervisor.
Prerequisite: Completion of at least 3.5 credits of a Physical Sciences
program.
Corequisite: Continued participation in one of the Physical Sciences
programs.
Exclusion: PHY342H
Breadth Requirement: Natural Sciences
PSCD10H3 Physical
Sciences Project
This course is intended to introduce students to current topics of
research in the physical sciences under the supervision of a professorial
faculty member. Students will undertake an independent project or
series of projects involving theoretical, computational, experimental
laboratory or field work in the Physical or Environmental Sciences.
Students will be evaluated by the supervising faculty member in consultation
with the course supervisor. Students must obtain the consent of the
course supervisor to enrol in this course.
Prerequisite: 14.0 credits & a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
Exclusion: (PSCC10H3)