There has been an exponential growth in molecular biological knowledge in recent years, thanks to genome sequencing projects and technologies for determining gene expression and protein structures. The tremendous volume and complexity of data has necessitated the development of specialized computational techniques for storing, visualizing, and analyzing them. Certain techniques also require computational techniques in the derivation of data. Such techniques all fall into the realm of Bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is the interdisciplinary meeting point for computer science and molecular biology. It requires understanding of the knowledge domains of biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and probability and statistics. Students in Bioinformatics can find opportunities in most life sciences fields such as medicine or agriculture.

Students interested in entering an Honours program should consult advisors in the department concerned before registering for their second year. Of the 120 credit units required for the B.Sc. Honours degree, at least 66 credit units must be at the senior level. Students must have completed at least 30 credit units (i.e. two full years of undergraduate study) before applying for admission to this program. The deadline to apply is May 31. Formal admission requires:

  1. Application for Honours admission, made on the form available from the Department of Computer Science;
  2. Completion of all mandatory 200-level CMPT courses in the C4 Major Requirement:

    • CMPT 260,
    • CMPT 270,
    • CMPT 280; and

  3. A Cumulative Weighted Average of at least 70% overall and at least 70% in the courses which are included in the Major Average.

 

No more than 6 credit units from one subject may be used in Requirements C1, C2, and the Junior Course Requirements in C3. An exception will be made to this rule to allow a student to choose to take 9 credit units in the same subject to fulfill the English Language Writing and Indigenous Learning Requirements (in the C1 College Requirement). Students who make this choice will be required to take 3 additional credit units of Fine Arts Program Type, Humanities Program Type, Social Science Program Type, or Arts and Sci No Program Type courses, in a different subject, within the C5 Electives Requirement.

C1 College Requirement (15 credit units)

English Language Writing

Choose 6 credit units from the following:

  • ANTH 302.3
  • ANTH 306.3
  • ANTH 310.3
  • ANTH 421.3
  • CMRS 110.3
  • CMRS 111.3
  • CPSJ 203.3
  • ENG 110.6
  • ENG 111.3
  • ENG 112.3
  • ENG 113.3
  • ENG 114.3
  • ENG 120.3
  • ENG 210.3
  • ENG 211.3
  • ENG 212.3
  • ENG 213.3
  • ENG 394.3
  • ESL 116.3
  • HIST 115.3
  • HIST 125.3
  • HIST 135.3
  • HIST 145.3
  • HIST 155.3
  • HIST 165.3
  • HIST 175.3
  • HIST 185.3
  • HIST 193.3
  • HIST 194.3
  • MUS 155.3
  • PHIL 115.3
  • PHIL 120.3
  • PHIL 121.3
  • PHIL 133.3
  • PHIL 208.3
  • PHIL 233.3
  • POLS 236.3
  • POLS 237.3
  • PSY 323.3
  • PSY 355.3
  • RLST 280.3
  • RLST 362.3

Indigenous Learning

Choose 3 credit units from the following:

  • ANTH 202.3
  • ANTH 350.3
  • ANTH 480.3
  • DRAM 111.3
  • ENG 242.3
  • ENG 243.3
  • ENG 335.3
  • ENG 338.3
  • GEOG 465.3
  • HIST 195.3
  • HIST 257.3 (may only be used if taken in 2022-23 or later)
  • HIST 266.3
  • HIST 315.3
  • HIST 316.3
  • INDG 107.3
  • LING 114.3
  • LING 253.3
  • PLAN 445.3
  • POLS 222.3
  • INDG — 200-Level, 300-Level, 400-Level

Quantitative Reasoning

  • MATH 163.3
  • MATH 164.3

C2 Breadth Requirement (6 credit units)

Choose 6 credit units from the following areas:

  • ART 110.3
  • ART 122.3
  • ART 123.3
  • ART 124.3
  • ART 125.3
  • ART 136.3
  • ART 141.3
  • ART 151.3
  • ART 152.3
  • ART 161.3
  • ARTH 120.3
  • ARTH 121.3
  • DRAM 101.3
  • DRAM 108.3
  • DRAM 110.3
  • DRAM 111.3
  • DRAM 113.3
  • DRAM 118.3
  • DRAM 119.3
  • DRAM 121.3
  • MUS 101.3
  • MUS 102.3
  • MUS 104.3
  • MUS 111.3
  • MUS 112.3
  • MUS 120.2
  • MUS 121.2
  • MUS 125.1
  • MUS 133.3
  • MUS 134.3
  • MUS 155.3
  • MUS 156.3
  • MUS 175.3
  • MUS 184.3

  • Any senior-level fine arts course provided that the prerequisite is met.

  • ARBC 114.3
  • ARBC 117.3
  • CHIN 114.3
  • CHIN 117.3
  • CLAS 110.3
  • CLAS 111.3
  • CMRS 110.3
  • CMRS 111.3
  • CREE 101.6
  • CREE 110.3
  • DENE 110.3
  • ENG 110.6
  • ENG 111.3
  • ENG 112.3
  • ENG 113.3
  • ENG 114.3
  • ENG 120.3
  • ESL 115.3
  • ESL 116.3
  • FREN 103.3
  • FREN 106.3
  • FREN 122.3
  • FREN 125.3
  • FREN 160.3
  • FREN 218.3
  • GERM 114.3
  • GERM 117.3
  • GRK 112.3
  • GRK 113.3
  • HEB 114.3
  • HEB 117.3
  • HIST 115.3
  • HIST 125.3
  • HIST 135.3
  • HIST 145.3
  • HIST 155.3
  • HIST 165.3
  • HIST 175.3
  • HIST 185.3
  • HIST 193.3
  • HIST 194.3
  • HIST 195.3
  • HNDI 114.3
  • HNDI 117.3
  • JPNS 114.3
  • JPNS 117.3
  • LATN 112.3
  • LATN 113.3
  • LING 110.3
  • LING 113.3
  • LING 114.3
  • LIT 110.3
  • LIT 111.3
  • MUS 101.3
  • MUS 111.3
  • MUS 112.3
  • PHIL 110.6
  • PHIL 115.3
  • PHIL 120.3
  • PHIL 121.3
  • PHIL 133.3
  • PHIL 140.3
  • RLST 111.3
  • RLST 112.3
  • RLST 113.3
  • SNSK 114.3
  • SNSK 117.3
  • SPAN 114.3
  • SPAN 117.3
  • UKR 114.3
  • UKR 117.3
  • WGST 112.3

  • Any senior-level humanities course provided that the prerequisite is met.
  • CLAS 101, CLAS 103, CLAS 104, CLAS 105, CLAS 107 and CLAS 203 may not be used to fulfill the Humanities requirement.

  • ANTH 111.3
  • ANTH 112.3
  • ANTH 116.3
  • ECON 111.3
  • ECON 114.3
  • GEOG 130.3
  • GEOG 150.3
  • HLST 110.3
  • INDG 107.3
  • LING 111.3
  • LING 112.3
  • LING 113.3
  • LING 114.3
  • POLS 110.3
  • POLS 111.3
  • POLS 112.3
  • PSY 120.3
  • PSY 121.3
  • SOC 111.3
  • SOC 112.3
  • WGST 112.3

  • Any senior-level social science course provided that the prerequisite is met.
  • Statistics courses in social sciences are not eligible for use in this requirement (e.g. PSY 233, PSY 234, SOC 225 and SOC 325).

  • CPSJ 112.3
  • CPSJ 203.3
  • INTS 110.3
  • INTS 111.3
  • INTS 380.3

C3 Cognate Requirement (9 credit units)

Junior course requirements

  • CHEM 112.3
  • PHIL 232.3

Additional cognate requirements

Choose 3 credit units from the following:

  • MATH 110.3
  • MATH 133.4 (only open to student in the College of Engineering)
  • MATH 176.3

C4 Major Requirement (81 credit units)


  • BINF 351.3
  • BIOL 120.3
  • BIOL 121.3
  • BMSC 200.3
  • CHEM 250.3
  • CMPT 141.3
  • CMPT 145.3
  • CMPT 260.3 or CMPT 263.3
  • CMPT 270.3
  • CMPT 280.3
  • CMPT 318.3 
  • CMPT 353.3 
  • CMPT 360.3 
  • CMPT 407.3
  • CMPT 451.3

Choose 3 credit units from the following:

  • BMSC 240.3 
  • BIOL 226.3

Choose 3 credit units from the following:

  • BMIS 340.3 
  • BIOL 316.3

Choose 3 credit units from the following:

  • STAT 242.3
  • STAT 245.3
  • STAT 246.3

Choose one of the following areas (6 credit units):

Simulation:

  • CMPT 214.3
  • CMPT 394.3 

Artificial Intelligence:

  • CMPT 317.3 
  • CMPT 423.3

Theory:

  • CMPT 364.3
  • CMPT 463.3

Visualization:

  • CMPT 384.3
  • CMPT 484.3
Choose 21 credit units from the following with at least 3 credit units at the 400-level:

  • ANBI 470.3 
  • ANSC 313.3
  • BIOL 222.3
  • BIOL 325.3
  • BIOL 420.3
  • BIOL 421.3
  • BMIS 405.3
  • BMIS 417.3
  • BMIS 436.3
  • BMIS 487.3
  • BMSC 210.3
  • BMSC 220.3
  • BMSC 230.3
  • BMSC 320.3
  • CHEM 255.3
  • CPPS 331.3
  • PLSC 317.3
  • PLSC 411.3
  • PLSC 416.3

C5 Electives Requirement (9 credit units)

Arts and Science courses, or those from other Colleges that have been approved for Arts and Science credit, to complete the requirements for 120 credit unit Honours program, of which at least 66 must be at the 200-level or higher.