BSc (120 credit hour) Concentrated Honours in Microbiology and Immunology
Students who want a challenging program that results in a broad and in-depth background in Microbiology and Immunology, and includes an independent research experience, may want to enroll in an Honours program. Students interested in eventually pursuing graduate studies are particularly encouraged to consider Honours. Honours students complete a minimum of 54 credit hours above the 1000 level in Microbiology and Immunology subject courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and write a research-based Honours thesis. The Honours thesis and Qualifying Examination requirements are satisfied through completion of MICI 4901/4902.06. Certain specified courses from other departments (BIOC, BIOL, CHEM, NESC) count as MICI-subject courses (see below).
A Co-op option is available for students enrolled in a BSc Concentrated Honours in Microbiology and Immunology.
Admission to Honours
Students who wish to enrol in a Microbiology and Immunology Honours program should apply for admission after receiving their 2nd year Fall term grades. To be admitted, students must have:
- Consulted with a departmental academic advisor
- Completed the required 1000 level classes
- A GPA of B+ at the time of application
Departmental requirements
In addition to fulfilling the requirements outlined in the Academic Regulations and College of Arts and Science Degree Requirements sections, students in a BSc Concentrated Honours program in Microbiology and Immunology must complete the following courses:
1000 level
- BIOL 1010.03: Principles of Biology Part I/BIOL 1011.03: Principles of Biology Part II or BIOL 1020.03: Introductory Biology I: Cells, Genetics and Evolution/BIOL 1021.03: Introductory Biology II: Organismal Biology and Ecology
- CHEM 1011.03: Concepts in Chemistry: Structure and Reactivity/CHEM 1012.03: Concepts in Chemistry: Energy and Equilibrium
- MATH 1000.03: Differential and Integral Calculus I or MATH 1215.03: Life Sciences Calculus
- MATH 1010.03: Differential and Integral Calculus II or STAT 1060.03: Introductory Statistics for Science and Health Sciences
Or Integrated Science Program: One of SCIE 1515.36, SCIE 1520.30, SCIE 1540.27, SCIE 1505.18
2000 level
- MICI 2100.03: Introductory Microbiology and Immunology and MICI 2400.03: Laboratory Methods in Microbiology and Immunology
- BIOL 2020.03: Cell Biology and BIOL 2030.03: Genetics and Molecular Biology
- BIOC 2300.03: Introduction to Biochemistry and BIOC 2610.03: Introductory Biochemistry Lab
- CHEM 2401.03: Introductory Organic Chemistry: Structure, Concepts of Mechanisms and Spectroscopy and CHEM 2402.03: Introductory Organic Chemistry: Reactivity of Functional Groups
3000 level
4000 level
- MICI 4901/4902.06: Honours Research and Thesis*
- One additional 4000-level MICI course
- A minimum of three additional courses from the list below, at least one of which is at the 4000 level
- MICI 2115.03: Human Organs and Tissues, MICI 3024.03: Microscopy, MICI 3620.03: Experiential Learning in Microbiology and Immunology, MICI 4027.03: Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer, MICI 4033.03: Advanced Microbial Genetics, MICI 4100.03: Processes and Mediators of Inflammation, MICI 4114.03: Advanced Topics in Molecular and Medical Virology, MICI 4115.03: Immunology of the Host Resistance, MICI 4116.03: Current Topics in Mucosal Immunology, MICI 4118.03: Molecular Bacterial Pathogenesis, MICI 4119.03: Host Pathogen Interactions, MICI 4218.03: Clinical Microbiology, MICI 4302.03: Molecular Immunology
- BIOC 4010.03: Bioinformatics, BIOC 4403.03: Genes and Genomes, BIOC 4404.03: Gene Expression, BIOC 4501.03: Medical Biotechnology, BIOC 4835.03/BIOL 4035.03: Human Genetics
- BIOL 2004.03: Diversity of Life II,BIOL 3037.03 Gene Editing, and Synthetic Biology, BIOL 3101.03: Microbial Ecology, BIOL 3102.03: Microbial Eukaryotes, BIOL 3322.03: Parasitology, BIOL 4020.03 Advanced Cell Biology
- PSYO 3180.03/NESC 3180.03: Psychoneuroimmunology/Ecological Immunology
- FOSC 3080.03: Food Microbiology
* The Honours research thesis (MICI 4901/4902.06) is normally supervised by a faculty member from Microbiology and Immunology or from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (including joint and cross appointments). Students who wish to undertake their honours research project in another department must first have the project approved by the Microbiology and Immunology Undergraduate Studies Committee.
Grade requirements for Honours:
- In the following core courses, MICI 2100.03: Introductory Microbiology and Immunology, MICI 2400.03: Laboratory Methods in Microbiology and Immunology, MICI 3114.03: Virology, MICI 3115.03: Immunology, MICI 3119.03: Physiology of the Prokaryotic Cell and MICI 4901/4902.06: Honours Research and Thesis, a minimum grade of B in five and a minimum grade of B- in the sixth course. In the other MICI or required courses a grade of C or greater is required.