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    * Honours BSc Biochemistry - Synthetic Biology Option

  Honours BSc Biochemistry - Synthetic Biology Option

      120 Units

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      * Program Requirements

        Biochemistry is the chemistry of life. It provides the foundation for understanding all biological processes as well as the molecular basis and treatment of human disease.

        The biochemistry bachelor's provides you with the education you need to play a leading role in new and exciting areas of medical research. You will be exposed to cutting-edge research and knowledge. Our program prepares you for graduate studies and for an academic or research career in the medical sciences. What's more, biochemistry provides an excellent foundation for further studies in medicine and other areas of health care.

        You can choose an Honours BSc in Biochemistry, a major or a minor.

        If you want to pursue a career in experimental biochemistry, choose the Honours program. If you prefer a basic biochemistry education, choose a major. And if you want to focus on another discipline but are interested in biochemistry, choose a minor.

        If you have a particular interest in microorganisms and the role that the immune system plays in health and disease, you can also choose an Honours BSc in biochemistry with an option in microbiology and immunology. We also offer an integrated biotechnology program that lets you combine studies in biochemistry and chemical engineering and receive both a BSc in biochemistry and a BASc in chemical engineering in five years.

        As for the language of instruction, compulsory courses and many optional course units are available in either English or French.

        If you choose the Honours in Biochemistry, you have the opportunity to complete a full-year research project under the supervision of a professor from the departments of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Biology, Physics, or Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, or under the supervision of an affiliated principle investigator from one of the many research institutes in the National Capital Region. Given the breadth of research expertise within our program, you can conduct research in many areas of modern biomedicine, including biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, chemical biology, molecular biology, cell biology, proteomics, genomics, systems biology and bioinformatics.

        This program is offered in English and in French.

        Co-operative education is available with this program.

        The French immersion stream is available with this program.

        Requirements for this program have been modified. Please consult the 2025-2026 calendars for the previous requirements.

      Course List
        Code                                                                                                                                                   Title                                       Units  
        Basic Skills                                                                                                                                                                                     
        3 optional course units in English (ENG) at the 1000 or 2000 level                                                                                     3 Units                                   
        Compulsory courses at the 1000 level                                                                                                                                                             
        BIO 1131                                                                                                                                               Introduction to Organismal Biology          3 Units
        BIO 1141                                                                                                                                               Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology  3 Units
        CHM 1311                                                                                                                                               Principles of Chemistry                     3 Units
        CHM 1321                                                                                                                                               Organic Chemistry I                         3 Units
        MAT 1330                                                                                                                                               Calculus for the Life Sciences I            3 Units
        MAT 1332                                                                                                                                               Calculus for the Life Sciences II           3 Units
        PHY 1321                                                                                                                                               Principles of Physics I                     3 Units
        Compulsory courses at the 2000 level                                                                                                                                                             
        BCH 2333                                                                                                                                               Introduction to Biochemistry                3 Units
        BIO 2133                                                                                                                                               Genetics                                    3 Units
        CHM 2120                                                                                                                                               Organic Chemistry II                        3 Units
        CHM 2123                                                                                                                                               Laboratory of Organic Chemistry II          3 Units
        CHM 2132                                                                                                                                               Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences    3 Units
        STA 2392                                                                                                                                               Introduction to Biostatistics               3 Units
        Compulsory courses at the 3000 level                                                                                                                                                             
        BCH 3120                                                                                                                                               General Intermediary Metabolism             3 Units
        BCH 3125                                                                                                                                               Protein Structure and Function              3 Units
        BCH 3170                                                                                                                                               Molecular Biology                           3 Units
        BCH 3346                                                                                                                                               Biochemistry Laboratory II                  3 Units
        BCH 3356                                                                                                                                               Molecular Biology Laboratory                3 Units
        BIO 3124                                                                                                                                               General Microbiology                        3 Units
        Compulsory courses at the 4000 level                                                                                                                                                             
        BCH 4122                                                                                                                                               Structural Biology of Proteins              3 Units
        BCH 4125                                                                                                                                               Cellular Regulation and Control             3 Units
        BCH 4172                                                                                                                                               Topics in Biotechnology                     3 Units
        BCH 4188                                                                                                                                               Synthetic Biology 1                         3 Units
        BCH 4932                                                                                                                                               Biochemistry Seminar 2                      3 Units
        One option from the following:                                                                                                                         9 Units                                   
          Option 1: Honours Project                                                                                                                                                                      
          BCH 4040                                                                                                                                             Honours Research - Biochemistry 3                  
          Option 2: Honours Project Substitution                                                                                                                                                         
          3 course units from:                                                                                                                                                                           
          BPS 4104                                                                                                                                             Bioinformatics Laboratory                          
          BPS 4127                                                                                                                                             Advanced Techniques in Biosciences                 
          and 6 optional course units at the 3000 or 4000 level in science                                                                                                                               
        Optional courses                                                                                                                                                                                 
        3 course units from:                                                                                                                                   3 Units                                   
          PHY 1322                                                                                                                                             Principles of Physics II                           
          PHY 2325                                                                                                                                             Physics in Biology                                 
        3 course units from:                                                                                                                                   3 Units                                   
          BCH 4124                                                                                                                                             Carbohydrates and Glycobiology                     
          CHM 4139                                                                                                                                             Enzyme Chemistry and Biocatalysis                  
        3 course units from:                                                                                                                                   3 Units                                   
          BCH 4101                                                                                                                                             Human Genome Structure and Function                
          BCH 4123                                                                                                                                             Pathological Biochemistry                          
          BCH 4126                                                                                                                                             Structural Biology of Membranes                    
          BCH 4300                                                                                                                                             Selected Topics in Biochemistry                    
          BPS 3101                                                                                                                                             Genomics                                           
          BPS 4129                                                                                                                                             Advanced Chemical Biology                          
        Electives                                                                                                                                                                                        
        9 elective course units from the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences or the Telfer School of Management  9 Units                                   
        18 elective course units                                                                                                                               18 Units                                  
        Total:                                                                                                                                                 120 Units                                 
        

        Note(s)

        1

        This course may not be available every year.

        2

        This course runs from September to April.

        3

        BCH 4040 is highly recommended. A minimum CGPA of 6.5 or greater or a GPA of 6.5 or greater calculated from the two most recent years of full-time study in the Honours Biochemistry program (minimum of 54 units including all compulsory all compulsory 3000 level courses) is required. This course runs from September to April.

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