Photograph of a chemistry instructor in the chemistry lab. Links to Chemistry faculty bios at https://scitech.viu.ca/chemistry/faculty.

Biology BSc Description

  • Program Length
    4 Years
  • Credential
    Bachelor Degree
  • Options
    Honours, Major, Minor
  • Location Offered
    Nanaimo

Find inspiration in the wild and wonderful – immerse yourself in the study of life at all levels. Whether you are fascinated by cellular biology, microbiology or the interactions between organisms and their environments, VIU’s Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biology program has something to offer you. Designed to be experiential, our biology degree programs invite you to study local and global biological phenomena while contributing to research that has meaningful, real-world applications.

Take advantage of our small class sizes and learn and discover alongside your professor in the classroom, the lab and the field. Many of our graduates have continued on to further research and graduate studies, while others have entered successful careers in medicine, health sciences, natural sciences, teaching, physiotherapy, conservation, marine biology, and more.

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science, Honours, Major and Minor in Biology emphasize a “hands-on,” integrative approach to learning. Smaller class sizes allow one-on-one interaction, fostering development of the student-mentor relationship. Versatility is a key feature of the Biology program.

Whereas the Major has a traditional core program, which all students must take, students can also select courses to suit their interests. For example, strong faculty expertise in Organismal Biology, Ecology, Molecular/Cellular Biology and Microbiology/Virology enables students to emphasize one of these directions. Students can also select electives from other departments (e.g., Fisheries, Forestry, Geography, Anthropology) to satisfy their degree requirements. In the final year, students have the option, depending on availability, to complete a comprehensive undergraduate research project, under the supervision of a Biology faculty member.

The Major will be of interest to those looking towards teaching, graduate school, professional schools such as Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine and Law, or employment as scientists in the Biological and Environmental Sciences.

The Minor will be of particular interest to students proceeding towards a career in Primary and Secondary Education, with plans for teaching a science curriculum.

For additional information on the program, faculty, and undergraduate research, please visit the VIU Biology website.

All B.Sc. students interested in the Biology Major or Minor must contact the B.Sc. Degree Advisor.

Notes on Admission

  • Courses in first year have different prerequisites. To satisfy all first year course prerequisites, students must complete all of the following B.C. Secondary School course requirements:
    • A minimum grade of "C" in English 12;
    • A minimum grade of "C+" in each of Biology 11 or 12, Chemistry 11 and 12 and Physics 11 (Principles of Physics 11); and,
    • A minimum grade of "B" in Mathematics 12 (Pre-calculus 12 or Principles of Mathematics 12).
    • Physics 12 is recommended but not required.
    • Some seats are available for students who have only completed Chemistry 11 with a minimum "C+".
  • Students who do not satisfy all of the first year course prerequisites will not likely be able to complete the full degree program in four years. Students who are lacking any or all of the first year course prerequisites should speak with a VIU Advisor about upgrading courses.
  • Students with a two-year diploma in a field related to the Biological Sciences may receive advanced standing, depending upon their program.
  • Students are encouraged to become computer literate in word processing, spreadsheets and databases by second year.
  • Transcripts from other institutions for courses used towards the B.Sc., Major in Biology degree must be received by VIU’s Records office by August 15 for the Fall semester, and November 30 for the Spring semester.

Requirements for a Major

Students must fulfill all Institutional B.Sc. Degree Requirements, including Degree English Requirements, and all core courses listed below. 

Note: Most core and elective courses have prerequisites. Students should check prerequisites carefully, and consult the B.Sc. Degree Advisor when planning their program.

Core Courses

The Core component of the degree, combined with appropriate electives, gives students sufficient knowledge and experience in their field to facilitate entry into graduate or professional schools, or into employment in their field.

Note: Students are strongly encouraged to complete all Year 1 and Year 2 core requirements in the order listed to minimize potential scheduling conflicts later in their degree.

Year 1Credits

Select one of the following:

  • Complete all of:
  • Complete all of:
4

Select one of the following:

  • Complete all of:
    • BIOL 123 - (Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology)
  • Complete all of:
    • BIOL 123A - (Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology Theory)
    • BIOL 123L - (Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory)
4

Select one of the following: 

  • Complete all of:
  • Complete all of:
4

Select one of the following:

  • Complete one of:
    • CHEM 141* - (Chemistry Fundamentals II)
    • CHEM 142* - (Chemistry Fundamentals II)
  • Complete all of:
    • CHEM 141A* - (Chemistry Fundamentals II Theory) 
    • CHEM 142L - (Chemistry Fundamentals II Laboratory)
  • Complete all of:
    • CHEM 142A* - (Chemistry Fundamentals II Theory) 
    • CHEM 142L - (Chemistry Fundamentals II Laboratory)
4
MATH 121 - (Calculus I) and,
MATH 122 - (Calculus II)		8
PHYS 111 - (Physics for the Life Sciences I) and,
PHYS 112 - (Physics for the Life Sciences II)		8
Degree English Requirements6

* CHEM 142A/142 is for students who have taken Chemistry 12 and scored at least a C+. CHEM 141A/141 is for students who do not meet this Chemistry 12 requirement. Both courses share the same laboratory material, and final examination.

Note: At the end of first year or after completing a minimum of 24 credits, students need to declare their educational goals in consultation with the B.Sc. Degree Advisor.

Year 2Credits
BIOL 200 - (Principles of Cell Biology)3
BIOL 201 - (Principles of Biochemistry I)3
BIOL 202 - (Ecology)3
BIOL 210 - (Microbiology I)4
BIOL 212 - (Genetics)3
BIOL 223 - (Botany)3
CHEM 231 - (Organic Chemistry I)
CHEM 232 - (Organic Chemistry II)		8
MATH 203 - (Biometrics)3

 

Years 3 and 4Credits
BIOL 305 - (Animal Physiology)3
BIOL 402 - (Evolution)3
BIOL 403 - (Current Topics in Biology)3
Select twenty-one upper–level BIOL credits numbered 300* and above.
Up to twelve credits among the following courses may be counted towards this requirement: FISH 322, FISH 324, FRST 328, FRST 351, FRST 352, GEOG 328, GEOG 373, RMOT 306, RMOT 357, RMOT 400, and RMOT 401.		21

* Check individual course prerequisites.

Note: Students wishing to satisfy the academic requirements for registration as a Registered Professional Biologist with the College of Applied Biology of BC must take any one of BIOL 457, FISH 223, RMOT 400, or RMOT 401. All other academic requirements for professional registration are included in the Major in Biology.

Undergraduate Research Project

The Biology Department encourages education gained by participating in active research. Students have the option to complete a research project (BIOL 490 or 491) in their final year. For these courses, students carry out their research under the direction of a Research Advisor from the Biology Department (in some cases, a Co-Advisor may be from another Department). Students interested in taking BIOL 490 or 491 should consult a faculty member as early as possible in their academic career. Details of the special registration process required for BIOL 490 and 491 may be obtained from the Biology Chair or B.Sc. Degree Advisor.

Further information on previous research projects performed by VIU Biology graduates is available at VIU Biology.

Requirements for a Minor

Students must fulfill all Institutional B.Sc. Degree Requirements, including Degree English Requirements and courses listed below:

Years 1 and 2Credits

Select one of the following:

  • Complete all of:
  • Complete all of:
4

Select one of the following:

  • Complete all of:
    • BIOL 123 - (Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology)
  • Complete all of:
    • BIOL 123A - (Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology Theory)
    • BIOL 123L - (Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory)
4

Select one of the following: 

  • Complete all of:
  • Complete all of:
4

Select one of the following:

  • Complete one of:
    • CHEM 141* - (Chemistry Fundamentals II)
    • CHEM 142* - (Chemistry Fundamentals II)
  • Complete all of:
    • CHEM 141A* - (Chemistry Fundamentals II Theory) 
    • CHEM 142L - (Chemistry Fundamentals II Laboratory)
  • Complete all of:
    • CHEM 142A* - (Chemistry Fundamentals II Theory) 
    • CHEM 142L - (Chemistry Fundamentals II Laboratory)
4
Select one of: 
MATH 203 - (Biometrics)
MATH 211 - (Fundamentals of Statistics I)
MATH 254 - (Statistics I)		3
BIOL 201 - (Principles of Biochemistry I)3
Select two** courses from the following:
BIOL 200 - (Introduction to Cell Biology) 
BIOL 202 - (Ecology)
BIOL 210 - (Microbiology I)
BIOL 212 - (Genetics)
BIOL 223 - (Botany)		6-7
CHEM 231 - (Organic Chemistry I)4

* CHEM 142A/142 is for students who have taken Chemistry 12 and scored at least a C+. CHEM 141A/141 is for students who do not meet this Chemistry 12 requirement. Both courses share the same laboratory material, and final examination.

** Students should check upper-level course prerequisites to guide second year course choices.

Years 3 and 4Credits
Minimum of eighteen credits of Biology courses numbered 300 or above.*
Up to nine credits among the following courses may be counted towards this requirement: FISH 322, FISH 324, FRST 328, FRST 351, FRST 352, GEOG 328, GEOG 373, RMOT 306, RMOT 357, RMOT 400, and RMOT 401.
 		18

* Check individual course prerequisites.

Domestic Fees | International Fees

Domestic Fees

Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees

When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.

When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.

Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.

Fees for One Year Amount
Tuition (30 credits x $166.40 per credit) 4,992.00
Student Activity fee (8 months x $19.97 per month) 159.76
Student Services fee (8 months x $22.05 per month) 176.40
VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $27.60 per month) 220.80
Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) 285.00
Approximate cost for books and supplies for one year (Note: Books and supply costs vary depending on course load and course type.) 1,500.00
Total 7,333.96
Notes

*  The above table is based on ten 3-credit courses taken over two semesters. For programs that require 4-credit courses, students should adjust the fee totals accordingly.

The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.

Science and Technology courses with a compulsory lab have a lab fee of $23.90 per course.

All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.


International Fees

Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees

When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.

When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.

Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.

Fees for One Year Amount
Tuition (30 credits x $799.77 per credit) 23,993.10
Student Activity fee (8 months x $19.97 per month) 159.76
Student Services fee (8 months x $22.05 per month) 176.40
VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $27.60 per month) 220.80
Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) 285.00
Approximate cost for books and supplies for one year (Note: Books and supply costs vary depending on course load and course type.) 1,500.00
Total 26,335.06
Notes

The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.

Science and Technology courses with a compulsory lab have a lab fee of $23.90 per course.

All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.

Domestic (Canadian)

Program Start Date Accepting Applications Campus

International

Program Start Date Accepting Applications Campus