I've always wanted to know how those work. Is it important for first year? I'm going into the Life Science program so how do I know what I'm majoring in?

Or do the courses I select for second and third year decide what I major/minor in?

you have to tailor your first year to fit the requirements needed to proceed to your chosen 2nd year program (your major).

you can find the requirements for 2nd year programs under the faculty of science section of the undergraduate calendar:

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /calen...08/sec_438.htm

For example, if you wanted to major in Honours Biochemistry (Biotech and Genetics Specialization), you would need to take these courses in first year:

Admission
EFFECTIVE 2009-2010: Enrolment in this program is limited and possession of the published minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Admission is by selection but requires, as a minimum, completion of any Level I program with a Cumulative Average of at least 6.0 including:
6 units BIOLOGY 1A03, 1M03 (or 1AA3)6 units CHEM 1A03, 1AA33 units from MATH 1A03, 1LS33 units from PHYSICS 1B03, 1L03 (See Admission Note 1 above.)6 units from Life Sciences I Course List (See Admission Notes 1 and 2 above.)
A grade of at least C+ in four of BIOLOGY 1A03, 1M03 (or 1AA3), CHEM 1A03, 1AA3 and either MATH 1A03 or 1LS3 is required.

This is just one example, there are a ton of majors/specializations to choose from. Browse through the undergraduate calendar, find a second year program you like, and make sure you are taking the required courses in your first year.

Minors are usually done through your electives, and normally require 24 units of work in a specific area. Again, look through the undergraduate calendar to find the requirements of your desired minor.

For example, a minor in Japanese studies requires:

Minor in Japanese Studies

24 units from JAPANESE 1Z06 and JAPAN ST 2P06 and 12 additional units of Japanese or Japanese Studies courses

Ahhh that makes sense. So how do people do double majors or double honours?

Are you able to apply for and be accepted into multiple second year programs?

And yeah I'm definitely going to read the calendar now for more info. I should have done that a while ago. (I remember reading them back in highschool and they didn't make any sense to me.)

Thanks!!

Originally Posted by Almurnith

Ahhh that makes sense. So how do people do double majors or double honours?

Are you able to apply for and be accepted into multiple second year programs?

I dont think you can do a double major in a Science program, unless you are doing a second degree. However, doing a double major in Humanities and Social Science programs are more feasible due to the flexible nature of their programs. Information on combined honours programs within the faculty of social science and the faculty of humanities can be found here:

Humanities: http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /calen...08/sec_331.htm


Soc sci: http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /calen...08/sec_637.htm

Originally Posted by Almurnith

Are you able to apply for and be accepted into multiple second year programs?

"All Level I students who wish to be reviewed for admission to a Level II program in the Faculty of Science for the following Fall/Winter session must submit an Application for Admission to Level II through MUGSI/SOLAR (Student On-Line Academic Registration) by the University stated deadline (normally in early April). Students may rank up to four program choices and will be notified on their grade reports in June of their eligibility for the Level II programs.
Level I students must meet the admission criteria for a Level II program according to the Calendar in effect when they registered for Level I. Students must follow the program requirements of the Calendar in force when they enter Level II, except when a later Calendar explicitly modifies such requirements.
Students who have a Result of Session of May Continue but who do not achieve the admission requirements for any Level II program may continue in the Faculty of Science, or apply to transfer to another Faculty."

After further research, I have discovered there are several interdisciplinary programs in the faculty of science such as Honours Biology and Psych, Honours Biology and Env. Sci. and Honours Biology and Mathematics... however, not all subjects can be combined. Only the ones stated in the calendar.

Hmm, I guess it doesn't matter. As long as I get into a program and get my degree/ job I'm happy XD

But my friends did tell me in Life Science you can take a lot of electives. I'll be taking advantage of that if that's true.

Wow my internet and computer sucks....(excuse this)

Anyways thanks for doing that research. So basically in most science programs I should stick with just one. And there really is no point in me combining them.

Originally Posted by Almurnith

Wow my internet and computer sucks....(excuse this)

Anyways thanks for doing that research. So basically in most science programs I should stick with just one. And there really is no point in me combining them.

i suppose not. if you wanna do more schooling.. you always have MSc after your done your BSc.

Only Humanities and Social Sciences degrees can be combined according to the rules at Mac.

It works out to needing approximately 36 units of each degree program (plus 6 units in first year) from courses in levels 2-4...which is 72 (plus the 12 units from first year) out of the 120 units you will take in an honors program.

so it possible to double major in say,

communication studies & anthropology?

Yup.

I did a combined with Anthro and Cultural Studies.

Originally Posted by Almurnith

But my friends did tell me in Life Science you can take a lot of electives. I'll be taking advantage of that if that's true.

There may be a bit of old & new terminology issues at play here. This is the first year that there has been a first-year program called "Life Sciences 1" (or physical sciences, earth sciences, etc.) - before this, it was known only as "Science 1", and every science student started out in it.

Near the end of first year, you pick what program you want to go into for your second year and beyond. This can be biology, biochemistry, etc., but there's ALSO a program called "Honours Life Sciences". That's most likely what your friends were referring to. Life Sci is known as a fairly open program, in that you can tailor it to your liking by taking a lot of different electives. People also tend to like the Life Sci program because they can take easier courses to keep their averages up for when they apply to med school (the only problem is that if they don't get in, they may not be specialized enough in any particular area to seek jobs/further education in other fields).

So if you choose one of the more specialized second-year programs, then you won't as many electives as someone in the Life Sci program. You stop being in "Life Sciences 1" as soon as your first year is over.