just curious has anyone been able to shadow honours biochemistry or another honours program (ie. molecular biology, biology) while being in honours life science. from what i know faculties such as biochemistry are less than willing to let you take courses if you arent registered in their program. any success stories?

Hey,

You are right about biochem; most of the courses required (but not all) have the prerequisite of being in the biochem program. But, as for other Honours Programs; espescially like Bio, and Mol Bio.. then as long as you are in an Honours program, you can take almost all, if not all, the courses required. The only thing is that some courses later on like in 3rd year will be program specific.

Farhan

Yeah, for biochem you'd probably have no luck at all getting into their lab/inquiry course, 2L06, but if you end up switching into biochem then you could take it in 3rd year. You can still take bio 2C03, chembio 2P03 and both orgos, though. The only other courses are Biochem 2B03/2BB3--you might be able to ask for special permission for those, but I don't know if they'd let you.

Originally Posted by nerual

Yeah, for biochem you'd probably have no luck at all getting into their lab/inquiry course, 2L06, but if you end up switching into biochem then you could take it in 3rd year. You can still take bio 2C03, chembio 2P03 and both orgos, though. The only other courses are Biochem 2B03/2BB3--you might be able to ask for special permission for those, but I don't know if they'd let you.

what average do you need to transfer in third year?

Originally Posted by manap3000

what average do you need to transfer in third year?

It depends--definitely at least a 6, but likely higher. Just having a certain average doesn't guarantee a spot, though. It depends if they have room in the program. There are usually some spots, since people in second year drop, but they won't guarantee anything.

Either of the people listed here should be able to give you much more information about switching into the biochem program: http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/biochem/u...ate/index.html

X!Bilet !! is that a Russel Peters joke

Originally Posted by nerual

Yeah, for biochem you'd probably have no luck at all getting into their lab/inquiry course, 2L06, but if you end up switching into biochem then you could take it in 3rd year. You can still take bio 2C03, chembio 2P03 and both orgos, though. The only other courses are Biochem 2B03/2BB3--you might be able to ask for special permission for those, but I don't know if they'd let you.

yea i doubt those bastards will let me take biochem 2bo3 and 2bb3 or the 2l06 (which i clearly have no chance of getting into) but in another similar thread guitarman mentioned a way to get around it by taking the antirequisites of the biochem 2bo3 and 2bb3 courses; that's what i'll try, just wondering if the 2lo6 lab inquiry which i wont be allowed to take until i get into the program is a pre-req for other third year courses?

p.s. can you tell im a little irked by how much first year determines your university fate completely

Originally Posted by manap3000

yea i doubt those bastards will let me take biochem 2bo3 and 2bb3 or the 2l06 (which i clearly have no chance of getting into) but in another similar thread guitarman mentioned a way to get around it by taking the antirequisites of the biochem 2bo3 and 2bb3 courses; that's what i'll try, just wondering if the 2lo6 lab inquiry which i wont be allowed to take until i get into the program is a pre-req for other third year courses?

p.s. can you tell im a little irked by how much first year determines your university fate completely

Yeah, you can try taking biochem 2EE3 and 3G03 instead of 2B03/2BB3/3D03 (since 2B03/2BB3 are prereqs for 3D03), but I'd definitely talk to an advisor (ideally from the biochem dept as opposed to a general science one) before doing that, since it leaves you 3 units short of the requirements (you'd have 6 units instead of 9) and they aren't technically courses listed for fulfillment of the biochem degree. If you take these courses, you might end up having to take 2B03/2BB3/3D03 later and then 2EE3/3G03 won't count for your degree or something, so definitely check first!

2L06 isn't required for any mandatory 3rd or 4th year courses in core biochem. It is, however, required if you want to do the advanced lab course in 3rd year (biochem 3P03), and 3P03 is required to do a thesis or research project in 4th year. You can get around this requirement by taking 3R06, which is a 3rd year research project with no prerequisistes except a CA of 8, but you must apply to it and it's not guaranteed you'll get in. If you take 3R06, you can do a senior research project (4B06) or a thesis (4F09 or 4R12). So, you don't need a thesis for your degree, but if you want to do one it would still be possible, just a bit harder. I got all that info from here: http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...nt/pg1756.html

First year HAS to determine so much of your university future, otherwise what else would they base it on? You have to start specializing in second year or you won't have enough time to learn everything in your program, and they have to limit enrollment to certain programs to make sure the degrees actually mean something--if anyone can go and take all the biochem courses, without actually being in the biochem program, then what does that mean for someone working on a biochem degree? It would completely cheapen it, because anyone could take those same courses, not just the people 'in' biochem. Another reason for limited enrollment is money--it costs a LOT of money to run the labs especially. For my program (chembio), there's a 30-person limit, simply because they can't afford to run the labs if there are more than 30 people doing them. If anyone could go and take our lab course, then they wouldn't be able to afford it, and they'd be forced to cut back on what they're doing in the lab, cheapening the experience for people actually IN the program.

true i see where you coming from, not everyone can be in the program; it takes hard work and perserverence, but its gonna make it that much sweetr when i get in the way their biochemblocking me. thanks for all the info though.

p.s. where are they placing you for co-op? just curious as to where the co-op program can take you (ie do they place you in the boondocks, or somewhere like toronto or montreal), if you dont mind sharing of course

We don't have placements yet. The whole coop things starts in Sept of 3rd year, although you apply in Jan/Feb of 2nd year. Most programs start their first work term in January of 3rd year, although a couple of programs (including Molecular Bio/Genetics) differ from that patterm.

You should be willing to relocate--they ask you that directly in your interview. I'm not sure if you say no that you're automatically not going to get in, but they tell you you're not guaranteed a position in Hamilton. I'm thinking of doing my first co-op position in Hamilton if possible, but I want to go out West (BC) for at least one of the terms as well. Generally, wherever you're placed, it will be in a large-ish city, since for science, that's where the jobs tend to be. Apparently there are lots of jobs in Winnipeg, although I doubt you'd be forced to go THAT far away. I'm not sure how exactly the job process works. You can find your own job totally on your own if you'd like, or they can help you out. You still have to do interviews though--you're not just handed a job.

Also keep in mind, if biochem is what you want to do, you have to be in a specialization of biochem to do coop. The SCCE website should have more information: http://www.science.mcmaster. ca/scc...ctive-students