what does the life in life science mean..... i mean.. why call it LIFE SCIENCE...why cant we just call it science....or some thing else....whats so special about LIFE.




im in first year life science btw.

I think it's the first time McMaster introduced the "life" or "physical" or "enviornmental" science this year. It was called, like you mentioned, just science in the previous years. I think it's better like this because I personally think science is too broad for a university program, even if it's just a first year.

The individual science streams were indeed newly introduced this year.

Life science is supposed to encompass what McMaster considers life science courses -- i.e. biology, biochemistry, and psychology. These are sciences dealing with life, I guess, as opposed to physics/chemistry which are physical sciences, etc. However, in first year, students tend to take science courses outside life sciences anyway because first year tends to be more generalized and there aren't that many first year life sciences only courses.

I don't think there is much of a point to this branding... the "life science" brands of math and physics seem to be a bit more easier (from what I have gathered) and yeah since it is general first year, it does not make a difference which science program you apply to for first year!

Why does it not make a difference to which science program you apply to for first year. And if you transfer do u technically miss a year of that program, and have to stay an extra year?

Originally Posted by sanahsameen

Why does it not make a difference to which science program you apply to for first year. And if you transfer do u technically miss a year of that program, and have to stay an extra year?

do u mean if you decide you want to do lets say... physics after your first year in life sci? in that case, you just tailor your first year courses to meet the requirements for 2nd year physics... and no you dont have to do another year, as long as you meet the requirements for the program by the end of first year.

If you're in life science, it becomes less convenient to go into a program such as physics as you have less elective slots left over. For example, in order to go into second year physics from life science, you would essentially have 0 'electives', as you would be taking solely physics prerequisites as your electives.

Choosing the right first year program will help you better tailor your education pathway.

Other than that, I don't think the name matters much. It's just general science first year.

Originally Posted by narwhal

I think it's the first time McMaster introduced the "life" or "physical" or "enviornmental" science this year. It was called, like you mentioned, just science in the previous years. I think it's better like this because I personally think science is too broad for a university program, even if it's just a first year.

This is not the first year that "Life Science" has been used. It's the first time "Physical Science" has been used and I believe the first time "Environmental Science" was on it's own and not coupled with something else.

For the previous four years (and likely before then) all Science students entered Science I. There was none of the four distinctions as they are known now. Students would then be divided by degrees in years II-V: Life Sci II, Physics III etc all under the general Science umbrella. Students from now on will be going into Physical Sciences II, Earth Sciences III etc.

CORRECTION: ***

Students have the option of going into any Level II Science program regardless of which first year program they entered, provided they take the correct first year courses. This could be a BSc in Physics or a BSc in Biochemistry or many of the other combinations and options available. You can find them all at: http://www.science.mcmaster. ca/prospective/index.html

(Thanks to Paula Johnson for the clarification)

There were life science programs, but everyone entering first year science had to enter the general Science I program. There were (and still are) interdisciplinary science programs called Honours Life/Physical/Mathematical Sciences for those who didn't want to specialize into majors like Bio, Biochem, Physics, etc. It's just that you could only enter after you finished Science I.