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Honours Biology - Quantitative Biology (79 credits)

Offered by: Biology     Degree: Bachelor of Science

Program Requirements

79 credits

Interdisciplinary research that draws from the natural and physical sciences is an important aspect of modern biology. The Quantitative Biology (QB) Honours option is designed for students with a deep interest in biology who wish to gain a strong grounding in physical sciences and their application to biological questions through both coursework and a research project. The QB B.Sc. Honours option has two streams: a theoretical ecology and evolutionary biology stream and a physical biology stream. Both streams provide a balance of theory and experimental components that along with a research component will provide outstanding preparation for graduate training. Students must attain a 3.50 CGPA to enter and to complete the Honours program. First Class Honours will be awarded to students in the QB Honours option graduating with a CGPA of 3.75 or greater.

Students may complete this program with a minimum of 74 credits or a maximum of 79 credits depending on whether MATH 222 and CHEM 212 are completed.

Advising notes for U0 students

It is highly recommended that freshman BIOL, CHEM, MATH, and PHYS courses be selected with the Program Adviser to ensure they meet the core requirements of the Quantitative Biology option.

This program is recommended for U1 students achieving a CGPA of 3.20 or better; and entering CEGEP students with a Math/Science R-score of 28.0 or better.

Required Courses (49 credits)

Bio-Physical Sciences Core (31 credits)

  • BIOL 219 Introduction to Physical Molecular and Cell Biology (4 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : An introduction to molecular and cell biology from a physical perspective. Techniques and methodologies, both experimental and computational, are included in the presentation of each thematic module.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Weber, Stephanie; Watt, Alanna; Reyes Lamothe, Rodrigo; Hendricks, Adam (Fall)

    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 112; CHEM 110 and CHEM 120; MATH 140, MATH 141 and MATH 133; PHYS 131 and PHYS 142; or the equivalents of these courses.

    • Corequisite(s): MATH 222 or equivalent

    • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking ANAT 212, BIOC 212, BIOL 200, and BIOL 201, or BIEN 219. Only open to students in Bioengineering, Computer Science-Biology, Biology-Mathematics, Biology-Quantitative Biology, Chemistry-Biophysical Chemistry, and Physics-Biological Physics Options.

    • This course is meant to prepare students for related 300-level courses in Biology, Chemistry, Engineering and Physics.

  • BIOL 301 Cell and Molecular Laboratory (4 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : An introduction to biology research and communication with a focus on cell and molecular biology. Through conducting a series of project-based experiments and writing a final report, molecular and synthetic biology techniques such as gene cloning, manipulation, protein isolation and characterization and how research is conducted, analyzed and communicated will be addressed. In addition, an introduction to bioinformatics methods and their role in analysis will be provided.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: Hayer, Arnold; Harrison, Paul; Zheng, Huanquan; Leroux, Maxime (Fall) Zheng, Huanquan; Harrison, Paul; Leroux, Maxime; Hayer, Arnold (Winter)

    • Fall or Winter

    • 1 hour lecture and one 6-hour laboratory

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 200, BIOL 201 (or ANAT 212/BIOC 212); or BIOL 219

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking BIOC 300, or BIOC 220 and BIOC 320. Requires departmental approval.

    • For approval email maxime.leroux [at] mcgill.ca. Specify your ID number as well as the term and two lab day preferences.

  • BIOL 395 Quantitative Biology Seminar (1 credit)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Overview of concepts and current research in quantitative biology; theoretical ecology and evolution, computational biology, and physical biology.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Fussmann, Gregor; Weber, Stephanie (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 219; or BIOL 200 plus BIOL 201 or ANAT 212 or BIOC 212; CHEM 212; COMP 202 or COMP 204 or COMP 250; MATH 222; or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Only open to U2 students in the following programs: B.Sc.; Major and Honours in Biology; Quantitative Biology, B.Sc.; Major and Honours Computer Science and Biology, B.Sc.; Major Biology and Mathematics, B.Sc.; Major Physiology and Mathematics, B.Sc.; Major Physiology and Physics, B.Sc.; Major and Honours Chemistry; Biophysical Chemistry, and B.Sc.; Major and Honours Physics; Biological Physics.

  • CHEM 212 Introductory Organic Chemistry 1 (4 credits) *

    Offered by: Chemistry (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Chemistry : A survey of reactions of aliphatic and aromatic compounds including modern concepts of bonding, mechanisms, conformational analysis, and stereochemistry.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Pavelka, Laura; Vlaho, Danielle; Huot, Mitchell (Fall)

    • Fall, Winter, Summer

    • Prerequisite: CHEM 110 or equivalent.

    • Corequisite: CHEM 120 or equivalent.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who are taking or have taken CHEM 211 or equivalent

    • Each lab section is limited enrolment

    • Note: Some CEGEP programs provide equivalency for this course. For more information, please see the Department of Chemistry's Web page (http://www.chemistry.mcgill.ca/advising/outside/equivalent.htm).

    • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.

  • COMP 202 Foundations of Programming (3 credits) **

    Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Computer Science (Sci) : Introduction to computer programming in a high level language: variables, expressions, primitive types, methods, conditionals, loops. Introduction to algorithms, data structures (arrays, strings), modular software design, libraries, file input/output, debugging, exception handling. Selected topics.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: M'hiri, Faten (Fall) M'hiri, Faten (Winter)

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisite: a CEGEP level mathematics course

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 204, COMP 208, or GEOG 333; not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 206 or COMP 250.

    • COMP 202 is intended as a general introductory course, while COMP 204 is intended for students in life sciences, and COMP 208 is intended for students in physical sciences and engineering.

  • MATH 222 Calculus 3 (3 credits) ***

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • MATH 223 Linear Algebra (3 credits) ***

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of matrix algebra, determinants and systems of linear equations. Vector spaces, linear operators and their matrix representations, orthogonality. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization of Hermitian matrices. Applications.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall and Winter

    • Prerequisite: MATH 133 or equivalent

    • Restriction: Not open to students in Mathematics programs nor to students who have taken or are taking MATH 236, MATH 247 or MATH 251. It is open to students in Faculty Programs

  • MATH 247 Honours Applied Linear Algebra (3 credits) **

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Matrix algebra, determinants, systems of linear equations. Abstract vector spaces, inner product spaces, Fourier series. Linear transformations and their matrix representations. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalizable and defective matrices, positive definite and semidefinite matrices. Quadratic and Hermitian forms, generalized eigenvalue problems, simultaneous reduction of quadratic forms. Applications.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Prerequisite: MATH 133 or equivalent.

    • Restriction: Intended for Honours Physics and Engineering students

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 236, MATH 223 or MATH 251

  • MATH 315 Ordinary Differential Equations (3 credits) +

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First order ordinary differential equations including elementary numerical methods. Linear differential equations. Laplace transforms. Series solutions.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: MATH 222.

    • Corequisite: MATH 133.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 325.

  • MATH 323 Probability (3 credits) ++

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Sample space, events, conditional probability, independence of events, Bayes' Theorem. Basic combinatorial probability, random variables, discrete and continuous univariate and multivariate distributions. Independence of random variables. Inequalities, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: MATH 141 or equivalent.

    • Restriction: Intended for students in Science, Engineering and related disciplines, who have had differential and integral calculus

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 356

  • MATH 324 Statistics (3 credits) +++

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, contingency tables, nonparametric inference, regression, Bayesian inference.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall and Winter

    • Prerequisite: MATH 323 or equivalent

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 357

    • You may not be able to receive credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar.

  • MATH 325 Honours Ordinary Differential Equations (3 credits) +

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First and second order equations, linear equations, series solutions, Frobenius method, introduction to numerical methods and to linear systems, Laplace transforms, applications.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall and Winter

    • (3-0-6)

    • Prerequisite: MATH 222.

    • Restriction: Intended for Honours Mathematics, Physics and Engineering programs.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 263 (formerly MATH 261), MATH 315

  • MATH 356 Honours Probability (3 credits) ++

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Sample space, probability axioms, combinatorial probability. Conditional probability, Bayes' Theorem. Distribution theory with special reference to the Binomial, Poisson, and Normal distributions. Expectations, moments, moment generating functions, uni-variate transformations. Random vectors, independence, correlation, multivariate transformations. Conditional distributions, conditional expectation.Modes of stochastic convergence, laws of large numbers, Central Limit Theorem.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite(s): MATH 243 or MATH 255, and MATH 222 or permission of the Department.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 323

  • MATH 357 Honours Statistics (3 credits) +++

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Data analysis. Estimation and hypothesis testing. Power of tests. Likelihood ratio criterion. The chi-squared goodness of fit test. Introduction to regression analysis and analysis of variance.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Prerequisite: MATH 356 or equivalent

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 324

* Students who have taken the equivalent of CHEM 212 or MATH 222 can make up the credits with complementary 3 or 4 credit courses in consultation with a stream adviser.
** Students who have sufficient knowledge of programming should take COMP 250 Introduction to Computer Science rather than COMP 202.
*** Students take MATH 223 or MATH 247.
+ Students take MATH 315 or MATH 325.
++ Students take MATH 323 or MATH 356.
+++ Students take MATH 324 or MATH 357.

Note: 6 credits of either MATH or PHYS courses to be taken at the honours level. Honours equivalents of core Math and Physics courses are listed. All 500-level Math courses are considered as honours courses and can be applied to the 6 credit requirement.

Biology (6 credits)

  • BIOL 202 Basic Genetics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Introduction to basic principles, and to modern advances, problems and applications in the genetics of higher and lower organisms with examples representative of the biological sciences.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Moon, Nam Sung; Nilson, Laura; Schoen, Daniel J; Hipfner, David; Champetier, Serge (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture, 1 hour optional tutorial per week

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 200 or BIOL 219

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking LSCI 204 or BIOL 302.

  • BIOL 215 Introduction to Ecology and Evolution (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : An introduction to the fundamental processes of ecology and evolution that bear on the nature and diversity of organisms and the processes that govern their assembly into ecological communities and their roles in ecosystem function.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Price, Neil; Kassen, Rees; Fussmann, Gregor (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 111

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ENVR 202

Research Component (6 credits)

  • BIOL 468 Independent Research Project 3 (6 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Independent research project.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall, Winter or Summer

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 206 or BIOL 301 or other suitable laboratory course

    • Restriction: Open only to Biology students. Not open to students who have taken BIOL 471 or BIOL 471D1/D2.

    • Note: Before registration, projects must be arranged individually with a PI in the Biology Department. Prior to registration, students fill out the application form at http://biology.mcgill.ca/undergrad/res_opps.html and email or bring it to nancy.nelson [at] mcgill.ca, or Nancy Nelson, Room N7/9B, Stewart Biology Building.

Physics (6 credits)

6 credits from:

  • PHYS 230 Dynamics of Simple Systems (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Translational motion under Newton's laws; forces, momentum, work/energy theorem. Special relativity; Lorentz transforms, relativistic mechanics, mass/energy equivalence. Topics in rotational dynamics. Noninertial frames.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Guo, Hong (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisite: CEGEP Physics or PHYS 131.

    • Corequisite: MATH 222

    • Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 251

  • PHYS 232 Heat and Waves (3 credits) **

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : The laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamics of P-V-T systems and simple heat engines. Free, driven, and damped harmonic oscillators. Coupled systems and normal modes. Fourier methods. Wave motion and dispersion. The wave equation.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Hilke, Michael (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisites: CEGEP Physics or PHYS 142, and CEGEP chemistry or CHEM 120, and PHYS 230.

    • Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 253

  • PHYS 251 Honours Classical Mechanics 1 (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Newton's laws, work energy, angular momentum. Harmonic oscillator, forced oscillations. Inertial forces, rotating frames. Central forces, centre of mass, planetary orbits, Kepler's laws.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Gale, Charles (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisite: CEGEP physics or PHYS 131.

    • Corequisite: MATH 222

    • Restriction: Not open to students taking or having taken PHYS 230.

  • PHYS 253 Thermal Physics (3 credits) **

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Energy, work, heat; first law. Temperature, entropy; second law. Absolute zero; third law. Equilibrium, equations of state, gases, liquids, solids, magnets; phase transitions.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Grutter, Peter H (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisites: CEGEP physics or PHYS 131, and CEGEP chemistry or CHEM 120.

    • Corequisite: MATH 222

    • Restriction: Not open to students taking or having taken PHYS 232.

* Students take PHYS 230 or PHYS 251.
** Students take PHYS 232 or PHYS 253.

Course Requirements for Quantitative Biology Streams

21 credits from one of the following two streams:

Stream 1: Theoretical Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (21 credits)

Biology
12 credits from the following:

  • BIOL 205 Functional Biology of Plants and Animals (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Unified view of form and function in animals and plants. Focus on how the laws of chemistry and physics illuminate biological processes relating to the acquisition of energy and materials and their use in movement, growth, development, reproduction and responses to environmental stress.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Sakata, Jon; Barrett, Rowan; Soper, Fiona (Winter)

  • BIOL 206 Methods in Biology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Introduction to modern methods used in organismal biology, including ecological sampling, experimental methods and statistics. Particular emphasis is on ways of thinking about the design of sampling programs and the analyses of data to test hypotheses using observational or experimental data.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Pollock, Laura; Larsson, Hans Carl (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 1. 2 hours lecture, 2. 3 hours laboratory

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 111 or equivalent

  • BIOL 304 Evolution (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : A comprehensive introduction to evolutionary biology. It covers both short-term and long-term evolutionary processes. Topics include the history of life, the origin of species, adaptation, natural selection and sexual selection.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Hendry, Andrew; Larsson, Hans Carl (Fall)

  • BIOL 308 Ecological Dynamics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Principles of population, community, and ecosystem dynamics: population growth and regulation, species interactions, dynamics of competitive interactions and of predator/prey systems; evolutionary dynamics.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Guichard, Frederic (Fall)

Field Courses
3 credits from the following list or any other field course with permission:

  • BIOL 240 Monteregian Flora (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Field studies of ferns, fern allies, conifers and flowering plants; the use of keys for plant identification.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 111 or permission

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PLNT 358

    • Note: Taught at the Gault Nature Reserve. Contact instructor for specific dates, logistics: (virginie.millien [at] mcgill.ca).

    • This course is offered in the summer.

    • This course, given at the University’s Gault Nature Reserve in Mont St. Hilaire, has an additional fee of $485.56 which includes a hand lens, a textbook, handouts, lodging and supper each day.

  • BIOL 331 Ecology/Behaviour Field Course (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Methods of sampling natural populations. Testing hypotheses in nature.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215, or equivalents, or permission of the instructor.

    • Note: This course has an additional fee. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.

    • The field portion of this course is given at the University’s Gault Nature Reserve in Mont St. Hilare over a two-week period in the summer term. In the summer, students prepare a report based on projects carried out during this field portion. There is an additional fee of $688.37 that covers room and board and handouts. This fee could be refundable if the department approves it.

    • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.

  • BIOL 432 Limnology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Iversen, Lars Lonsmann; Gregory-Eaves, Irene (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215 or permission of instructor.

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking ENVB 315.

    • This course, involving two field weekends, has an additional fee of $353.32, which includes room and board and transportation. The fee is refundable during the period where a student can drop the course with full refund. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.

6 credits chosen from the following list of courses at the 400 level or above:

* Students choose either both BIOL 596 and BIOL 597, or BIOL 598.

  • BIOL 432 Limnology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Iversen, Lars Lonsmann; Gregory-Eaves, Irene (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215 or permission of instructor.

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking ENVB 315.

    • This course, involving two field weekends, has an additional fee of $353.32, which includes room and board and transportation. The fee is refundable during the period where a student can drop the course with full refund. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.

  • BIOL 434 Theoretical Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Study of theoretical ecology and of mathematical tools available to explore the dynamical behaviour of model populations, communities and ecosystems. Models addressing major ecological theories including population stability, community dynamics and ecosystem functioning, epidemic and disturbance dynamics, spatial models, game theory.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 308 or BIOL 309 or permission of instructor.

  • BIOL 435 Natural Selection (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Explains how the selection of undirected variation accounts for some of the leading features of the natural world. Its main focus is evolutionary change and adaptation, but it will also include material from ecological, economic, biochemical and computer systems. It emphasizes experimental studies of evolution.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 3 hours of lecture

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 304 or permission of instructor.

  • BIOL 465 Conservation Biology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Discussion of relevant theoretical and applied issues in conservation biology. Topics: biodiversity, population viability analysis, community dynamics, biology of rarity, extinction, habitat fragmentation, social issues.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Chapman, Lauren; Gonzalez, Andrew (Fall)

  • BIOL 509 Methods in Molecular Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : An overview of the molecular genetic tools used to investigate ecological and evolutionary processes in natural populations. The use of molecular tools in studies of population structure, parentage, kinship, species boundaries, phylogenetics. Special topics include conservation genetics, population genetics, and ecological genomics.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Restriction (s): BIOL 301, BIOL 304 and BIOL 308 or permission of instructor.

    • Intended for both upper level undergraduates with knowledge of ecology, evolution, and genetics.

    • Intended for graduate students interested in applying molecular tools in ecology, evolution, and environmental sciences.

  • BIOL 510 Advances in Community Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : The origin, maintenance and roles of biological diversity within ecological communities.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Gonzalez, Andrew (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture/seminar

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 308 or GEOG 350 or permission of instructor.

  • BIOL 515 Advances in Aquatic Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Aquatic ecology and the major issues challenging the field.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours seminar

    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 432 or BIOL 441 or permission of the instructor

  • BIOL 540 Ecology of Species Invasions (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Causes and consequences of biological invasion, as well as risk assessment methods and management strategies for dealing with invasive species.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Ricciardi, Anthony (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 215 (or ENVR 200 plus ENVR 202), and at least one 300- or 400-level course in ecology, evolution, or conservation biology.

    • Restriction: Not open to U1 or U2 students

    • Restriction: Not open to students who are taking or have taken ENVR 540.

  • BIOL 594 Advanced Evolutionary Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Evolutionary ecology is the study of evolutionary change in natural populations. General predictive approaches in evolutionary ecology, including population genetics, quantitative genetics, optimality, and game theory will be examined. Emphasis will be placed on the mathematical underpinnings of each approach, particularly as they relate to classic and contemporary problems.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Hendry, Andrew (Fall)

  • BIOL 596 Advanced Experimental Design (1 credit) *

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : This course focuses on experimental design as it relates to statistical analyses to prepare individuals for data collection. Instructors will provide information on basic statistical principles and require students to prepare presentations about their experiments, write summaries of their research, and discuss and critique journal articles.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 373 or equivalent and permission of instructor

  • BIOL 597 Advanced Biostatistics (2 credits) *

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : This course will concentrate on the practical application of data analytical approaches with particular experimental questions in mind. Techniques presented will include statistical methods such as linear models, multivariate statistics, data reduction, information theory.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 373 or equivalent, and permission of instructor; BIOL 596 recommended

  • BIOL 598 Advanced Design and Statistics (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : This course will address issues related to experimental design and multivariate statistical analysis. The first third of the course will focus on experimental design, and the remainder of the course will focus on multivariate approaches to data analysis. The course is designed to inform students on best practices to analytically address their experimental questions.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 373 and permission of Instructor.

    • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking BIOL 596 and/or BIOL 597.

    • This course is equivalent to taking BIOL 596 and BIOL 597.

Stream 2: Physical Biology

21 credits

9 credits from:

  • BIOL 319 Introduction to Biophysics (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Emerging physical approaches and quantitative measurement techniques are providing new insights into longstanding biological questions. This course will present underlying physical theory, quantitative measurement techniques, and significant findings in molecular and cellular biophysics. Principles covered include Brownian motion, low Reynolds-number environments, forces relevant to cells and molecules, chemical potentials, and free energies. These principles are applied to enzymes as molecular machines, membranes, DNA, and RNA.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Reisner, Walter (Winter)

    • Winter. Students with training in physics and biology will be well-suited to the course. .

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 200 or BIOL 219; MATH 222; PHYS 230 and (PHYS 232 or PHYS 253), or permission of the instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking PHYS 319

  • PHYS 319 Introduction to Biophysics (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Emerging physical approaches and quantitative measurement techniques are providing new insights into longstanding biological questions. This course will present underlying physical theory, quantitative measurement techniques, and significant findings in molecular and cellular biophysics. Principles covered include Brownian motion, low Reynolds-number environments, forces relevant to cells and molecules, chemical potentials, and free energies. These principles are applied to enzymes as molecular machines, membranes, DNA, and RNA.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Reisner, Walter (Winter)

  • PHYS 329 Statistical Physics with Biophysical Applications (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : This interdisciplinary course introduces Statistical Physics illustrated with modern biophysical applications. Principles covered include partition functions, Boltzmann distribution, bosons, fermions, Bose Einstein condensates, Ferni gases, chemical potential, thermodynamical forces, biochemical kinetics, and an introduction to noise and phase transitions in biology.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PHYS 346 Majors Quantum Physics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : De Broglie waves, Bohr atom. Schroedinger equation, wave functions, observables. One dimensional potentials. Schroedinger equation in three dimensions. Angular momentum, hydrogen atom. Spin, experimental consequences.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Vachon, Brigitte (Fall)

* Students choose either BIOL 319 or PHYS 319

300-level complementary courses
6 credits from the following:

500-level complementary courses
6 credits from the following:

  • BIOL 518 Advanced Topics in Cell Biology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Concepts and mechanisms in advanced cell biology, based on genetic, cell biological, biophysical, and computational studies. Emphasis is placed on processes that are evolutionarily conserved, with examples from model organisms and cell-free (in vitro) approaches.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Harrison, Paul; Lasko, Paul; Brouhard, Gary (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours seminar

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 313 or permission

  • BIOL 520 Gene Activity in Development (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : An analysis of the role and regulation of gene expression in several models of eukaryotic development. The emphasis will be on critical evaluation of recent literature concerned with molecular or genetic approaches to the problems of cellular differentiation and determination. Recent research reports will be discussed in conferences and analyzed in written critiques.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture and discussion

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 300 and BIOL 303 or permission

  • BIOL 524 Topics in Molecular Biology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Molecular genetics and molecular, cellular and developmental biology, including signal transduction, cell differentiation and function, genetic diseases in eukaryotes.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Clarke, Hugh; Dankort, David (Fall)

  • BIOL 530 Advances in Neuroethology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Neural mechanisms underlying behaviour in vertebrate and invertebrate organisms.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Woolley, Sarah (Winter)

  • BIOL 551 Principles of Cellular Control (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Fundamental principles of cellular control, with cell cycle control as a major theme. Biological and physical concepts are brought to bear on control in healthy cells..

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • BIOL 588 Advances in Molecular/Cellular Neurobiology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Discussion of fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying the general features of cellular neurobiology. An advanced course based on lectures and on a critical review of primary research papers.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Hastings, Kenneth E M; Krishnaswamy, Arjun; McPherson, Peter Scott; Poulin, Jean-Francois; Zhou, Yang (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 1.5 hours lecture, 1.5 hours seminar

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 300 and BIOL 306 or permission

Complementary Courses (9 credits)

Recommendations for either Theoretical Ecology and Evolutionary Biology or Physical Biology streams

  • COMP 206 Introduction to Software Systems (3 credits)

    Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Computer Science (Sci) : Comprehensive overview of programming in C, use of system calls and libraries, debugging and testing of code; use of developmental tools like make, version control systems.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: Errington, Jacob (Fall) Vybihal, Joseph P (Winter)

  • COMP 250 Introduction to Computer Science (3 credits)

    Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Computer Science (Sci) : Mathematical tools (binary numbers, induction, recurrence relations, asymptotic complexity, establishing correctness of programs), Data structures (arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists, trees, binary trees, binary search trees, heaps, hash tables), Recursive and non-recursive algorithms (searching and sorting, tree and graph traversal). Abstract data types, inheritance. Selected topics.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: Alberini, Giulia (Fall) Alberini, Giulia (Winter)

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisites: Familiarity with a high level programming language and CEGEP level Math.

    • Students with limited programming experience should take COMP 202 or equivalent before COMP 250. See COMP 202 Course Description for a list of topics.

  • COMP 251 Algorithms and Data Structures (3 credits)

    Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Computer Science (Sci) : Introduction to algorithm design and analysis. Graph algorithms, greedy algorithms, data structures, dynamic programming, maximum flows.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: Alberini, Giulia; Waldispuhl, Jérôme (Fall) Becerra, David (Winter)

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisites: COMP 250; MATH 235 or MATH 240

    • COMP 251 uses mathematical proof techniques that are taught in the corequisite course(s). If possible, students should take the corequisite course prior to COMP 251.

    • COMP 251 uses basic counting techniques (permutations and combinations) that are covered in MATH 240 but not in MATH 235. These techniques will be reviewed for the benefit of MATH 235 students.

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 252.

  • COMP 350 Numerical Computing (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Computer Science (Sci) : Computer representation of numbers, IEEE Standard for Floating Point Representation, computer arithmetic and rounding errors. Numerical stability. Matrix computations and software systems. Polynomial interpolation. Least-squares approximation. Iterative methods for solving a nonlinear equation. Discretization methods for integration and differential equations.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Chang, Xiao-Wen (Fall)

  • COMP 364 Computer Tools for Life Sciences (3 credits)

    Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Computer Science (Sci) : Concepts and tools for programmatic storage, retrieval, searching, numerical analysis, and visualization of large biological data sets.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 200.

    • Restriction: Not available to students in Computer Science or Joint Computer Science programs.

    • Note: It is recommended that students have already taken a laboratory course (e.g., BIOL 301 Cell and Molecular Laboratory). Topics motivated by biological questions.

  • MATH 235 Algebra 1 (3 credits) **

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Sets, functions and relations. Methods of proof. Complex numbers. Divisibility theory for integers and modular arithmetic. Divisibility theory for polynomials. Rings, ideals and quotient rings. Fields and construction of fields from polynomial rings. Groups, subgroups and cosets; group actions on sets.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture; 1 hour tutorial

    • Prerequisite: MATH 133 or equivalent

  • MATH 240 Discrete Structures (3 credits) **

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Introduction to discrete mathematics and applications. Logical reasoning and methods of proof. Elementary number theory and cryptography: prime numbers, modular equations, RSA encryption. Combinatorics: basic enumeration, combinatorial methods, recurrence equations. Graph theory: trees, cycles, planar graphs.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall and Winter

    • Corequisite: MATH 133.

    • Restriction: For students in any Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Software Engineering programs. Others only with the instructor's permission. Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 235.

  • MATH 314 Advanced Calculus (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Derivative as a matrix. Chain rule. Implicit functions. Constrained maxima and minima. Jacobians. Multiple integration. Line and surface integrals. Theorems of Green, Stokes and Gauss. Fourier series with applications.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • MATH 317 Numerical Analysis (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Error analysis. Numerical solutions of equations by iteration. Interpolation. Numerical differentiation and integration. Introduction to numerical solutions of differential equations.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • MATH 319 Partial Differential Equations (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First order equations, geometric theory; second order equations, classification; Laplace, wave and heat equations, Sturm-Liouville theory, Fourier series, boundary and initial value problems.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • MATH 326 Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Linear systems of differential equations, linear stability theory. Nonlinear systems: existence and uniqueness, numerical methods, one and two dimensional flows, phase space, limit cycles, Poincare-Bendixson theorem, bifurcations, Hopf bifurcation, the Lorenz equations and chaos.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • MATH 327 Matrix Numerical Analysis (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : An overview of numerical methods for linear algebra applications and their analysis. Problem classes include linear systems, least squares problems and eigenvalue problems.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • MATH 348 Euclidean Geometry (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Points and lines in a triangle. Quadrilaterals. Angles in a circle. Circumscribed and inscribed circles. Congruent and similar triangles. Area. Power of a point with respect to a circle. Ceva’s theorem. Isometries. Homothety. Inversion.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: MATH 133 or equivalent or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 398.

  • MATH 437 Mathematical Methods in Biology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : The formulation and treatment of realistic mathematical models describing biological phenomena through qualitative and quantitative mathematical techniques (e.g. local and global stability theory, bifurcation analysis and phase plane analysis) and numerical simulation. Concrete and detailed examples will be drawn from molecular and cellular biology and mammalian physiology.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Khadra, Anmar (Winter)

  • MATH 447 Introduction to Stochastic Processes (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Conditional probability and conditional expectation, generating functions. Branching processes and random walk. Markov chains, transition matrices, classification of states, ergodic theorem, examples. Birth and death processes, queueing theory.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Prerequisite: MATH 323

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 547.

* Students may take COMP 350 OR MATH 317.
** MATH 235 or MATH 240 are required for COMP 251.

Recommendations for Physical Biology stream

  • BIEN 310 Introduction to Biomolecular Engineering (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bioengineering (Faculty of Engineering)

    Overview

    BIEN : Forward and reverse engineering of biomolecular systems. Principles of biomolecular thermodynamics and kinetics. Structure and function of the main classes of biomolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Biomolecular systems as mechanical, chemical, and electrical systems. Rational design and evolutionary methods for engineering functional proteins, nucleic acids, and gene circuits. Rational design topics include molecular modeling, positive and negative design paradigms, simulation and optimization of equilibrium and kinetic properties, design of catalysts, sensors, motors, and circuits. Evolutionary design topics include evolutionary mechanisms, fitness landscapes, directed evolution of proteins, metabolic pathways, and gene circuits. Systems biology and synthetic biology.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Xia, Yu; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin (Fall)

    • Prerequisite(s): BIEN 200 or permission of instructor.

    • (3-0-6)

  • BIEN 320 Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bioengineering (Faculty of Engineering)

    Overview

    BIEN : Basic mechanics of biological building blocks, focusing on the cytoskeleton, with examples from pathology. At the macromolecular level: weak/variable crosslinking and hydrolysis driven athermal processes. At the cellular/tissue level: cell architecture and function. Discussion of modern analytical techniques capable of single-molecule to tissue scale measurements.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Ehrlicher, Allen (Winter)

  • BIEN 340 Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bioengineering (Faculty of Engineering)

    Overview

    BIEN : Fundamental principles of mass transport and its application to a variety of biological systems. Membrane permeability and diffusive transport. Convection. Transport across cell membranes. Ion channels. Blood rheology. Active transport. Intra- and inter-cellular transport.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Kamen, Amine; Haldavnekar, Rupa (Winter)

  • BIEN 510 Engineered Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bioengineering (Faculty of Engineering)

    Overview

    BIEN : Introduction to the interdisciplinary field of biomedical uses of nanotechnology. Emphasis on emerging nanotechnologies and biomedical applications including nanomaterials, nanoengineering, nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, nano-based imaging and diagnostic systems, nanotoxicology and immunology, and translating nanomedicine into clinical investigation.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Kinsella, Matt; Sudalaiyadum Perumal, Ayyappasamy (Fall)

  • BIEN 530 Imaging and Bioanalytical Instrumentation (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bioengineering (Faculty of Engineering)

    Overview

    BIEN : Microscopy techniques with application to biology and medicine. Practical introduction to optics and microscopy from the standpoint of biomedical research. Discussion of recent literature; hands-on experience. Topics include: optics, contrast techniques, advanced microscopy, and image analysis.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Hendricks, Adam (Winter)

    • Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

    • (3-1-5)

  • CHEM 222 Introductory Organic Chemistry 2 (4 credits)

    Offered by: Chemistry (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Chemistry : Modern spectroscopic techniques for structure determination. The chemistry of alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds, and amines, with special attention to mechanistic aspects. Special topics.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Pavelka, Laura; Vlaho, Danielle; Huot, Mitchell (Winter)

    • Fall, Winter

    • Prerequisite: CHEM 212 or equivalent.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken an equivalent Organic 2 at CEGEP (see McGill University Basic Math and Sciences Equivalence Table at www.mcgill.ca/mathscitable) or who have or are taking CHEM 234.

  • PHYS 242 Electricity and Magnetism (2 credits) *

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Properties of electromagnetic fields, dipole and quadropole fields and their interactions, chemical binding of molecules, electromagnetic properties of materials, Maxwell's equations and properties of electromagnetic waves, propagation of waves in media.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Rutledge, Robert (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 2 hours lectures

    • Prerequisites: CEGEP Physics, MATH 222

  • PHYS 257 Experimental Methods 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Vachon, Brigitte (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 6 hours of laboratory and classroom work

    • Corequisite: PHYS 230 or PHYS 251

  • PHYS 342 Majors Electromagnetic Waves (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Maxwell's equations. The wave equation. The electromagnetic wave, reflection, refraction, polarization. Guided waves. Transmission lines and wave guides. Vector potential. Radiation. The elemental dipole; the half-wave dipole; vertical dipole; folded dipoles; Yagi antennas. Accelerating charged particles.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Gervais, Guillaume (Winter)

  • PHYS 413 Physical Basis of Physiology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Analytic and computer simulation techniques are used to examine the role of nonlinearities and time delays in determining the dynamic behaviour of physiological control systems and their relation to normal and pathophysiological states. Examples drawn from the control of respiration, cellular proliferation and differentiation, biochemical feedback networks, thermoregulatory mechanisms, and neural feedback.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisite: MATH 315, or MATH 325, and permission of the instructor

    • Intended for Major or Honours students in Physics, Physiology, Physiology and Physics, or Mathematics and others with permission

  • PHYS 434 Optics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Fundamental concepts of optics, including applications and modern developments. Light propagation in media; geometric optics and optical instruments; polarization and coherence properties of light; interference and interferometry; diffraction theory and applications in spectrometry and imaging; Gaussian beams, Fourier optics and photonic band structure. A laboratory component provides hands-on experience in optical setup design, construction and testing of concepts introduced in lectures.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Wang, Kai (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab

    • Corequisite: PHYS 342 or PHYS 352, or permission of the instructor

  • PHYS 519 Advanced Biophysics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : An advanced biophysics course, with a special emphasis on stochastic and out of equilibrium physical processes in living matter.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Wiseman, Paul (Winter)

  • PHYS 534 Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Topics include scanning probe microscopy, chemical self-assembly, computer modelling, and microfabrication/micromachining.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Grutter, Peter H (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Restriction: U3 or graduate students in Physics, Chemistry, or Engineering, or permission of the instructor.

* PHYS 242 is required for PHYS 342 and PHYS 434.

Recommendations for Theoretical Ecology and Evolutionary Biology stream

  • BIOL 310 Biodiversity and Ecosystems (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Ecological bases of the natural causes and consequences of current global environmental changes, including how biodiversity and ecosystem processes are defined and measured, how they vary in space and time, how they are affected by physical and biological factors, and how they affect each other and human societies.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Pollock, Laura; Iversen, Lars Lonsmann (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • one-day field trip to Mont St-Hilaire

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 215; or ENVR 200 and ENVR 202; MATH 112 or equivalent; or permission of the instructor

  • BIOL 324 Ecological Genetics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Presents evolutionary genetics within an ecological context. Covers theoretical and applied topics together with relevant data from natural populations of plant and animals.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 202 or BIOL 302

    • Two lectures per week; one required computer lab or conference per week

  • MATH 242 Analysis 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : A rigorous presentation of sequences and of real numbers and basic properties of continuous and differentiable functions on the real line.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite: MATH 141

    • Restriction(s): Not open to students who are taking or who have taken MATH 254.

  • MATH 340 Discrete Mathematics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Discrete Mathematics and applications. Graph Theory: matchings, planarity, and colouring. Discrete probability. Combinatorics: enumeration, combinatorial techniques and proofs.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • MATH 423 Applied Regression (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Multiple regression estimators and their properties. Hypothesis tests and confidence intervals. Analysis of variance. Prediction and prediction intervals. Model diagnostics. Model selection. Introduction to weighted least squares. Basic contingency table analysis. Introduction to logistic and Poisson regression. Applications to experimental and observational data.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • MATH 524 Nonparametric Statistics (4 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Distribution free procedures for 2-sample problem: Wilcoxon rank sum, Siegel-Tukey, Smirnov tests. Shift model: power and estimation. Single sample procedures: Sign, Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Nonparametric ANOVA: Kruskal-Wallis, Friedman tests. Association: Spearman's rank correlation, Kendall's tau. Goodness of fit: Pearson's chi-square, likelihood ratio, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. Statistical software packages used.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite: MATH 324 or equivalent

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 424

  • MATH 525 Sampling Theory and Applications (4 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Simple random sampling, domains, ratio and regression estimators, superpopulation models, stratified sampling, optimal stratification, cluster sampling, sampling with unequal probabilities, multistage sampling, complex surveys, nonresponse.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: MATH 324 or equivalent

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 425

  • PHYS 329 Statistical Physics with Biophysical Applications (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : This interdisciplinary course introduces Statistical Physics illustrated with modern biophysical applications. Principles covered include partition functions, Boltzmann distribution, bosons, fermions, Bose Einstein condensates, Ferni gases, chemical potential, thermodynamical forces, biochemical kinetics, and an introduction to noise and phase transitions in biology.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Faculty of Science—2024-2025 (last updated Apr. 3, 2024) (disclaimer)
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