The Chemical Physics Specialist is a limited enrolment and interdisciplinary program that is appropriate for students whose interests lie in the area between chemistry and physics. It includes key courses in physical chemistry and certain areas of physics (including electricity, electromagnetism and classical mechanics) and allows students to take additional courses in either physics or chemistry depending on their primary interest. The important Chemical Physics Specialist program objectives are as follows:
- to provide a program that is interdisciplinary in design such that students will focus their studies in areas of mathematics, physics and physical chemistry (both experimental and theoretical) during second-year and beyond, therefore embedding a high degree of quantitative reasoning throughout.
- to give second-year students opportunities for hands-on learning through laboratory work in one or more of organic, analytical and inorganic chemistry.
- to mount a capstone experience in experimental physical chemistry where students pose a reasonable research question, refine it, design a project to address it, and implement the project by an experimental approach. Associated assessment will take place of both individual work through written reports and teamwork via a poster presentation.
- to facilitate students taking at least three fourth-year theoretical courses of their choosing in chemistry and/or physics, based on their specific interests.
- to give students the option to obtain professional development skills and direct work experience through the Arts & Science Internship Program.
- to provide excellent preparation for graduate-level studies in physics or physical chemistry provided that appropriate options are chosen in fourth-year, and/or for careers in these fields (e.g., in research and development industries, quality control and assurance, consulting, and academia).
Students enrolled in the Chemical Physics Specialist program are eligible to complete the departmental Focus in Green Chemistry and/or the Focus in Practical Chemical Analysis if the appropriate courses are taken.
Consult:
Professor Jeremy Schofield, Physical Chemistry
Enrolment Requirements:
This is a limited-enrolment program. Students must have completed 4.0 credits and meet the requirements listed below to enrol. Minimum grades in required courses or their equivalents are needed for entry, and these minimums change each year depending on available spaces and the number of applicants. The following courses must be completed:
(CHM135H1, CHM136H1)/CHM151Y1)
To ensure that students admitted to the program will be successful, applicants with a final grade lower than 63% in any of the required courses will not be considered for admission. Please note that obtaining the minimum final grades does not guarantee admission to the program.
Students in this program have the option to request enrolment in the Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) stream. Students can apply for the ASIP stream after Year 1 (Year 2 entry) or after Year 2 (Year 3 entry, starting Fall 2024). Full details about ASIP, including student eligibility, selection and enrolment, are available in the ASIP section of the Arts & Science Academic Calendar. Please note that the majority of students enter ASIP in Fall term of Year 2. Space is more limited for Year 3 entry. Students applying for Year 3 entry must have been admitted to the Chemical Physics Specialist in the Summer after Year 2.
Completion Requirements:
(14.0 credits, including 1.5 credits from 400-level courses)
First Year:
- ( CHM151Y1 strongly recommended)/ ( CHM135H1, CHM136H1)
- ( MAT135H1, MAT136H1)/ MAT137Y1/ MAT157Y1
- ( PHY131H1, PHY132H1)/ ( PHY151H1, PHY152H1)
Higher Years:
- APM346H1, CHM222H1, CHM223H1, CHM326H1/ PHY356H1, CHM327H1, CHM328H1, MAT223H1/ MAT240H1, MAT235Y1/ MAT237Y1, MAT244H1, MAT334H1, PHY250H1, PHY254H1, PHY354H1, PHY350H1, CHM423H1/ PHY456H1
- 2.0 credits from: CHM210H1, CHM217H1, ( CHM236H1, CHM237H1)/ CHM238Y1, ( CHM249H1 strongly recommended)/ CHM247H1, CHM310H1, CHM317H1, CHM338H1, CHM348H1, CHM415H1
- Additional 400-level CHM/PHY 0.5 credit courses to a total of 14.0 credits. (Note: CHM395Y1 can be used toward this requirement).
Students in this program have the option to complete the Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) stream.
This page was updated on August 26, 2025. Please consult the Arts & Science Academic Calender for the most up-to-date program requirements.