The Chemistry Specialist is a limited enrolment program that provides a broad coverage of the core areas of chemistry together with appropriate courses in mathematics, physics and biochemistry during the first three years, and allows students to follow a particular area of interest or a more general program in fourth-year. This program is fully accredited by the Canadian Society for Chemistry.
The important Chemistry Specialist program objectives are as follows:
- to provide a program that is very flexible in design such that students will focus their studies in the traditional sub-disciplines of inorganic, analytical, organic, and physical chemistry during second year, and then progress to take upper-year courses in these areas or in additional sub-disciplines including biological, materials and environmental chemistry.
- to give second-year students opportunities for hands-on learning through laboratory work in the four traditional chemistry sub-disciplines.
- to provide upper-year students with exceptional access to experiential learning via advanced laboratory activities and development of superior communication skills through a choice of at least three courses in analytical, inorganic, organic, biological and environmental chemistry, and a required course in physical chemistry.
- to facilitate students taking at least six fourth-year theoretical courses of their choosing, 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 different sub-disciplines of chemistry provided that appropriate options are chosen in fourth year, and/or for careers in a wide range of chemistry-related professional fields.
Students enrolled in the Chemistry 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 Andrew Dicks, Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies
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 Chemistry Specialist in the Summer after Year 2.
Completion Requirements:
(14.0 credits, including at least 3.0 credits from 400-level courses)
First Year:
- ( CHM151Y1 strongly recommended)/ ( CHM135H1, CHM136H1)
- ( MAT135H1, MAT136H1)/ MAT137Y1/ MAT157Y1
- ( PHY131H1, PHY132H1)/ ( PHY151H1, PHY152H1)
Second Year:
Third and Fourth Years:
- BCH210H1, CHM326H1/ CHM328H1, CHM327H1
- Additional credits from 300/400-level CHM/ MAT/ another science, including at least three of CHM317H1, CHM338H1, CHM343H1, CHM379H1, CHM395Y1/ CHM499Y1/ PHC489Y1, CHM410H1. Minimum 3.0 CHM credits at the 400-level to a total of 14.0 credits.
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.