X. Degree Programs

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)

Biological and Medical Physics (Co-op) (BMPH:C)

Department of Physics, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

The program emphasizes the application of physics to biology and medicine. It provides an excellent background for careers in the expanding interdisciplinary research laboratories of government and industry, as well as a starting point for a career in medical physics. Completion of the program at an appropriate level will qualify a student to pursue post-graduate studies in biophysics, medical physics and related areas of physics.

Program Requirements

The Co-op program in Biological and Medical Physics is a five year program, including five work terms. Students must complete a Fall, Winter and Summer work term and must follow the academic work schedule as outlined below (also found on the Co-operative Education website: https://www.recruitguelph.ca/cecs/). Please refer to the Co-operative Education program policy with respect to adjusting this schedule.

Biological and Medical Physics Academic and Co-op Work Term Schedule
Year Fall Winter Summer
1 Academic Semester 1 Academic Semester 2 Off
2 Academic Semester 3

COOP*1100

Academic Semester 4 COOP*1000 Work Term I
3 Academic Semester 5 COOP*2000 Work Term II COOP*3000 Work Term III
4 Academic Semester 6 Academic Semester 7 COOP*4000 Work Term IV
5 COOP*5000 Work Term V Academic Semester 8 N/A

To be eligible to continue in the Co-op program, students must meet a minimum 70% cumulative average requirement after second semester, as well as meet all work term requirements. Please refer to the Co-operative Education program policy with respect to work term performance grading, work term report grading and program completion requirements.

For additional program information students should consult with their Co-op Co-ordinator and Co-op Faculty Advisor, listed on the Co-operative Education web site.

Credit Summary (22.00 Total Credits)*

5.00 - First year science credits

9.50 - Required science courses semesters 3 – 8

1.50 - Restricted electives (from List A OR List B)

1.00 - Liberal Education electives

3.00 - Free electives - any approved elective for B.Sc. students.

2.00 - Co-op Work Terms

Of the total credits required, students are required to complete 16.00 credits in science of which 2.00 credits must be at the 4000 level and an additional 4.00 credits must be at the 3000 or 4000 level.

Note: A minimum of four Co-op work terms including a Summer, Fall, and Winter are necessary to complete the Co-op requirement. *A fifth Co-op work term is optional and if completed, the total number of credits will equal 22.50.

The recommended program sequence is outlined below.

Major (Honours Program)

Semester 1 - Fall
BIOL*1090 [0.50] Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology
CHEM*1040 [0.50] General Chemistry I
CIS*1300 [0.50] Programming
1.00 credits from: IPS*1500, or (MATH*1080, PHYS*1080) or (MATH*1200, PHYS*1080)
* IPS*1500 is recommended
Students lacking Grade 12 or 4U Biology, Chemistry or Physics should follow the revised schedule of study for this major found at: https://www.uoguelph.ca/bsc/revised_SS
Semester 2 - Winter
BIOL*1080 [0.50] Biological Concepts of Health
CHEM*1050 [0.50] General Chemistry II
MATH*1160 [0.50] Linear Algebra I
1.00 credits from: IPS*1510, or (MATH*1090, PHYS*1070) or (MATH*1210, PHYS*1010)
* IPS*1510 is recommended
Semester 3 - Fall
COOP*1100 [0.00] Introduction to Co-operative Education
MATH*2200 [0.50] Advanced Calculus I
MATH*2270 [0.50] Applied Differential Equations
PHYS*2240 [0.50] Thermal Physics
PHYS*2330 [0.50] Electricity and Magnetism I
0.50 Liberal Education electives
Semester 4 - Winter
BIOC*2580 [0.50] Introduction to Biochemistry
PHYS*2030 [0.50] Biophysics of Excitable Cells
PHYS*2180 [0.50] Experimental Techniques in Physics
PHYS*2310 [0.50] Mechanics
PHYS*2340 [0.50] Electricity and Magnetism II
Summer Semester
COOP*1000 [0.50] Co-op Work Term I
Semester 5 - Fall
PHYS*3130 [0.50] Mathematical Physics
PHYS*3230 [0.50] Quantum Mechanics I
1.50 electives ***
Winter Semester
COOP*2000 [0.50] Co-op Work Term II

(8-month work term in conjunction with COOP*3000)

Summer Semester
COOP*3000 [0.50] Co-op Work Term III
(8-month work term in conjunction with COOP*2000)
Semester 6 - Fall
IPS*3000 [0.50] Science Communication
PHYS*3170 [0.50] Radioactivity and Radiation Interactions
One of:
ENGG*4040 [0.50] Medical Imaging Modalities ǂ
0.50 electives
1.00 electives ***
Semester 7 - Winter
NANO*3600 [0.50] Computational Methods in Materials Science
PHYS*3510 [0.50] Intermediate Laboratory
PHYS*4040 [0.50] Quantum Mechanics II
PHYS*4540 [0.50] Molecular Biophysics
0.50 electives ***
Summer Semester
COOP*4000 [0.50] Co-op Work Term IV
Fall Semester
COOP*5000 [0.50] Co-op Work Term V
Semester 8 - Winter
PHYS*4500 [0.50] Advanced Physics Laboratory
One of:
PHYS*4070 [0.50] Clinical Applications of Physics in Medicine ǂ
0.50 electives
1.50 electives ***

ǂ Either ENGG*4040 or PHYS*4070 must be completed.

*** At least 1.00 credits of Liberal Education electives are required. In addition, students are required to complete 1.50 credits from either List A or List B as follows:

List A: Biological Physics stream

BIOC*3560 [0.50] Structure and Function in Biochemistry
BIOC*4050 [0.50] Protein and Nucleic Acid Structure
BIOC*4580 [0.50] Membrane Biochemistry
MBG*2040 [0.50] Foundations in Molecular Biology and Genetics
MCB*2050 [0.50] Molecular Biology of the Cell
NANO*4100 [0.50] Biological Nanomaterials
PHYS*3000 [0.50] Optics: Fundamentals and Applications
List B: Medical Physics stream

BIOM*2000 [0.50] Concepts in Human Physiology
BIOM*3200 [1.00] Biomedical Physiology
MBG*2040 [0.50] Foundations in Molecular Biology and Genetics
MICR*3230 [0.50] Immunology
PATH*3610 [0.50] Principles of Disease
PHYS*3000 [0.50] Optics: Fundamentals and Applications
PHYS*4130 [0.50] Subatomic Physics
ZOO*2090 [0.50] Vertebrate Structure and Function
University of Guelph
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1
Canada
519-824-4120