We’ve outlined sample first-year course schedules for several specializations below. Remember these are samples, and are meant to illustrate some basic principles: don’t over extend yourself, defer non-essential courses to second year if you want to explore electives, and get started on your Arts requirement early.

Chemistry: Major 0409


You can defer 3 credits of first-year English until second year--many students take English 110 and 112. SCIE 113 is an alternative to one ENGL course. Both courses (i.e., 2 ENGL or 1 ENGL and SCIE 113) must be completed in the first 60 credits attempted.

CHEM 111, 113 or CHEM 121, 123 are the normal prerequisite for admission into Chemistry--students with credit for Chemistry 11 only take CHEM 111, 113, those with credit for Chemistry 12 take CHEM 121, 123. Students need to take at least 18 Arts credits over the course of their degree, so take an Arts course or two in first year.
Consider taking a lighter load in Term 1 to allow for adjustment period to university. Compare the schedule below to the description of the Chemistry Major in the Calendar.

* Elective, so could be replaced. Courses such as CHEM and MATH are required because they are prerequisites for many second-year courses. PHYS 102 has been deferred to second year. If you need to take PHYS 100, take it in first term in place of an elective. A second ENGL course has been deferred to second year.

Promotion after First Year: The minimum requirement of 12 lower-level Science credits can be met with any two of CHEM 121 (111), CHEM 123 (113), or PHYS 101, and any two of MATH 100, MATH 101, CPSC 110 or EOSC.

Microbiology and Immunology: Major 1153

Students need BIOL 111 or 121, but BIOL 111 is not open to students who have credit for Biology 12. CHEM 111, 113 or CHEM 121, 123 are the normal prerequisite for admission into Microbiology and Immunology--students with credit for Chemistry 11 only take CHEM 111, 113, those with credit for Chemistry 12 take CHEM 121, 123.

You can defer 3 credits of first-year English until second year--many students take English 110 and 112. SCIE 113 is an alternative to one ENGL course. Both courses (i.e., 2 ENGL or 1 ENGL and SCIE 113) must be completed in the first 60 credits attempted.

Students lacking Physics 12 must take PHYS 100 before PHYS 101 or 107--both of which may be deferred to second year because the specialization does not include a second-year course with PHYS as a prerequisite. Leaving PHYS to second year and taking an Arts elective might help ease you into university life.

* Elective, so could be replaced with a different course. CHEM and BIOL (112 and 111 or 121) should not be deferred--the specialization includes courses in second year for which first-year CHEM and BIOL are prerequisite. BIOL 140 is an elective; it is not a prerequisite for MICB courses but is for some BIOL courses you may wish to take later.
PHYS 101 has been deferred to second year. If you need to take PHYS 100, take it in first term in place of an elective.

PHYS 101 has been deferred to second year. If you need to take PHYS 100, take it in first term in place of an elective. MATH 110 has been counted as 3 credits in each term. MATH 101 has been deferred.

Promotion after First Year: The minimum requirement of 12 Lower-level Science credits can be met with all three of CHEM 121, CHEM 123, and MATH 110 (counts for 3 credits for promotion) and one of BIOL (112 or 121) or CPSC.

Earth and Ocean Sciences: Major 1223

You can defer 3 credits of first-year English until second year--many students take English 110 and 112. SCIE 113 is an alternative to one ENGL course. Both courses (i.e., 2 ENGL or 1 ENGL and SCIE 113) must be completed in the first 60 credits attempted.

CHEM 111, 113 or CHEM 121, 123: students with credit for Chemistry 11 only take CHEM 111, 113, those with credit for Chemistry 12 take CHEM 121, 123.

If students do not have biology 11 or 12, they must take BIOL 111. Students with biology 11 or 12 may substitute 3 credits of ASTR, EOSC or GEOB. This is a degree requirement that can be deferred until 2nd or 3rd year but no later.

Students need to take at least 18 Arts credits over the course of their degree, so take an Arts course or two in first year.

* Elective, so could be replaced with a different course.
** Students need to take 2 of EOSC 110, EOSC 112, EOSC 114 EOSC 116.

Promotion after First Year: The minimum requirement of 12 Lower-level Science credits can be met with any two of CHEM 121, CHEM 123 (113), or PHYS 101, and any two of MATH 100, MATH 101 or an EOSC lecture course.

Important Resources

Course Descriptions in the UBC Calendar

https://courses.students.ubc.ca/cs/main?pname=subjarea&tname=subjareas&r...

Choosing Courses in First Year

www.science.ubc.ca/students/new/courses

Choosing Courses After First Year

www.science.ubc.ca/students/degree/courses
www.science.ubc.ca/students/new/courses/requirements