General, Bachelor of Science

Contact Information
Contact Name: 
Dr. Bryan Rowsell
Contact Title: 
Chairperson

Program Information

Contact Phone: 
403.342.3400 OR 1.888.732.4630
Contact Email: 
inquire@rdc.ab.ca
University Transfer Program

One-Year or Two-Year University Transfer Program:

For the most current university program and transfer information, please see the Academic Advising homepage.  Click on Academic Planning Guides.

The Program

The Bachelor of Science (BSc) General program gives you a broad education in more than one branch of study. Students either complete two majors or one major and one minor. Majors are chosen from ten science subject areas.

If you enroll in the General program and intend to transfer to a BSc Specialization or Honors program in the Faculty of Science at University of Alberta (U of A), carefully follow the requirements for the latter program when selecting your courses (consult an Academic Advisor). This applies to all students intending to transfer to the Universities of Calgary (U of C) or Lethbridge (U of L) which do not offer a BSc General program.

Transfer Features

This program transfers to BSc General at the U of A and also allows for subsequent transfer to University of Alberta BSc Specialization and Honours programs if admission requirements are met for those programs. It also allows for transfer to University of Calgary BSc Honours and majors programs, majors in the University of Lethbridge BSc program, and majors in Royal Roads University BSc Environment and Sustainability programs.

Note: There are some major/minor combinations which have required courses (usually in the second year) that are not offered at RDC. Students taking these combinations can either take other (transferable) courses during a second year or can transfer after their first year at RDC.

Requirements
Admission Requirements: 

Related Link: Admission requirements for specific programs will often refer to Alberta Grade 12 course groups. Visit the Admissions page for detailed group descriptions.

1. Minimum average of 60% with no mark below 50% in:

  • ELA 30-1
  • Mathematics 30-1
  • Two of Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Mathematics 31, Physics 30
  • Subject from Group A, B, or C

OR

2. Mature Student

You must be 19 years of age or older, out of high school for at least one full year before the program starts, and have a minimum average of 60% with no mark below 50% in:

  • ELA 30-1
  • Mathematics 30-1
  • Two of Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Mathematics 31, Physics 30

Note:  In addition to the program admission requirements applicants, whose first language is not English, must demonstrate English language proficiency.

Program Content

The following outlines provide a basic understanding of program content but do not contain specific details regarding specific course requirements. This information is current at the time of publication but may change as the universities change their requirements.

University of Alberta

A major subject area is chosen from Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computing Sciences, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Physics, Science Psychology, and Statistics. A major should be chosen when registering for year two courses.

The student has the option of choosing a minor subject in the faculties of Science, Arts or Business. If the minor subject chosen is from Arts, any requirements as specified by the Faculty of Arts must be met. Please see U of A Calendar for minor subject areas in the Faculty of Arts. See note below concerning the Business Minor.

A major and minor in Sciences may not share courses from the same department. For example, the following combinations are not allowed:

  • Earth Sciences/Arts Geography
  • Science Psychology/Arts Psychology
  • Courses in a major or minor subject area may not overlap. For example, if the major is Mathematical Sciences and the minor is Statistics, the major would consist of Mathematics courses and Computing Science courses but no Statistics courses. The minor would consist exclusively of Statistics courses. See U of A Calendar for details on courses required for majors and minors.

Please note these are U of A credits

Suggested Pattern Year 1

  • ENGL 219/ENGL 220 (6 credits)
  • Two junior MATH, STAT, CMPT (6 credits)
  • Two junior PHYS, CHEM, ASTR (6 credits)
  • Two junior BIOL, GEOG, PSYC (6 credits)
  • Two junior Arts or Science Options (6 credits)

Suggested Pattern Year 2

  • 12 credits toward major/li>
  • 6 credits toward minor
  • 12 credits towards Arts or Science Options, major and/or minor

NOTES:

Students with a major or minor in chemistry are recommended to complete CHEM 211/CHEM 212 in year one and CHEM 351/CHEM 352 in year two.

Options in Arts or Sciences are chosen from transferable courses from ANTH, ASTR, ART, BIOC, BIOL (not 209), CHEM, CLAS, CMPT 201, DRAM, ECON, FILM, FREN, GENE, GEOG, HIST, MATH, MUSE, MUSI, PHIL, PHYS, POLI, PSYC (not 312), SOCI, SPAN, STAT, ZOOL

BSC General with Business Minor

Admission to BSc General with a Business Minor is competitive. Admission to the minor is by application after year one with preference given to those who apply at this point in their program. Applicants must present ENG 219/ENGL 220, ECON 201/ECON 202, MATH 202 or MATH 203, one of MATH, STAT, CMPT 201; and 6 credits in Physical Sciences (Physics or Chemistry) or 6 credits taken from Biology, Science Geography, or Science Psychology. See Planning Guides in Academic Advising for further information.

University of Lethbridge

Please note these are U of L credits

The pattern below is an example of BSc General using Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Mathematics for the three science streams. See Planning Guides in Academic Advising for further information.

Suggested Pattern Year 1

  • BIOL 217/BIOL 218 (6 credits)
  • CHEM 211/CHEM 212 (6 credits)
  • MATH 202 (or 203)/MATH 204 (6 credits)
  • 2 Fine Arts or Humanities Requirements (6 credits)
  • 2 Social Science Requirements (6 credits)

Suggested Pattern Year 2

  • BIOL 317/BIOL 318 (6 credits)
  • One of MATH 221, STAT 251 (3 credits)
  • 2 Fine Arts or Humanities Requirements (6 credits)
  • 2 Social Science Requirements (6 credits)
  • 3 Electives (9 credits)

U of L's General Liberal Education Requirement (GLER)

A maximum of four courses from one department may be used in meeting the General Liberal Education Requirement. Math and Computer Science are counted as separate departments for a Science Major. Biology (BIOL), Microbiology (MICR), Zoology (ZOOL), Botany (BOTA), and Genetics (GENE) are considered part of the Biological Sciences Department.

Fine Arts and Humanities transferable courses in ART, DRAM, ENGL, FREN, HIST, MUSI (not MUSI 210, 213, or 214), PHIL, SPAN plus other courses as noted in academic planning guide.

Social Sciences transferable courses in ANTH (all non-Science and non-Humanities ANTH courses), ECON, KNSS (except KNSS 280), POLI, PSYC (excluding PSYC 260 and other Science PSYC courses), SOCI, plus other courses as noted in academic planning guides.

Sciences transferable courses in BIOC, BIOL, CHEM, CMPT, MATH, PHYS, PSIO, STAT, ZOOL plus other courses as noted in academic planning guide.

Royal Roads University

Block transfer into the third year of the RRU BSc degree programs, offered through the School of Environment and Sustainability, upon successful completion of the RDC two year BSc University Transfer program providing all other entrance requirements are met and space is available in the programs. Entrance to all programs at RRU is on a competitive basis.

The block transfer requires students to include two Biology courses, two Chemistry courses, two Mathematics or Physics courses and two English or Communication courses along with other courses required to complete the RDC BSc university transfer program. (See BSc Environmental Sciences or BSc Environmental Management)