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Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology | Faculty of Science Simon Fraser University Calendar | Summer 2025

Biomedical Physiology Honours

Bachelor of Science

This program leads to a bachelor of science with honours (BSc) in biomedical physiology.

Note that students cannot combine: a biomedical physiology honours with any other major or minor in the areas of kinesiology and behavioural neuroscience.

Admission Requirements

Application requires

  • completion of a minimum of 90 units
  • a minimum CGPA of 3.00
  • submission of a completed honours approval form, posted on the BPK webiste http://www.sfu.ca/bpk/undergraduate/current/forms.html, along with the student's most recent advising transcript, to the Undergraduate Program Chair

Prerequisite and Required Course Grades

Students enrolling in in biomedical physiology and kinesiology courses must have a grade of C- or better in prerequisite courses. Students enrolled in the biomedical physiology honours must have grade of C- or better in all required courses.

Program Requirements

Students complete a total of 135 units as specified below.

Minimum Grade

Honours students must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on all relevant measures (CGPA, upper division grade point average, department grade point average, department upper division grade point average).

Lower Division Requirements

Students complete all of

BISC 101 - General Biology (4)
BISC 102 - General Biology (4)
BISC 202 - Genetics (3)
BPK 142 - Introduction to Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology (3)
BPK 201 - Biomechanics (3)
BPK 205 - Introduction to Human Physiology (3)
BPK 207 - Sensorimotor Control and Learning (3)
CHEM 121 - General Chemistry and Laboratory I (4)
CHEM 122 - General Chemistry II (2)
CHEM 126 - General Chemistry Laboratory II (2)
CHEM 281 - Organic Chemistry and Laboratory I (4)
MBB 222 - Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (3)
MBB 231 - Cellular Biology and Biochemistry (3)
STAT 201 - Statistics for the Life Sciences (3)

and one of

CHEM 282 - Organic Chemistry II (2)
CHEM 283 - Organic Chemistry IIb (3)

and one of

MATH 150 - Calculus I with Review (4)
MATH 151 - Calculus I (3)
MATH 154 - Mathematics for the Life Sciences I (3)

and one of

MATH 152 - Calculus II (3)
MATH 155 - Mathematics for the Life Sciences II (3)

and one of

PHYS 101 - Physics for the Life Sciences I (3)
PHYS 120 - Mechanics and Modern Physics (3)
PHYS 125 - Mechanics and Special Relativity (3)
PHYS 140 - Studio Physics - Mechanics and Modern Physics (4)

and one of

PHYS 102 - Physics for the Life Sciences II (3)
PHYS 121 - Optics, Electricity and Magnetism (3)
PHYS 126 - Electricity, Magnetism and Light (3)
PHYS 141 - Studio Physics - Optics, Electricity and Magnetism (4)

Upper Division Requirements

Students complete at least 60 upper division units in the following courses, each of which must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.

Students complete all of

BPK 304W - Inquiry and Measurement in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology (3) +
BPK 305 - Human Physiology I (3)
BPK 306 - Human Physiology II (3)
BPK 307 - Human Physiology III (3)
BPK 326 - Functional Anatomy (4)
BPK 407 - Human Physiology Laboratory (3)
BPK 408W - Cellular Physiology Laboratory (4) +
BPK 491 - Undergraduate Honours Thesis Proposal (3)
BPK 495 - Undergraduate Honours Research Performance (6)
BPK 499 - Undergraduate Honours Thesis Reporting (6)
MBB 321 - Intermediary Metabolism (3)

Students complete six courses from Lists A and B

one or two of List A

BISC 300 - Evolution (3)
BISC 302W - Genetic Analysis (3)
BISC 303 - Microbiology (4)
BISC 316 - Vertebrate Biology (4)
BISC 333 - Developmental Biology (3)
BISC 357 - Genetic Engineering (4)
BISC 403 - Current Topics in Cell Biology (3)
BISC 405 - Neurobiology (3)
BISC 421 - Models in Biology: From Molecules to Migration (3)
BISC 423 - Developmental Neurobiology (3)
BISC 424 - Applied Genomics (3)
BISC 428 - Cell Anatomy (3)
CHEM 360 - Thermodynamics and Chemical Kinetics (3)
MBB 308 - Molecular Biology Laboratory (3) ^
MBB 309W - Biochemistry Laboratory (4)
MBB 322 - Molecular Physiology (3)
MBB 323 - Introduction to Physical Biochemistry (3)
MBB 324 - Protein Biochemistry (3)
MBB 331 - Molecular Biology (4)
MBB 342 - Introductory Genomics and Bioinformatics (3) ^
PHYS 347 - Introduction to Biological Physics (3)

and four or five of List B (at least one course must be 400-level)

BPK 301 - Biomechanics Laboratory (3)
BPK 310 - Exercise/Work Physiology (3)
BPK 336 - Histology (3)
BPK 340 - Active Health: Behavior and Promotion (3)
BPK 401 - Muscle Biomechanics (3)
BPK 402 - Mechanical Behavior of Biological Tissues (3)
BPK 409 - Wearable Technology and Human Physiology (3)
BPK 411 - Advanced Topics in Vascular Physiology (3)
BPK 412 - Molecular Cardiac Physiology (3)
BPK 415 - Neural Control of Movement (3)
BPK 417 - Obesity, Adipocyte Function and Weight Management (3)
BPK 420 - Selected Topics in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology I (3) *
BPK 421 - Selected Topics in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology II (3) *
BPK 422 - Selected Topics in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology III (3) *
BPK 423 - Selected Topics in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology IV (3) *
BPK 426 - Functional Human Neuroanatomy (3)
BPK 431 - Integrative Cancer Biology (3)
BPK 432 - Physiological Basis of Temperature Regulation (3)
BPK 444 - Cardiac Disease: Pathophysiology and Assessment (3)
BPK 446 - Neurological Disorders (3)
BPK 447 - Neuroplasticity (3)
BPK 448 - Rehabilitation of Movement Control (3)
BPK 484 - Altitude and Aerospace Physiology (3)
BPK 496 - Directed Study Literature (3) *#
BPK 498 - Directed Study Experiential (3) *#

Students may be required to complete additional upper division units, from any department including BPK (except for BPK 325, 342, 457 and 459), to total the minimum of 60 upper division units required for an honours degree.

#A maximum of six units from these courses may be used towards the List B requirements

* must be selected topics courses in physiology

+ BPK (or KIN) 304W or BPK 408W satisfies the University's breadth requirements of three upper division units in writing

^ require additional prerequisites outside of program requirements

Unspecified and Partially Specified Electives

To complete the degree's total of 135 units, students are required to complete an additional 18 elective units. These 18 units must include units from courses that will satisfy the University breadth requirement of six units each of designated humanities breadth (B-Hum) and social science breadth (B-Soc), and three units of lower division writing (W). The quantitative (Q) and science breadth (B-Sci) requirements are satisfied through the completion of the biomedical physiology major lower division core course set. For more information, please visit http://www.sfu.ca/ugcr.

University Honours Degree Requirements

Students must also satisfy University degree requirements for degree completion.

NOTE: SFU students accepted in the accelerated master's within the Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology may apply a maximum of nine BPK graduate course units, taken while completing the bachelor's degree, towards the upper division electives of the bachelor's program and the requirements of the master's degree. For more information go to: https://www.sfu.ca/gradstudies/apply/programs/accelerated-masters.html.

Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements

Students admitted to Simon Fraser University beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.

WQB Graduation Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit

Requirement

Units

Notes
W - Writing

6

Must include at least one upper division course, taken at Simon Fraser University within the student's major subject; two courses (minimum three units each)

Q - Quantitative

6

Q courses may be lower or upper division; two courses (total six units or more)
B - Breadth

18

Designated Breadth

Must be outside the student's major subject, and may be lower or upper division:

Two courses (total six units or more) Social Sciences: B-Soc
Two courses (total six units or more) Humanities: B-Hum
Two courses (total six units or more) Sciences: B-Sci

6

Additional Breadth

Two courses (total six units or more) outside the student's major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements).

Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honours, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas.

Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit

  • At least half of the program's total units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.
  • At least two thirds of the program's total upper division units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.

Elective Courses

In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.