Please note:
To view the Spring 2025 Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2025/spring.
Chemistry Minor
The minor program requires a minimum of 14 upper division units in chemistry, biochemistry or nuclear science (including at least eight units in chemistry and excluding undergraduate research courses) and prerequisites.
Students Intending to Specialize in Chemistry
The point at which a high school or regional college student enters the chemistry program is governed by the student's subject knowledge. CHEM 110 and 111 are not required for the BSc degree but are available as electives to those with no chemistry knowledge or who are starting from BC high school chemistry 11. Those with BC high school chemistry 12 (or equivalent) normally start with CHEM 121. Major and honours students must fulfil program requirements below. Whether majoring in chemistry or not, students may not enrol in any CHEM course for which a D grade was obtained in any prerequisite.
Students are encouraged to complete the Department of Physics' standard stream (PHYS 120, 121, 131) or advanced stream (PHYS 125, 126, 131). Students may also choose to complete the studio physics stream (PHYS 140, 141). Students who complete the life sciences stream (PHYS 101, 102, 130, with a minimum B grade), which has a BISC 100 or 101 or 102 corequisite, should have sufficient preparation for the major program.
The following statements clarify and standardize the minimum requirements that a student must fulfil to complete a chemistry course as well as those to pass a combination lecture/laboratory course.
Course Non-completion
The following will constitute non-completion of the required material in a chemistry course.
- not writing the final examination or its equivalent
- not completing the required minimum number of experiments in a laboratory course or the laboratory component of a course
- not completing additional or alternative material specified by the instructor
The letter grade N will be awarded in these cases.
Students must pass both the lecture and laboratory components individually to obtain a passing grade in lecture/laboratory combination courses.
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 |
|
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. |
|