Biology

*Please Note:  The Flexiple Pre-Major Program has been discontinued and will no longer be udpated.  The agreements listed below are for historical reference only and should not be considered a guaranteed pathway.  To view current course articulations, please go the Course Search.*

The Biology Flexible Pre-Major Agreement consists of the following sections:

• A listing of requirements for students completing the Biology FPM with notations from individual degree-granting institutions
• A listing of course equivalencies for institutions participating in the Biology FPM Agreement
• Limitations and caveats of the Biology FPM

Biology Flexible Pre-Major Requirements

The Biology Flexible Pre-Major requires that students take:

• Two introductory (1st year) Majors Biology courses with labs
• Two introductory (1st year) Chemistry courses with labs
• Two introductory (1st year) Calculus courses
• Two introductory (1st year) physics courses with labs
• A 2nd year course in Genetics
• A 2nd year or higher level course in Cell Biology
• A 2nd year or higher level course in Biochemistry
• A 2nd year course in Ecology
• Two courses in Organic Chemistry with labs
• In total, a Biology FPM consists of 14 courses.  See Table 1 for list of courses and equivalencies

Specific requirements and general comments from degree-granting institutions before a student may move to 3rd year:

Simon Fraser University 

• physics courses with no labs are acceptable
• STAT 201 is required; however if it is not available, the course should be taken at SFU as early as possible
• for the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry major, no ecology is required

University of British Columbia – Vancouver

• Students must take at least one organismal course in 2nd year
• Students with Physics 12 may require only one physics course
• Physics must be calculus-based.
• Biochemistry is not required but is a prerequisite for some 3rd year biology courses.

University of British Columbia – Okanagan

• Students must take a 2nd year statistics course and two organismal courses in 2nd year

University of Northern British Columbia

• Students must take one 1st year written communication course
• Students must take a 2nd year statistics course at least two organismal courses in 2nd year
• Only one course in Calculus is required but two courses are recommended
• Organic chemistry courses with no labs are acceptable but labs are recommended

University of Victoria

• Students must take a 2nd year statistics course
• Only one course in Calculus is required; the second 1st year Calculus course may be replaced by Finite Mathematics

Thompson River University

• No specific requirements or additional comments

Trinity Western University

• Only one course in Calculus is required but two courses are recommended
• Physics courses must be calculus-based
• Ecology, Genetics, and Biochemistry may be postponed to 3rd year

Vancouver Island University

• Students wishing to take the Microbiology stream must take a 2nd year Microbiology course

University of Fraser Valley

• All science courses must have a lab component

Listing of Course Equivalencies for Institutions participating in the Biology FPM Agreement

First Year program at each Degree Granting Institution

First Year program at Sending Institutions

Second Year program at each Degree Granting Institution

Second Year program at Sending Institutions

Limitations and caveats of the Biology Flexible Pre-Major

• None of the courses constituting the requirements for the Biology Flexible Pre-Major may substitute for upper level credits in the receiving institution.
• Students are advised that the Flexible Pre-Major does not guarantee acceptance into Biology major programs, as acceptance depends on students obtaining a competitive GPA as specified by the receiving institution and completion of other requirements deemed necessary.
• The Flexible Pre-Major does not excuse students from non-discipline specific requirements of programs at the receiving institution, such as English, humanities or science credits. Students are encouraged to examine the total program requirements of receiving institutions prior to applying for transfer.
• The Flexible Pre-Major transfer agreement supplements and does not supersede existing articulation agreements in the BC Transfer Guide.

Last updated: Oct, 2019 for Capilano listing only.