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Office of the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies

McMaster Academic Planner (MAP) - Faculty of Science

Admission Requirements

Whether you are applying directly from high school or interested in potentially transferring to McMaster University and the Faculty of Science after attending a Post-Secondary Institution, please review the relevant information below:

Students Applying from Secondary School

Expandable List

Most McMaster programs have enrollment limits and admission is by selection. Possession of the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission. Admission will be considered on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed.

When you transfer to McMaster University, you will normally receive credit for courses in which you have obtained at least a C- standing (as per the McMaster grading scale). Assessment of courses for transfer credit is subject to the guidelines of the individual Faculties.

As a transfer student, you must also satisfy the Residence Requirements set out in the General Academic Regulations section of this Calendar. The University will not accord to your privileges which would not be granted by your own university.

Grades obtained in courses taken at another university will not be included in McMaster’s Grade Point Average, and, therefore, cannot be used to raise your standing.

If you have been required to withdraw from another university and have fulfilled your period of suspension, you may apply for admission. However, you must present a letter of explanation and clarification concerning your past academic performance. You may also be asked to provide academic documentation for proof of further academic achievement which is both current and relevant.

Most McMaster programs have enrollment limits and admission is by selection. Possession of the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission. Admission will be considered on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed.

See the minimum admission requirements for Level I programs as listed below. You are considered for admission on an individual basis.

For information regarding the amount of available transfer credits click here when transferring from a College of Applied Arts and Technology.


Chemical & Physical Sciences

  1. Completion of a minimum of a two or three-year diploma program.
  2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 80%.
  3. Completion of Grade 12 Advanced Functions U, Calculus and Vectors U, Chemistry U and Physics U.
  4. Admission is by selection upon review of high school and college transcripts to determine eligibility.
  5. Application will be reviewed for transfer credits.

Environmental & Earth Sciences

  1. Completion of a minimum of a two-year diploma.
  2. A minimum cumulative GPA of at least 80%.
  3. Completion of Grade 12 Advanced Functions U or Calculus and Vectors U; and Biology U or Chemistry U; and one of Advanced Functions U, Calculus and Vectors U, Biology U, Chemistry U or Physics U.
  4. Admission is by selection upon review of high school and college transcripts to determine eligibility.

Honours Integrated Sciences

Admission is not assessed based on CAAT achievement. It is based on high school admission criteria only.


Honours Kinesiology

  1. Completion of a minimum of a two or three-year diploma program.
  2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 88%.
  3. Successful completion of Grade 12 courses in Calculus and Vectors U and Biology U.
  4. Admission is by selection upon review of high school and college transcripts to determine eligibility.

Note: All students accepted into this program will be required to complete the Level I required Kinesiology courses.


Life Sciences

  1. Completion of a minimum of a two or three-year diploma program.
  2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 88%.
  3. Completion of Grade 12 Advanced Functions U or Calculus and Vectors U; and Biology U; and one of Advanced Functions U, Calculus and Vectors U, Chemistry U or Physics U.
  4. Admission is by selection upon review of high school and college transcripts to determine eligibility.

Mathematics & Statistics

  1. Completion of a minimum of a two or three-year diploma program.
  2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 80%.
  3. Completion of Grade 12 Advanced Functions U and Calculus and Vectors U.
  4. Admission is by selection upon review of high school and college transcripts to determine eligibility.

Medical Radiation Sciences

Admission is not assessed based on CAAT achievement. It is based on high school or prior university degree study admission criteria only. Students with the appropriate admission criteria who have also completed a two or three-year college diploma program with a minimum Grade Point Average of at least 88% may be considered for up to 6 units of unspecified credits for the college work.

All programs have enrollment limits and admission is by selection. If you have a first non-Honours degree, you may apply to take an Honours second degree in the same subject area or a second degree in another discipline. Please note the following exceptions: B.Sc. (Honours) in Integrated Science (ISCI), Honours B.Sc. Kinesiology cannot be done as second-degree programs. The requirements are set out in the General Academic Regulations section of this Calendar.

If you wish to enter a Second Bachelor’s Degree in a subject area from the Faculty of Science, please note that admission to all limited enrollment programs, with the exception of Medical Radiation Sciences I, may not be possible. Second Degree applicants to all Science programs, except Medical Radiation Sciences I, are not eligible to apply to or be admitted to any of the other first-year Science programs. Second Degree applicants must have already completed all first-year requirements for the second-year program they wish to apply to, with the exception of Medical Radiation Sciences I. See Limited Enrollment Programs in the Faculty of Science section of this Calendar for a list of programs.

If you are a McMaster graduate or potential graduate, you may be able to use the McMaster University Returning Student Application

Please contact the Office of the Associate Dean of Science (Academic) for further information (see the Application Procedures section).

At McMaster, a Continuing Student is defined as a graduate from an undergraduate program, who wishes to take more undergraduate courses, either out of general interest or to upgrade or obtain courses required for future applications to graduate studies or other professional programs. To be eligible to take courses as a Continuing Student you will be expected to have an undergraduate university degree and at least a C average, with no failures, in your final year’s work (or the equivalent, in the case of a degree taken through part-time studies), and academic records which are satisfactory to the Department and the Office of the Associate Dean of the appropriate Faculty.

Please Note: Not all courses are available to Continuing students and course prerequisites for selected courses must be met. Also note that admission as a Continuing student does not guarantee registration in courses of interest to the student.

McMaster Graduates

If you are a graduate of a McMaster undergraduate degree program and wish to become a Continuing Student, you do not need to apply for admission. Graduates who have not attended courses for more than two years will need to contact the Office of the Registrar prior to attempting to enrol for courses.

Graduates From Other Universities

As a Continuing Student with a non-McMaster degree, you must apply formally for admission in the first instance. In subsequent sessions, you will only be required to enrol. Acceptance as a Continuing Student carries no implications with respect to acceptance in the School of Graduate Studies. If you plan to proceed to a graduate degree you should apply directly to the specific department of your program of interest.

McMaster University, along with four other universities, partnered with Six Nations Polytechnic to offer university courses in the community of Six Nations. The courses offered are eligible for transfer credit at any of the universities within the consortium. For more information, please contact the Indigenous Student Services at 905-525-9140, ext. 27459 or indigservices@mcmaster.ca

Undergraduate general academic studies taken at colleges with religious affiliations that are member institutions of specific accredited associations will be considered for admission and transfer credit on a case-by-case basis. Applicants from a non-accredited postsecondary institution with religious affiliation will be considered for admission based on the completion of a Grade 12 high school diploma.

Other Categories of Admission

Expandable List

If you do not qualify for admission consideration under one of the above categories, McMaster will assess your eligibility as a mature student. You may be considered for limited admission, provided both of the following conditions are satisfied:

  1. You have not attended secondary school or college on a full-time basis for at least two years.
  2. You have never attended university.

Applicants admitted as mature students will not be granted transfer credit. The following Level I programs have specific course requirements that mature applicants must present from secondary school, as outlined:

  • Chemical and Physical Sciences Gateway: requires satisfactory standing in four Grade 12 U mathematics and science courses (or equivalent) as specified under the heading Subject Requirements For Specific Level I Programs.
  • Environmental and Earth Sciences Gateway: requires satisfactory standing in three Grade 12 U mathematics and science courses (or equivalent) as specified under the heading Subject Requirements For Specific Level I Programs.
  • Life Sciences Gateway: requires satisfactory standing in three Grade 12 U mathematics and science courses (or equivalent) as specified under the heading Subject Requirements For Specific Level I Programs.
  • Mathematics and Statistics Gateway: requires satisfactory standing in two Grade 12 U mathematics courses – Advanced Functions U and Calculus and Vectors U as specified under the heading Subject Requirements For Specific Level I Programs.

The following programs do not admit under the category of Mature Students: Honours Integrated Science (Level I), Honours Kinesiology (Level I), and Medical Radiation Sciences (Level I).

If admitted to a program as a mature student, you may register to take up to 18 units of coursework (normally Level I courses) during the Fall/Winter session with no more than nine units in each term (three courses). Within the first 18 units, mature students will be limited to taking three units in each term of the Spring/Summer session.

Upon completion of 18 units, your performance will be reviewed according to the general academic regulations of the university. (See Level I Registration and Academic Standing Requirements under General Academic Regulations.

If you are a student currently attending another university, you may apply to take McMaster courses for credit at your own/home institution. Please note, not all courses are available for credit outside McMaster and all are subject to enrollment limits, so it is important that all applicants adhere to McMaster application deadlines.

You must initially apply through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) and send your Letter of Permission and an official transcript from your home institution directly to the Office of the Registrar, Admissions. Upon receipt, your transcript will be reviewed to ensure you have met the prerequisites for the courses you plan to take at McMaster. Approval of your application as a Visiting Student does not guarantee your enrollment in a course.

Subsequent requests to take courses on a Letter of Permission do not require another application; however, you must send an updated Letter of Permission and a current official transcript from your home institution to the Office of the Associate Dean of the Faculty offering the course at McMaster. If you are attempting to register for courses offered by more than one Faculty, you must obtain approval from each Office of the Associate Dean.

 

If you are uncertain about degree courses, you may register as a listener in a degree course, but not for credit. You attend all classes but do not complete any of the essays, tests, and other formal requirements. You do not receive a grade for courses that you attend. Some students have eased their way into degree study with this option, subsequently applying for admission and enrolling in further courses for credit. Please note not all courses are available to Listeners. Please see the Financial Affairs website for any applicable fees. For more information, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

Written permission to attend must be obtained from the instructor delivering the course. An I.D. card cannot be issued until permission has been obtained.

 

A. General Policy on the Transfer of University Course Credits

To facilitate program completion by undergraduate students seeking to transfer course credit from an accredited university to McMaster, the University has implemented the following principles:

  1. Acceptance of transfer credits from accredited universities shall be based on the recognition that, while learning experiences may differ in a variety of ways, their substance may be essentially equivalent in terms of their content and rigour. Insofar as possible, acceptance of transfer credit shall allow for the maximum recognition of previous learning experience in university-level courses;
  2.  Subject to degree, grade, and program requirements, any course offered for credit by an accredited university shall be accepted for credit by McMaster when there is an essential equivalency in course content. However, no course for which a grade of less than C- (60%) has been achieved will be considered.
  3. Evaluation of all possible transfer credits available at the time of admission must be completed within one year of the date of admission to the University.

B. From Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology

Normally, if you are a well-qualified graduate of a three-year program and the college work is appropriate to your chosen university program, you could receive up to 30 units of transfer credit. If you have completed a two-year program and performed well, transfer credit will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Credit beyond this may be given on an individual basis where the college and university programs are in similar areas, and where your academic record warrants special consideration.

In the granting of credit, attention will be given to:

  1. your performance in the college program;
  2. the duration of the college program;
  3. the program taken at the college and the program to which entry is sought;
  4. your secondary school record.

Each case will be considered individually on its own merits for the program desired.


C. I.B./A.P./G.C.E. Credits

Subject to the discretion of the Faculty, advanced credit may be granted if you have completed the International Baccalaureate (I.B.) Diploma, the Advanced Placement (A.P.) Program and the College Board examinations or the General Certificate of Education (G.C.E.) and you have met the minimum requirements prescribed. Advanced credit may shorten your degree program at McMaster.


D. Credit in Courses by Special Assessment (Challenge Examinations)

Students who have acquired knowledge at a different type of institution or in a manner that makes an assessment of their qualifications difficult are permitted to seek degree credit through special assessment (Challenge for Credit).

Challenge for credit is not intended to give credit for skills or knowledge gained through high school, college, or previous university instruction. The special assessment may include one or more of the following: written examinations, papers, essays, submissions of a substantial body of work, or portfolios, or laboratory tests. Credit can be granted only for those courses listed in the current McMaster calendar. Not all courses in all disciplines are available for challenge. Faculties and departments are free to determine which, if any, of their courses are open for special assessment. Challenges are assessed on a pass/fail basis. The passing grade for a challenge appears on the transcript as COM (Complete) and is not used in computing averages or evaluating honours or scholarship standing, but is counted as a course attempt. Unsuccessful attempts will be noted on the transcript as a grade of F. Special Assessment is not available for a course taken previously and a course may be attempted only once by special assessment. Once you have registered for a course by such means (known as challenge exams) the registration may not be canceled and you may not withdraw from the course.

Waivers of prerequisites only (i.e. no degree credit) will be at the discretion of the department.

If you have been asked to meet our English Language Proficiency requirement, you must demonstrate English language proficiency by achieving the minimum requirements as specified by McMaster. The university reserves the right to require applicants with an English Language Proficiency score disparate from their English prerequisite subject grade to present further evidence of achievement. You may review acceptable tests of English Language Proficiency and minimum score requirements on our website on the English Proficiency webpage. It is your responsibility to make all arrangements regarding the writing of the English Language Proficiency tests and to have the official score report forwarded to the Office of the Registrar, Admissions directly from the testing center in a timely manner.

At the discretion of the university, you may be exempted from this requirement if you meet one of the following requirements:

  1. Attended immediately prior to application to McMaster, in full-time academic studies (non-ESL), an accredited Secondary School (High School) or Post-Secondary College in an English-speaking country for at least four years, OR
  2. Attended immediately prior to application to McMaster, in full-time academic studies (non-ESL), an accredited English medium Secondary School (High School) or Post-Secondary College for at least four years,* OR
  3. Attended immediately prior to application to McMaster, in full-time academic studies (non-ESL), an accredited English medium University for at least one year, OR
  4. Resided in an English-speaking country for at least four years immediately prior to application to McMaster.

Statements for Application Fraud

If McMaster concludes based on reasonable grounds that the applicant has falsified any information presented to the University as part of his or her application, without limiting any other rights of McMaster available at law, McMaster reserves the right to revoke the offer and, subject to applicable law and University Policy, to terminate a student’s registration.

Without limiting McMaster’s General Statement on Collection of Personal Information and Protection of Privacy, please take note that McMaster University collects and retains the personal information of applicants for admission to McMaster University under the authority of The McMaster University Act, 1976. This information may be used for the administration of admissions and registration and, subject to McMaster University policies (as may be amended or revoked from time to time), McMaster may disclose any evidence of misrepresentation, fraud, or falsification of admissions documentation to other educational institutions, to government agencies, to law enforcement agencies, and to other relevant third parties. The information you provide on any application for admissions will be protected and used in compliance with Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSO 1990) and will be disclosed only in accordance with this Act. If you have any questions about the collection and use of this information please contact the University Registrar, University Hall, Room 209, Student Records, Gilmour Hall, Room 108, or the University Secretary, Gilmour Hall, Room 210, McMaster University.