The Trent advantage
Apply your knowledge through an internship with a collaborating agency or individual sponsor in a health-related setting.
Program Description
Explore the foundations of and interconnection among all living things in one of the top Biology degree programs in Canada.
At Trent, you will have the exceptional experience of exploring underlying theories and concepts of biology through lectures, labs, and fieldwork on Trent's ecologically diverse campus.
Study life up close in Trent’s state-of-the-art Life and Health Sciences Building, or outdoors in our second-to-none outdoor laboratories, including 11 on-campus nature areas. You will build confidence as a biologist, learning alongside world-renowned faculty in small-group environments.
With multiple scholarships, work experience, and student-led research opportunities, Biology students at Trent develop the transferable skills needed for success in a variety of science-based careers in agriculture, health care, wildlife conservation, and technology, to name a few.
Accelerated Masters
Fast-track your education, by earning your M.Sc. in Environmental & Life Sciences in only 12-16 months after graduating from your honours B.Sc.
Popular courses
- Pathophysiology of Disease
- Epidemiology
- Immunology
- Behavioural Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Infectious Disease Biology
- Biology of Invasions
- Species-at-Risk Biology and Policy
- Fungi: Friends and Foes
Program Details
- Where can I study?
- Peterborough
- Degrees offered
- Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
- Bachelor of Science - Honours (B.Sc. Honours)
- Specialization
- Conservation Biology
- Health Sciences
- How can I study?
- Part time/Full time
- When can I start?
- Fall
- Winter
- OUAC Codes
- RZE - Peterborough
Specialization
Health Sciences
Interested in healthcare or health-related research? This specialization tailors your degree towards topics in health, exercise, psychology, sleep, and ethics. Through advanced learning opportunities, you’ll be able to complete a health-based research thesis project in Biology or Biochemistry with support from Trent’s award-winning faculty.
Notes
- Many medical schools require General Biology, General Chemistry, Physics, and a Humanities or Social Sciences course for admission. Students should consult each school for specific requirements.
- Students intending to pursue graduate studies are strongly encouraged to take a research thesis course (BIOL 4010Y, 4020D, CHEM 4020D, 4030Y, or 4040D).
Courses
Graduating students who have fulfilled the requirements for a single- or joint-major Honours degree in Biology or Biochemistry & Molecular Biology may apply for a Specialization in Health Sciences if they have successfully completed one of BIOL 4450Y or 4460H, along with the following 7.5 credits:
- 2.5 BIOL credits consisting of:
- BIOL 1020H: Foundations of Biodiversity
- BIOL 1030H: Foundations of Cellular and Molecular Biology
- BIOL-FRSC 2050H: Introduction to Genetics
- BIOL 2070H: Cell Biology
- BIOL 3080H: Molecular Biology
- 1.0 CHEM credit consisting of:
- CHEM 1000H: Introductory Chemistry I
- CHEM 1010H: Introductory Chemistry II
- 0.5 credits from:
- BIOL 3830H: Animal Physiology I
- BIOL 3840H: Animal Physiology II
- 5.0 credits from the following:
- BIOL 2110H: Biology of Vertebrates
- BIOL 3040H: Histology
- BIOL-PSYC 3210H: Principles of the Nervous System
- BIOL 3250H: Microbiology
- BIOL 3640H: Epidemiology
- BIOL 3660H: Critical Nutrition
- BIOL 3830H: Animal Physiology I*
- BIOL 3840H: Animal Physiology II*
- BIOL 4010Y: Research Thesis**
- BIOL 4020D: Research Thesis**
- BIOL 4080H: Developmental Biology
- BIOL 4110H: Infectious Disease Biology
- BIOL 4130H: Human Cell Biology
- BIOL 4160H: Immunology
- BIOL 4250H: Cellular and Molecular Biology of Aging
- BIOL 4260H: Virology
- BIOL 4320H: Pharmacology
- BIOL 4340H: Biological Stoichiometry
- BIOL 4355H: Pathophysiology of Disease
- BIOL 4370H: The Gut Microbiome
- BIOL 4380H: Research and Methods in Gene Expression
- BIOL-ANTH-SAFS 4440H: Nutritional Anthropology
- BIOL 4630H: Epigenetics
- BIOL-PSYC 4840H: Neuroendocrinology
- ANTH-BIOL-FRSC 3404H: Human Osteology
- ANTH-FRSC 3405H: Forensic Anthropology
- ANTH-BIOL 3460H: Biocultural Explorations of the Human Life Course
- ANTH 4430H: Advanced Skeletal Biology
- CHEM 2100H: Introductory Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 2110H: Introductory Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM-BIOL 2300H: Biochemical Concepts
- CHEM 2400H: Analytical Chemistry
- CHEM 3310H: Protein Chemistry and Enzymology
- CHEM 3320H: Metabolism
- CHEM 4300H: Bioinorganic Chemistry
- ECON 3840H: Health Economics
- ERSC 3701H: Introduction to Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
- ERSC 3702H: Chemical Hazards in the Environment
- ERSC-PSYC 3710H: Environmental Health
- ERSC/ERST-IESS-INDG 3731H: Understanding Indigenous Peoples’ Health and the Environment
- ERSC/ERST-IESS-INDG 3732H: Addressing Indigenous Peoples’ Health and the Environment Challenges
- GEOG-NURS 3820H: Health Geography
- INDG-ERSC/ERST-IESS-NURS 4740Y: Critical Investigations in Indigenous Peoples’ Health and the Environment
- PSYC-BIOL 3220H: Neuropsychology
- PSYC 3230H: Sleep and Arousal
- PSYC 3750H: Health Psychology
- PSYC 4310H: Critical Psychology
- PHIL 2390H: Biomedical Ethics
- PHIL 4390H: Advanced Topics in Biomedical Ethics
- SOCI 3631H: Sociology of Health Care
*If not taken as a required course
**Thesis must be health related. Approval must be obtained from the specialization coordinator for thesis credit(s) to be included within this list.
Program Coordinator
L. Kerr, BSc, MSc (Carleton), PhD (British Columbia)
Career Experience While You Learn
Gain career experience while earning academic credit with guaranteed experiential learning during your degree.
You don't have to wait until after you graduate to put your education to work. Every degree program includes experiential learning opportunities where you will get hands-on professional experience in your field of study.
Featured Experiences
- Complete an immersive internship or placement opportunity with organizations such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (with offices and labs right here on campus!), Parks Canada, Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, Royal Ontario Museum, Metro Toronto Zoo, Kawartha Land Trust, and Peterborough Field Naturalists, to name a few
- Take immersive field courses held in Canada and around the world through the Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology
- Lead your own independent research project mentored by faculty experts at the Trent Centre for Communicating Conservation, or the Molecules, Cells and Systems Research Group
- Access state-of-the-art instrumentation in top labs and research facilities, including advanced microscopes and histology equipment in Trent’s Biology Imaging Suite and DNA profiling facilities
Opportunities
- Community Research Project
- Field Experience
- Paid Internships
- Study Abroad
- Volunteer Opportunities
Did you know?
Trent is #2 in Canada for Overall Reputation
Trent is #1 in Ontario for Highest Quality
95% of Trent Grads are Employed Within Two Years
Admissions
Whether you're graduating from an Ontario high school, looking to study in Canada, or training for a second career, Trent has clear pathways for students to apply and be admitted to study at either of our campuses.
Requirements
If you are coming straight from high school in Ontario or are a recent grad, the general admission requirements are:
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
- A minimum of six Grade 12 4U or 4M courses, including program specific prerequisites
- A minimum 70% overall final average
- ENG 4U with a minimum of 60%
Program specific requirements:
- SBI4U and SCH4U
Requirements
Students from across Canada can use their grades from their home province to apply to Trent.
Requirements
International students from outside Canada can apply based on the curriculum of their home country.
Requirements
Mature students can apply to Trent based on previous education and professional or volunteer experience.
Requirements
With many transfer agreements and flexible pathway options, Trent University makes it easy for students to make the most of the credits you have already earned.
Career Paths
A Trent degree opens doors to a rewarding and exciting future, as you use your newfound knowledge to launch your professional career.
A Biology degree, along with guaranteed career experience while you learn, prepares you for many possible career paths in a wide range of industries, including:
- Conservation Biologist
- Genetic Counsellor
- Zoologist
- Dentist
- Epidemiologist
Featured Career
Biologist
Biologists conduct basic and applied research to extend knowledge of living organisms, management of natural resources, and to develop new practices and products related to medicine and agriculture.
They are employed in both laboratory and field settings by governments, consulting firms, resource and utilities companies, chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnical companies, and health and educational institutions.
Did you know?
FULL TUITION FOR 95%+
If you’re a top scholar entering with 95% or higher you qualify for full first-year tuition!
Scholarships
At Trent University, we believe in rewarding academic excellence. That's why we have recently increased all of our renewable entrance scholarships.
Entering with an average of 80% or higher? You qualify to automatically receive an entrance scholarship to Trent. No application required. All of Trent’s national entrance scholarships are RENEWABLE each year, with a total scholarship potential of more than $18,000. Recipients of Trent’s prestigious scholarships can earn up to $30,000 over four years.