Undergraduate Studies

Through the years, there have been many changes to the undergraduate chemistry programs offered here at McMaster. In this section we simply outline the programs as they stand today, with an emphasis on some of the newer features.

The change which those who graduated many years ago would most notice results from the recent large increases in tuition fees. Today, students pay total fees of $3710 per year.

Other significant changes include the phasing out of joint programs with chemistry. The programs in question are joint with Mathematics, Physics, Biochemistry and Geology. The joint program with Mathematics is itself actually quite new. However, the decision was made in 1997 to phase-out all of these programs. In the future, students will only be able to combine disciplines by choosing a concentration of courses outside their degree program in order to get a "minor in ..." designation on their diploma.

Currently, the chemistry progams available are Honours Chemistry (Specialist or Complementary Studies Options), Honours Chemistry Co-op, and Honours Arts & Science and Chemistry. The old three year B.Sc. in Chemistry has been replaced by a three year B.Sc. in Physical Science which also includes students of physics and geology. Honours Chemistry has been split into two programs, with the Complementary Studies Option providing an opportunity for students to obtain a greater breadth of background upon graduating with somewhat fewer chemistry courses. The five year Arts & Science program is also aimed at achieving greater breadth, but with an additional year and admittance restricted only to the very best students.

The five year Co-op program is very new. The eight students of our first co-op class completed their first work term this year. The employers which participated are Dow Chemical of Sarnia, Sterling Pulp Chemicals of Toronto, Cytec of Niagara Falls, Xerox of Mississauga, and the McGill Centre for Pulp and Paper Research and PAPRICAN, both of Montreal.