Physics and Chemistry Honours (B.Sc.) (80 credits)
Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Program credit weight: 80
Program Description
This program provides a strong basis in both chemistry and physics. It contains a core of chemistry courses and a mix of honours-level courses in physics and mathematics.
To graduate with an Honours degree, a student must have, at time of graduation, a CGPA of at least 3.0 in the required and complementary courses of the program, as well as an overall CGPA of at least 3.0.
This is a specialized and demanding program. The student will have two advisers, one from Chemistry and the other from Physics. This program may be completed in 80 or 83 credits.
Degree Requirements — B.Sc.
This program is offered as part of a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree.
To graduate, students must satisfy both their program requirements and their degree requirements.
- The program requirements (i.e., the specific courses that make up this program) are listed under the Course Tab (above).
- The degree requirements—including the mandatory Foundation program, appropriate degree structure, and any additional components—are outlined on the Degree Requirements page.
Students are responsible for ensuring that this program fits within the overall structure of their degree and that all degree requirements are met. Consult the Degree Planning Guide on the SOUSA website for additional guidance.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please refer to Visual Schedule Builder. A technical issue is causing the "Terms offered" field to incorrectly report "this course is not currently offered" for many courses in the Course Catalogue.
Program Prerequisites
Students entering Physics programs from the Freshman program must have successfully completed the courses below or their equivalents. Quebec students must have completed the DEC with appropriate science and mathematics courses.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 110 | General Chemistry 1. | 4 |
General Chemistry 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the fundamental principles of atomic structure, radiation and nuclear chemistry, valence theory, coordination chemistry, and the periodic table. | ||
| CHEM 120 | General Chemistry 2. | 4 |
General Chemistry 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the fundamental principles of physical chemistry. | ||
| PHYS 131 | Mechanics and Waves. | 4 |
Mechanics and Waves. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The basic laws and principles of Newtonian mechanics; oscillations, waves, and wave optics. | ||
| PHYS 142 | Electromagnetism and Optics. | 4 |
Electromagnetism and Optics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The basic laws of electricity and magnetism; geometrical optics. | ||
3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 111 | Principles: Organismal Biology. | 3 |
Principles: Organismal Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to the phylogeny, structure, function and adaptation of unicellular organisms, plants and animals in the biosphere. | ||
| BIOL 112 | Cell and Molecular Biology. | 3 |
Cell and Molecular Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The cell: ultrastructure, division, chemical constituents and reactions. Bioenergetics: photosynthesis and respiration. Principles of genetics, the molecular basis of inheritance and biotechnology. | ||
| MATH 133 | Linear Algebra and Geometry. | 3 |
Linear Algebra and Geometry. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Systems of linear equations, matrices, inverses, determinants; geometric vectors in three dimensions, dot product, cross product, lines and planes; introduction to vector spaces, linear dependence and independence, bases. Linear transformations. Eigenvalues and diagonalization. | ||
7-8 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 140 | Calculus 1. | 3 |
Calculus 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Review of functions and graphs. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications. | ||
| MATH 141 | Calculus 2. | 4 |
Calculus 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025 The definite integral. Techniques of integration. Applications. Introduction to sequences and series. | ||
| MATH 150 | Calculus A. | 4 |
Calculus A. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Functions, limits and continuity, differentiation, L'Hospital's rule, applications, Taylor polynomials, parametric curves, functions of several variables. | ||
| MATH 151 | Calculus B. | 4 |
Calculus B. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Integration, methods and applications, infinite sequences and series, power series, arc length and curvature, multiple integration. | ||
Note: Either MATH 140 Calculus 1. and MATH 141 Calculus 2. or MATH 150 Calculus A. and MATH 151 Calculus B..
Required Courses (68 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 212 | Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. | 4 |
Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 A fundamental study of aliphatic compounds and saturated functional groups including modern concepts of bonding, reaction mechanisms, conformational analysis, spectroscopy, and stereochemistry. | ||
| CHEM 213 | Introductory Physical Chemistry 1: Thermodynamics. | 3 |
Introductory Physical Chemistry 1: Thermodynamics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Thermodynamics. Topics include gas laws, kinetic theory of collisions, heat capacity, enthalpy, thermochemistry, bond energies, the entropy and free energy functions, absolute entropies, Maxwell relations and chemical and thermodynamic equilibrium states, phase rule and phase diagrams, ideal solutions, colligative properties, solubility, electrochemistry, Debye-Hückel Theory. | ||
| CHEM 273 | Introductory Physical Chemistry 2: Kinetics and Methods. | 3 |
Introductory Physical Chemistry 2: Kinetics and Methods. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Kinetics: Transition State Theory, complex reactions, free-radical reactions, chain reactions, catalysis, reactions at surfaces, ionic effects of reactions in solution, photochemistry. Methods: physical chemistry laboratory, differential equations and linear algebra applied to physical chemistry, computation methods for data analysis and modeling | ||
| CHEM 281 | Inorganic Chemistry 1. | 3 |
Inorganic Chemistry 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Basic concepts of electronic structure and molecular bonding will be developed and applied to the understanding of common materials. Acid-base chemistry. Survey of the chemistry of the main group elements. Introduction to coordination and organometallic chemistry. | ||
| CHEM 355 | Applications of Quantum Chemistry. | 3 |
Applications of Quantum Chemistry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of the principles of electronic, vibrational and rotational spectroscopy. Magnetic resonance and computational methods. | ||
| CHEM 365 | Statistical Thermodynamics. | 2 |
Statistical Thermodynamics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Molecular basis of thermodynamics with applications to ideal gases and simple solids. Topics to be covered will include: calculation of thermodynamic functions, chemical equilibrium constants, Einstein and Debye models of solids, absolute reaction rate theory, Debye-Hückel theory of strong electrolytes. | ||
| CHEM 493 | Advanced Physical Chemistry Laboratory. | 2 |
Advanced Physical Chemistry Laboratory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Selected experiments to illustrate more advanced physico-chemical principles. | ||
| CHEM 556 | Advanced Quantum Mechanics. | 3 |
Advanced Quantum Mechanics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Quantum mechanical treatment of species of chemical interest. Introduction to perturbation theory, both time-dependent and time-independent. Treatment of the variational principle. Introduction to atomic spectra. Chemical bonding in terms of both the valence bond and molecular orbital theory. Elementary collision theory. Interaction of radiation with molecules. | ||
| CHEM 574 | Introductory Polymer Chemistry. | 3 |
Introductory Polymer Chemistry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey course on the structure of polymers, kinetics and mechanisms of polymer and copolymer synthesis; characterization and molecular weight distributions; polymer microstructure, the thermodynamics of polymer solutions; the crystalline and amorphous states, rubber elasticity and structure-property relationships. | ||
| COMP 208 | Computer Programming for Physical Sciences and Engineering . | 3 |
Computer Programming for Physical Sciences and Engineering . Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Programming and problem solving in a high level computer language: variables, expressions, types, functions, conditionals, loops, objects and classes. Introduction to algorithms such as searching and sorting. Modular software design, libraries, file input and output, debugging. Emphasis on applications in Physical Sciences and Engineering, such as root finding, numerical integration, diffusion, Monte Carlo methods. | ||
| MATH 247 | Honours Applied Linear Algebra. | 3 |
Honours Applied Linear Algebra. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Matrix algebra, determinants, systems of linear equations. Abstract vector spaces, inner product spaces, Fourier series. Linear transformations and their matrix representations. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalizable and defective matrices, positive definite and semidefinite matrices. Quadratic and Hermitian forms, generalized eigenvalue problems, simultaneous reduction of quadratic forms. Applications. | ||
| MATH 248 | Honours Vector Calculus. | 3 |
Honours Vector Calculus. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Partial derivatives and differentiation of functions in several variables; Jacobians; maxima and minima; implicit functions. Scalar and vector fields; orthogonal curvilinear coordinates. Multiple integrals; arc length, volume and surface area. Line and surface integrals; irrotational and solenoidal fields; Green's theorem; the divergence theorem. Stokes' theorem; and applications. | ||
| MATH 249 | Honours Complex Variables. | 3 |
Honours Complex Variables. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Functions of a complex variable; Cauchy-Riemann equations; Cauchy's theorem and consequences. Taylor and Laurent expansions. Residue calculus; evaluation of real integrals; integral representation of special functions; the complex inversion integral. Conformal mapping; Schwarz-Christoffel transformation; Poisson's integral formulas; applications. Additional topics if time permits: homotopy of paths and simple connectivity, Riemann sphere, rudiments of analytic continuation. | ||
| MATH 325 | Honours Ordinary Differential Equations. | 3 |
Honours Ordinary Differential Equations. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. First and second order equations, linear equations, series solutions, Frobenius method, introduction to numerical methods and to linear systems, Laplace transforms, applications. | ||
| PHYS 241 | Signal Processing. | 3 |
Signal Processing. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Linear circuit elements, resonance, network theorems, diodes, transistors, amplifiers, feedback, integrated circuits. | ||
| PHYS 251 | Honours Classical Mechanics 1. | 3 |
Honours Classical Mechanics 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Newton's laws, work energy, angular momentum. Harmonic oscillator, forced oscillations. Inertial forces, rotating frames. Central forces, centre of mass, planetary orbits, Kepler's laws. | ||
| PHYS 257 | Experimental Methods 1. | 3 |
Experimental Methods 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required. | ||
| PHYS 258 | Experimental Methods 2. | 3 |
Experimental Methods 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Computers will be employed routinely for data analysis and for numerical computation, and, particularly, to facilitate the use of Fourier methods. | ||
| PHYS 350 | Honours Electricity and Magnetism. | 3 |
Honours Electricity and Magnetism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental laws of electric and magnetic fields in both integral and differential form. | ||
| PHYS 352 | Honours Electromagnetic Waves. | 3 |
Honours Electromagnetic Waves. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Vector and scalar potentials; plane waves in homogeneous media; refraction and reflection; guided waves; radiation from simple systems; dipole and quadrupole radiation; introduction to fields of moving charges; synchrotron radiation; Bremsstrahlung. | ||
| PHYS 357 | Honours Quantum Physics 1. | 3 |
Honours Quantum Physics 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Experimental basis for quantum mechanics; wave-packets; uncertainty principle. Hilbert space formalism. Schrodinger equation: eigenvalues and eigenvectors: applications to 1-d problems including the infinite and finite potential wells and the harmonic oscillator. Tunneling. Time independent perturbation theory. | ||
| PHYS 457 | Honours Quantum Physics 2. | 3 |
Honours Quantum Physics 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Angular momentum and spin operators. Operator methods in quantum mechanics. Coupling of spin and angular momenta. Variational principles and elements of time dependent perturbation theory (the Golden Rule). Solution of the Schrodinger equation in three dimensions. Applications to the hydrogen and helium atoms and to simple problems in atomic and molecular physics. | ||
| PHYS 558 | Solid State Physics. | 3 |
Solid State Physics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Properties of crystals; free electron model, band structure; metals, insulators and semi-conductors; phonons; magnetism; selected additional topics in solid-state (e.g. ferroelectrics, elementary transport theory). | ||
Complementary Courses (12-15 credits)
(with at least 3 credits in Chemistry and 3 credits in Physics)
0-3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 222 | Calculus 3. 1 | 3 |
Calculus 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals. | ||
- 1
Note: A student who has not taken MATH 222 Calculus 3. (or equivalent) prior to entering the program must take it in their first semester, increasing the program credits from 80 to 83. The student must then take MATH 314 Advanced Calculus. in their second semester instead of MATH 248 Honours Vector Calculus., if scheduling requires it.
3 credits selected from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 593 | Statistical Mechanics and Machine Learning for Chemistry. | 3 |
Statistical Mechanics and Machine Learning for Chemistry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Intermediate topics in statistical mechanics and related machine learning: ensemble theory, critical phenomena, static and time-dependent phenomena, linear response and fluctuations, Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulation methods, data driven simulation methods: MaxEnt modeling, generative machine learning, active learning. | ||
| PHYS 559 | Advanced Statistical Mechanics. | 3 |
Advanced Statistical Mechanics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Scattering and structure factors. Review of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; correlation functions (static); mean field theory; critical phenomena; broken symmetry; fluctuations, roughening. | ||
9 credits selected from the list below:
Note: PHYS 459D1 Research Thesis. and PHYS 459D2 Research Thesis. are taken together.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 480D1 | Undergraduate Research Project 2. | 1.5 |
Undergraduate Research Project 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A course designed to give students additional research experience. The student will be assigned a project supervisor and a research project at the beginning of the session. The project will consist of a literature survey, experimental or theoretical work, a written research report and an oral examination. | ||
| CHEM 480D2 | Undergraduate Research Project 2. | 1.5 |
Undergraduate Research Project 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A course designed to give students additional research experience. The student will be assigned a project supervisor and a research project at the beginning of the session. The project will consist of a literature survey, experimental or theoretical work, a written research report and an oral examination. | ||
| CHEM 505 | Computer Modeling of Molecules and Materials. | 3 |
Computer Modeling of Molecules and Materials. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A comprehensive introduction to computational methods and software for graduate students and advanced undergraduates. The main focus of the course is on important practical aspects of chemistry-related computer modeling: how to perform simulations reliably and efficiently, and how to interpret simulation results. Two main classes of computer simulations--electronic structure methods and statistical mechanics methods--will be discussed in detail together with a wide range of chemical examples. | ||
| CHEM 531 | Chemistry of Inorganic Materials. | 3 |
Chemistry of Inorganic Materials. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Structure, bonding, synthesis, properties and applications of covalent, ionic, metallic crystals, and amorphous solids. Defect structures and their use in synthesis of specialty materials such as electronic conductors, semiconductors, and superconductors, and solid electrolytes. Basic principles of composite materials and applications of chemistry to materials processing. | ||
| CHEM 575 | Chemical Kinetics. | 3 |
Chemical Kinetics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Kinetic laws, measurement of reaction rates, transition state and collision theory, experimental techniques in reaction kinetics, reaction mechanisms, RRKM theory, Marcus theory of electron transfer, photochemistry and catalysis. Recent developments and their application to chemical and biological problems. Elementary reactions in gas, solution and solid phases and on surfaces. | ||
| CHEM 585 | Colloid Chemistry. | 3 |
Colloid Chemistry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of the physical chemistry of phase boundaries. Electrical double layer theory; van der Waals forces; Brownian motion; kinetics of coagulation; electrokinetics; light scattering; solid/liquid interactions; adsorption; surfactants; hydrodynamic interactions; rheology of dispersions. | ||
| PHYS 351 | Honours Classical Mechanics 2. | 3 |
Honours Classical Mechanics 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Rigid bodies, angular momentum, gyroscope, moment of inertia, principal axes, Euler's equations. Coupled oscillations and normal modes. Lagrangian mechanics and applications. Hamiltonian mechanics. Topics in advanced analytical mechanics. | ||
| PHYS 359 | Advanced Physics Laboratory 1. | 3 |
Advanced Physics Laboratory 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced level experiments in physics including quantum effects and some properties of condensed matter physics and modern physics. | ||
| PHYS 404 | Climate Physics. | 3 |
Climate Physics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course covers the essentials of climate physics through the lens of one-dimensional, vertical atmospheric models. This includes shortwave and longwave radiative transfer, convection, phase changes, clouds, greenhouse gases, and atmospheric escape. This is an adequate level of detail for understanding Earth's climate, paleoclimate, anthropogenic climate change, or pursing studies of Solar System planets and extrasolar planets. | ||
| PHYS 434 | Optics. | 3 |
Optics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental concepts of optics, including applications and modern developments. Light propagation in media; geometric optics and optical instruments; polarization and coherence properties of light; interference and interferometry; diffraction theory and applications in spectrometry and imaging; Gaussian beams, Fourier optics and photonic band structure. A laboratory component provides hands-on experience in optical setup design, construction and testing of concepts introduced in lectures. | ||
| PHYS 459D1 | Research Thesis. | 3 |
Research Thesis. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Supervised research project and thesis. | ||
| PHYS 459D2 | Research Thesis. | 3 |
Research Thesis. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See PHYS 459D1 for course description. | ||
| PHYS 469 | Advanced Physics Laboratory 2. | 3 |
Advanced Physics Laboratory 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced level experiments in physics including quantum effects and some properties of condensed matter physics and modern physics. | ||
| PHYS 479 | Physics Research Project. | 3 |
Physics Research Project. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A supervised research project. | ||
| PHYS 512 | Computational Physics with Applications. | 3 |
Computational Physics with Applications. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Computational methods in Physics illustrated with realworld applications. | ||
| PHYS 562 | Electromagnetic Theory. | 3 |
Electromagnetic Theory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Electrostatics, dielectrics, magnetostatics, timevarying fields, relativity, radiating systems, fields of moving charges. | ||