Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biology (Co-op)

at Toronto Metropolitan University Canada

Information & Communication Technology (ICT) is crucial to the innovation and productivity of every industry, including energy, health care, life sciences, media and culture, publishing, advertising, natural resources, financial services, construction, retail or education. It is a critical tool for every level of government. It impacts the daily lives of every Canadian. ICT is an essential contributor to the creativity, innovation, customer satisfaction, productivity, safety, and competitive advantage of Canadian businesses.

For these reasons, demand for ICT-based solutions are projected to continue outpacing overall economic growth. This means a continued above-average demand for workers. However the nature of these jobs is changing. The popular image of an ICT worker as some sort of "nerdy" technologist is outdated and does not reflect today's reality. Canadian ICT industry leaders project that almost half of the future jobs demands in ICT will be for people who combine two sets of competencies such that they are:

• Business professionals who have the knowledge, skills and personal qualities to lead and support the effective, competitive use of information technologies; and
• Specialized technologists - IT-focused and/or multidisciplinary - who operate at the leading edge of innovation in every field.

The Ted Rogers School of Information Technology Management is a leader in providing a degree that meets this need and, in 2010, it began offering Canada's newest and world-leading ICT degree - The Bachelor of Commerce in Business Technology Management. This degree has been developed with the close participation of Canada's leading employers and provides students with the education - the knowledge, skills and experience - that sets them up for success in their careers in this exciting field.

Students build their knowledge and skills on two foundations. They study the core business disciplines, such as marketing, operations, accounting, finance, human resources, and law. They receive a solid grounding in the world of ICT in subjects such as systems analysis and design, ICT architecture and infrastructure, and privacy and security. In their senior years, students integrate the knowledge from these two foundations to learn how ICT can make a difference in every business studying the strategic application of ICT, the role of ICT in activities such as supply chain, sales and customer relations. They learn about project management and the integration of ICT into business.

In addition to providing a broad and deep understanding of both business and ICT, the program also has an emphasis on building personal and interpersonal skills and on providing students with real-life work experience, with case competitions, in-depth consulting projects with real clients and employment opportunities in the field, including internships, part-time work practica and an optional Co-op program. In addition, students have access to a wide range of Minors, including Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Law, and Human Resources.

BTM graduates will learn how to analyze business needs, design appropriate technology-based processes and solutions, and communicate these effectively. They will learn to lead work-based teams, participate effectively in projects and understand best practices of organizational change. They will develop skills in interpersonal communications, collaboration, and leadership. Graduates will be ready for high demand jobs in business analysis, project management, sales, consulting, customer and supplier management, and marketing support.

Through the student International exchange program, opportunities are available for students to spend a semester studying abroad. International experience gained in this way gives undergraduates a significant advantage in the competitive global economy. The school's international partners include universities in England, Holland, Italy, Scotland, France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Australia.

The graduate of this program is a hybrid business and ICT specialist who can define business objectives clearly, identify technology options to meet those needs, develop appropriate systems, implement and manage them.

Typical employment areas include both profit and nonprofit organizations, which use information systems as well as large and small information technology, telecommunications, and multimedia product and service providers. Some typical job titles of the graduates of the program include:

• Business Analyst
• Marketing Specialist
• Systems Architect
• ICT Product & Service Sales
• Project Leader/Manager
• eBusiness Analyst
• Information Systems Consultant
• Telecommunications Analyst
• Management Consultant
• Systems Integrator
• Database Analyst/Administrator
• User Support Specialist
• Network Administrator
• Business & ICT Educator/Trainer

First Year: The BSc (Hons) in Chemistry shares a point of entry with the programs in Biology and Medical Physics. This allows students to explore various science-based routes to degree completion before they commit to the Chemistry program. In addition to foundation courses, the first year of studies will include an introduction to the use of computers as scientific tools, and an orientation course that will support students in making a successful transition to university and planning their steps to degree completion. All students in Science programs must enroll in SCI 180 in their first semester of studies.

Upper Years: Because this is a strongly applications-oriented program, a large proportion of student learning will take place in the laboratory. Lab hours account for a significant amount of learning time in every semester, supported by a solid grounding in the theory and principles of chemical science. In the upper years of the curriculum, students will focus on developing their technological expertise and exploring the research and industrial applications of chemical science. Depending on the course sequence selected they may pursue a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, Chemistry with a Biology Minor, Chemistry with an option in Applied Physics.

Co-operative
An optional co-operative program is available which provides the graduating students with up to 20 months of work experience that enhances their organizational and technical abilities as well as their oral and written communication skills.

Although the Office of Co-operative Education cannot guarantee a placement, they provide assistance in locating suitable positions and counseling of students in their search for suitable jobs. This co-operative program enables students to earn competitive wages to offset the costs of a university education.

Students who have completed the first year of the program must apply through this department for admission to the co-operative program before the beginning of the second year. Enrolment in the co-op program is limited. Admission will be based on the student's grade point average.

Canada is safer and healthier than ever before, thanks in large part to public health and safety professionals. Ryerson graduates working in this progressive field help prevent injury and illness by anticipating, evaluating and controlling physical, biological, chemical and other hazards in the community. Drawing on their specialized knowledge, they help develop and implement initiatives that improve health, safety, and well-being in a range of settings that are accessed by the public.

Why Public Health and Safety at Ryerson?

• Public Health and Safety at Ryerson is the original and longest running program of its kind in the country.
• Our curriculum integrates a strong foundation in public health and safety with relevant courses in the sciences, risk assessment, built environment, health policy, environmental health, law, epidemiology and disease control. A balanced education prepares you to become the well-rounded and highly skilled professional that industry demands.
• You’ll have access to outstanding learning opportunities in the classroom and in the workplace. Qualified students can apply to gain important real-world experience through paid co-operative education opportunities.
• Plus, we support your success with:
  • Workplace visits
  • Opportunities for laboratory testing and analysis
  • Presentations and seminars
  • Independent research project

Co-op
The School of Occupational and Public Health offers Co-operative options in both Occupational Health and Safety and Public Health and Safety, which provides graduating students with 20 months of work experience integrated into their academic studies.

Students in either Occupational Health and Safety or Public Health and Safety who have successfully completed the first year of their option and who wish to enrol in the co-op program must apply through this School for admission to the co-operative program during their third semester (Fall of second year). Enrolment in the co-operative program is strictly limited. Admission will be based on a student's grade point average (minimum GPA 2.50).

The School cannot guarantee work term employment, but Ryerson's Office of Co-operative Education has experienced placement officers who will work with the School's Co-op Co-ordinator to prospect for employers and make every effort to identify suitable positions, as well as assisting students with their own search for program-related jobs. The co-op program enables students to earn prevailing wages for the level of responsibility and contribution of the jobs they perform and thus finance at least part of their university education, as well as gaining marketable experience and contacts for career employment.

The curriculum in the School of Image Arts is designed to educate artists, storytellers and digital media practitioners. The programs lead to careers in film, photography, digital media, visual arts and the cultural industries.

Graduates are capable of performing responsibly in the relevant industries as professionals in both creative and managerial positions, ranging from the commercial to the artistic and experimental.

The curriculum provides students with the necessary grounding to pursue graduate studies in a variety of media-related academic and artistic disciplines. The Film and Photography Studies Programs and the Integrated Digital Option provide an experiential education with a foundation in design, art history, and cultural studies.

There is a strong link between theory and practice in each of these programs. The curriculum is enhanced by a broad offering of liberal studies courses, and professional and professionally related electives. In the third year of the Film and Photography Programs students can decide to pursue the Integrated Digital Option. The focus of this Option is on cross-disciplinarity, hybridity and digital fluency.

The School of Image Arts houses both analogue and digital resources and students are expected to develop a professional proficiency in these tools. Access to facilities is governed by School policies and curriculum. Students will be required to own certain items of equipment appropriate to the program they enter. Please refer to the sections on Special Department Charges and on the Cost of Attending Ryerson in the Student Services portion of this calendar.

Photography Studies Program
The Photography Studies Program offers an integrated academic framework for undergraduate studies in the theory and practice of photography and related media, leading to career possibilities in the many creative, artistic and commercial fields that use the photographic image, or to further study at the graduate level. The aim of the program is to produce graduates capable of working effectively in traditional and digital image-making systems. The curriculum is designed for maximum flexibility. The foundation years provide a base for working in an interdisciplinary mode at the upper year levels. An atmosphere of creative and critical inquiry across all four years gives students a rich awareness of the visual, aesthetic, technological, and cultural issues affecting the creation of images, as well as an enhanced appreciation of the rapid and radical changes occurring in the professions they will be entering.

Integrated Digital Option
The Integrated Digital (ID) Option is available to film and photography majors starting in third year. The Option is comprised of studio and lecture courses in image-based media and visual studies. The Option is designed to expand creative and analytical skills beyond the borders of film and photography. Areas such as multi-channel, titling, web-based image book design are among the many cross-platform, interactive art practices offered within the Integrated Digital Option.

Professional and Professionally-Related Courses
From second year, students choose electives from the professional and professionally related offerings. These courses are designed to enhance and deepen a student’s professional practice and critical-theoretical knowledge. For example, professional courses include studio and location lighting, sound design, art direction, screenwriting. Professionally related courses include advanced courses in photo and film history, visual culture, national cinemas, history of animation and gaming, curatorial practices and advanced topics in film and photo criticism.

The graphic communications industry is one of the most important and the largest employers in Canada, producing visual communications in the form packaging, marketing materials, eBooks, online graphics, direct mail, point of purchase displays, books and magazines. This program prepares students for a dynamic and exciting career in graphic communications through three main pillars: Creativity and design, technology and innovation, and business and entrepreneurship. Between third and fourth year, students gain real-world experience through paid internship.

The degree consists of a range of required interdisciplinary courses that allow students to focus on those thinkers whose ideas have most deeply affected our society, the courses in the 'Ideas that Shape the World' series. In these courses, students also develop key skills and competencies: the ability to read precisely and critically, to communicate effectively, to develop strategies for life-long learning, to mediate conflict and work in teams, as well as to do analysis and engage in research design. Students may choose an area of concentration from the professional courses from Professional Table I. Nine options are available; four of these options are subject-based and the other five are interdisciplinary.

Subject-Based Options
The subject-based options allow students to combine their interdisciplinary studies with a focus in one of four humanities disciplines:

• English Option – This option provides students with a course of study that focuses on how to read critically—that is, analyze, historicize, and politicize—a wide range of literary and cultural texts. Students examine how such things as genre, form, method, historical period, geography and nation inform narrative media, including works of literature, film, television, digital culture, and the visual arts. Through an engagement with narratives of the past and the present, students develop a critical understanding of contemporary cultural production.
• French Option – This option provides students with the opportunity to gain a specialization in this important linguistic and cultural field. It allows students to develop a better understanding of the culturally diverse populations of the Francophone world in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, while acquiring critical insights into the important role that French and Francophone culture play both at a national level in this country and in the broader international context.
• History Option – This option offers not only a study of the past, as a way to understand the present, but also a range of skills applicable to many jobs – those which require an understanding of research techniques, analysis, and logic. Each of these is a requirement of historical studies, as students must understand how to collect data, how to analyze it as to accuracy and sufficiency, and how to construct a logical argument from the evidence, if it is judged that there is sufficient evidence to support an argument.
• Philosophy Option – This option provides students with a broad understanding of the main historical trends and contemporary developments within the discipline of philosophy. With its sustained and systematic plan of study in Philosophy, the option has two general objectives. First, it encourages students to read and think about philosophical issues and problems in an active and critical manner. Second, it provides students with an understanding of, and appreciation for, the contributions made by some of the greatest thinkers of the past and present. 

Interdisciplinary Options
The four interdisciplinary options allow students to focus in on one of four themes:

• Anthropology Studies Option - This option examines the study of anthropology in its attempts to understand the human experience, past and present, using holistic, comparative, and field based evolutionary perspectives and practices. Students will earn a strong base in anthropological history, theory and methods as well as acquire important skills allowing them to conduct research and analysis in the mode of an anthropologist, examining and interpreting the immediate world around them.
• Culture Studies Option – Students examine the forms of cultural expression that have become a measure of who we are and who we dream of becoming. They explore cultural identity through both high culture and popular entertainment.
• Diversity and Equity Studies Option – Our diverse and politically charged social space is the focus of this interdisciplinary option. It explores the encounters of language, perspective and value that shape contemporary politics, culture and society.
• Global Studies Option – This option explores the often volatile mix of global issues and perspectives, environmental concerns and corporate interests that drive contemporary society and culture at a time when global transformations are transcending political boundaries.
• Inquiry and Invention Option – This option explores the institutions and ideas that generate – and depend on – scientific discovery and technological innovation. The focus is on ways in which science and technology influence our lives, individually and as a society, in the 21st century. 

Students will also select courses in professionally-related areas such as Criminology, Curatorial Studies, Economics, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Film Studies, Finance, Human Resources Management, Information Systems and Telecommunications Management, Law, Marketing, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Management, Politics, Professional Communication, Psychology, Sociology, and Visual Cultures. Students can pursue a Minor in some of these areas if desired.

This unique program combines the intellectual agility and other benefits of a liberal arts education with the hands-on, applied skills and competencies in areas critical to career flexibility in the 21st century. The option of pursuing one or more complementary Minors in professionally-related areas will round out and equip the graduate for success and mobility through a wide range of private and public career choices.

The goals of the program are: to offer a context in which students can explore the nature of change and the theories about change in order to analyze it, understand it, anticipate it, plan it, and precipitate it. The program allows students:

• To examine types of communication, including spoken, cultural, and computer languages, to study the relationship between economic, political and cultural groups, and to explore the great humanist and scientific ideas that have shaped the modern world.
• To develop competencies in basic qualitative and quantitative research skills, cognitive skills such as critical thinking and ethics analysis, and interpersonal skills such as conflict resolution and negotiation.
• To develop the literacy skills of oral and written language, methodologies of textual analysis and contextual knowledge, digital literacy skills that involve understanding of and training in the digital (or computer) world and its impact on our society, and numeracy skills involving an understanding of numbers and statistics and their impact on the way society does things.
• To educate students in the meanings that societies attach to themselves depending on differing cultural points of view.
• To develop a capacity for imaginative, critical, and ethical thinking that provides the foundation for professional and business activity through a study of the humanities and social sciences that focuses on the dynamics of cultural and technological change within diverse, evolving cultural and linguistic parameters.

Graduates of this four-year interdisciplinary program will be prepared for career opportunities in art and cultural advocacy, event planning and organization, equity advising in human resources, career consultancy, mediation, policy development and analysis, marketing, producing and criticism in culture and entertainment.

First Year: The BSc (Hons) in Medical Physics shares a point of entry with the programs in Biology and Chemistry. This allows students to explore various science-based routes to degree completion before they commit to the Medical Physics program. In addition to foundation courses, the first year of studies will include an introduction to the use of computers as scientific tools, and an orientation course that will support students in making a successful transition to university and planning their steps to degree completion. All students in Science programs must enrol in SCI 180 in their first semester of studies.

Upper Years: In the upper years, students will develop expertise and technical skills in physics, focusing on the applications of physics principles and methodologies in medicine, such as diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy. Students will also explore applications in health physics which deals with environmental exposures to radiation. Laboratory work will provide students with relevant practical experiences, reinforcing key concepts. In the final year, students will consolidate their learning by undertaking an independent, faculty-supervised thesis project in an area of their academic focus.

Students can also select to participate in the Co-operative program. All students enrolled in Medical Physics have the option to enrol in the Management Science Specialization.

Co-operative Program
The optional co-operative (hereafter co-op) program in Medical Physics offers graduating students an opportunity to complete up to twenty months of work experience that enhances their organizational and technical abilities as well as their oral and written communication skills.

Although neither the Department nor the Office of Co-operative Education can guarantee a placement, they provide assistance in locating suitable positions and in counselling students in their search for suitable jobs. The co-op program enables students to earn competitive wages to offset the costs of a university education.

Students wishing to be admitted to the co-op program must contact the Medical Physics Co-op Faculty Advisor preferably before the end of their 3rd Semester (to complete up to five work terms) or no later than before the start of their 5th Semester (to complete 4 work terms). Note that enrolment in the co-op program is limited, and as such, admission into the program will be based on the student's grade point average.

The combination of intensive practical training and academic university theory truly distinguishes Ryerson’s Performance programs. While learning to achieve their professional goals, students gain a well-rounded education in the humanities and liberal arts. They develop valuable skills in problem solving, adaptability, critical thinking, research, and communication. These skills are essential for success in the current arts and cultural industry and they enrich all facets of the student’s life.

The four-year Acting and Dance programs offer an intensive conservatory approach in performance complemented by academics which are a crucial part of the program curriculum. Actors and dancers spend a portion of each day in the studio, and each year brings fresh opportunities to perform in productions of original, innovative and established works. The program trains performers who are distinguished by their capacity to generate original artistic material and their ability to bring a rich mixture of skills into the multi-disciplinary environment. Graduates of the program will be ready for immediate entry into a wide range of performance-related careers and for future professional growth.

The Program of Study
The Performance program challenges students with creative study, critical analysis, and exciting traditional and innovative areas of application for their performance skill development.

In the tradition of all Ryerson programming, the program offers a very strong conservatory perspective to the theoretical exploration of dance or acting. There is a wide variety of practical/studio work, active learning projects, and performance-related assignments. Everyone has the opportunity to perform under the guidance of working professionals who are leaders in the artistic community.

The Core Years - Dance
Throughout the four years of study, the Dance Program offers intensive professional training with daily dance classes in ballet, jazz, modern and contemporary dance. It is designed to develop versatile dance professionals prepared for immediate entry into the performance industry, arts education, and multi-media entertainment.

Well-known, experienced choreographers are invited to create, stage, and rehearse their works for annual fully produced mainstage presentations, open to the public. There is also an annual choreographic workshop featuring the students’ own original creations.

The first two years introduce the fundamentals of theatre performance including courses in Improvisation, Anatomy of Movement and Lifestyle, Time-lines of Performance History, Performance Arts in Canada, The Rudiments of Music, a Dance History, and the Basics of Theatrical Production and Creative Performance. Through these foundation courses, students learn to critically approach their work, to develop an entrepreneurial initiative, and to find joy in the creative process.

In the third and fourth years, students may further refine their career goals through professional and professionally related electives. Students may choose to focus on Business and Marketing oriented courses such as Entrepreneurship and New Venture Startup. Electives are also available in the more traditional theatrical applications of Film, Dance Pedagogy, Audition preparation, Acting, Staging the Theatrical Production, Musical Theatre Repertoire, Dance Criticism and many other courses.

Psychology is of fundamental relevance to our society. The discipline addresses important questions about the nature of human thought, emotion and behaviour, such as: How do we perceive, remember and process information? How do these processes change over our lifespan? How are addictions and brain chemistry related? How are psychological disorders and traumatic brain injury diagnosed and treated? How do we cope with stress in a changing world? The core goals of the Ryerson's Psychology program are to:

• Educate students in the science of psychology and its application to real-life situations;
• Prepare students for careers in which they will confront, elucidate, and solve problems that have psychological components;
• Provide the foundation for students who wish to pursue post-graduate studies in a variety of areas including Psychology.

Curriculum Information
Semesters one and two: The first year of the Psychology program is shared with the Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Politics and Governance, Geographic Analysis, History, Language and Intercultural Relations, Philosophy and Sociology programs. Students choose courses from these related programs, to gain exposure to different perspectives, in addition to their required Introduction to Psychology I and II courses, which reveal and explore the wide range of areas within their chosen field.

Semesters three through eight: In the final three years of the program, psychology students delve into experimental and clinical research methods and explore the programs core areas - cognition and neuroscience, development and social psychology, clinical and health psychology and the advanced research specializations. Students complete a combination of required and elective psychology courses that encompass topics from the many areas within the discipline.

In addition, students choose courses from a wide variety of other disciplines (including business, community services, the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences) that complement their psychology courses and broaden their career preparation. And, through a range of courses in all four years, students also develop core competencies necessary to succeed at the university level and in the modern workforce.

Students develop skills in basic quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, critical and analytical thinking, effective communication and strategies for life-long learning. Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in Psychology will have the option of taking advanced courses from the Advanced Methods and Independent Study Group and will conduct supervised research with a faculty member.

This program will prepare you to drive economic progress by leveraging cash flow and creating wealth. You’ll acquire in-depth knowledge of economics, financial instruments and statistical techniques, and establish a foundation in modern mathematics, financial accounting, managerial finance and computer science. Participate in case studies, an optional paid co-op, industry-relevant research projects be prepared to make an immediate impact in the financial sector.

Co-Operative Program
An optional co-operative program is available for students who wish to obtain work experience and receive a salary from an employer while studying at Ryerson. The program leads to a BSc (Hons) degree. In this option school terms alternate with four or five paid work terms starting from the second year (see the table below). This schedule is the same as that used by the rest of the science programs at Ryerson and is designed to ensure that students attend winter and fall semesters in the correct order.

Although neither the Department nor the Office of Co-operative Education can guarantee a placement, they provide major assistance in locating suitable positions and counseling of students in their search for suitable jobs. This co-operative program enables students to earn competitive wages to offset the costs of university education.

Students who have completed the first year of the program must apply through the Mathematics Department for admission to the co-op program before the beginning of the second year. Enrolment in the co-op program is limited and the department retains the right to deny access to the co-op program based on the number of available placements and student's grade point average. Once in the co-op program, the terms alternate between four months of study and four months of on the job experience. The co-op program usually takes an additional year to complete. The graduation requirements for the co-op program are the same as those for the BSc (Hons) in Financial Mathematics.