McGill.CA / Science / Department of Physics

Honours in Physics with a concentration in Biological Physics

The Physics Honours program with a concentration in Biological Physics keeps a strong core of foundational physics and specializes through adding courses in biology, mathematics, physiology, computer science and chemistry. Compared to the Majors Biological Physics concentration, the Honours program will give a more rigorous preparation, with additional research experience, for students with a strong interest in biophysics. In the final year of this program students will have an opportunity to carry out a research project within a biophysics lab in the department. This program will provide a very strong foundation for any student wishing to pursue graduate studies in biophysics, as well as a research career in industrial, hospital, or academic laboratory settings.

(81-82 credits)

Required Courses (63 credits)
Bio-Physical Sciences Core (24 credits)
BIOL 219 (4) Introduction to Physical Biology of the Cell
BIOL 395 (1) Quantitative Biology Seminar 1
CHEM 212 (4) Introductory Organic Chemistry 1 *
MATH 247 (3) Honours Applied Linear Algebra
MATH 315 (3) Ordinary Differential Equations
MATH 323 (3) Probability
PHYS 319 (3) Introduction to Biophysics
PHYS 329 (3) Statistical Physics with Biophysical Application
*Students who have taken the equivalent of CHEM 212 can make up the credits with complementary 3 or 4 credit courses in consultation with the program adviser.
Biology and Mathematics (6 credits)
BIOL 202 (3) Basic Genetics
MATH 248 (3) Honours Advanced Calculus
Physics (33 credits)
PHYS 241 (3) Signal Processing
PHYS 251 (3) Honours Classical Mechanics 1
PHYS 253 (3) Thermal Physics
PHYS 257 (3) Experimental Methods 1
PHYS 258 (3) Experimental Methods 2
PHYS 350 (3) Honours Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS 352 (3) Honours Electromagnetic Waves
PHYS 346 (3) Majors Quantum Physics (formerly PHYS 446)
PHYS 459 (6)D1/D2 Honours Research Thesis
PHYS 519 (3) Advanced Biophysics
Complementary Courses (18-19 credits)
3 credits selected from
COMP 202 (3) Foundations of Programming
COMP 250 (3) Introduction to Computer Science
3 credits selected from
PHYS 328 (3) Electronics
PHYS 351 (3) Honours Classical Mechanics 2
3 credits selected from
PHYS 339 (3) Measurements Laboratory in General Physics
PHYS 359 (3) Honours Laboratory in Modern Physics 1
3 credits selected from
CHEM 514 (3) Biophysical Chemistry
MATH 437 (3) Mathematical Methods in Biology
PHGY 425 (3) Analyzing Physiological Systems
PHYS 432 (3) Physics of Fluids
PHYS 434 (3) Optics
PHYS 447 (3) Applications of Quantum Mechanics
6 or 7 credits selected from
BIOL 300 (3) Molecular Biology of the Gene
BIOL 301 (4) Cell and Molecular Laboratory
BIOL 303 (3) Developmental Biology
BIOL 306 (3) Neural Basis of Behaviour
BIOL 313 (3) Eukaryotic Cell Biology
BIOL 316 (3) Biomembranes and Organelles
BIOL 551 (3) Principles of Cellular Control