Science Companion 2017

science mun.ca/science 2017-2018

WHAT ARE THE DEGREE OPTIONS? BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.Sc.): These degree programs generally take four years to complete. Students must choose a major and they may also choose a minor (see following pages for information on the available majors and minors). A wide variety of joint major and joint honours programs are available, and a new option allows students to pursue the joint degrees of bachelor of science and bachelor of arts.

Major and honours students in the departments of biology, computer science, economics and psychology can opt to study in co-operative programs. The co-op programs provide opportunities to learn valuable practical skills while being employed in full-time paid work terms or internships in related fields.

HOW DO I BECOME A SCIENCE STUDENT? Students may apply for admission into the Faculty of Science directly from high school by indicating bachelor of science as their program choice on the university application. Entry into a specific major requires the completion of at least 10 courses at the university level and some majors are competitive for a limited number of placements. Direct entry into the faculty from high school is subject to the applicant meeting the general admission requirements for Memorial University.

SPECIAL SERVICES/PROGRAMS The Faculty of Science, in partnership with Career Development, employs a full-time Science Career Development Coordinator to provide students with career services, including one-on-one consultations for strengths-based career exploration, resume critiques, job searching and mock interviews. Workshops, networking events, job clubs and other activities are organized each semester to allow science students to connect with employers and alumni, practice communicating their transferable skills and experiences to industry professionals, and learn about careers and career pathways in their field of study. Science Career Talks invite science alumni to share how they navigated their job search and obtained their current careers. Science Career Networking, another recurring event, has industry professionals and employers speed-network with groups of science students to provide information about their organizations and share

For further information, or to book an individualized career consultation, please visit mun.ca/cdel/Student_Programs/Science_Matters.

CAREERS A science degree prepares the student to think and adapt to new environments in a wide range of possible careers. Graduates from the Faculty of Science have gone on to pursue the following careers: • Forensic laboratory scientist • Biotechnologist • Fisheries officer • Medical doctor • Environmental assessor

• Geochemist • Auditor • Field scientist • Web specialist • Software developer

FAST FACTS The Bonne Bay Marine Station, located near Gros Morne National Park on Newfoundland’s west coast, is a world-class facility offering a host of services to students, researchers, educators and the general public. Equipped with teaching and research laboratories, residence accommodations and much more, the station offers students a premiere learning environment for habitat diversity and marine ecosystem research. The Department of Biology offers several field courses here each year as part of its undergraduate curriculum.

The Ocean Sciences Centre is a cold ocean research facility located about 10 minutes from the St. John’s Campus. It is an ideal location for shore-based studies of cold ocean processes including aquaculture, deep-sea organisms and behavioural ecology.

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knowledge they have regarding careers in targeted fields of science.

MAJORS BIOCHEMISTRY BIOCHEMISTRY

Biochemistry is the study of chemical processes associated with living organisms.

Biochemists use concepts of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, microbiology and genetics to unravel the complex puzzles of life.

NUTRITION

Nutrition is the science that studies the means by which we take in and utilize food. Nutritionists study the metabolism of foods: how foods are converted and used by the body.

BIOCHEMISTRY AT MEMORIAL Many of our undergraduates become involved in research through Memorial University Career Experience Program (MUCEP), Student Undergraduate Research Award (SURA) and other summer research programs. They do research in areas such as development (sea urchins and zebrafish), muscle biochemistry, lipid composition and molecular dynamics.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 8530 bcadvice@mun.ca www.mun.ca/biochem

BIOLOGY BIOLOGY, BIOLOGY (MARINE), BIOLOGY (ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION), BIOLOGY (CELL AND MOLECULAR)

Biology is the study of life and of living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution and distribution. Within the biology program a student can specialize in areas such as cellular, developmental and molecular biology and physiology, genetics and evolution, marine biology, and conservation and ecology.

BIOLOGY AT MEMORIAL We offer various field courses in biology at the Bonne Bay Marine Station, located near Gros Morne National Park, at Terra Nova National Park in eastern Newfoundland and at Memorial’s Harlow Campus in England. Our programs offer tremendous field and laboratory research opportunities for undergraduate students. Co-op option available.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 7498 jodyb@mun.ca www.mun.ca/biology

CHEMISTRY, CHEMISTRY (BIOLOGICAL), COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY

Chemistry is the science of the composition, structure, properties and reactions of matter, especially of atomic and molecular systems. The synthesis of new drugs, the production of novel materials and the monitoring and improvement of our environment all involve the science of chemistry.

CHEMISTRY AT MEMORIAL The Department of Chemistry has state-of-the-art spectroscopic and other analytical instrumentation as well as the high performance computer facilities of ACEnet. We also have extensive computing facilities for chemistry majors and honours students.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 8772 chemhead@mun.ca www.mun.ca/chem

COMPUTER SCIENCE COMPUTER SCIENCE, COMPUTER SCIENCE (SMART SYSTEMS), COMPUTER SCIENCE (SOFTWARE ENGINEERING), COMPUTER SCIENCE (VISUAL COMPUTING AND GAMES) Virtually every discipline — practical, theoretical or creative — is experiencing the influence of computers. The ever-increasing dependence on computer technology in our daily lives presents rich opportunities for those interested in the design of new applications and systems.

COMPUTER SCIENCE AT MEMORIAL We offer individual courses and full programs so any student can develop their computer skills and interest regardless of their career trajectory. Memorial’s Computer Industry Internship Option (CIIO) provides an opportunity for students to obtain rewarding placements in computer industries. The internship program gives students a paid placement so they can explore career options and develop workplace skills at the same time.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 8627 cs-compsci@mun.ca www.mun.ca/computerscience

EARTH SCIENCES

Earth sciences encompasses all scientific studies related to the structure and development of our planet, whether investigating the composition of rocks or soil on the earth’s surface, the movement of plates or the properties of material far beneath our feet. Although field work plays an important role in many studies, today’s geoscientist commonly uses ocean drilling vessels, satellite imagery, highprecision geochemical and geophysical instruments, and the latest in electronic and laser microscopes.

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CHEMISTRY

EARTH SCIENCES AT MEMORIAL Memorial University has one of the largest and most diverse earth sciences departments in Canada. Students can choose a comprehensive stream, or specialize in applied geophysics; environmental geoscience; petrology, tectonics and economic geology; or sedimentary basins.

Many companies visit us annually to hire our students both for summer work and permanent positions. A significant proportion of our students become professional geoscientists.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 4464 earthsci@mun.ca www.mun.ca/earthsciences

ECONOMICS

Economics is the branch of social science that deals with the analysis and management of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.

ECONOMICS AT MEMORIAL We offer applied economics courses in a wide variety of areas, including fishery, petroleum and mining, forestry, environmental, development, international, monetary, public sector, welfare, labor and health economics. Students who study economics at Memorial can choose to complete their studies as part of a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree and may choose to complete the Economics Co-operative Education Option (ECEO).

CONTACT Telephone 709 864 8248 economics@mun.ca www.mun.ca/econ

GEOGRAPHY

Geography literally means description of the Earth — its physical and human components and how they vary spatially. Geography studies the interrelationships of climate, landforms, plants, animals and humans over the surface of the earth.

GEOGRAPHY AT MEMORIAL We offer a diploma in geographic information sciences that you can complete at the same time as your bachelor’s degree. In the DIP-GIS, you gain valuable hands-on experience in cartography, remote sensing and geographic information systems.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 7417 geog@mun.ca www.mun.ca/geog

MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS APPLIED MATHEMATICS

Applied mathematics uses mathematics together with other fields such as physics, biology, chemistry or economics to make discoveries about the way the world works.

Pure mathematics involves the study of the core areas of mathematics such as abstract algebra, number theory, geometry, and real and complex analysis.

STATISTICS

Statistics is a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters.

MATH & STATS AT MEMORIAL We employ undergraduate students in the Math Help Centre and to mark course assignments. Some of our students qualify for summer research employment funded by the National Science and Engineering Research Council.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 8784 mathstat@mun.ca www.mun.ca/math

OCEAN SCIENCES OCEAN SCIENCES, OCEAN SCIENCES (ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS)

The Department of Ocean Sciences is located at the Ocean Sciences Centre in Logy Bay, approximately 15 km from the St. John’s Campus. It is uniquely situated for the shore-based studies of cold-ocean processes and subarctic, Arctic and deep-sea organisms. The uniqueness of the department’s resources provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary training in cold ocean research.

OCEAN SCIENCES AT MEMORIAL We offer hands-on field and laboratory research experience through MUCEP and summer research positions in areas such as physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, marine ecology, oceanography and aquaculture.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 2459 ocean@mun.ca www.mun.ca/osc

PHYSICS AND PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY PHYSICS, ENVIRONMENTAL PHYSICS

Physics is the study of the interactions of energy and matter. These interactions govern the physical world and are important in fields as wide ranging as meteorology, geophysics, materials science and optics.

PHYSICS AT MEMORIAL Many of our undergraduates are actively involved in physics research programs.

This experience provides both summer employment and an excellent preparation for a career in industrial or university research.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 6111 rgoulding@mun.ca www.mun.ca/physics

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PURE MATHEMATICS

PSYCHOLOGY PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology is the study of behaviour and the mind. As a science, psychology employs careful investigation to understand behaviour, thinking and experience.

The profession of psychology applies this information to promote human welfare.

The combination of writing, research and statistical analysis acquired in an undergraduate psychology degree is a sound preparation for many careers.

BEHAVIOURAL NEUROSCIENCE

Behavioural neuroscience is the general study of the relations between the structure and activity of the brain and its function in generating integrated adaptive behavioural responses. Memorial’s neuroscience program has strong links to the Faculty of Medicine, located on the same campus in St. John’s.

PSYCHOLOGY AT MEMORIAL Our major programs in psychology provide students with a solid background in the science of psychology, and culminate with small classes offering direct, hands-on experience in conducting research in a wide variety of areas such as observation of sea bird behaviour, assessment of people’s attitudes, and experiments on memory and spatial learning. Co-op available.

CONTACT Telephone: 709 864 8496 psych@mun.ca www.mun.ca/psychology

MINORS In the Faculty of Science, a minor area of study is optional. You may choose a minor in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, economics, geography, mathematics, oceanography, physics, psychology, statistics or sustainable aquaculture and fisheries ecology.

Other minors for the B.Sc. degree may be chosen from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences or Faculty of Business Administration, or School of Music.

CONTACT

FACULTY OF SCIENCE MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND ST. JOHN’S, NL, CANADA Telephone: 709 864 8153 or 864 8154 Email: science@mun.ca | www.mun.ca/science

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STUDENT RECRUITMENT, OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND ST. JOHN’S, NL, CANADA Telephone: 709 864 8896 | Toll Free: 866 354 8896 www.mun.ca/undergrad