Undergraduate programs
UVic is the perfect place to study science. Our students don’t just learn from textbooks and lectures, but spend time seeing science as it happens, gaining hands-on experience from day one in labs, field trips, field schools and community-engaged courses.
In the Faculty of Science, you’ll learn from top-notch teachers and researchers, join our tight-knit community and come away with an excellent education in whatever field of science you choose.
Our programs
Many of the world's greatest problems exist at the intersections of multiple disciplines—so that's where we choose to teach. Many of our programs allow you to combine more than one area of interest, blending multiple fields of expertise.
Our undergraduates can choose from over 30 different general, major and minor programs leading to Bachelor of Science (BSc) degrees.
Minor programs
Whether you're doing a degree in science or in another field, the Faculty of Science offers a variety of minor programs to support and expand your learning. Minors are an optional set of courses that allow you to study in an area outside of your major program area.
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Data science
- Earth sciences
- Mathematics
- Molecular Life Sciences
- Ocean sciences
- Physics
- Statistics
Science students are also welcome to complete a minor offered by another faculty.
Co-op
At UVic, learning extends beyond the classroom. Through co-operative education (co-op), you can alternate terms in class with paid work terms in your field of study, gaining hands-on experience before you even graduate. The UVic co-op program is one of the largest in the country and provides lots of 1-on-1 support, while adapting to trends and interests in the job market.
Co-op is an additional option available in all Science programs.
Research
Research, hands-on learning and time in the lab or field are core parts of a UVic Science degree. Beginning in first year, students across disciplines gain hands-on experience in the lab as part of their core courses. Throughout their degree, students continue to have classes that involve lab work and field work.
In some programs, there are upper-year courses that are entirely lab-based, where students spend 5-7 hours each week conducting experiments, or entirely field-based, where students spend 1-2 weeks in the field practicing techniques and getting real-world experience.
Students may gain additional research experience by volunteering with a professor, signing up for a research experience course, completing a directed studies or honours project, receiving a research award or through a co-op work term.
Our community
Our student community includes more than 2800 undergraduate students and approximately 400 graduate students, and we are home to 140 regular faculty members. We're small enough that you can build community and get to know your professors, while also being large enough to offer a diversity of courses and wide range of opportunities. Our departments, course unions and other student groups offer a wide range of events and opportunties to connect with other students, get to know your professors outside of class and share the love of science.Our location
At UVic, science is quite literally in our backyard. Whether you’re interested in exploring the ocean, the forests, or the Earth and rocks, our location puts you in close proximity to the environment you’re studying.
Victoria is a city where science is happening. As the capital of British Columbia, many government agencies are located in Victoria, and it's a place where industry thrives. These agencies and businesses are collaborating with our faculty members and are invested in helping train our students, making it easy to connect with people you want to work with—and who want to work with you.
Regardless of your field of study, Victoria is a beautiful place to live with some of the best weather in Canada. Summers are comfortable and dry with low humidity, in winter the temperature rarely falls below freezing, and the ocean, mountains and forests are never too far away.