Admission to Year 3 BMSc

Students in Medical Sciences 2 are assured admission to Year 3 BMSc provided they satisfy the conditions for assured admission that are outlined in Admission to the Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMSc) Program.

Note that, for the following condition for assured admission:

• A minimum average of 80% must be achieved on the 2000-level courses listed in the Admission Requirements for the module to which the student applies. If 3.5 or more 2000-level courses are listed in the Admission Requirements, a minimum average of 80% is required on the best 3.0 of these 2000-level courses.

it is a minimum average of 80% that is required on the 2000-level Admission Requirements, not a minimum mark of 80% in each of these courses. If there are six 2000-level half courses listed in the Admission Requirements, then the average is calculated by adding up the final marks in the six half courses and dividing by six (and if there are more than six 2000-level half courses listed in the Admission Requirements, then the average is calculated on the best six of these courses).

Students in Medical Sciences 2 who do not satisfy the conditions for assured admission can apply for admission to Year 3 BMSc and will be considered for admission if they satisfy the conditions for admission from the competitive pool (see below for "Students Applying from the Competitive Pool").

By satisfying the conditions for assured admission to Year 3 BMSc, students in Medical Sciences 2 are guaranteed consideration for admission to the limited number of spaces in each Honours Specialization module before any students from the competitive pool are considered. Students in Medical Sciences 2 who satisfy the conditions for assured admission are admitted to the Honours Specialization modules for which they "apply" (via the Intent to Register process) based on the averages achieved on the 2000-level courses listed in the Admission Requirements. Admission to the Honours Specialization modules in Year 3 BMSc will be competitive when the number of qualified applicants exceeds the limited number of spaces. The averages required on the 2000-level Admission Requirements for admission to some Honours Specialization modules often will be greater than 80%. See "Honours Specialization Modules - maximum capacity and minimum averages required for admission" below for more details.

Students in second year of other programs, as well as students in Medical Sciences 2 who do not satisfy their conditions for assured admission, are considered as applicants from the competitive pool to Year 3 BMSc.

Certain conditions must be satisfied by this group of students appyling for admission to Year 3 BMSc from the "competitive pool", as outlined in Admission to the Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMSc) Program.

Note that, for the following condition for admission from the competitive pool:

• A minimum average of 75% must be achieved on the 2000-level courses listed in the Admission Requirements for the module to which the student applies. If, however, the Admission Requirements list 3.5 or more 2000-level courses, a minimum average of 75% is required on the best 3.0 of these 2000-level courses. Note that an average greater than 75% may be required for admission, depending on the number of applicants from the competitive pool and the number of spaces remaining in Year 3 of the BMSc Program.

it is a minimum average of 75% that is required on the 2000-level Admission Requirements, not a minimum mark of 75% in each of these courses. If there are six 2000-level half courses listed in the Admission Requirements, then the average is calculated by adding up the final marks in the six half courses and dividing by six (and if there are more than six 2000-level half courses listed in the Admission Requirements, then the average is calculated on the best six of these courses).

Thus far, all "qualified" students from the Competitive Pool have been admitted to Year 3 BMSc, i.e., all applicants from the competitive pool who satisfied the minimum conditions for admission from the competitive pool have been satisfied. It is expected that this trend will continue.

The disadvantage of being admitted from the competitive pool is that admission to the limited spaces in Honours Specialization modules is determined in the following order (until the Honours Specialization module is full):

1. students in Medical Sciences 2 who satisfy their conditions for assured admission,
   
   
2. students in the competitive pool who satisfy the minimum conditions
   
   

Due to the number of limited spaces in each Honours Specialization module, several Honours Specialization modules fill with students in Medical Sciences 2 who satisfy their conditions for assured admission before students in the competive pool are considered for admission. Students admitted from the competitive pool are often admitted to less competitive Honours Specialization modules and Double Majors within the BMSc Program in Year 3.

2000-Level Admission Requirements are found in the Academic Calendar for each of the modules that lead to graduation with a BMSc degree. 

Note: See the Course and Module Updates page for planned revisions to the BMSc program, including handy charts of 2000-level admission requirements so that you can see the Admission Requirements for all modules at once.

The maximum capacity in each Honours Specialization module is limited by the number of spaces in the capstone courses required in these modules in Year 4.

The number of students admitted to each Honours Specialization module in Year 3 may be slightly greater than the maximum capacity in Year 4 as it is anticipated that some students may accept offers to other programs before fourth year and some may switch to Double Majors for Year 4. Departments determine the maximum capacity for their Honours Specialization modules.

There is not a pre-determined minimum average required for admission to each Honours Specialization module for Year 3. There is only a pre-determined maximum capacity for each module. The average of the last student admitted to the module determines the minimum average required for admission to that module for that particular year.

See the maximum capacity and minimum averages required for each of the Honours Specialization modules for the past few years.

Note: check back for updated information about progession to Honours Specialization modules for Year 4 for those students admitted to Year 3 BMSc for 2025/26. Changes are pending.

Students must be admitted to Year 3 of the BMSc Program to be admitted to the Specialization in IMS. Once admitted to the BMSc Program, enrolment in the Specialization in IMS is not limited since this module does not contain a capstone course in Year 4.

The Specialization in IMS leads to graduation with the 4-year BMSc degree (non-honors) degree and, since admission to the BMSc Program requires higher marks than generally required for admission to an Honours degree, BMSc students are encouraged to pursue either an Honours Specialization module or Double Major modules so that they can graduate with Honours degrees.

Students wishing to pursue two Majors, both of which are offered by basic medical science departments, must be admitted to the BMSc Program.

Once admitted to the BMSc Program by satisfying the minimim requirements for Admission to BMSc, enrolment in Double Majors is not limited.  Some Major modules require a 3000-level course which requires either (i) a mark in a prerequisite course or (ii) an average in the prior year, as part of its prerequisite. Students must satisfy the prerequisite for the required 3000-level course in order to register in the Major.  For example, the Major in Physiology requires Physiology and Pharmacology 3000E to be taken in Year 3 and registration in this course requires an overall average of at least 75% in the fall/winter courses taken in the previous year (ALL courses taken in the previous year).

Double Majors can be completed in either the 4-year BMSc degree (non-honours) or the BMSc (Honours) degree (see Double Majors in BMSc for more details) . Since admission to Year 3 BMSc requires a minimum average of 75% in the 2000-level courses listed in the Admission Reqiuirements, which is higher than the mininimum average of 70% on modular courses for most Honours degrees at Western, students completing Double Majors most often register in the BMSc (Honours) degree.

Students in Double Majors often have "common courses" in their Majors.  A maximum of 1.0 common course can be double-counted toward both Majors (refer to Common Courses).

NOTE: The Major in Pharmacology and the Major in Physiology contain too many "common courses" and students cannot complete both of these Major modules.