Biomedical Computing
The precise requirements for degree plans are listed in the Arts and Science Calendar. In case of discrepancies, the calendar should be considered as the official definition of any degree plan. Because the BMCO plan is evolving, you should be aware that you are allowed to graduate using any of the specified degree requirements in effect while you have been registered in that plan. Some old calendars are available on-line. If you want or need to "mix and match" requirements from two or more versions of a degree plan, you should consult the Undergraduate Chair.
In general, a degree plan in the Faculty of Arts and Science consists of required (or core) courses, options, and electives. Options are credits that are constrained in some way. Electives can be any course described in the Arts and Science Calendar, including Computing or Life-Science courses; that is, you can take more Computing or Life-Science courses than the specified core (or options). Special permission is needed for an Arts and Science student to take courses from other faculties (Applied Science, Business, etc.) as electives, unless those courses are already listed in the Arts and Science Calendar.
Some instructors will allow students with good records into their courses even if they do not have all the prerequisites prescribed in the Calendar; consult the relevant instructor (or undergraduate chair). In some cases, SOLUS may actually be more lenient than the Calendar, so you may not even need to get special permission to take a course if you lack prerequisites.
Bachelor of Computing (Honours) in Biomedical Computing (BMCO-P-BCH)
Biomedical Computing is a 120-credit program. Full year courses (indicated by /6.0) count as 6.0 units and half-year courses count as 3.0 units. See the Faculty of Arts and Science calendar for complete details.
| BIOL-102 | Introductory Biology of Cells |
| BIOL-103 | Introductory Biology of Organisms |
| CHEM-112 | General Chemistry |
| CISC-121 | Introduction to Computing Science I |
| CISC-124 | Introduction to Computing Science II |
| MATH-111/6.0 | Linear Algebra |
| MATH-122/6.0 | Differential and Integral Calculus |
| BIOL-205 | Mendelian and Molecular Genetics |
| MBIO-218 | Gene Structure and Function |
| STAT-263 | Introduction to Statistics |
| CISC-203 | Discrete Mathematics for Computing Science |
| CISC-204 | Logic for Computing Science |
| CISC-220 | System-Level Programming |
| CISC-221 | Computer Architecture |
| CISC-223 | Software Specifications |
| CISC-235 | Information Structures |
| CISC-260 | Programming Paradigms |
| CISC-271 | Scientific Computing |
| BIOL-334 | Comparative Biochemistry |
| BIOL-331 | Analytical Genomics |
| CISC-320 | Software Development |
| CISC-330 | Computer-Integrated Surgery |
| CISC-332 | Database Management Systems |
| CISC-352 | Artificial Intelligence |
| CISC-365 | Algorithms I |
| CISC-471 | Computational Biology |
| CISC-472 | Medical Informatics |
| CISC-497 | Social, Ethical and Legal Issues in Computing |
| CISC-499 | Advanced Undergraduate Project |
| 9.0 units from CHEM 281, CHEM 282, PHGY 214/6.0, and any courses in CISC, SOFT, ANAT, BIOL, BCHM, CANC, CRSS, DDHT, EPID, LISC, MBIO, MICR, PATH, PHAR, PHGY at the 300-level or above | |
| 15.0 elective credits | |
Recommended Options and Electives |
|
| BCHM-315 | Proteins and Enzymes |
| BCHM-410 | Protein Structure and Function |
| BCHM-411 | Advanced Molecular Biology |
| CISC-322 | Software Architecture |
| CISC-325 | Human-Computer Interaction |
| CISC-435 | Computer Communications and Networks |
| CISC-452 | Neural and Genetic Computing |
| CISC-453 | Topics in Artificial Intelligence |
| CISC-454 | Computer Graphics |
| CISC-457 | Image Processing and Computer Vision |
| DDHT-460 | Drug Development |
| LISC-322 | Fundamentals of Neuroscience |
| LISC-390 | Life Science Laboratory I |
| LISC-391 | Life Science Laboratory II |
| LISC-414 | Progress in Neuroanatomy and Neuropharmacology |
| LISC-422 | Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience |
| PHAR-230 | Pharmacology for Health Sciences |
| PHAR-340 | General Pharmacology |
| PHAR-416 | Xenobiotic Disposition and Toxicity |
| PHIL-301 | Biomedical Ethics |
Some of these courses have prerequisites that are not included in the core requirements; students wishing to take such courses should choose their options/electives carefully to obtain the needed prerequisites or consult the relevant instructor.
Students planning to take the MCAT exams or similar are advised to do CHEM-281/282, PHGY-214/6.0, and BCHM-315 (in lieu of BIOL-334).
All Computing concentrations start with CISC-121. If you need to take CISC-101 or CISC-110 before taking CISC-121, CISC-101/110 will count as an elective for you.
How should I plan my program?
Students in Biomedical Computing have some flexibility in choosing which courses to take, and when to take them; however, some courses must be taken early enough to be sure that all the prerequisites for upper-year required (core) courses are obtained. You will find the prerequisite chart for the BMCO program to be extremely useful in planning your program. It is your responsibility to take courses satisfying all the requirements of your degree program.
In the following, we list courses that must or may be taken in each year of the program. The standard way to complete a 120-unit program in four years is to take 30 units each year.
First Year
The following must be taken, except that students without programming experience should replace CISC-121/124 by CISC-101 in the Fall and CISC-121 in the winter, and take CISC-124 in the Fall of their second year.
CISC-121 Introduction to Computing I CISC-124 Introduction to Computing IIAlso, one of MATH-111/6.0 (Linear Algebra) or MATH-121/6.0 (Calculus) or equivalents must be taken in first year. The other one may be taken in 1st year. MATH-126/6.0 may not be taken unless you have changed from an Arts program to B.Cmp. and don't have the high-school prerequisites for MATH-121/6.0.
The following may be taken in first year (and most BMCO students do so):
BIOL-102 Cells BIOL-103 Organisms CHEM-112/6.0 General Chemistry
Second Year
The following are core courses that must be taken in the second year:
BIOL-205 Mendelian and Molecular Genetics CISC-203 Discrete Mathematics for Computing Science CISC-204 Logic for Computing Science CISC-220 System-Level Programming CISC-260 Programming Paradigms CISC-235 Information Structures CISC-271 Scientific Computing
plus CISC-124 in the Fall term if this course was not taken in the first year. If you intend to take BCHM-315 (Proteins and Enzymes) rather than BIOL-334 (Comparative Biochemistry) in your third year, you must take the prerequisites CHEM-281/282 (Organic Chemistry) in your second year and CHEM-112/6.0 in your first year.
The following core courses may be taken in second year (if the respective prerequisites have been taken) or deferred to third or, in some cases, fourth year:
CISC-221 Computer Architecture CISC-223 Software Specifications MBIO-218 Gene Structure and Function STAT-263 Introduction to Statistics
Of course, you can fit only a few of these in second year. Your choice of which other courses to take in second year should be determined by your interests and by which 300 and 400 level options you're aiming for. Be careful not to be faced with timetable conflicts between deferred 200-level courses and courses that must be taken in the third year (see below). For example, if you intend to take CISC-435 (Computer Communications and Networks) as an option, you should take CISC-221 in second year in case it will conflict with a "must take in third year" course. But if you intend to take LISC-422 (Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience) as an option, you should take PHGY-214/6.0 in second year to fit in LISC-322 (Fundamentals of Neuroscience) in third year. Consult the prerequisite chart for the BMCO program, and keep in mind that next year's timetable may not be the same as the currrent timetable; for example, a fall-term course might move to the winter term, or vice-versa.
If you don't have any idea which options you'll want to take, try to choose between Computing and Life Science and select accordingly. Life Science options are courses with any of the following course codes: ANAT, BIOL, BCHM, CANC, CRSS, DDHT, EPID, LISC, MBIO, MICR, NSCI, PATH, PHAR or PHGY.
Third Year
The following are core courses that must be taken in the third year:
CISC-352 Artificial Intelligence CISC-365 Algorithms I BIOL-334 Comparative Biochemistry or BCHM-315 Proteins and Enzymesplus MBIO-218 and/or CISC-271 if these courses were not taken in the second year.
The following core courses may be taken in the third year (if the respective prerequisites have been taken) or deferred to fourth year:
CISC-330 Computer-Integrated Surgery BIOL-331 Analytical Genomics CISC-320 Fundamentals of Software Development CISC-332 Database Management Systemsbut be careful not to be faced with timetable conflicts between deferred 300-level courses and courses that must be taken in the fourth year (see below).
Fourth Year
The following core courses must be taken in the final year:
CISC-471 Computational Biology CISC-472 Medical Informatics CISC-497 Social, Ethical and Legal Issues in Computing CISC-499 Advanced Undergraduate Projectplus any core courses (or substitutes) that have not yet been taken.