Graduation Requirements

The Academic Calendar outlines the Graduation Requirements for Honours Bachelor Degrees and is the official resource for these requirements.

Highlights of the graduation requirements are below:

First-Year Requirements

you must successfully complete at least 5.0 first-year courses (numbered 1000-1999). Medical Sciences 1000Y cannot be included in this total of 5.0 courses since it is a non-credit course.
1.0 course from two of Categories A, B and C must be included in these 5.0 courses.

Notes:

the first-year Science courses (biology, chemistry, etc.) are Category C courses and all students completing the BMSc Program will have 4.0 courses from Category C at the 1000-level.
for the 1.0 course from Category A or B at the 1000-level, students who complete BMSc degrees may use 1.0 course from Category A or 1.0 course from Category B or (0.5 from Category A + 0.5 from Category B to satisfy the requirement.
special permission to take a senior-level course (2000 and above) in place of 1.0 1000-level course from Category A or B is not granted (exception, however, may be granted for students who have the background to take senior-level language courses - check with the Academic Counselling Office via their Help Portal).
you may hold credit for more than 7.0 first-year courses but you must have the minimum number of senior courses (13.0) to graduate with the BMSc degree.

Number of courses - 1000-level, senior courses - required for BMSc degrees

your BMSc degree requires successful completion of 20.0 credits
you must have at least 13.0 senior-level credits (numbered 2000 and above) to graduate with the BMSc degree.
you may hold credit for more than 7.0 first-year courses but you must have the minimum number of senior courses (13.0 courses numbered 2000 and above) to graduate with the BMSc degree.

Breadth Requirements for Graduation

At least 1.0 course from each of Categories A, B and C must be completed prior to graduation.

Notes:

1.0 1000-level course from Category A or B is needed to satisfy your First Year Requirements.
all science and basic medical science courses fall under Category C (you have lots of these).
the remaining 1.0 course from Category A or B can be taken in any year and can be 1000-level or senior level (2000 and above).
transfer credits, e.g., from IB or AP courses in high school, can be used to satisfy breadth requirements but not essay requirements.

Essay Requirements

you must successfully complete at least 2.0 designated essay courses and at least 1.0 of these 2.0 courses must be at the senior-level (numbered 2000 and above). Courses with an essay designation that have been designated as Discovery Credit do NOT count towards the requirement of 2.0 essays.
these essay courses must be completed at Western University - transfer and exchange credits do not satisfy essay requirements.
most of the Honours Specialization modules and some of the Double Major combinations in the BMSc program require at least 2.0 senior courses that are designated as essay courses. Modular courses can be used to satisfy the essay requirement.

Minimum marks and averages required for graduation

BMSc Honours degrees (Honours Specialization or Double Majors):
- each modular course in the Honours Specialization module or Double Major modules must be completed with a mark of at least 60%. Higher marks in specific courses are sometimes required in particular modules.
- all optional courses must be completed with passing grades, i.e., marks of 50% or higher.
- a cumulative modular average of at least 70% is required. All courses in either the Honours Specialization module or in each of the Majors in Double Majors are used in the calculation of the cumulative modular average.
- an overall average of at least 65% must be achieved in the 20.0 successfully completed courses used to fulfill graduation requirements.
BMSc (non-honours) degrees: to enter Year 3 of the BMSc Program, "honours-level" marks are required. To graduate with the BMSc (non-honours) degree with the Specialization in IMS or Double Majors, modular courses must be completed with marks of at least 50% and with a cumulative modular average of at least 60%.
See below if you are registered in the BMSc degree with the additional Western Scholars designation.

Additional requirements for Western Scholars designation

The purpose of the Western Scholars designation is to recognize academic achievement.

Students can request registration in BMSc degrees with the Western Scholar designation via the Intent to Register process for Years 3 and 4.

To be eligible to register in and graduate in the BMSc degree with the additional Western Scholars designation, you must satisfy the following requirements:

each fall/winter session must contain at least 5.0 courses, every course must be completed with marks of at least 65%, and the average on the fall/winter courses must be at least 80%
courses taken during the summer must be completed with marks of at least 65% in each and an average of at least 70% must be achieved if more than one course is taken.

Determining your Modular Requirements for Graduation

Students in Year 4 (or 5) in 2025/26 should refer to the checklists in the accordions below for a list of their modular requirements.

Students not in Year 4 (or 5) in 2025/26 who are looking to plan ahead and ensure they are on track to meet their requirements should refer to the following resources for their modular requirement:
- Honours Specializations: See the Honours Specialization module page in the 2025 Academic Calendar for a list of your requirements.
- Double Majors: See the Common Course Policy page for your Double Major worksheet.
  - Why are there two sets of Double Major Worksheets? Great question. One includes the capstone course, Medical Sciences 4000E: Partnering for Impact in Medical Sciences as a requirement, and the other option includes substitute courses identified by the department for students who decide not to take Medical Sciences 4000E as part of their requirements. See Major Modules - for students entering Yr 3 for 2025/26 and onward on the Course and Module Updates page for details.

If you are completing an Honors Specialization + an additional Major or Minor that contain some of the same modular courses, then keep in mind that the Common Course Policy comes into effect.

Connect with a BMSUE Coordinator if you want to know more about completing an additional Major or Minor.

If you are going into Year 4 (or are in Year 4) and want to have your graduation requirements checked, then send your completed worksheet through the BMSUE Question Portal.

Honours Specialization worksheets - for students in Year 4 in 2025/26

Students in Year 4 in 2025/26 should refer to the 2024 version of the Academic Calendar for your modular requirements. Look for the black bar at the top of the page as a visual cue to know you are in the right place.

If you are in Year 4 and uncertain about whether you satisfy your graduation requirements, even after completing a worksheet, then submit your completed worksheet through the BMSUE Question Portal.

BMSc - Double Majors modules - worksheets for students in Year 4 in 2025/26

The worksheets below have been compiled taking the Common Course Policy into consideration. See the Common Course Policy page for details.

Students in Year 4 in 2025/26 should refer to the 2024 version of the Academic Calendar for your modular requirements. Look for the black bar at the top of the page as a visual cue to know you are in the right place.

See the Neuroscience website for the worksheet for Honours Specialization in Neuroscience.

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