Frequently Asked Questions

Registration and Enrollment

Are courses outline (syllabi) available?

Instructors are currently working on the final details of courses, and so current syllabi are not yet available. We do have past syllabi available at the following links:

https://dbms.queensu.ca/undergraduate/biochemistry

https://dbms.queensu.ca/undergraduate/life-sciences

https://bhsc.queensu.ca/program-and-courses/fall-courses

Be sure to check both the “on campus” and “undergraduate online” career options in SOLUS to ensure you are seeing all courses offered this year.

Some courses are not offered every year. If you see a course in the Academic Calendar that is not listed in SOLUS through either “career” in SOLUS, it is not offered this year.

BCHM: You are responsible to add your third year courses.
LISC SSP: You are responsible to add your third year courses. You need to ensure you choose the proper BCHM courses for the Sub-Plan you want to be in (ie. BCHM 310 or BCHM 315/316). If you are not sure, then you should choose BCHM 310 to keep all your options open.

When can I switch from SSP to MAJ or MAJ to SSP?

Change of Plan happens beginning of May until Mid-July

Can I go on exchange and stay in SSP?

Yes. You can go on exchange as an SSP student.
LISC: The only impediment is if you cannot find an equivalent to BCHM 310 then you can only be in the sub-plan of Biomedical Sciences. All other sub-plans require BCHM 310.

I am going on exchange. What do I do?

First Step: Email lifesci@queensu.ca or Biochem@queensu.ca the following information: name, student number, university you plan to attend, which term and/or terms you will be away.

Second Step: The Life Sciences and Biochemistry Program office will send you what courses have been previously assessed and their equivalency. This is a good starting point for determining if your approved exchange school has compatible courses that will work for your plan requirements.
Third Step: The IPO has information on possible elective courses that have been approved for Queen’s equivalency, listed by country and partner exchange university on their website: http://www.queensu.ca/ipo/outgoing-students/exchange/find-university

Fourth Step: If there are other science courses that you are hoping to take on exchange, it is the student’s responsibility to provide a full electronic course outline (please do not just send a link) to our office for review. This information will be added to our data base and will assist other students planning on going on exchange (this year or in future).
Fifth Step: Confirm to our office by email all the courses that you plan to take on exchange with your understanding of how they will transfer back.
Upon return from exchange: Only if there are issues and concerns about your fourth year courses after your exchange, please arrange to set up a meeting with Dr. Winn, Associate Dean and Life Sciences.

4th Year in September

I am going into 4TH year and not sure how I choose my courses?

BCHM: You will be pre-loaded to your course courses.
LISC: You will receive an email with a google document for you to pre-select your 4th year courses. We hope this will happen in June. We will ask for ALL pertinent information at that time. Once courses have been assigned they will be pre-loaded.

SUB-PLANS. I haven’t declared my sub-plan. When do I do it?

You will be asked to do it when you are submitting your 4th year course pre-selection. (between the Summer of 3^rd year and 4^th year)

RESEARCH PROJECTS (499 or BCHM 421/422) I have a supervisor. What do I do?

BCHM: Please send an email to biochem@queensu.ca when you have reached an agreement with a supervisor.

LISC: Please send an email to lifesci@queensu.ca with your name, student number, supervisor, and which 499 project it will be (i.e. ANAT, EPID, CANC, MICR, NSCI, PATH, PHAR, PHGY).

How do I find a tutor?

Queens Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy website for Physics tutors
Queen’s Mathematics and Statistics tutors
Queen’s Department of Chemistry lists their tutors under the heading “Undergraduate Resources”
Or you can reach out to ASUS Peer Tutoring
In addition, Student Academic Success Services has workshops and tip sheets that may be helpful

How can I contact the Life Sciences and Biochemistry Program Office?

in person: the office is located at Botterell Hall at 18 Stuart Street, room 815 during office hours (Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4pm (office is usually closed during lunch hours 12 – 1pm)
by email lifesci@queensu.ca or biochem@queensu.ca. Be sure to include your student number and use your Queen’s email to all correspondence to the office.

GRADUATION/CONVOCATION

First Step. Go to SOLUS and run your Academic Advisement Report. If you notice something is not satisfied and you feel it should be, send us an email with the AAR attachment and your concern to Beatriz or Katherine.
Second Step. Ensure you apply to graduate. (For example; starting on December 1^st 2022, you can apply to graduate for Spring 2023)

I wish to have something put into the weekly update. What do I do?

Send your request as a paragraph to either lifesci@queensu.ca or biochem@queensu.ca
Please provide your graphic and links by 9:00 am on Monday mornings. We will not send separate emails to our students regarding events or career opportunities.