Advisor: Kashif Memon
There is an increasing involvement of business in the application of science and technology that is encouraged by a wide range of government incentives. As a result, there is a demand for professional accountants, who work in the public practice industry and government, and understand the specialized needs for services in these areas. The Faculty of Science, in co-operation with the School of Accounting and Finance, offers an Honours Biotechnology/Chartered Professional Accountancy Academic Plan which combines courses in Biotechnology with courses in Accounting and business-related areas of study. This plan provides a unique opportunity to prepare professional accountants with an integrated educational experience for a role in providing accounting and advisory services in the rapidly growing science and technology business sector of the economy.
Students considering a Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) designation should be aware of all CPA requirements.
Requirements for Admission
Students normally apply for direct admission from high school into the first year of the Honours Co-operative Biotechnology/Chartered Professional Accountancy program. Upon completing a provisional first year (maintaining a 65% average in the Science courses, an average of 70% in the AFM courses and a 70% overall average), students will be allowed to formally proceed into the Honours Co-operative Biotechnology/Chartered Professional Accountancy program in second year. Courses used for admission to Year 2 include: BIOL 130, BIOL 239; CHEM 120, CHEM 120L, CHEM 123, CHEM 123L; AFM 101, AFM 102; SCBUS 225; ECON 101; MATH 109; SPCOM 111.
To remain eligible to continue in this plan, students must have a cumulative Science average of 65%, a cumulative Accounting average of 70% and a cumulative overall average of 70%. In order to graduate in the Honours Biotechnology/Chartered Professional Accountancy Academic Plan, the following requirements must be met:
- Successful completion of 22.75 units, with cumulative averages of 65% in Science courses, 70% in Accounting courses and 70% overall. Of the 22.75 units required:
- at least 21.5 units must be lecture units
- 8.75 Science units of which 7.5 units are Science lecture units and 1.25 are Science lab units
- 0.5 unit of Statistics (ECON 221), 0.5 unit of Mathematics, 0.5 unit of Computer Science (AFM 341), 0.5 unit of SCBUS Workshop, 0.5 unit of Speech Communication and 1.0 units of Economics (except ECON 221)
- 10.5 units in Accountancy (except AFM 341)
- Completion of the English Language Proficiency requirement.
- For detailed information on co-op program requirements, please see the Co-operative Education and Career Action section of the undergraduate calendar as well as the Science department work term report guidelines.
- Mandatory Courses are listed below:
- BIOL 130, BIOL 239, BIOL 240, BIOL 240L, BIOL 241, BIOL 309, BIOL 331, BIOL 342, BIOL 432, BIOL 443
- CHEM 120, CHEM 120L, CHEM 123, CHEM 123L, CHEM 266, CHEM 266L, CHEM 237, CHEM 237L
- 1.0 BIOL/CHEM electives from BIOL 345, BIOL 431, BIOL 434, BIOL 441, BIOL 442, BIOL 444, BIOL 483; CHEM 333, CHEM 432
- AFM 101, AFM 102, AFM 202, AFM 211, AFM 231, AFM 273, AFM 274, AFM 291, AFM 311, AFM 341, AFM 351, AFM 362, AFM 363, AFM 373, AFM 391, AFM 401, AFM 433, AFM 462, AFM 479, AFM 481, AFM 482, AFM 491
- ECON 101, ECON 102, (ECON 221 or STAT 202 or STAT 211) MATH 109
- SCBUS 225
- SPCOM 111
A schedule outlining the recommended term-by-term sequence of courses is available from the Science and Business website.
Tuition – This is an additional cost-recovery plan as defined by the Ministry of Education and Training. As such, tuition higher than the normal University of Waterloo tuition is required. For details of tuition costs, please see the Fees section of the Calendar.
Eligibility for University of Waterloo's Master of Accounting (MAcc)
The School of Accounting and Finance in the Faculty of Arts offers a Master of Accounting (MAcc) degree. This eight-month graduate portion is normally taken in consecutive Winter and Spring terms immediately following completion of the 4B term of undergraduate studies. Graduates of Honours Biotechnology/Chartered Professional Accountancy, who also satisfy the additional requirements below are eligible to enrol in MAcc studies.
MAcc applicants are required to meet all University of Waterloo Graduate School entry requirements, including having achieved a minimum, all-inclusive, cumulative average of 75% in their undergraduate course work. Candidates are also normally required to have attained a minimum average of 75% in all their required courses during their last year of undergraduate studies.