Science Academic Programs and Plans

Advisors: See Faculty of Science academic advisors.

Honours Science and Aviation is only available in the regular system of study.

The Science and Aviation plan consists of a Bachelor of Science degree combined with a Commercial Pilot Program that provides advanced flight training, leading to a private and commercial pilot licence. The aviation component of the degree consists of the Professional Pilot Program delivered by the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC). Coursework includes the essentials of aviation, as well as private and commercial pilot training, an instrument rating, and a multi-engine rating. This instruction is provided by eight courses in flight training as outlined on the University of Waterloo Aviation website. Costs related to the flight-training component are assessed as a separate fee paid directly to the WWFC.

Applicants

Applicants must satisfy a screening process by WWFC that includes attending an intake briefing and obtaining a Category 1 Aviation Medical. This Transport Canada Category 1 Medical Certification requirement is monitored by the WWFC and is required for admission to Year One and all subsequent years. In addition, any permanent resident or VISA students entering the program must take and pass the Aviation Language Proficiency Test (ALPT). The medical exam must be completed before taking the oral ALPT.

Transfer Candidates

Transfer consideration of previous flight training or Professional Pilot Program courses will be at the discretion of the WWFC and is not determined by the University of Waterloo.

Students will be granted advanced credits up to and including a Private Pilot Licence. Program hours will be granted up to licence sign off and the remaining hours will be logged as career, not program hours. Students who have flight training beyond the Private Pilot Licence or who have acquired a Night Rating, are ineligible for transfer into this plan. Students entering the plan with a Private Licence will be required to attend WWFC’s Flight Management Basic Courses as a review. Students who apply with the flight qualifications that meet the standards set by WWFC are eligible for the Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree upon successful completion of the Honours Science and Aviation curriculum and transfer of credit for the AVIA flight courses.

Maintaining Status

Continuing in Honours Science and Aviation requires a minimum cumulative overall average of 65%, a minimum cumulative Science average of 65%, and continue to achieve credit for successful completion of AVIA flight courses. Flight training courses offered through the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC) are not included in any cumulative average calculations. Instead, students receive credit (CR) for each course they successfully complete.

The passing grade required to receive credit in each WWFC flight training course is 70. Students may be allowed to achieve this by using a "competency-based" approach, provided they achieve the established benchmarks on time.

Requirements

Successful completion requires:

20.0 units distributed as follows:

• 9.0 Science units chosen from: BIOL, CHEM, EARTH, MNS, PHYS, or SCI (excluding SCI 237), which must include:
  
  • 2.0 Year One Science lecture units (any two sets from the following four subject sets), plus associated lab courses:
  • CHEM 120, CHEM 120L, CHEM 123, CHEM 123L
  • EARTH 121, EARTH 121L, EARTH 122, EARTH 122L
  • PHYS 111, PHYS 111L, PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or PHYS 121, PHYS 121L, PHYS 122, PHYS 122L
  • Two 100- or 200-level BIOL courses with associated labs if selected lecture has associated lab course (exclusive of BIOL 225 and BIOL 280/PHYS 280)
  • 2.0 units, any level, inclusive of the Year One Science labs associated with the chosen Year One Science lectures
  • 2.5 lecture units, 200-level or higher
  • 2.0 lecture units, 300-level or higher (excluding SCI units)
  • 0.5 lecture unit, 400-level (excluding SCI units)
• 6.5 AVIA units: AVIA 100, AVIA 101, AVIA 102, AVIA 203, AVIA 204, AVIA 205, AVIA 306, AVIA 307, AVIA 310, AVIA 408, AVIA 417
• 1.0 Mathematics elective unit chosen from: MATH 127, MATH 128, STAT 202
• 0.5 Mathematics elective unit chosen from: ACTSC, AMATH, CO, CS, MATH, PMATH, STAT (excluding MATH 103)
• 1.5 GEOG units: GEOG 181, GEOG 309; GEOG 271 or GEOG 281
• 1.0 program elective unit chosen from: FR 151, GEOG 371, GEOG 381, PHIL 145, PHIL 215/ARBUS 202, MNS 101, MNS 102, SCI 206, SCI 238
• 0.5 unit: COMMST 193/ENGL 193

Additional conditions:

1. Credit must be obtained in each WWFC flight course to progress to the next one. Normally, students can repeat each course only once, if there is a failed first attempt.
2. A maximum of 2.0 failed units, exclusive of those evaluated via WWFC, is permitted.
3. A maximum of 1.0 SCI unit is permitted.

Notes

1. Alternative program or Mathematics elective units may be substituted with permission from the academic advisor.
2. AVIA 101, AVIA 102, AVIA 203, AVIA 204, AVIA 205, AVIA 306, AVIA 307, and AVIA 408 are the Professional Pilot Program flight training courses offered by and assessed through the WWFC. All other AVIA courses are offered and assessed by Waterloo.
3. Students who are no longer enrolled in Honours Science and Aviation may transfer into any other Science major for which they are qualified; however, the AVIA flight training courses (AVIA 101, AVIA 102, AVIA 203, AVIA 204, AVIA 205, AVIA 306, AVIA 307, and AVIA 408) will not be eligible for transfer.
4. AVIA flight training courses with IP (in progress) grades must be completed within one year of start of the course or a grade of NCR (no credit) will replace the IP. The student will need to enrol in the course again to attempt to earn the credit.

Recommended Course Sequence

See regular plan.