Frequently Asked Questions

Dependent on if the student is interested in the BA or BSc program:

For BA requirements, please check the Admission Requirements.

For BSc requirements, please check the Admission Requirements.

Students can apply for internal transfer into the Bachelor of Arts program in the Faculty of Health Sciences with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 and the following with a minimum grade of C:

• HSCI 130
• HSCI 100 OR BISC 101
• one of HSCI 204, HSCI 207, HSCI 210, HSCI 211, HSCI 212, HSCI 214, HSCI 216, HSCI 230*

Students can apply for internal transfer into the Bachelor of Science program in the Faculty of Health Sciences with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 and the following with a minimum grade of C:

• HSCI 130
• BISC 101 OR BISC 102
• one of HSCI 204, HSCI 207, HSCI 210, HSCI 211, HSCI 212, HSCI 214, HSCI 216, HSCI 230*
• MATH 100 or equivalent. Students with only BC Pre-Calculus 12 require a grade of B or a satisfactory grade on the Calculus Readiness Test

*Recommended

Once you have received final grades for either set of requirements as listed above, contact an FHS Undergraduate Advisor to request an internal transfer review. Ensure you submit your internal transfer request prior to the start of the self-enrollment period (March/July/November).

Click here for deadlines and guidance on deferring your admission to SFU.

Application for a second degree with the Faculty of Health Sciences is a two-step process:

1. Apply for admission to SFU as a degree holder.
2. Once admitted, seek second degree approval directly from an FHS Undergraduate Advisor.

Note that second degree students must meet the university’s English language requirement, and quantitative and analytical skills requirement for admission.

Students can find admissions information about the Faculty of Health Sciences graduate studies here. For more details, visit the FAQ page.

If you are interested in the Master of Public Health (MPH), see details here. For specific MPH questions, please contact fhsgrads@sfu.ca.

If you are interested in the Master of Science (MSc), see details here. If you are interested in the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), see details here. For specific MSc or PhD questions, please contact fhs_programs@sfu.ca.

You can enroll by logging into goSFU with your SFU computing ID and password. Make sure to check your enrollment date to identify when you may begin enrolling in courses. For more instructions, please visit the Student Services – Enrollment page, or watch a video tutorial.

Students declared in an FHS program may enroll in a maximum of 18 units (approximately 6 courses) per term.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Health Sciences are recommended to take the following courses in their first semester:

• HSCI 100-3 Human Biology, AND  
• HSCI 130-4 Foundations of Health Sciences, AND  
• One 100-level HSCI course of your choice, OR SA 101-4 / SA 150-4 Introduction to Anthropology / Introduction to Sociology 

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Health Sciences are recommended to take the following courses in their first semester: 

• HSCI 130-4 Foundations of Health Sciences, AND
• BISC 101-4 General Biology, AND
• CHEM 121-4 General Chemistry and Laboratory I, OR MATH 154-3 Calculus I for the Biological Sciences 

Please connect with an FHS Undergraduate Advisor if you will have transfer credits accepted at SFU for any of the above courses. 

Program planning checklists, and program requirements as per current Academic Calendar, can be found on this page.

If the tutorial is full, you will not be able to enroll in the lecture regardless of the number of spaces that are available. Choose an open tutorial/lab which enables you to secure a seat in the lecture.

Some courses are reserved for HSCI students, and if you are not a declared HSCI student, you might be placed on the waitlist.

Students are responsible for reviewing the term deadline dates to add/drop/swap courses and tutorials.

1. Ensure there is no waitlist in the tutorial/lab.
2. Drop yourself from the waitlist and re-enroll in the course. 
3. If there is no waitlist, you should be able to enroll.  If there is a waitlist, you will be placed on the waitlist. 

Students are recommended to consider the following steps:

1. Plan for alternative course(s) that may satisfy remaining WQB, Minor, and/or Certificate program requirements.
2. Continue monitoring your course(s) of interest for seat availability.
3. Continue monitoring for seat availability in tutorial/lab portions, if required for your course(s) of interest.
4. Await new course/tutorial/lab sections to be released.
5. If you are still on the waitlist during the first week of classes in a new term, contact an FHS Undergraduate Advisor or follow guidance below re: Can I enroll in the course after the first week of classes?

Normal course change period - first day of class to seventh calendar day

• Courses, or tutorial times, may be added, dropped, or changed using the enrollment system without prior approval of the department offering the course.

Extended course change period - eighth calendar day to fourteenth calendar day

• Students must complete an Undergraduate Course Change application for their desired course(s), with a signature from the course instructor(s) only.
• Completed and signed application forms must be submitted to an FHS Undergraduate Advisor by the approving instructor.

Course drop period - fifteenth calendar day to the twenty-first calendar day

• No courses can be added or changed during this period. Under exceptional circumstances that are substantiated by valid documentation, students may complete an Undergraduate Course Change application, with a signature from the course instructor(s) and Undergraduate Chair.
• Completed and signed application forms must be submitted to an FHS Undergraduate Advisor by the approving instructor.

Note: Approved Undergraduate Course Change applications do not guarantee enrollment in a course. Course Change applications that do not meet the corresponding deadlines or recommended process will not be accommodated.

If a HSCI course has available seats or has open waitlist spots, but you do not meet the prerequisite(s) for the course, then you will need to complete an Application for Prerequisite Waiver.

Completed and signed applications must be submitted to the Undergraduate Program Assistant (undergrad_assistant@sfu.ca). Once your approved form has been received, course prerequisite(s) will be waived no earlier than the open enrollment date of the semester.

After the prerequisite(s) have been waived, you will be responsible for enrolling in the class.

Refer to HSCI course outlines to review whether there is a scheduling conflict between course times or exam times. Outlines for courses offered by other departments/faculties can be found in the Academic Calendar.

If a HSCI course time conflicts with the exam time for a course offered by another department/faculty, then follow these steps:

1. Email the instructor of the HSCI course for permission to attend the exam.
2. In your email, provide a link to the course outline indicating the exam time conflict.
3. Ensure you have copied the FHS Undergraduate Advisors and included your most recent advising transcript in the email you send to the instructor of the HSCI course.

Should the instructor of the HSCI course permit your absence to attend the exam in conflict, then you may be enrolled in the HSCI course.

Recommended steps:

1. Put your name on the waitlist for the course(s) you are trying to enroll in.
2. Have an alternative plan of another course(s) you can take that meets the requirements.
3. If the course(s) are mandatory and you have no alternative, speak to an FHS Undergraduate Advisor.

Review our current and future undergraduate course offerings table as a general planning guide. Please note course offerings are tentative and subject to change.

You are not permitted to enroll in a class for a third time without approval from the department in which the course implies (i.e., for a STATS course, you need to speak with the STATS Undergraduate Advisor). To seek permission, contact the specific department advisor. However, you are cautioned that if you must take a class for a third time, you should reconsider whether your academic goal is feasible.

Students can apply for internal transfer into the Bachelor of Arts program in the Faculty of Health Sciences with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 and the following with a minimum grade of C:

• HSCI 130
• HSCI 100 OR BISC 101
• one of HSCI 204, HSCI 207, HSCI 210, HSCI 211, HSCI 212, HSCI 214, HSCI 216, HSCI 230*

Students can apply for internal transfer into the Bachelor of Science program in the Faculty of Health Sciences with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 and the following with a minimum grade of C:

• HSCI 130
• BISC 101 OR BISC 102
• one of HSCI 204, HSCI 207, HSCI 210, HSCI 211, HSCI 212, HSCI 214, HSCI 216, HSCI 230*
• MATH 100 or equivalent. Students with only BC Pre-Calculus 12 require a grade of B or a satisfactory grade on the Calculus Readiness Test

*Recommended

Once you have received final grades for either set of requirements, please contact an FHS Undergraduate Advisor requesting an internal transfer review. Ensure you submit your internal transfer request prior to the start of the self-enrollment period (March/July/November).

Students can change their program once the program requirements for their program of interest are met. Students need to review the program requirements and then speak to the department advisor.

Students are recommended to complete a minimum of 60 units before declaring their concentration in either Life Sciences, or Public Health & Data. Once this is met, please contact an FHS Undergraduate Advisor including your Advising Transcript.

Directed Studies/Directed Research (DS/DR) are for upper division students who would like to do independent studies or research with a faculty member, on a topic of mutual interest. Students considering graduate studies are encouraged to apply for DS/DR.

To apply for DS/DR, students must first identify and invite an appropriate faculty member to serve as their supervisor. Visit the Undergraduate Student Forms page for more details on the DS/DR guidelines and application form.

Note: DS/DR will not be approved in place of a regular HSCI course offering. Upper division students are expected to have completed relevant background courses prior to applying for DS/DR.

The Honours Program provides an opportunity for qualified undergraduate students in Health Sciences to become involved in original research by engaging in a two- or three- semester research project. Honours projects may originate entirely with students, or follow ongoing faculty research programs.

To apply, students must first identify and invite an appropriate faculty member to serve as their supervisor. Visit the Undergraduate Student Forms page for more details on the Honours program application and guidelines.

Note: Prospective Honours students are expected to have completed relevant background courses prior to applying.

Health Sciences (HSCI) Co-op provides students with opportunities to get paid and gain relevant experience in preparation for industry work or graduate school. Students can build their skill set, network with professionals, and expand their career options. For more details, please visit the HSCI Co-op page. 

Recommended academic requirements for Co-op are:

• Minimum CGPA of 2.75
• Commitment to completing 3 work terms
• Minimum 30 units completed prior to first work term 
• Completion of the Co-op Application Form

If you have a CGPA of less than 2.75 and/or have completed 80 units or more, please connect with the HSCI Co-op Coordinator (coophsci@sfu.ca) to discuss your eligibility for the program.

For a step-by-step guide of how to apply, visit the “How do I apply to Co-op?” page.

Visit the Co-op application fee and practicum tuition page for more details.

Students are encouraged to self-assess their graduation progress prior to scheduling an appointment with an FHS Undergraduate Advisor. Self-assessments should be conducted following a requirement term that was determined at time of admission/declaration. Program requirements can be found in the SFU Academic Calendar, or in a program planning checklist on this page.

You can apply for graduation while completing courses in your final term of study. It is not necessary to wait until you have received your grades or have defended your thesis before submitting your application.

• If you apply for graduation during the Fall or Spring term, your convocation ceremony will take place in June.
• If you apply for graduation during the Summer term, your convocation ceremony will take place in October.

Apply for graduation during the final term you are enrolled at SFU following these steps:

1. Log into your student account at goSFU.
2. Click the drop-down menu under Academics.
3. Select Apply for Graduation.
4. Read the instructions, scroll down, and click the Accept button to begin the online application process.
5. After payment has been processed in step 10, return to the application and click the ‘Complete’ button in step 11 to submit the application.
6. To check your graduation application status, to cancel your application, or for any other questions, please refer to the FAQ page.

For a full step-by-step guide, visit the Undergraduate Checklist page.

Please check the Graduation Checklist deadlines for the most up-to-date information.

You may cancel your graduation application up until the first day of classes of the term following your final term of enrollment.

1. Log into goSFU
2. Under the Academics section, use the drop-down menu to select Cancel Graduation Application.
3. Review the credential(s) for which you will be cancelling your graduation application and select Cancel Application. You will be asked to confirm the cancellation. Click OK then Next.
4. The next page confirms your cancellation. Click Complete to finalize your cancellation.

Note: If you do not click Complete, your application will NOT be cancelled. When you have successfully cancelled your application, the graduation fee will be refunded to your account.

Senate will meet to award your credential(s) in early February, May or September, depending on the term in which you submitted your graduation application. After you have been awarded, you will be sent your Senate letter.

You may request a Credential Completion Letter once all final grades from your confirmed final term of study have been posted. To request a Credential Completion letter, contact an FHS Undergraduate Advisor.