Biology Counselling for Undergraduate programmes
Who are the Biology Counsellors? How may I contact them?
Two people do the majority of the undergraduate counselling for Biology. During the very busy times (Add/Drop; ‘Intent to Register’) other Faculty members are available for counselling
 |
Biology Counsellor Room 105E Biotron Since Dr. Gardiner also teaches, his office hours vary. Please e-mail or call for an appointment, or drop in during posted office hours. |
 |
Assistant Biology Counsellor Room 301A NCB. Please e-mail or call for an appointment, or drop in during posted office hours. |
What is the role of the Biology counsellors?
You would consult with one of the counsellors for the following:
Information on programs available within both the ‘Old Program’ and through the ‘New Academic Choices’
Guidance on which courses to take within Biology and related departments associated with the programs and modules to achieve your academic goals.
Help with course selection if you are currently repeating a course to meet Biology admission requirements. Until you meet these criteria you are officially in a ‘B.A.Undeclared’ program and are counseled by the Counsellors in the Dean’s office, but we can make suggestions about Biology courses you might be allowed to take concurrently with the repeated course.
Adding / dropping courses; switching lab or tutorial sections etc. Please bear in mind that this is not always possible – there are often class size constraints we cannot over-ride.
Asking for ‘Special Permission’. Under some circumstances, the counselors, in consultation with the person teaching a particular course, are able to allow you into a course for which you do not meet all the criteria.
Course equivalencies
We also evaluate courses either already taken, or to be taken, at another university for equivalency to those courses offered by Western.
If you are transferring from another university, the transcript is initially scrutinized by the Registrar. It is then forwarded to the office of the Dean of Science and course descriptions sent to departments for evaluation.
If you wish to do a course elsewhere on a Letter of permission, this is initially done through the Office of the Dean of science and you would then bring us the form and the course description of the course you are planning, for our evaluation.
