Chemical & Physical Sciences Gateway

McMaster University

Chemistry: blue ink subject illustration

3 / 4 years
Duration (years)
3-year B.Sc. or 4-year Honours B.Sc.
McMaster Science degree lengths, progression and co-op options
Co-op details
Work experience
Paid co-op is optional in eligible Level II degrees. Apply for the co-op stream separately. Work schedules depend on the degree.
McMaster Science degree lengths, progression and co-op options
~Mid-80s
Entering average
Published approximate guidance: Mid-80s. Fall 2027 entry. Ontario high-school applicants
McMaster Fall 2027 Chemical & Physical Sciences Ontario admission selector

Deadlines

November 2026

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Next deadlineThursday, November 19, 2026

OUAC. Ontario high schools report midterm/final 4U/M grades
2027 entry
School deadline, not a student task. Universities receive these grades by November 26. Verbatim: "Deadline for the OUAC to receive all midterm or final grades available for 4U/M courses from Ontario high schools. Schools may report in-progress grades for full-year courses as soon as they are available." Universities receive these by the target date of November 26, 2026. This is a deadline on the high school, not on the student, but it governs which grades a university sees in the first round.
Official deadline

Other deadline details

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by programOUAC Undergraduate application, applicants who are not Ontario high school students (Group B)2026 entry

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by program
No single OUAC deadline
University, program, transcript, portfolio, interview, and audition dates still apply

Full source wording

Verbatim: "There is no specific Undergraduate application deadline if you are a Group B applicant. Deadlines vary at each university and sometimes depend on the program. Visit the university websites or contact the universities directly for their deadlines. If you are interested in a program but the deadline has passed, you may contact the university's admission office for help. Be aware of university-specific deadlines for submitting transcripts and portfolios, if required, and for arranging interviews and auditions. You must ensure the OUAC has enough time to process your choices before the universities' program deadlines." OUAC defines Group B as anyone who does not meet the Group A criteria, e.g. not currently taking an Ontario high school course, a Canadian outside Ontario, an international applicant, a postsecondary transfer student, or a mature applicant.

SourceChecked Aug 14, 2026

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites

ENG4UEnglish
MHF4UAdvanced Functions
MCV4UCalculus and Vectors
SCH4UChemistry
SPH4UPhysics

Ontario Secondary School Diploma and six Grade 12 U or M courses, including the prerequisites.

Application steps

Entry terms · Fall

September 2027 first-year entry through OUAC code MPS.

Step 1Check the admission requirements
- Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
McMaster Fall 2027 Chemical & Physical Sciences Ontario admission selectorMcMaster Fall 2027 Chemical & Physical Sciences Ontario admission selector
Step 2Apply through OUAC
- Create your application and select this program.
OUACOUAC
Step 3Academic documents for your applicant category
- Canadian high school applicants outside Ontario upload the requested records to the Applicant Portal. Uploaded records can support initial review; accepted conditional offers require final official transcripts. Current Ontario high school applicants follow the separate instructions rather than sending unrequested records.
McMaster transcripts and documentsMcMaster transcripts and documents
Step 4English test results, if required
- When English proficiency evidence is required, IELTS, TOEFL and other accepted test results must come directly from the testing centre.
McMaster direct submission of language resultsMcMaster direct submission of language results
Step 5Apply through OUAC using MPS.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Fall 2027 Chemical & Physical Sciences Ontario admission selectorMcMaster Fall 2027 Chemical & Physical Sciences Ontario admission selector
Step 6Check your McMaster applicant portal. Upload supporting documents if requested. McMaster receives current Ontario high-school grades from OUAC.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Fall 2027 Chemical & Physical Sciences Ontario admission selectorMcMaster Fall 2027 Chemical & Physical Sciences Ontario admission selector

Degree requirements

Credits and degree requirements

The gateway is one academic year. The recommended Level I workload is 30 units.
Honours B.Sc. degrees normally require 120 units over four years. The faculty also lists 90-unit B.Sc. options.

References

Required courses and electives

The recommended plan includes 12 units of chemistry or physics, six calculus units, six units from the Science I list, and six electives.

References

Grades and academic standing

Honours Chemistry Level II requires a 5.0 first-year GPA plus specific chemistry, physics and mathematics courses. CHEM 1A03 and 1AA3 must average at least 6.0.

References

Program facts

Entering average~Mid-80s

Ontario high-school applicants

Co-opCo-op details

Paid co-op is optional in eligible Level II degrees. Apply for the co-op stream separately. Work schedules depend on the degree.

Check work experience options

Majors & specializations

Examples of related Level II degrees. Choose a degree after first year. Each has its own prerequisites and selection rules.

Chemical and Physical Sciences

B.Sc. / B.Sc. (Honours)

A three-year BSc providing broad study in chemistry or physics.

Published requirements Published courses

Courses

First-year sample and route-specific planning. Course combinations vary by the intended Level II degree.

Level I · Example courses8 listed

The Faculty of Science planner shows these eight courses plus six elective units as one example. Select chemistry, physics, calculus and electives for your intended Level II degrees.

CHEM 1A03Introductory Chemistry I3 units
Learn bonding, structure, reactions and the energetics of phase changes in lectures and labs.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar, CHEM 1A03
CHEM 1AA3Introductory Chemistry II3 units
Study organic chemistry, reaction rates and acid-base equilibria in lectures and labs.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar, CHEM 1AA3
PHYSICS 1C03Physics for the Chemical and Physical Sciences3 units
Model motion, forces, energy and momentum with mathematics and experiments.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar, PHYSICS 1C03
PHYSICS 1CC3Modern Physics for the Chemical and Physical Sciences3 units
Study waves and modern physics with mathematical models and laboratory work.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar, PHYSICS 1CC3
MATH 1A03Calculus for Science I3 units
Use limits, derivatives and introductory integration in science problems.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar, MATH 1A03
MATH 1AA3Calculus for Science II3 units
Extend integration and study applications of calculus.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar, MATH 1AA3
ASTRON 1F03Introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics3 units
Study astronomical observations, stars, galaxies and the universe.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar, ASTRON 1F03
MEDPHYS 1A03Physics in Medicine and Biology3 units
Explore applications of physics to living systems and medicine.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar, MEDPHYS 1A03

Elective choices

Use first-year electives to prepare for the Level II programs you intend to rank. Later course and elective requirements depend on the degree.

References

Careers

Career sectors

Astrophysics
Biophysics
Data science and information technology
Medical physics
Nuclear industry
Space industry
Medicinal chemistry
Advanced materials
Nanotechnology
Radiochemistry
Bioanalytical chemistry
Environmental chemistry
Green chemistry
Biotechnology
Forensic science
Computational chemistry

Career sectors

Scope and qualifications

Career areas McMaster attributes to graduates who started in this gateway. Outcomes depend on the later degree. The program page does not provide an employment rate or a list of employers.