Integrated Sciences

University of British Columbia

Canada, Vancouver

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University of British Columbia

Canada , Vancouver

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Application Fee

CAD 125

Campuses

Vancouver

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake Deadlines15-May-2023

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

CAD 46,296 / year

Next Intake 15-May-2023

Integrated Sciences

About

You can study intense specialization in a single field.

The Integrated Sciences specialization is designed for highly motivated students whose interests in science cross disciplinary boundaries. The specialization allows you to design your own interdisciplinary course of study that better reflects your interests and can help prepare you for additional study in the health sciences, law, journalism, engineering, or business.

Once admitted into the program, you design your upper-level curriculum, which must bridge at least two disciplines within science or beyond. Individual curriculum is supplemented with Integrated Sciences "core"‌ courses (ISCI courses). These courses are highly interactive with a focus on active learning, group discussion, and collaborative research. As an Integrated Sciences student, you'll be assigned an IntSci Faculty Mentor to help you design your individual course of study.

Experiential learning and research

Interdisciplinary core courses are specifically designed to foster integration through self-directed learning and hands-on projects. Classes are small and often team-taught to encourage participation and highlight different perspectives.

You can participate in an eight-day research retreat each May, collaborating in groups of three to four to address an unsolved scientific problem.

The Integrated Sciences Mentoring Program pairs prospective students working on their degree proposal with senior ISCI students with the goal of cultivating a tight-knit ISCI community and helping students applying to the specialization gather feedback on their proposed curriculum.

Create your own degree in science with this highly flexible, highly interactive program that stresses active learning, group discussion, and collaborative research.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4

CHEM 111 - Structure, Bonding, and Equilibrium in Chemistry
Fundamentals of bonding theories, structural chemistry and equilibrium with applications relevant to modern society.
BIOL 155 - Human Biology
The principles of biology with particular reference to the human body (anatomy and physiology).
EOSC 110 - The Solid Earth: A Dynamic Planet
Earth's origin, composition, structure, and natural resources. Plate tectonics as the driving force for volcanism, mountain building, and earthquakes. Imaging Earth's interior. Environmental geoscience and sustainability. (Consult the Credit Exclusion list for the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.)
GEOG 121 - Geography, Environment and Globalization
Human geography of the modern world with particular attention to human-environment relationships, urbanization, and regional growth; trade and communications; environment and war; environmental governance and sustainability.
PHYS 101 - Energy and Waves
Fluids, harmonic oscillator, travelling waves, standing waves, sound, and interference of light waves, including diffraction.

BIOL 200 - Fundamentals of Cell Biology
Structure and function of plant and animal cells; membrane models, cytoplasmic organelles, biological information from gene to protein, the endomembrane system, secretion, intracellular digestion, endocytosis, transport processes, cytoskeleton and cell motility.
BIOC 202 - Introductory Medical Biochemistry
Introduction to proteins and enzymes, carbohydrate metabolism, and glucose homeostasis. The course emphasis is on human biochemistry and it is designed for students going into health science fields.
EOSC 212 - Topics in the Earth and Planetary Sciences
Cutting edge problems in earth, ocean, atmospheric and planetary sciences. Topics will be introduced through discussions of the current literature.
CHEM 213 - Organic Chemistry
Spectroscopy of organic compounds. Mechanistic analysis of chemical reactivity of common functional groups with a focus on carbon-carbon bond formation; functional group interconversion. Preference will be given to students in Chemistry or Biochemistry specializations.
MATH 223 - Linear Algebra
Matrices, eigenvectors, diagonalization, orthogonality, linear systems, applications. Intended for Honours students.

ISCI 344 - Theory and Practice of Games in Economics and Evolution
Exploration of human and animal interactions: integrating evolutionary and economic perspectives to investigate individual and social behaviour.
ISCI 350 - Darwinian Medicine
Using the Darwinian theory of natural selection to explore explanations of infectious diseases, allergies, cancer, mental illness, and other human diseases. Priority to students in the Integrated Sciences Program.
ISCI 300 - Interdisciplinary Seminar
Critical analysis of recent scientific literature that combines disciplines that students are integrating in their Integrated Sciences Curriculum.
ISCI 311 - The Size of Things
Scaling as a general approach to laws governing the geometry, kinematics and dynamics of systems. Dimensional analysis, isometry and allometry applied to topics from Biology, Physics, Earth Science and Economics. Priority to students in the Integrated Sciences Program.
ISCI 361 - Field Course: Systems Approaches to Regional Sustainability
Systems science approaches encompassing geological, hydrological, ecological, atmospheric sciences, and energy systems to investigate a selected region of the world. Course location will vary; fee payable prior to field course.

ISCI 422 - Models in Science
Meaning, nature, use, strengths and limitations of models as investigative tools in all scientific disciplines. Detailed investigation of selected model systems from different scientific disciplines. Priority to students in the Integrated Sciences Program.
ISCI 433 - Ethical Issues in Science
Theoretical and practical consideration of ethics in the practice, reporting, public impact and accountability of science.
ISCI 448 - Directed Studies
Permission of the Director is required.
CHEM 417 - Nuclear Chemistry and Radiochemistry
Basic treatment of the nucleus, with analogy to concepts in chemistry. Nuclear stabilities and associated radioactive decay processes. Nuclear structure. Applications of radioisotopes in chemistry. The interaction of radiation with matter.
MICB 447 - Experimental Molecular Biology
A laboratory course with a choice of independent, supervised research projects. Students develop protocols to carry out investigation of selected molecular biology problems.

Disciplines

Faculty of Science

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Graduation from a university-preparatory program at a senior secondary school: General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi). Certificates must be official. Photocopies are acceptable if certified by school principal, head, or counsellor. Notarized copies are not acceptable.

Career

The flexible, cross-disciplinary nature of the specialization makes a BSc in Integrated Sciences an ideal undergraduate degree for motivated students entering medical, dental, law, journalism, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, or business school, or for those who plan to pursue graduate studies in a variety of other fields.

You'll graduate with strong critical thinking, communication, and research skills, and the ability to work effectively in teams. These skills are highly sought after and are transferable to many workplaces.

Program graduates

PhD candidate in Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical student, University of British Columbia
Associate attorney, Prowse Chowne LLP
Master of Public Health candidate, Johns Hopkins University
Physical therapist, Physioworks
Research assistant, BC Centre on Substance Use

UBC stories

"I quickly surprised myself by realizing that I much rather enjoyed spending my time with feet on solid ground, out in the community learning by doing " something my bookworm, high-school self could never have seen coming."
Aaron Bailey, Integrated Sciences Read the full story

Related programs

- - Name
  - Campus
  - Length
- - Earth and Environmental Sciences
    - Okanagan
    4 years
  - General Science
    - Okanagan
    4 years
  - Integrated Engineering
    - Vancouver
    4 years
  - Mathematical Sciences
    - Vancouver
    4 years
  - Medical Laboratory Science
    - Vancouver
    2 years

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

CAD 46,296

Application Fee

CAD 125

How to Apply

As you complete the online application, keep the following tips in mind:

Start early and take your time. Once you begin the application, you will be able to save it and return to it later – but only up until the deadline. Once you have submitted your application to UBC, you will not be able to edit it. Since the online application can sometimes time out if left open for too long, we recommend working on your personal profile questions outside of the application (where you can run them through a spell-checker) then copy and paste them into your application.
Let the online application guide you. You’ll be asked to provide only the information we need based on your degree choice(s), your previous education, and other factors.
Tell us your full academic history. It’s important to include all of the high schools, colleges, and/or universities you have attended. Don’t leave anything out!
Be accurate. UBC has a number of methods in place to authenticate information provided in the application. These methods include, but are not limited to, contacting references, verifying academic records, and requesting additional documentation to verify your personal profile. If an application is found to contain untrue or incomplete information, UBC may, at its discretion: withdraw an offer of admission; require you to withdraw from UBC; subject you to academic discipline; or share the information provided with other post-secondary institutions, law enforcement agencies, or other third parties.
Use an email address you check frequently. Once you have submitted your application, UBC will communicate with you primarily by email.
Note your UBC student number. Write down your UBC student number somewhere safe. You’ll need it in future correspondence with UBC.