Introduction

Please click here to see Integrated Studies Major information.

The Integrated Studies, BA provides students with maximum flexibility and multiple pathways through the curriculum, to complete a degree through the combination of two course clusters.

One cluster must be based on a CLAS minor or certificate in the CU Denver catalog. The cluster must be at least 15 credits, and students can add additional courses (up to 21 credits total in one discipline) to either meet this 15-credit minimum or fulfill the minor or certificate’s requirements if they exceed 15 credits.

• The second cluster must also be at least 15 credits. This cluster is more flexible and can be constructed in one of three ways:

  1) it can be based on a minor or certificate in the catalog (within CLAS or another school or college)

  2) it can be constructed by the student using a group of courses from a variety of disciplines that form a coherent body of knowledge (an interdisciplinary cluster)

  3) it can be based on a pre-formed thematic cluster with an already-approved group of classes.

• Students also complete an introductory and capstone course bringing together the learning from their two clusters.

This degree is also designed to help students integrate previously completed coursework to design a novel major. It is especially helpful for students who have switched majors, colleges or institutions, and are looking for a meaningful way to complete their degree.

These degree requirements are subject to periodic revision by the academic department, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reserves the right to make exceptions and substitutions as judged necessary in individual cases. Therefore, the College strongly urges students to consult regularly with their major advisor and CLAS advisor to confirm the best plans of study before finalizing them.

Program Delivery

• This is both an on-campus and online program.

Declaring This Major

• Click here to go to information about declaring a major.

• Students are required to submit a program plan that includes a course contract and a proposal, if they plan to use any constructed clusters. Copies of completed Integrated Studies course contracts must be filed with the Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor and with the student's CLAS Academic Advisor.

• The Integrated Studies course contract must include:

  • A list of the courses in your chosen clusters as well as potential alternate courses. You should work closely with the Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor and faculty advisors in your chosen clusters to create your course contract.

  • Signatures from your Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor, from any faculty advisors from minors used in your contract, and from your CLAS Academic Advisor

• ​The Integrated Studies constructed cluster proposal form must include:
  • a title for the cluster.
  • a list of proposed courses (including alternates).
  • a one-paragraph explanation of how the cluster constitutes a coherent body of knowledge.
  • approval from your Faculty Advisor.

General Requirements

To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.

• CU Denver General Graduation Requirements
• CU Denver Core Curriculum
• College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Graduation Requirements
• Click here for information about Academic Policies

Program Requirements

Students are responsible for meeting with the major/faculty advisor in the program to confirm major requirements. In addition to completing all CU Denver Core and CLAS requirements, students completing the Integrated Studies B.A. Degree are required to complete the following minimum program requirements:

1. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits from approved coursework.
2. Students must complete a minimum of 18 upper division (3000 level and above) credit hours including a minimum of six upper division level credit hours in each cluster and six upper division hours in the required courses.
3. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the major and must achieve a minimum cumulative major GPA of 2.0. Courses taken using P+/P/F or S/U grading cannot apply to major requirements.
4. A minimum of 18 credits in the major, including six credits in each course cluster, in addition to IDMA 3100 Learning Across Disciplines and IDMA 4900 Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone must be completed with CU Denver faculty. 

Program Restrictions, Allowances and Recommendations

1. At least half of all credits in the Integrated Studies option must be from CLAS departments.
2. Each course cluster in the major option must consist of at least 15 credit hours and one cluster must be based on a CLAS minor or certificate in the CU Denver catalog.
3. If students choose to use minors or certificates to form clusters for their major, they will earn those credentials in addition to the major, as long as they have completed all of the requirements for the minor or certificate and are certified by the designated faculty advisor.
4. Students can apply credits they earned before declaring the Integrated Studies major.
5. Students must submit a course contract which includes a list of all the courses they have already taken or intend to take for the major. The Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor must approve the contract to confirm that it meets the requirements of any minors, certificates, or constructed clusters used for the major.
6. Once the Integrated Studies option course contract is filed, any changes to coursework must be resubmitted to the Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor for approval and then approved by the student's CLAS Academic Advisor.
7. Students may petition the Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor to fulfill their introduction and capstone outside of  IDMA 3100 Learning Across Disciplines and IDMA 4900 Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone.

Roles and Responsibilities

Student

• Creates the Integrated Studies course contract and constructed cluster proposal in collaboration with the Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor
• Meets regularly with Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor to assess progress through their degree
• Fulfills requirements of Integrated Studies course contract

Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor​

• Approves Integrated Studies course contract
• Approves student proposals for constructed clusters
• Meets with Integrated Studies advisees to monitor progress
• Maintains records of Integrated Studies applications
• Oversees advisees’ capstone projects
• Certifies graduation

Other Faculty Advisors

• Approve minor and certificate requirements included within the course contract
• Helps with capstone projects when needed

CLAS Academic Advisor

• Reviews overall course contract
• Maintains records of Integrated Studies contracts

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete the following program requirements:
Complete the following required courses:		6
IDMA 3100	Learning Across Disciplines 1
IDMA 4900	Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone 2
Complete two course clusters: 3		30
Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours from any CLAS minor or certificate. 4
Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours from a second CU Denver minor or certificate, from one of the following approved Thematic Clusters, or by designing your own cluster. 5
Aging and End of Life Cluster
Art and Visual Culture Cluster
Biology and Society Cluster
Cities, Spaces, and Society Cluster
Drugs and Addiction Cluster
Food and Nutrition Cluster
Media Cluster
Organizations and Leadership Cluster
Policy and Security Cluster
Sexuality Cluster
Violence and Conflict Cluster
Total Hours		36

¹

Should be taken early in the academic career (i.e. sophomore year.)

²

Should be taken toward then end of the academic career (i.e. senior year.)

³

Each cluster must consist of at least 15 credit hours. Students can add additional courses (up to 21 credits total in one discipline) to either meet this 15 credit minimum or fulfill the minor or certificate’s requirements if they exceed 15 credits. Students should consult regularly with their Integrated Studies Faculty Advisor to learn about new minors and certificates that may apply.

⁴

Approved CLAS minors and certificates: African American Studies Undergraduate Certificate, American Indian Studies Undergraduate Certificate, Anthropology Minor, Applied Statistics Undergraduate Certificate, Astrophysics Minor, Behavioral Cognitive Neuroscience Minor, Biochemistry Minor, Biology Minor, Biophysics Minor, Biotechnology Undergraduate Certificate, Chemistry Minor, Chinese Studies Minor, Civics, Public Policy and Equity Undergraduate Certificate, Communication Minor, Community Health and Medicine Undergraduate Certificate, Creative Writing Minor, Criminology Undergraduate Certificate, Cultural Diversity Studies Undergraduate Certificate, Data Sciences Minor, Data Science Undergraduate Certificate, Digital Studies Undergraduate Certificate, Economics Minor, English Writing, Rhetoric, and Technology Minor, Environmental Sciences Minor, Environmental Stewardship of Indigenous Lands Undergraduate Certificate, Ethics Minor, Ethnic Studies Minor, Families and Social Welfare Undergraduate Certificate, Film Studies Minor, Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial Applications Undergraduate Certificate, French Minor, Geography Minor, Geographic Information Science Undergraduate Certificate, Global and Intercultural Communication Undergraduate Certificate, Health Communication Undergraduate Certificate, Health and Development Economics Undergraduate Certificate, Health Humanities Minor, History Minor, Humanities Minor, Immigration Studies Undergraduate Certificate, International Studies Minor, Labor Leadership Undergraduate Certificate, Latinx Studies Undergraduate Certificate, Law Studies Minor, Linguistics Minor, Literature Minor, Mathematics Minor, Mediation Undergraduate Certificate, Middle Eastern Politics Undergraduate Certificate, Philosophy Minor, Philosophy of Science Minor, Physics Minor, Political Science Minor, Professional Skills Undergraduate Certificate, Psychology Minor, Public Health Demography Minor, Public Health Minor, Public, Non-Profit and Community Leadership Undergraduate Certificate, Religious Studies Minor, Social Justice Minor, Sociology Minor, Spanish Minor, Spanish for the Health Professions Undergraduate Certificate, Spanish for International Business Undergraduate Certificate, Strategic Communication Undergraduate Certificate, Sustainability Minor, Sustainable Urban Agriculture Undergraduate Certificate, Teaching English Language Learners Undergraduate Certificate, Technical and Professional Writing Undergraduate Certificate, Urban and Regional Planning Minor, Women's and Gender Studies Minor

⁵

Students may choose a minor or certificate from any school or college. 

Age and End of Life Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ANTH 3666	Anthropology of Death
IWKS 4520	Design for Healthful Human Longevity
PHIL 3550	Philosophy of Death and Dying
PSYC 2205	Lifespan Developmental Psychology for Health Majors
PSYC 3822	Aging, Brain and Behavior
RLST 4460	Death and Concepts of Afterlife
SOCY 3570	Death & Dying: Social & Medical Perspectives
SOCY 4650	Sociology of Adulthood and Aging

 Art and Visual Culture Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
COMM 4621	Visual Communication
ENGL 2250	Introduction to Film
ENGL 3070	Studies in Film History
ENGL 3075	Film Genres
ENGL 3080	Global Cinema
ENGL 3300	Topics in Film
ENGL 3301	Topics in Film: Lit and Film History
ENGL 3302	Topics in Film: Gender in Lit and Film
ENGL 3303	Topics in Film: Genre and Global Culture
ENGL 4420	Film Theory and Criticism
ETST 3036	American Indian Cultural Images
FITV 1001	Fundamentals of Film and Television
FITV 1200	The Culture of Television
FITV 3200	History of Cinematic Arts I
FITV 3611	Drama of Diversity
FINE 1001	Introduction to Art
FINE 1450	Visual Culture: Ways of Seeing
FINE 2600	Art History Survey I
FINE 2610	Art History Survey II
FINE 3520	Sculpture: Contemporary Artists and Concepts
FINE 3630	History of Photography
FINE 3636	Through the Lens: Photography and Diversity
FINE 3640	Topics in Art History I: Art Before Modernism
FINE 3644	Topics in Art History II: Modern and Contemporary
FINE 3775	Asian Art After 1850
FINE 4523	Topics in Art History I: Art Before Modernism
FINE 4524	Topics in Art History II: Modern and Contemporary Art
FINE 4525	Museum Studies
FINE 4600	History of Modern Design:Industrial Revolution-Present
FINE 4610	Pre-Columbian Art
FINE 4620	American Art
FINE 4630	History of Latin American Art:1520-1820
FINE 4670	Greek and Roman Art
FINE 4680	Art of the Medieval Multiverse
FINE 4700	Italian Renaissance Art
FINE 4705	Northern Renaissance Art
FINE 4710	Baroque and Rococo Art
FINE 4730	Arts of Japan
FINE 4750	Arts of China
FINE 4770	Art of India and Southeast Asia
FINE 4970	Modernist Art
FINE 4980	Gender in Contemporary Art
FINE 4990	Contemporary Art: 1960 to Present
FINE 4993	Topics Seminar in Art History I: Art before Modernism
FINE 4994	Topics Seminar in Art History II: Modern and Contemporary Art
GEOG 2080	The Power of Maps: Introduction to Geospatial Sciences
HIST 3070	Studies in Film History
HIST 4228	Western Art and Architecture
HIST 4231	History in Museums

Biology and Society Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ANTH 4600	Medical Anthropology
BIOL 3104	Behavioral Genetics
PHIL 4242	Medicine, Health Care, and Justice: Bioethics
PSYC 2220	Biological Basis of Behavior
PSYC 3262	Health Psychology
PSYC 3263	Hormones and Behavior
PSYC 3724	Developmental Neuroscience
PSYC 3810	Neuropsychology
SOCY 4220	Population Change and Analysis

Cities, Spaces, and Society Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ARCH 1110	Introduction to Architecture
ARCH 2230	Architectural History I
ARCH 3230	Architectural History II
ARCH 3693	Rome: Architecture & Urbanism
ECON 4318	Urban Economics
EDHD 1019	Introduction to Urban Education
ENVS 1342	Environment, Society and Sustainability
GEOG 1602	Urban Studies and Planning
GEOG 3401	Geography of Food and Agriculture
GEOG 4680	Urban Sustainability and Resiliency: Perspectives and Practice
GEOG 4450	Urban Food and Agriculture: Perspectives and Research
GEOG 4640	Urban Geography: Denver and the U.S.
GEOG 4085	GIS Applications for the Urban Environment
HIST 4225	Urban America
HIST 3349	Social Movements in 20th Century America
HIST 3345	Immigration and Ethnicity in American History
HIST 3482	Rome: City and Empire
LDAR 4435	Community Engaged Design Practice
LDFS 4000	Food Justice in City & Schools
MUSC 3730	Introduction to Music Cities
PSCI 3914	The Urban Citizen
PSCI 4075	Gentrification and Social Equity
PSCI 4124	Denver Politics
PUAD 4628	Social Problems and Policies in the Urban Environment
SOCY 3001	Urban Sociology
SOCY 4590	Crime, Justice, and the City
URPL 3000	Planning the Built Environment

Drugs and Addiction Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ANTH 3045	Cannabis Culture
ANTH/PBHL 4090	Psychedelic Anthropology
ECON 3400	Economics of Sex and Drugs
PSYC 3265	Drugs, Brain and Behavior
SOCY 3040	Drugs, Alcohol & Society

Food and Nutrition Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
CHEM 2300	Nutritional Chemistry
COMM 4601	You Are What You Eat: Food as Communication
GEOG 3401	Geography of Food and Agriculture
GEOG 4450	Urban Food and Agriculture: Perspectives and Research
GEOG 4460	Sustainable Urban Agriculture Field Study I
LDFS 4000	Food Justice in City & Schools

Media Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
COMM 1021	Introduction to Media Studies
COMM 2051	Introduction to Strategic Communication
COMM 3072	Media Writing Skills
COMM 3650	Media and Society
COMM 3660	Social Media for Social Change
COMM 4051	Advanced Strategic Communication
COMM 4610	Communication, Media, and Sex
COMM 4621	Visual Communication
COMM 4660	Queer Media Studies
COMM 4665	Principles of Advertising
CRJU 3251	Crime and the Media
CSCI 4920	Computer Game Design and Programming
DACD 3820	Animation 1: Introduction to Animation and Rigging
ENGL 1601	Storytelling: Literature, Film, and Television
ENGL 2250	Introduction to Film
ENGL 3075	Film Genres
ENGL 3084	Digital Writing and Storytelling
ENGL 3106	Writing for Print Media
ENGL 4190	Advanced Topics in Writing, Rhetoric, & Linguistics
ENGL 4420	Film Theory and Criticism
ENGR 3400	Technology and Culture
ENGR 3600	International Dimensions of Technology and Culture
ETST 3036	American Indian Cultural Images
ETST 3272	Global Media
FINE 3424	Interactive Media
INTE 4300	Critical Digital Literacies
INTE 4340	Learning with Digital Stories
ISMG 3000	Technology In Business
PHIL 4920	Philosophy of Media and Technology
PSCI 4014	Media and Politics
WGST 3020	Gender, Sexuality and Race in American Popular Culture

Organizations and Leadership Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
BLAW 3050	Business Law and Ethics
COMM 2045	Workplace Communication
COMM 2051	Introduction to Strategic Communication
COMM 4111	Theories of Leadership
COMM 4240	Organizational Communication
COMM 4255	Negotiations and Bargaining
COMM 4260	Communication and Conflict
ECON 4740	Industrial Organization
ENGL 3154	Technical Writing
ENGL 3170	Business Writing
ENTP 3210	Leadership for New and Innovative Ventures
ETST 4165	Cultural Diversity Awareness in the Workplace
HDFR 4003	Leadership and Organizations
MGMT 3000	Managing Individuals and Teams
MGMT 3010	Managing People for a Competitive Advantage
MGMT 4370	Organization Design
PHIL 3250	Business, Society, and Moral Responsibility
PSYC 3145	Industrial and Organizational Psychology
PUAD 1001	Why We Care About Government, Nonprofits, and the Public Good
PUAD 2001
PUAD 3002	Organizational and Strategic Management
PUAD 3003	Introduction to Nonprofit Organizations
PUAD 3004
PUAD 3005	Collaboration Across Sectors
PUAD 4000
PUAD 4002	Leading and Engaging for the Public Good
PUAD 4009	Human Service Organizations

Policy and Security Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
COMM 4430	Communication, China, and the US
COMM 4611	Rhetoric of Global Food Policy
COMM 4682	Political Communication
COMM 4720	Dynamics of Global Communication
CRJU 4450	Homeland Security
ENVS 1342	Environment, Society and Sustainability
GEOG 4440	Science, Policy and the Environment
HIST 3121	The World at War, 1914-1945
HIST 3345	Immigration and Ethnicity in American History
HIST 4032	Globalization in World History Since 1945
HIST 4220	U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1912
HIST 4472	The 1950s: Korean War, the Cold War and Social Transformation
HIST 4475	The Vietnam War
HIST 4490	Weapons of Mass Destruction
PHIL 3280	War and Morality
PSCI 4146	Indigenous Politics
PSCI 4216	International Politics: Human Rights
PSCI 4237	American National Security
PSCI 4240	International Security
PSCI 4280	The Politics of War Law
PSCI 4354	Environmental Politics
PSCI 4365	Global Ecological Crises
PSCI 4545	Immigration Politics
PSCI 4807	Political Violence
PUAD 4010	Public Service in Emergency Management and Homeland Security

Sexuality Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
BIOL 3074	Human Reproductive Biology
COMM 4610	Communication, Media, and Sex
COMM 4660	Queer Media Studies
ECON 3400	Economics of Sex and Drugs
ENGL 4306	Survey of Feminist Thought
ENGL 4308	Contemporary Feminist Thought
ENGL 4510	Whores and Saints: Medieval Women
ETST 4305	Women of Color Feminisms
HIST 3343	Women & Gender in US History
HIST 4303	Sex and Gender in Modern Britain
HIST 4307	History of Sexuality
HIST 4345	Gender, Science, and Medicine: 1600 to the Present
PBHL 3010	Human Sexuality and Public Health
PBHL 3071	Global Topics In Sexual and Reproductive Health
PBHL 4200	The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic
PHIL 3500	Ideology and Culture: Racism and Sexism
PHIL 4500	Feminist Philosophy
PHIL 4933	Philosophy of Eros
PSCI 4215	Women's Rights, Human Rights: Global Perspectives
PSCI 4564	Gender and Politics
PSCI 4827	Women and the Law
PSYC 3235	Human Sexuality
PSYC 3263	Hormones and Behavior
PSYC 3611	Psychology of Women
SOCY 2440	Deviance and Social Control
SOCY 3010	Sociology of Human Sexuality
SOCY 3080	Sex and Gender
SOCY 4270	Social Meanings of Reproduction
WGST 3020	Gender, Sexuality and Race in American Popular Culture

Violence and Conflict Cluster

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HIST 3121	The World at War, 1914-1945
HIST 3706	Age of Revolution
HIST 4030	Europe During the World Wars
HIST 4055	The Atlantic Slave Trade: Africa, Caribbean and U.S.
HIST 4212	Civil War and Reconstruction
HIST 4220	U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1912
HIST 4415	Social Revolutions in Latin America
HIST 4416	The Age of Imperialism
HIST 4471	The Second World War
HIST 4475	The Vietnam War
HIST 4490	Weapons of Mass Destruction
PHIL 3280	War and Morality
PHIL 4450	Punishment and Social Justice
PSCI 4276	Conflicts and Rights in International Law
PSCI 4280	The Politics of War Law
PSCI 4286	International Relations: War or Peace?
PSCI 4807	Political Violence
PSCI 4878	War, Film, and International Law
SOCY 4460	Hate Groups and Group Violence
SPAN 4360	Women and the Spanish Civil War

To learn more about the Student Learning Outcomes for this program, please visit our website.

To review the Degree Map for this program, please visit our website.