Integrated Studies, BS
Introduction
Please click here to see Integrated Studies Major information.
The Integrated Studies, BS provides students with maximum flexibility and multiple pathways through the curriculum, to complete a degree through the combination of two course clusters.
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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.
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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.
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One of the two clusters must be composed of courses from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Economics or Engineering. The cluster may be a minor or certificate in one of the areas mentioned previously. An additional six credits outside the clusters must also be in one of the above-defined areas.
- Students also complete an introductory and capstone course bringing together the learning from their two clusters. The required courses will give students the skills they need to describe the purpose, relevance, rigor, and innovation of their degree to potential employers.
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
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This is both an on-campus and online program.
Declaring This Major
- Click here to go to information about declaring a major.
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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.
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The Integrated Studies course contract must include:
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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.
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- 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.S. Degree are required to complete the following minimum program requirements:
- Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits from approved coursework.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- At least half of all credits in the Integrated Studies, BS must be from CLAS departments.
- 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 from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Statistics, or Economics.
- 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.
- Students can apply credits they earned before declaring the Integrated Studies major.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following program requirements: | 36 | |
| Complete the following required courses: | 6 | |
| Learning Across Disciplines 1 | ||
| Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone 2 | ||
| Complete two course clusters: 3 | 30 | |
Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours from a science-based CLAS minor or certificate 4 | ||
Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours from a second science-based CU Denver minor or certificate, by taking nine credits from one of the following approved Thematic Clusters and a minimum of six credits from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Economics or Engineering, or by designing your own cluster, composed of a minimum of six credits from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Economics or Engineering. 5 | ||
- 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 science-based minors and certificates: Applied Statistics Undergraduate Certificate, Astrophysics Minor, Biochemistry Minor, Biology Minor, Biochemistry Minor, Biophysics Minor, Biotechnology Undergraduate Certificate, Chemistry Minor, Data Sciences Minor, Data Science Undergraduate Certificate, Economics Minor, Environmental Sciences Minor, Health and Development Economics Undergraduate Certificate, Mathematics Minor, Physics Minor.
- 5
Approved CU Denver minors and certificates from other schools and colleges: Computer Science minor, Cybersecurity and Secure Computing certificate, Computer Engineering minor, Electrical Engineering minor.
Age and End of Life Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropology of Death | ||
| Design for Healthful Human Longevity | ||
| Philosophy of Death and Dying | ||
| Lifespan Developmental Psychology for Health Majors | ||
| Aging, Brain and Behavior | ||
| Death and Concepts of Afterlife | ||
| Death & Dying: Social & Medical Perspectives | ||
| Aging, Society and Social Policy | ||
| Sociology of Adulthood and Aging |
Art and Visual Culture Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Communication | ||
| Introduction to Film | ||
| Studies in Film History | ||
| Film Genres | ||
| Global Cinema | ||
| Topics in Film | ||
| Topics in Film: Lit and Film History | ||
| Topics in Film: Gender in Lit and Film | ||
| Topics in Film: Genre and Global Culture | ||
| Film Theory and Criticism | ||
| American Indian Cultural Images | ||
| Fundamentals of Film and Television | ||
| The Culture of Television | ||
| History of Cinematic Arts I | ||
| Drama of Diversity | ||
| Introduction to Art | ||
| Visual Culture: Ways of Seeing | ||
| Art History Survey I | ||
| Art History Survey II | ||
| Sculpture: Contemporary Artists and Concepts | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Through the Lens: Photography and Diversity | ||
| Topics in Art History I: Art Before Modernism | ||
| Topics in Art History II: Modern and Contemporary | ||
| Asian Art After 1850 | ||
| Topics in Art History I: Art Before Modernism | ||
| Topics in Art History II: Modern and Contemporary Art | ||
| Museum Studies | ||
| History of Modern Design:Industrial Revolution-Present | ||
| Pre-Columbian Art | ||
| American Art | ||
| History of Latin American Art:1520-1820 | ||
| Greek and Roman Art | ||
| Art of the Medieval Multiverse | ||
| Italian Renaissance Art | ||
| Northern Renaissance Art | ||
| Baroque and Rococo Art | ||
| Arts of Japan | ||
| Arts of China | ||
| Art of India and Southeast Asia | ||
| Modernist Art | ||
| Gender in Contemporary Art | ||
| Contemporary Art: 1960 to Present | ||
| Topics Seminar in Art History I: Art before Modernism | ||
| Topics Seminar in Art History II: Modern and Contemporary Art | ||
| Introduction to Mapping and Map Analysis | ||
| Studies in Film History | ||
| Western Art and Architecture | ||
| History in Museums |
Biology and Society Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Behavioral Genetics | ||
| Medicine, Health Care, and Justice: Bioethics | ||
| Biological Basis of Behavior | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Hormones and Behavior | ||
| Developmental Neuroscience | ||
| Neuropsychology | ||
| Population Change and Analysis |
Cities, Spaces, and Society Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Architecture | ||
| Architectural History I | ||
| Architectural History II | ||
| Rome: Architecture & Urbanism | ||
| Urban Economics | ||
| Introduction to Urban Education | ||
| Environment, Society and Sustainability | ||
| Urban Studies and Planning | ||
| Geography of Food and Agriculture | ||
| Urban Sustainability and Resiliency: Perspectives and Practice | ||
| Urban Food and Agriculture: Perspectives and Research | ||
| Urban Geography: Denver and the U.S. | ||
| GIS Applications for the Urban Environment | ||
| Urban America | ||
| Social Movements in 20th Century America | ||
| Immigration and Ethnicity in American History | ||
| Rome: City and Empire | ||
| Community Engaged Design Practice | ||
| Food Justice in City & Schools | ||
| Introduction to Music Cities | ||
| The Urban Citizen | ||
| Gentrification and Social Equity | ||
| Denver Politics | ||
| Social Problems and Policies in the Urban Environment | ||
| Urban Sociology | ||
| Crime, Justice, and the City | ||
| Planning the Built Environment |
Drugs and Addiction Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Cannabis Culture | ||
| Psychedelic Anthropology | ||
| Economics of Sex and Drugs | ||
| Drugs, Brain and Behavior | ||
| Drugs, Alcohol & Society |
Food and Nutrition Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Nutritional Chemistry | ||
| You Are What You Eat: Food as Communication | ||
| Geography of Food and Agriculture | ||
| Urban Food and Agriculture: Perspectives and Research | ||
| Sustainable Urban Agriculture Field Study I | ||
| Sustainable Urban Agriculture Field Study II | ||
| Food Justice in City & Schools |
Media Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Media Studies | ||
| Introduction to Strategic Communication | ||
| Media Writing Skills | ||
| Media and Society | ||
| Social Media for Social Change | ||
| Advanced Strategic Communication | ||
| Communication, Media, and Sex | ||
| Visual Communication | ||
| Queer Media Studies | ||
| Principles of Advertising | ||
| Crime and the Media | ||
| Computer Game Design and Programming | ||
| Animation 1: Introduction to Animation and Rigging | ||
| Storytelling: Literature, Film, and Television | ||
| Introduction to Film | ||
| Film Genres | ||
| Digital Writing and Storytelling | ||
| Writing for Print Media | ||
| Advanced Topics in Writing, Rhetoric, & Linguistics | ||
| Film Theory and Criticism | ||
| Technology and Culture | ||
| International Dimensions of Technology and Culture | ||
| American Indian Cultural Images | ||
| Global Media | ||
| Interactive Media | ||
| Critical Digital Literacies | ||
| Learning with Digital Stories | ||
| Technology In Business | ||
| Philosophy of Media and Technology | ||
| Media and Politics | ||
| Gender, Sexuality and Race in American Popular Culture |
Organizations and Leadership Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Business Law and Ethics | ||
| Workplace Communication | ||
| Introduction to Strategic Communication | ||
| Theories of Leadership | ||
| Organizational Communication | ||
| Negotiations and Bargaining | ||
| Communication and Conflict | ||
| Industrial Organization | ||
| Technical Writing | ||
| Business Writing | ||
| Leadership for New and Innovative Ventures | ||
| Cultural Diversity Awareness in the Workplace | ||
| Leadership and Organizations | ||
| Managing Individuals and Teams | ||
| Managing People for a Competitive Advantage | ||
| Organization Design | ||
| Business, Society, and Moral Responsibility | ||
| Industrial and Organizational Psychology | ||
| Why We Care About Government, Nonprofits, and the Public Good | ||
| Management for Public Service | ||
| Organizational and Strategic Management | ||
| Introduction to Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Managing Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Collaboration Across Sectors | ||
| Human Resources and Ethics in Public Service | ||
| Leading and Engaging for the Public Good | ||
| Human Service Organizations |
Policy and Security Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Communication, China, and the US | ||
| Rhetoric of Global Food Policy | ||
| Political Communication | ||
| Dynamics of Global Communication | ||
| Homeland Security | ||
| Environment, Society and Sustainability | ||
| Anthropocene Futures | ||
| Science, Policy and the Environment | ||
| The World at War, 1914-1945 | ||
| Immigration and Ethnicity in American History | ||
| Globalization in World History Since 1945 | ||
| U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1912 | ||
| The 1950s: Korean War, the Cold War and Social Transformation | ||
| The Vietnam War | ||
| Weapons of Mass Destruction | ||
| War and Morality | ||
| Indigenous Politics | ||
| International Politics: Human Rights | ||
| American National Security | ||
| International Security | ||
| The Politics of War Law | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Global Ecological Crises | ||
| Immigration Politics | ||
| Political Violence | ||
| Public Service in Emergency Management and Homeland Security |
Sexuality Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Human Reproductive Biology | ||
| Communication, Media, and Sex | ||
| Queer Media Studies | ||
| Economics of Sex and Drugs | ||
| Survey of Feminist Thought | ||
| Contemporary Feminist Thought | ||
| Whores and Saints: Medieval Women | ||
| Women of Color Feminisms | ||
| Women & Gender in US History | ||
| Sex and Gender in Modern Britain | ||
| History of Sexuality | ||
| Gender, Science, and Medicine: 1600 to the Present | ||
| Human Sexuality and Public Health | ||
| Global Topics In Sexual and Reproductive Health | ||
| The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic | ||
| Ideology and Culture: Racism and Sexism | ||
| Feminist Philosophy | ||
| Philosophy of Eros | ||
| Women's Rights, Human Rights: Global Perspectives | ||
| Gender and Politics | ||
| Women and the Law | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Hormones and Behavior | ||
| Psychology of Women | ||
| Deviance and Social Control | ||
| Sociology of Human Sexuality | ||
| Sex and Gender | ||
| Social Meanings of Reproduction | ||
| Gender, Sexuality and Race in American Popular Culture |
Violence and Conflict Cluster
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| The World at War, 1914-1945 | ||
| Age of Revolution | ||
| Europe During the World Wars | ||
| The Atlantic Slave Trade: Africa, Caribbean and U.S. | ||
| Civil War and Reconstruction | ||
| U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1912 | ||
| Social Revolutions in Latin America | ||
| The Age of Imperialism | ||
| The Second World War | ||
| The Vietnam War | ||
| Weapons of Mass Destruction | ||
| War and Morality | ||
| Punishment and Social Justice | ||
| Conflicts and Rights in International Law | ||
| The Politics of War Law | ||
| International Relations: War or Peace? | ||
| Political Violence | ||
| War, Film, and International Law | ||
| Hate Groups and Group Violence | ||
| 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.