Coordinator:
Karen Dempsey (Centre for Life-Long Learning)
The Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS) program is a 90 semester hour (30 course) degree designed to accommodate the personal, educational, and career goals of adult students, most of whom already possess diverse learning and who study part-time.
The structure is flexible while ensuring that students receive both depth and breadth of knowledge within their studies. The student achieves depth through choosing a concentration of at least 8 courses in an area of interest. Breadth comes through the completion of a required and recommended core of basic courses ranging from literature and communication skills to philosophy and leadership, and by pursuing a diversity of offerings to satisfy personal intellectual curiosity. This degree is suitable to learners who do not anticipate directly pursuing second undergraduate degrees or graduate studies.
Degree Requirements
The program requires completion of 90 semester hours of course work.
Area of Concentration (24 semester hours)
Students must complete an area of concentration totalling 8 courses or 24 semester hours. Two of these courses must be at the 300 or 400 level. A further 8 courses at the senior (300 and 400) level are required for graduation. Not more than 12 courses or 36 semester hours can be at the Introductory (100) level. Several additional courses are recommended, depending on individual learning plans. At least 30 semester hours must be at the 300 level or above, with a grade of 65% in at least 7 of the 10 courses completed at the senior level.
Required courses (12 semester hours)
A number of courses are identified as forming the foundation of a university career. These are recommended rather than required to allow flexibility in devising learning plans with students. Academic advisors give priority to these courses.
Strongly recommended (9 semester hours)
Recommended
Electives
Students are required to explain and reflect on their course choices when they establish their learning plan. However, the need to ensure coherence in study should not restrict students from intellectual exploration or from addressing conspicuous gaps in knowledge unrelated to their primary learning objectives. One of the primary roles of the BIS Coordinator is to help ensure that the course choices are balanced and the overall outcomes of a well-rounded degree program are achieved.
Summary
The Bachelor of Integrated Studies requirements include:
PLAR processes in the BIS
Program PLAR at the University of Prince Edward Island provides for assessment and recognition of prior learning (PLAR) through portfolio assessment. Learners must demonstrate equivalency of their learning from sources other than formal study to the outcomes expected of a student who is completing the degree through course work. For more information on the role of PLAR, contact the BIS Coordinator.
Course Descriptions
Students may choose from a broad range of courses, according to their area of concentration and with academic advice. Two University Studies courses are required.
193 CAREER AND LEARNING PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT
This course is designed to review and clarify a student’s learning and career objectives and to document and demonstrate experiential learning. Learners understand the various purposes of portfolios; know the conventions of developing and professionally presenting a portfolio; and are capable of articulating acquired learning in job descriptions or degree requirements.
Cross-listed with Education (cf. Education 319) and University (cf. University 193)
Three semester hours
493 SENIOR PROJECT
In this capstone project, students synthesize and coherently present knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed over their university careers using a portfolio process. The project thematically demonstrates reflection, analysis, and integration of their personal and intellectual growth; shows how their original learning plans have been advanced and concluded; and demonstrates how they have met the outcomes of the degree program. Although students enroll in Integrated Studies 493 in the final stages of their degree, they are expected to work toward this final project over the duration of their studies. In certain situations, a major paper may be substituted for the portfolio.
