Integrated Science Program

Location:	Life Sciences Centre 1355 Oxford Street Room 827 P.O. Box 15000 Halifax, NS B3H 4R2
Telephone:	(902) 494-2765
Fax:	(902) 494-1123
Website:	disp.science.dal.ca
Email:	disp@dal.ca

Introduction

Dalhousie's Integrated Science Program is a unique and engaging way for a serious and well-prepared student to complete the first year of a BSc degree.  In addition to learning the core material of several first-year science subjects, students gain an interdisciplinary perspective, develop transferrable skills, and conduct research, all in their first year. The goals of the program are:

1. To engage students in the process of scientific inquiry with hands-on experience in scientific research skills.
2. To provide a strong academic background for second-year courses in the subjects covered by the program.
3. To identify links among the science disciplines.
4. To learn effective team skills.
5. To explore the relevance of science for society at large.

The Integrated Science program exposes first year students to a broad range of science disciplines in an integrated manner, and provides a strong foundation for most BSc programs. Students learn from a team of instructors with expertise in particular subject areas, who also highlight the natural links among disciplines. Integrated Science students are members of a small cohort (maximum 80) who take the majority of their lectures, labs and field trips together.

The Integrated Science program has a strong emphasis on research-relevant training. Students study experimental design, collect and analyze data in the laboratory and during field trips, work on communication skills, including scientific writing, and are introduced to some of the ethical questions that arise in the practice of science. In the winter term, students undertake an independent research project under the supervision of a Dalhousie-affiliated researcher, which culminates in a presentation at a conference-style event.

Integrated Science consists of a core program taken only by IS students, and auxiliary courses taken together with other first year BSc students. The core program covers Biology, Psychology, Earth Sciences, Statistics, and Ethics in Science. Auxiliary courses include Chemistry, Math and Physics (optional).   Exposure to multiple science disciplines can also be helpful for students who are unsure which subjects interest them most, and early training in research is especially valuable for those considering an Honours program. Integrated Science is also excellent preparation for professional graduate programs, such as Law or Medicine.

Integrated Science candidates should be highly-motivated, have a strong interest in science, and be willing to think across discipline boundaries. They should be enthusiastic about being part of a small cohort of students intent on learning how to work and think like scientists; they should want to learn to be cooperative and effective team members; they should have good study, work, and time-management skills; and they should welcome the challenge to work hard, to think critically, and to solve problems.

Students wishing to enter this program normally must have a minimum Grade 12 average of 80%, with a minimum of 80% in Mathematics and 70% English, and a minimum of 75% in two of Grade 12 Chemistry, Biology or Physics. The average high school mark of incoming Integrated Science students is around 90%. Students must be accepted to the Integrated Science Program as well as be accepted to the BSc at Dalhousie University.

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