Online Bachelor of Integrated Studies Degree Overview
Build your own bachelor’s degree with the online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Studies (Individually Structured Major) program offered by the University of Colorado Denver. If you have earned college credits that don’t fit a traditional degree, changed majors, or transferred schools, you can create a valuable education experience that leads to degree completion. You’ll build skills in multiple disciplines and collect a wide range of theories, methods, and analytical perspectives to understand and solve problems in new ways.
Leverage the work you’ve already done; have your credits evaluated for transfer and complete your degree online at CU Denver.
Program Features
- Maximum flexibility in your courses and coursework
- A fully online option for completing your bachelor’s degree
- High quality instruction by professors on the University of Colorado Denver campus
- Academic freedom to design a pathway that meets your needs
- Leverages your previously earned credits
Program at a Glance
Degree Program:
Bachelor of Arts Individually Structured Major
Offered By:
Tuition:
Cost Per Credit:
$558
Credit Hours:
120
Program Details
Because this program is highly customizable, the specific skills you develop will depend on the course clusters you choose. However, every student in the Individually Structured Major will gain foundational competencies in disciplinary knowledge, inquiry and analysis, critical thinking, written communication, information literacy, ethical reasoning and action, and integrative and applied learning. This means you’ll graduate with valuable skills in writing, decision-making, and research in addition to specific skills developed within your chosen disciplines.
How does the Individually Structured Major work?
First, in order to declare this major, you must have 60 credits of completed college-level coursework. To complete this degree program, you will combine two course clusters from the same or different schools/colleges:
- One cluster must come from a minor in the CU Denver catalog that is at least 15 credit hours.
- The other cluster can also come from another minor in the catalog within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, or courses can be selected from a variety of disciplines to form a coherent body of knowledge.
The major requires a minimum of 36 credit hours but can be up to 56 credit hours, depending on the size of the course clusters you choose and construct.
This fully online program is offered asynchronously, meaning there are no set sign-in times and you can complete your coursework at the time and place that works best for you. Faculty from CU Denver will teach your courses, which means you’re receiving the same high quality curriculum and instruction as students on campus.
Many of my online classes have allowed for flexibility to integrate my career interests into assignments and get a bit more creative rein as long as the principles of the assignment are still being applied, which has been amazing as I further my career development.
Shelby P. | CU Denver Student
Integrated Studies Degree Curriculum Overview
You must be in good academic standing with an overall GPA of 2.0 or greater to graduate. In order for a course to be counted toward your major, you must earn a C- grade or better. A minimum of 24 major-specific credit hours must be completed with CU Denver faculty. You must also take at least 18 upper-division credit hours in addition to the required courses (ISMA 3100 and ISMA 4900).
The Learning Across Disciplines course and your capstone course will help you bring everything you’ve learned together into a project that showcases your newly acquired knowledge and skills.
You will learn how to:
- Approach a real-world problem in an interdisciplinary manner
- Think beyond a single discipline by developing and asking research questions
- Understand the functions and limitations of academic disciplines
- Evaluate materials and critique assumptions
- Communicate effectively in writing
Required Courses
Examining a compelling issue, students will learn what kinds of questions require thinking beyond a single discipline, how interdisciplinary scholars combine a variety of fields, and how to approach the challenges of interdisciplinary writing.
Students will be guided through the research process as they complete interdisciplinary capstone projects. They will receive feedback during each stage of the project's development and consultation from discipline specific faculty advisors.
Integrated Studies Career Data
Integrated studies can help you gain skills and knowledge for multiple career fields, depending on the course clusters you choose. Research has consistently shown that higher education is associated with higher median earnings (NCES, 2018), and earnings increase even more with a master’s degree.
Earning your bachelor’s degree gives you the option to continue your education with an advanced degree program. The University of Colorado Denver offers several options for online master’s degree programs should you choose to pursue a graduate degree after graduation.
Tuition and Fees
At CU Denver, we strive to keep our tuition costs affordable so that you can get a world-class education that fits your budget. When you earn a degree, you’re not simply getting a diploma — you’re making a lifelong investment in yourself and empowering your future career. We know that affordability is an important factor, and that’s why we’re here to help you explore all of the options available to fund your education.
Our Enrollment TeamOur Enrollment Team can answer any of your questions about tuition and financial aid, help you take care of the paperwork, and make sure you’re able to focus on reaching your goals. From financial aid and scholarships to tuition assistance programs, we’ll work with you to find the best way to finance your degree.
Financial aid and scholarships may be available for those who qualify.
Admissions
Admission requirements and deadlines vary based on the program you choose. The Integrated Studies program requires you to have completed at least 60 credit hours prior to entry. To learn more about the credit transfer and admissions process, connect with our Enrollment Teamconnect with our Enrollment Team who can walk you through the process and answer your questions.
Completion Time
The completion time for this program varies depending on how many credits you transfer from previous coursework. You will create a custom program plan with your advisor during the application process which will inform the completion timeline. Typical bachelor's degree programs take four years to complete, however, this program varies based on transfer credits.
Ready to get started?
Connect with our Enrollment Advisors to learn more about this in-demand online program and start your admissions process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Online learning will offer you the flexibility to study at the place and time that works best for you. You can choose a sustainable pace for your lifestyle, which can help you take into account your current career, family, and commitments outside of school.
Additionally, our online programs are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus, which means you’re earning the same high quality degree as students on campus, and your diploma will not mention that your degree was earned online.
After you graduate with your bachelor’s degree, you can leverage your knowledge and skills to build upon your existing career, or you can pursue a career change. Some of your career aspirations may require advanced education in a master’s or doctoral program. The University of Colorado Denver offers several options for continuing your education, both online and in person.
The Integrated Studies (Individually Structured Major) offered by CU Denver is an excellent way to maximize your previously earned credits and build knowledge and skills in multiple disciplines, especially if your credits don’t fit into a specific degree program. After you have at least 60 credit hours previously completed and your credits have been assessed for transfer, you'll be able to choose the areas of study that best align with your career goals. This online degree completion option is also ideal for people who need the flexibility to continue working while they study.
We would love to help you explore the options for different areas of study and topics in the course clusters. You can request more informationrequest more information from our enrollment team today.