Integrated Science program?

[Guest smooth operater]

I have been reading the website about Integrated Science program offered by UBC. It sounds like a great program to enroll for someone who want to enter professional schools like med later on. For those of you who studied or is studying at UBC, what is the reputation of this program to the students? Is this just one of programs that science department have created to suck student's money away? It seems like a more organized forms of general science program to me. Do the department members actually take care the students. Any advices and comments are welcome.

 

If Integrated Science seems like wasting of money and time, my only choice is biochemistry in UBC which I heard can be really boring and hard in 3rd year from older biochem students.

[Guest not rex morgan]

I've been done with my undergrad for a number of years, but I did know of a few people who went through a couple of different alternate science programs. There is Science One, which essentially takes care of your first year. It's more of a theoretical program (ie they focus on understanding theory and thinking...which is a good thing). They get the best profs at the university and they're a cohesive group. There is a bit of snobbery associated with it, but it is a good program and you'd make lots of friends. I also know of a couple of people that did integrated sciences. I'm not too sure if it extends beyond first year. From what I do know, you could really taylor your education to what you're interested in. I know one guy that essentially created a neuroscience undergrad, despite the fact that UBC doesn't offer a neuroscience program. Other than that, I don't know. I don't think it would be a waste of money if you are able to use it to study what you're interested in. From what I understand, it does afford flexibility, which is an advantage.

[Guest mitchie41]

Hey smooth:

 

I know a few people in the integrated science programme and they're all REALLY enthusiastic about it. Probably because they're able to pick all the courses they want to take throughout their entire degree.

 

With that type of flexibility you would probably be able to pull off some good grades since people will tend to only pick courses that interest them, and not pick the ones that will kill their GPA.

[Guest smooth operater]

Yeah mitch, I am actually excited to pick the disciplines that I want to learn, but I feel the degree would be kinda useless as oppose to biochemistry if I don't get into professional schools. So I am in the delimma right now. If I go with Biochemistry, I know I won't do well cuz I detest genetics and organic/physical chemistry which I must take, but once I get the degree, I can proably have easier time finding a job. If I go with Integrated Science, I know that I will enjoy my learning experiences and get higher marks which translate to better opportunity to admit into professional schools.

[Guest Procuitto]

Hey Guys,

 

I actually graduated from ISP so perhaps I can offer some insight. ISP is a fabulous program if you want to study something that isn't offered by other majors. For example, someone mentioned their friend studies neuroscience without UBC offering such a program. I used the program to integrate immunology and genetics. This allowed me to take the immunology courses offered by the microbiology degree and the genetics and cell biology offered by the cell bi degree without having to take the courses like industrial microbiology and population biology which were required in the micro and cell bi and genetics majors, respectively. Essentially, I was able to get around doing a double major.

 

The ISP folks are REALLY helpful too and they totally take care of you because it is such a small program (or was when I was there!). There are a lot of great profs at UBC who back the program that can offer you further advice (ie. Dr. Spieglman was incredibly helpful).

 

What you do, is decide what you are interested in and then decide what you want to learn to prepare yourself for a given goal. You have to put together a course plan (can do this with the help of an advisor like Dr. Spieglman) and justify every course that you take. It really helps your perspective to understand why you are taking every course which perhaps makes the course easier because it is relevant. But, that being said, there are some courses that you need to take as pre-reqs for other courses and if their is a minimum GPA for that course you still have to achieve that to take the course...for example, there was a minimum GPA for Biol 350 which I had to achieve even though I wasn't going into the cell bi and genetics program.

 

In addition the courses that you choose, you also have to take 3 mandatory ISP courses which tend to me more scientific processes or issues courses rather than courses with specific content. For example, there was an ethical issues in science course, and a course about scaling called the size of things....which applies to everything really and which really get you thinking. They also had a field studies course in which the students worked down in Baja Mexico!

 

Someone made a point that you could pick your courses carefully so you get a good GPA, but keep in mind what I said about having to take course pre-reqs and also that you have to justify why you are taking all your courses......so each course has to relate to your ultimate goal and to what you are actually trying to articulate. But, for sure it helps with the GPA that you actually want to take all the courses you take and you know how it is relevant to your goal!

 

I hope this helps! I loved doing my degree. I can only imagine how frustrated I would have been in micro taking industrial micro when I wasn't interested in it!

 

Best wishes on your decision!

Proscuitto OT9!

[Guest smooth operater]

Procuitto, thanks for your detailed insights. May I pm you if I have more specific questions?