Bachelor of Integrated Studies

at University of the Fraser Valley - Abbotsford Campus Canada

UFV’s four-year Bachelor of Arts with a Philosophy major or minor is designed to teach you to think independently and become a powerful problem-solver.

Philosophy major
As part of your philosophy studies, you take courses in the history of philosophy, where you examine early schools of thought and learn about the origins of modern philosophy. First and second year courses provide a broad knowledge of reasoning, morality, and politics, while third and fourth year courses allow you to deepen your understanding of logic, philosophical theory, metaphysics, and political philosophy.

The major includes the following general requirements:

• 9 introductory courses in Philosophy
• 9 credits in lower and upper-level History of Philosophy courses
• 3 credits in logic
• 3 credits in each of: Philosophical Theory, Metaphysics and Epistemology, and Political Philosophy

As the study of human movement, kinesiology explores a broad range of topics that include anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sociology, education, active health, wellness, and nutrition.

Bachelor of Kinesiology
In the Kinesiology program, you go well beyond the questions of how and why we move, and start to explore how we can optimize the human potential for health, performance, and overall wellness.

In your first and second year, you learn foundational topics such as human anatomy, sport psychology, biomechanics, and human nutrition, as well as physical activity, health, and fitness. You explore a variety of fields that may be of interest before choosing to specialize in exercise science, pedagogy, or active health.

In your third and fourth year, you develop skills for teaching and counselling athletes, and learn about athletic injuries, research methods, applied ethics, physiology, exercise testing, and exercise prescription. You also select a specialty out of the following specializations:

• The Exercise Science specialization prepares you for a career as a kinesiologist or exercise physiologist, graduate school, and/or professional school (such as physiotherapy, medicine or chiropractic).
• The Pedagogy specialization prepares you for continued certification in teacher education, coaching, sport performance advising, and/or graduate school.
• The Active Health specialization prepares you for a career in health and wellness, specifically community health and fitness, athletic therapy, sports psychology, and fitness management and recreation, and those planning to continue onto graduate school.

Careers in the trades often lead to managerial and/or ownership positions, yet few trades people have the opportunity to academically prepare themselves with the skills required to own and operate their own business. This program provides individuals with the ability to leverage their prior learning (Trade certificate) and to augment prior learning with the fundamentals of business management theories and practices. The objective is to produce graduate students who are equipped to successfully function as managers and owners of a trade-related business in today's rapidly changing global environment.

The Bachelor of Integrated Studies — UFV's most customizable degree program — lets you choose from over 100 courses from various disciplines and programs, so you can earn an undergraduate degree tailored to your personal career and academic needs. As part of the program, you draw on a mixture of in-class and online learning opportunities, field-based courses, and professional learning experiences to achieve competency in six core areas:

• Effective communications
• Scientific literacy
• Digital
• Use and analysis of numerical information
• Intercultural engagement
• Professional and applied skills

The Bachelor of Integrated Studies is an excellent option if you want to pursue interdisciplinary studies, combine minors, or change your educational focus partway through your degree. You can also include credits earned while completing a certificate or diploma at UFV or other accredited community colleges or universities.

UFV’s four-year Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) is a full-time program that provides you with the skills to shape business, industry, and government practices using economically and environmentally-sound principles. Developed as an integrated and interdisciplinary program, the BES builds connections between fields such as environmental studies, art, natural sciences, and communications. The program also incorporates a regional focus by addressing the environmental needs of the Fraser Valley, including agriculture and food security, climate change, land use planning/GIS, and environmental communications.

The Bachelor of Environmental Studies is structured around a primary core of courses that engage you on questions related to human-environment relationships, resource scarcity and allocation, innovation and problem solving, environmental research, and communication of ideas and results. Courses are delivered in a face-to-face format using lecture, seminar, field-based, and technology-supported classroom experiences. In addition, you may choose from a practicum or cooperative work placement to satisfy one of the work requirements. If you decide to combine the four-year BES with the Cooperative Education option, you need to allow for three additional semesters for degree completion.

Upon graduation, you are prepared to work as an environmental professional in Canada or abroad. Alternatively, you may also choose to pursue graduate studies or another professional designation.If you plan on working in the environmental science field and seek additional professional accreditation after graduation, you may consider the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Natural Sciences) — planned for Winter 2020.

A career in the criminal justice field is a dynamic and challenging one; UFV's 61-credit Criminal Justice diploma program prepares you for front-line/entry-level jobs in the field.
Gain a broad perspective on issues of law, justice, crime, and criminal behaviour with a well-rounded curriculum that includes subject matter from various disciplines, including criminology, psychology, sociology, communications, and political science.

Learn valuable skills in mediation, crisis management, and conflict de-escalation, and participate in a field work practicum that is designed to meet your career interests.
After you graduate, you may go directly into the third year of the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice program. The diploma program also offers a transfer option to BCIT Bachelor of Technology in Forensic Investigation.

UFV's two-year Social Services diploma prepares you to work at the para-professional level in the human services field.

You establish a strong foundation of professional practice in areas of addiction, child welfare, community services, corrections, family and home support services, immigration and refugee services, Indigenous services, mental health, residential care, schools, and social assistance.  Two 13- to 15-week practica allow you to develop job-ready skills and connect to social service agencies and community groups in your local area. 

You may pursue the Social Services diploma full- or part-time. After you graduate, you are ready to enter the workforce. You can also continue your studies and ladder into the UFV Bachelor of Social Work degree program after you have taken the required pre-requisites.

The Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics builds your understanding of mathematical concepts and enables you to enter innovative industries and solve satisfying challenges.

Mathematics major
Choose between a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts to customize your degree to your career goals.

Grow your command of calculus, discrete mathematics, algebra, and other advanced topics as you build a comprehensive understanding of math. In addition to your mathematics course work, you develop a breadth of intellectual and academic experience through studies in other disciplines.

In your first and second year, you build a solid understanding of foundational mathematical principles. As you advance, you grow your knowledge through advanced coursework in topics such as vector calculus, complex variables, applied algebraic systems, and more.

Near the end of your degree, you explore mathematical topics suited to your interests and focus your analytical savvy through flexible upper-level math/stats credits. View full requirements.

Mathematics extended minor/minor
Combine a Mathematics minor or extended minor with a major or minor/extended minor in another program, such as Chemistry or Physics, to package a degree to your interests. View full requirements (minor requirements for BSc, BA and BGS, BCIS)(extended minor requirements).

Mathematics Honours
Earn an honours degree through a combination of academic excellence and completing an additional 15 mathematics credits beyond the program requirements.

UFV's Bachelor of Media Arts prepares you for creative production in digital and interactive media, one of the fastest growing industries in B.C. today.

The program is designed to equip you with computing and digital design skills, as well as the skills to work in creative teams. In addition to learning the traditional techniques and strategies of the creative disciplines, you also develop the ability to master new software and technologies independently. The ability to learn on your own is key in a fast-paced industry where emerging jobs may not yet have occupational titles.

The program emphasizes the need for practical experience. As part of your degree, you get to complete a professional practices course to know how to identify and market your skills in an industry where teamwork and creativity are at a premium. In your last year, your studies culminate in two large project courses where you put your skills to work for a community organization, under the supervision of a faculty member.

Within the degree, you have the flexibility to focus on your personal interests and career goals by selecting from one of five Media Arts Concentrations:

1. Applied Interactive Media
2. Digital Art
3. Interactive Media Leadership
4. Media and Performance
5. Screen Studies

Students are not admitted directly to the Associate of Science, however, students in Qualifying Studies or the Bachelor of Science degree program can graduate with the Associate of Science degree once all program requirements are met.

To be eligible for an Associate of Science degree you must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 18 courses. Please note that not all science courses are offered every semester. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan your courses in a sequential manner, paying particular attention to course prerequisites. Associate of Science students should consult with an Advisor to ensure that they select the appropriate science courses for their particular career direction. Students must achieve an average overall grade of C (cumulative GPA of 2.0) calculated on all courses that apply towards the associate degree.

The following is the Associate of Science program outline. Students wishing to complete the program in four semesters should follow the suggested outline below. Students who do not follow the suggested outline will take longer to complete the program.