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Integrated Studies, B.A.

Program Coordinator: Melanie A. Timmerman, J.D.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Studies provides unique academic opportunities to undergraduate GPS students whose career and/or life aspirations do not necessarily align with the overall goals and objectives of the degree programs offered at MVNU. This individually designed program combines multiple areas of study into one strategic degree plan that aligns with the student's academic and professional goals. Courses are carefully selected from two or three academic disciplines, providing practical skill development underlaid with history, theory, research, and application of relevant concepts. Students work closely with an academic advisor to select courses that will ensure cohesion and purpose within their customized degrees.

Students can choose from a wide range of disciplines when creating a customized degree, including:

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Biological and Physical Sciences
  • Business
  • Christian Ministry
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Social Work

The primary content area of the student's Integrated Studies degree must satisfy each of the following:

  • completion of 18 credit hours from a current major;
  • completion of 12 credit hours in each of two secondary content areas (one of which can be associated with the primary content area);
  • completion of ITDS-4032 (Integrated Studies Capstone), in which students review and synthesize the knowledge and skills they have acquired by completing their coursework, and demonstrate their preparedness for future academic and/or professional pursuits by having achieved competency in areas relevant to their course of study .

The primary and secondary content areas supply a total of 44 credit hours of the 120 credit hours needed to graduate.

A minimum of 17 upper-division credit hours within the major as well as a minimum of 30 upper-division credit hours across the entire Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Studies degree are needed to graduate.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Studies program include the following:

  • submission of official transcripts of all previous college or university courses completed to date;
  • completion of at least 56 transferable credit hours from a regionally-accredited institution(s) of higher learning with a grade of "C-" or better for each course;
  • an overall GPA of 2.00 or higher (on a 4.00 scale) for all previous college or university coursework completed to date (an applicant with a GPA less than 2.00 may apply for probationary admittance);
  • completion of an online application and Registration Agreement Form.

Applicants from foreign countries and U.S. territories must also provide recent evidence of proficiency in English by: 1) scoring 80 or above on the Internet-based TOEFL with subscores in writing, reading, speaking and listening of at least 20; 2) scoring 550 or above on the written TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with subscores in writing and reading of at least 50; or 3) scoring 6.0 or above on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). All tests of English proficiency must have been taken in the last two years to be considered for acceptance.

College-level courses from regionally-accredited institutions will be evaluated for transfer credit; credit is granted only if applicable grades were obtained. Equivalence of course content and transfer credit is determined by the Program Coordinator.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The student must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours (with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00) including:

  1. Successful completion of the GPS General Education Core (39 hours):

    • 15 credit hours in Arts and Humanities (Minimum of 3 credit hours in an English composition course with a research writing component; minimum of 3 credit hours in Bible/Theology)
    • 15 credit hours in Natural and Social Sciences, and Mathematics (Minimum of 3 credit hours in Mathematics; minimum of 3 credit hours in Social Science; and minimum of 3 credit hours in Natural Science with laboratory)
    • 9 credit hours in Liberal Arts electives
  2. Completion of at least 30 credit hours of upper-division coursework (3000 level or higher);
  3. Successful completion of the 44-credit hour primary content area with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50. A student who receives a grade below "C-" in any course that is part of this component of the Integrated Studies program will be required to repeat that course until a grade of "C-" or better is earned. All repeated coursework to replace grades of D+, D, F, W, or X is at the student's expense.

 

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