| 1. | To introduce students to scientific methodology. | ||
| 2. | To provide sufficient background in the core of scientific knowledge to enter second-year classes. | ||
| 3. | To point out the interrelationships among the science disciplines. | ||
| 4. | To indicate how the history and philosophy of scientific thought helps us to understand science. | ||
| 5. | To indicate the relevance of science in students’ lives and the links between science and society. | ||
This first-year program exposes students to a broader range of science disciplines than is possible in regular classes and does so in an integrated way. Students learn from a team of instructors representing most of the departments in the Faculty of Science at Dalhousie University. Instructors meet weekly to coordinate their teaching efforts and track learning outcomes. While teaching the material from regular first-year science classes, Integrated Science instructors highlight the natural links among their disciplines and help students to apply the scientific method and quantitative techniques to questions and problems across the sciences.
Integrated Science teaches components that are equivalent to regular first-year science classes in a given subject. As members of a small cohort (70-80 B.Sc. students), Integrated Science students take all of their classes together, separate from other B.Sc. students. The class schedule varies each week, to use the time available efficiently for organizing lectures and labs, and to allow flexibility to link particular subjects when appropriate. Most lectures are given in the afternoons and most labs given are in the mornings. For some subjects, students are split into smaller sections for lab activities. For example, students alternate between Biology and Chemistry labs on Friday mornings. The flexible schedule also allows field trips to be scheduled on certain days.
The four Integrated Science options (SCIE 1515.36, SCIE 1520.30, SCIE 1530.27, and SCIE 1540.27) provide students with some flexibility in preparing for second year science classes. Each option incorporates a slightly different suite of subjects and is designed to prepare students for a certain range of degree programs at Dalhousie (see Choosing an Integrated Science Option).
Emphasis on scientific research methods and communication skills, along with a broad introduction to science, makes Integrated Science an excellent foundation for an honours program, a combined honours, or a major or a double major in science. Particular options are excellent preparation for certain degree programs, certain professional programs, or a career in Medicine. Integrated Science is a good choice for students who are interested in many sciences but are unsure about a major, for students who want to major in more than one science, and for students who want a broad background in science in order to pursue a career, for example, in biomedical ethics, law, teaching, or scientific journalism.
Students concurrently take PHIL 1050.03 (Ethics in Science), a half-credit humanities class offered only to Integrated Science students. This class provides an introduction to ethical questions that arise in the practice of science and uses examples that link with topics they study in their science classes. Regular instruction, practice, and feedback in writing are integrated across PHIL 1050 and the Writing In Science component of Integrated Science. Students develop scientific writing skills through formal writing assignments in the Biology component in the fall and research project assignments in winter.
Integrated Science candidates should be highly-motivated and have a strong interest in science. They should find the idea of being immersed in science very stimulating; they should want to learn to think across the discipline boundaries as well as to master discipline-specific material at the first-year level; 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 be cooperative and effective team members; they should have good study, work, and time-management skills; and they should welcome challenges to work hard, to think critically, and to solve problems.
Integrated science students will have a heavier workload than regular first-year B.Sc. students. A heavier workload is unavoidable considering the larger number of disciplines studied, the integrated writing class, and the research project component. The workload is managed, however, so students have less work than if taking all of the equivalent components as separate classes. The workload, including assignments and tests, is spread out as evenly as possible through the week and the term. Students should note that the heavier workload is excellent preparation for higher workloads in second year of the B.Sc. The workload differs among the Integrated Science options, with SCIE 1515 having the highest workload and SCIE 1540 having a more normal workload.
Students wishing to enter this program normally must have a minimum Grade 12 average of 80%, with a minimum of 80% in Calculus or Pre-calculus and 70% English, and a minimum of 75% in Grade 12 Chemistry plus Grade 12 Biology or Grade 12 Physics. The average high school marks of incoming students is around 90%. Students must apply for the program as well as be accepted to the B.Sc. at Dalhousie.
Grade 12 Physics is required for entry into SCIE 1515 and SCIE 1530, the two options with a full-year, calculus-based Physics component (equivalent to Physics 1280/1290 at Dalhousie). Grade 12 Physics is recommended, and Grade 11 Physics is required for SCIE 1520 and 1540. SCIE 1520 includes a full-year physics for life sciences while SCIE 1540 includes only a half-year (the first-term of a full-year class). Applicants lacking an appropriate Physics background should take a university preparatory class, such as PHYC 0010.00 ( http://collegeofcontinuinged.dal.ca/).
On their transcripts, students receive a single letter grade for the entire program. A breakdown of marks is provided, upon request, for the purpose of transferring to professional programs or other universities.
During the first term, students may switch between certain options with permission of the Director and the Dean’s office.
All options satisfy the full-year Writing Class requirement at Dalhousie, through the Writing in Science component and the companion Philosophy class. The latter satisfies half of the full-credit Humanities or Language requirement at Dalhousie; this means students will need to take another half-credit of Humanities or Language (note: this does not need to be a writing class) anytime before they graduate with a B.Sc.
| First-year equivalent component | Integrated Science SCIE 1515.36 | Integrated Biomedical Science SCIE 1520.30 | Integrated Physical Science SCIE 1530.27 | Integrated Life Science SCIE 1540.27 |
| Biology | BIOL 1010/1011 | BIOL 1010/1011 | BIOL 1030* | BIOL 1010/1011 |
| Chemistry | CHEM 1011/1012 | CHEM 1011/1012 | CHEM 1011/1012 | CHEM 1011/1012 |
| Earth Science | ERTH 1080/1090 | (none) | ERTH 1080/1090 | ERTH 1090* |
| Calculus | MATH 1000/1010 | MATH 1000/1010 | MATH 1000/1010 | MATH 1215 * |
| Physics | PHYC 1280/1290 | PHYC 1300 | PHYC 1280/1290 | PHYC 1310 * |
| Psychology | PSYO 1011/1012 | PSYO 1011/1012 | (none) | PSYO 1011/1012 |
| Statistics | STAT 1060 * | STAT 1060 * | STAT 1060 * | STAT 1060 * |
| Writing in Science | SCIE 1111 * | SCIE 1111 * | SCIE 1111 * | SCIE 1111 * |
| Humanities | PHIL 1050 * | PHIL 1050 * | PHIL 1050 * | PHIL 1050 * |
| Number of 1st year credits** | 6.5 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
The different options incorporate a different suite of subjects and are designed to prepare students for a range of degree programs at Dalhousie. The following table indicates which of the Integrated Science options gives the best preparation for specific programs.
Recommended Integrated Science options for incoming first-year students
| Dalhousie Science Degree or Professional School Program | Integrated Science | Integrated Biomedical Science | Integrated Physical Science | Integrated Life Science |
| 1515.36 | 1520.30 | 1530.27 | 1540.27 | |
| Atmospheric Science | + | + | ||
| Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | + | + | + | |
| Biochemistry & Microbiology (joint honours) | + | + | + | |
| Biology | + | + | + | |
| Chemistry | + | + | + | (+) |
| Computer Scie. (double major/joint honours) | + | + | + | |
| Dentistry** | + | + | (+) | |
| Earth Science | + | + | ||
| Economics | + | + | + | |
| Environmental Science, Area of Emphasis: | ||||
| Atmospheric Science | + | + | ||
| Biology | + | + | + | |
| Chemistry | + | + | + | (+) |
| Earth Science | + | + | ||
| Ecology | + | + | + | + |
| Environmental Economics | + | + | + | |
| Marine Biology | + | + | + | |
| Oceanography | + | + | ||
| Statistics | + | + | + | |
| Engineering | + | + | ||
| Food Science | + | + | + | |
| Law** | + | + | + | + |
| Marine Biology | + | + | + | |
| Mathematics | + | + | + | |
| Medicine** | + | + | (+) | |
| Microbiology & Immunology | + | + | + | |
| Neuroscience | + | + | + | |
| Oceanography (joint honours) | + | (+) | ||
| Occupational Therapy** | + | + | + | + |
| Pharmacy* | + | |||
| Physics | + | + | ||
| Physiotherapy** | + | + | + | (+) |
| Psychology | + | + | + | |
| Statistics | + | + | + |
To prepare for any BSc program, students can take SCIE 1515. Students interested in majoring in Environmental Science should take SCIE 1515 or 1540, depending on their particular area of emphasis. In addition to a full-credit Biology component, both include an Earth Science component that allows students to continue in Environmental Science in lieu of taking ENVS 1000.
Students interested in majoring in one or more of the physical sciences (e.g., Chemistry, Physics, or Engineering) or obtaining a joint honours degree with Oceanography, should take SCIE 1515 or SCIE 1530, which include a more rigorous, calculus-based physics component. SCIE 1530 includes only a half-credit Biology component, equivalent to Biology for Engineering students.
Students interested in majoring in Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Marine Biology, Neuroscience, or Psychology will need an option with a full year of biology. Those who want a full year of physics and calculus (e.g., to prepare for Medicine) should take SCIE 1520. Otherwise, they should take SCIE 1540.
Students intending to apply to the College of Pharmacy should note that their acceptance will be contingent on completing another half-credit Humanities or Language class before they can begin Pharmacy. The Integrated Science writing class will serve in lieu of ENGL 1000 for entry to Pharmacy.