Integrated Studies

UC Foundation Associate Professor Gretchen Potts, Director

Mission Statement

The Integrated Studies Program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga strives to assist students in achieving their educational and career goals by fostering an environment of success. We offer unique degree options, including the Achieve Degree, to provide the diversity required by students on the path to graduation. We serve traditional and non-traditional students in obtaining their degree either on campus or on-line. Whether entering the workforce or graduate school, our graduates will be prepared for professional work in a variety of fields. Our department is committed to meeting the unique needs of our students and community by providing a useful path to a college degree that exemplifies the high standard of excellence set forth by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Educational Outcomes and Objectives

Graduates with a Bachelor of Integrated Studies degree will be able to:

Demonstrate a practical and theoretical grasp of a body of knowledge related to two or more disciplines;
Critically and creatively research, write and present logical and theoretical connections between multiple disciplines;
Evaluate, clarify, frame and address a complex question or challenge using perspectives and scholarship from two or more disciplines.

Pre-BIS and Admission to BIS Program:

All students wishing to choose a BIS concentration should select the Pre-Bachelor of Integrated Studies major when applying to UTC. If you are a current UTC student, please consult with the program director before changing your major to Pre-BIS. Until accepted into one of the two concentrations below, the program coordinator and the director will work with each student to design a plan each semester to include coursework for the student’s intended concentration.

BIS: Integrated Studies: Integrated Studies: Admission to the program is granted when the application is approved by the Integrated Studies Committee.
BIS: Integrated Studies: Professional Studies: Students approved for admission to this program will meet the following requirements:
* have completed general education requirements
* have completed 60 undergraduate semester credit hours
* have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0
* submit a written statement describing relevant professional work experiences and a rationale for pursuing the degree program.
Admission to the program is granted pending approval of the secondary application (available on the website at www.utc.edu/achieve-degree/).

Graduation Requirements

Students earning a Bachelor of Integrated Studies degree will complete 120 total credit hours and the same general education requirements as other undergraduate students (41 credit hours). Graduates must earn a 2.0 GPA overall and in the integrated major. The courses selected for the major must be approved by the Integrated Studies Committee. The specific graduation requirements are:

Total Credit Hours                                     120
General Education credit hours    41
Credit hours in integrated major                  45 (including capstone)
Electives to complete 120 hours                  variable

Total hours must include:
Upper division credit hours 39
Upper division hours within integrated major 21

Getting Started

BIS: Integrated Studies: Integrated Studies - This concentration is designed for on-campus students. Interested students should visit the Integrated Studies website at http://www.utc.edu/BIS and watch the information video about the program. The video can be found under the “Getting Started” link. After watching the video, students should complete the BIS Questionnaire. The questionnaire will help students to focus their educational and career goals. Completed questionnaires should be emailed to the BIS Director with a request for an advisor. Students entering the program with earned hours must complete the questionnaire and contact the program coordinator during the first semester.

BIS: Integrated Studies: Professional Studies - Interested students should visit the website for the Achieve Degree at http://www.utc.edu/Achieve-Degree and read about the program. They should also complete the Interest Form to request more information from the BIS Director.