Degree Proposals: Top 10 mistakes
March 11, 2025
Degree proposal lacks sufficient science content.
Including too many ISCI courses in the discipline requirement.
Including lower-level courses in the discipline requirement.
Including more than 7 ISCI credits in the ISCI core requirement.
Curriculum Rationale that includes portions copy and pasted from the UBC calendar or websites.
Including courses that are either unavailable or restricted – specifically MICB 407.
Non-Science courses are listed as Science credit.
No rationale for a discipline course.
Formatting errors.
Submitting a proposal that is incomplete.
Degree proposal lacks sufficient science content.
The discipline requirement should contain a minimum of 27 science credits.
From the ISCI website: “In addition to being outside of the Faculty of Science, SPPH, EPSE, CNPS and SOWK courses are often too broad to include within a discipline. If you plan to include an SPPH or SOWK course you will need to present a very strong argument for why it is integral to your degree in your curriculum rationale.”
Including too many ISCI courses in the discipline requirement
‘The interdisciplinary nature of ISCI courses makes it challenging to classify them within a single discipline. ISCI courses should be used to meet the ISCI core requirement and not the discipline requirement. Students must have an exceptionally strong rationale for including an ISCI course within a discipline. There is limited seats in ISCI courses and it may not be possible to take more than 7 ISCI credits.’
Including lower-level courses in the discipline requirement
Only 300-level and 400-level courses should be included. Please do not include lower-level pre-requisites in the discipline requirement.
Including more than 7 ISCI credits in the ISCI core requirement.
ISCI credits beyond the 7 required should be listed as upper-level science electives or with a very strong rationale can be listed in a discipline (please review #2 above).
Curriculum Rationale that includes portions copy and pasted from the UBC calendar or websites.
The Curriculum Rationale section should be ALL in your own words. Explain what you expect to learn in the course and how the course will help you reach the goals listed in the vision statement.
Including courses that are either unavailable or restricted – specifically MICB 407.
A list of restricted courses can be found here: https://intsci.ubc.ca/students/proposal-guidelines. MICB 407 (and PATH 437) is the most common restricted course included in a degree proposal. Degree proposals that contain MICB 407 will not be approved. With other restricted courses please check with the department offering the course if you would be able to take it.
Non-Science courses are listed as Science credit.
These non-science courses are often incorrectly listed as Science credit: PATH, SPPH, EPSE, CNPS,SOWK, FNH.
The following courses are recognized by the Faculty of Science as Science credit:
Faculty of Arts: In addition to PSYC 348 and 448, all undergraduate psychology courses numbered 60-89 in the last two digits have science credit; All GEOS courses.
Faculty of Land and Food Systems: FNH 350, 351, and 451.
Faculty of Medicine: all CAPS, all BIOC, PCTH; MEDG 410-421.
No rationale for a discipline course
Strong Rationales are required for each discipline course. Please double check all of your courses have a rationale listed in the curriculum rationale section.
Formatting errors
Include a space between paragraphs (when proposals are copy and pasted from other formats they tend to lose paragraph brakes)
Organize your curriculum rationale by discipline. Provide an introduction to each discipline.
Make sure there is a title for each course in both the course list and curriculum rationale.
Submitting an incomplete proposal
If the proposal is not complete do not submit it. Only submit your proposal once you are 100% happy with it. Talk to your mentor or the ISCI office if you are unable to meet a deadline. Submitting an incomplete proposal will cause delays for yourself as well as other students.
If you are unsure or having problems with the degree proposal application please contact the ISCI office for help.