4+1: The Integrated Bachelor|Master of Science Degree

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Program Description

The Faculty of Kinesiology is offering a new opportunity for undergraduates who have achieved the highest standards. This program is called the Integrated Route and is designed to retain the most promising and accomplished Kinesiology undergraduate students and provide them with the opportunity to complete their undergraduate program (either BSc or BKin) and a thesis-based graduate degree (MSc) within 5 years.

This Integrated Bachelors/Master of Science program allows our very best students to acquire the necessary academic background for their graduate thesis work by completing graduate courses, in combination with undergraduate courses, during their final year in the Kinesiology undergraduate program. These courses would be counted toward their undergraduate degrees, and taken into consideration as academic preparation for a graduate degree.

During their Master's program, students with adequate academic preparation would be able to focus solely on research and the thesis. Additional courses could be taken, should the research take a path that requires further training, but in general this is not expected to be necessary.

This plan makes it clear that the proposed streamlined delivery method of this Master of Science degree for a small very select group of exceptional students is not in any way compromising existing standards. Students will be required to acquire the same academic background that will allow them to complete a research project at the same level as students who come from a completed undergraduate degree and take the graduate-level courses during their graduate programs.

Admission Process
Admission to the program is ideally a two-step process.

Step 1. After students have completed between 16 and 24 half-course equivalents (i.e., after their second year of undergraduate study), they will submit a letter of intent to the Faculty of Kinesiology by May 1. These letters will indicate their desire to apply for this program at the end of their third year of study. The letter will include information on potential supervisor(s), general area of research, and a plan for completion for remaining course work in their undergraduate degree. Further, and more importantly, the letter of intent will initiate an advising process for course registration and program planning for these students. As a result, the submission of a letter of intent is highly recommended but not required for acceptance into this Route.

Step 2. After students have completed a minimum of 28 and no more than 36 half-course equivalents, students can formally apply for this program. Deadline for all applications is May 1. (Application forms can be found at www.kin.ucalgary.ca.)

Applicants must complete an application and provide:

• an unofficial transcript of their grades,
• a statement describing why they would like to be part of this Program,
• a statement describing their research interests,
• a description of their future plans for post graduate education and research
• a statement from the proposed supervisor(s) indicating acceptance of this student and availability of funding for the research project, if applicable
• a resume highlighting their volunteer, work, and/or school involvement in research-related activities, and
• two letters of reference, at least one of which must be an academic reference.

Admission Criteria
The minimum criteria for entrance into this Program are:

• Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary registered student
• Last 10 half-course equivalents must have been completed while registered as a student in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary
• Minimum GPA of 3.6 over their last 10 half-course equivalents
• Completion of KNES 213
• A minimum grade of ‘B' in an undergraduate Statistics course
• Evidence of volunteer, course, or work related experience in research
• Clear indication of research interest and plans
• A supervisor and co-supervisor (note: the supervisor must be a full-time faculty member in Kinesiology)

Based on the above criteria, a small group of students will be invited to participate in an interview process after which the final selection will be made. It is expected that between 5 and 8 students will be accepted annually to this Program.

Program Requirements
Once accepted into the Program, students and their co-supervisors will plan the student's final undergraduate year registration. Students will be required to complete four half-courses as part of this Program, two of which must be at the graduate level: one graduate level course in Statistics and the other in Research Methods. (These are the current requirements of the Master of Science program in the Faculty of Kinesiology.) The other two half courses must be 400-level or higher and will be determined by the student and the co-supervisors. These four half-courses will be included when determining the student's eligibility for graduation in the undergraduate program. There may be other undergraduate requirements that students must meet beyond these four courses in their final year. When all undergraduate requirements have been met, the student may begin work on their thesis research. It is fully expected that the student will complete the thesis within 12 months. Students will be awarded their BKin or BSc degree upon completion of the requirements for their undergraduate program.

It should be noted that students are not guaranteed entry into Graduate Studies and are still expected to complete an application for Graduate Studies according to the policy and procedures outlined in the calendar. The Route is intended to be preparatory to Graduate Studies.