Print

Undergraduate Program

Overview of the Major

  • Physiology is the science of function in living organisms. The curriculum in integrative physiology integrates knowledge from such life-science disciplines as anatomy, biochemistry, mathematics, physics, physiology, and statistics to study how humans and other animals function at the level of genes, cells, tissues, organs, and systems. The program of study emphasizes both the role of physical activity in human health and function across the lifespan and the responses of different organisms to various forms of stress.

  • The major in integrative physiology leads to a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree.

  • Students may seek honors in integrative physiology which results in the designation of cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude at graduation. Honors work usually involves special course work and a senior honors research project.

  • There is an opportunity to study, live, and travel in a foreign country for a period ranging from a few weeks to an academic year. The University offers international education at several institutions of higher education in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Australia.

  • The integrative physiology program provides students with knowledge, skills, and expertise required for advanced training in many areas such as physical therapy, medicine, osteopathic medicine, physician assistant, exercise management, and physical education. A degree in integrative physiology also qualifies an individual for other career possibilities in cardiac rehabilitation, sports medicine, chiropractic, athletic training, geriatrics, physical fitness programming (industrial and corporate), and further scientific training in graduate school.

  • The IPHY Student Board is located in Clare 111. The Student Board promotes professional development in all aspects of integrative physiology through interactions among students, faculty, and professionals in the community.

  • The IPHY major packet (revised July 18, 2008) is the essential reference for details of the major.

General Requirements

  • Applicants who graduated from high school in 1988 or later are required to meet certain minimum academic preparation standards (MAPS). Applicants who are admitted to CU-Boulder with MAPS deficiencies are required to complete at least one MAPS course each term.

  • The entrance requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences include (1 unit = 1 year of high school study or 1 semester of college course work):
    • English - 4 units (including 2 in composition)

    • Mathematics - 3 units

    • Natural science - 3 units (including 2 in laboratory science with 1 in chemistry or physics)

    • Social science - 3 units (including 1 in U.S. or world history and 1 of geography. U.S. history may comprise 1/2 year of world history and 1/2 year of geography.)

    • Foreign language - 3 units (all must be in the same language and the last year must be level III.)

Major in Integrative Physiology

I. Selected Degree Requirements (for students who began after Spring 2004):
  1. 120 semester hours minimum. 

  2. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better in all University of Colorado coursework.

  3. A minimum of 45 upper division hours; at least 18 upper division hours of IPHY coursework C- or better, at least 12 upper division hours in the major taken at CU-Boulder. Upper division courses here are numbered 3000 or above.

  4. 30 semester hours of IPHY coursework with grades of C- or better; 2.0 or better cumulative major GPA.

  5. No more than 45 semester hours in any one department.

  6. No requirement may be taken pass/fail.

  7. 45 hours must be taken in residence at CU-Boulder.

For further information on general degree requirements, please consult your catalog or degree audit

II. College of Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum Requirements (for students who began after Spring 2004):

Students must comply with the A&S core curriculum requirements.  Specific courses for this purpose are listed in the current University of Colorado schedule of courses.  In general, the core curriculum is organized into two major sections:  Skill Acquisition and Content Areas of Study.
  1. Skill Acquisition:
    • Foreign language:May be satisfied by completion of third level language in high school.

    • Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematical Skills: May be satisfied by examination or coursework. MATH 1300, MATH 1310, or APPM 1350 recommended.

    • Written Communication: May be satisfied by examination or coursework; IPHY 3700 recommended. Students beginning after Spring 1994 may also need a lower division writing course; IPHY 1950 recommended.

    • Critical Thinking: Satisfied by upper division coursework. IPHY 4660 recommended.


  2. Content Areas of Study:
    • Historical Context: 3 semester hours of coursework (lower or upper division).

    • Cultural and Gender Diversity: 3 semester hours of coursework (lower or upper  division).

    • United States Context: 3 semester hours of coursework (lower or upper division).

    • Literature and the  Arts: 6 semester hours of coursework.  (At least 3 hours must be upper division unless either HUMN 1010-6 or HUMN 1020-6.)

    • Natural Science: ; 13 semester hours of coursework. Integrative Physiology majors are exempt from this requirement.

    • Contemporary Societies: 3 semester hours of coursework (lower or upper division).

    • Ideals and Values: 3 semester hours of coursework (lower or upper division).

III. Ancillary Requirements for the Major (C- or better required; 31-33 credit hours).

  • Biology: MCDB 1150 and 2150 with labs MCDB 1151 and 2151; or EBIO 1210 and 1220 with labs EBIO 1230 and 1240 (8).

  • Chemistry: CHEM 1111 and 1131 (10); or CHEM 1151 and 1171 (10).

  • Physics: PHYS 2010 (5) and 2020 (5) (algebra-based); or PHYS 1110 (4) and 1120 (4) and 1140 (1) (calculus-based).

  • Math: (Calculus) MATH 1300 (5) or MATH 1310 (5) or APPM 1350 (4).

IV. Major Requirements in Integrative Physiology (30 hours C- or better):

Total hours for the Major: 61-76 credit hours.
At least 12 upper division hours in the major core must be taken at CU Boulder. If you receive a grade of less than C- in any major core course, contact your advisor.

Course Requirements (16 credit hours)

  • IPHY 2800-3 Introduction to Statistics

  • IPHY 3410-3 (lecture) and IPHY 3415-2 (lab) Human Anatomy (Prereqs: MCDB or EBIO biology sequence)

  • IPHY 3470-3 (lecture) Human Physiology 1 (Prereqs: One year of general biology and one year of general chemistry)

  • IPHY 3480-3 (lecture) Human Physiology 2 and IPHY 3435-2 Human Physiology Lab (Prereq or co-req: IPHY 3470)

Major Core Courses (10-14 credit hours)

Prerequisites: IPHY 2800, in addition to the ones noted.
Students choose 3 of the 6 courses.

  • IPHY 3060-4 Cell Physiology (Prereqs: IPHY 2800 and 3470)

  • IPHY 4600-4 Immunology (Prereqs: IPHY 2800 and 3470)

  • IPHY 4440-4 Endocrinology (Prereqs: IPHY 2800 and 3470)

  • IPHY 4540-5 Biomechanics (Prereqs: PHYS 2010, Calculus 1, IPHY 2800, IPHY 3410-3415 and IPHY 3470)

  • IPHY 4650-5 Exercise Physiology (Prereqs: IPHY 2800, 3410, 3415, 3470, 3480 and 3435)

  • IPHY 4720-4 Neurophysiology (Prereqs: IPHY 2800, 3470; prereq or coreq: IPHY 3410-3415)

Major Electives (0-15 credit hours)

  • IPHY 1950-3 Introduction to Scientific Writing***

  • IPHY 3420-3 Nutrition, Health, and Performance -- (Prereqs: Junior Standing)

  • IPHY 3700-3 Scientific Writing** -- (Prereqs: Junior Standing, IPHY 2800 and one 3000-4000 level IPHY course)

  • IPHY 4660-3 Critical Thinking in Integrative Physiology* -- (Prereq: Junior standing)

  • IPHY 4680-3 Critical Thinking in Exercise Physiology* -- (Prereq: IPHY 4650)

  • IPHY 4860-1-3 Independent Study -- (Prereq: Junior standing, one 3000-4000-level IPHY course)

  • IPHY 4870-3 Honors Thesis -- (Prereqs: IPHY 2800, 3700, or 1950; acceptance into Honors program)

  • IPHY 4930-1-6 Internship -- (Prereqs: Junior or Senior standing, and two of the following six courses: IPHY 3060, 3600, 4440, 4540, 4650, 4720, 4750)

Seniors may also take 5000-level graduate courses as electives.

*This satisfies the Arts and Sciences requirement for Critical Thinking.
**This satisfies the Arts and Sciences upper division requirement for written communication.
***This satisfies the Arts and Sciences lower division requirement for written communication.

Suggested 4-Year Plans

Integrative Physiology (major requirements only)

Year 1:  Fall semester Sem. Hrs.
  Biology with lab 4
     
  Spring semester  
  Biology with lab 4
  Calculus (MATH 1300 or MATH 1310 or APPM 1350) 4-5
     
Year 2:  Fall semester  
  CHEM 1111: General Chemistry 1 5
  IPHY 3410: Human Anatomy (Lecture) 3
  IPHY 3415: Human Anatomy (Lab) 2
     
  Spring semester  
  CHEM 1131: General Chemistry 2 5
  IPHY 2800: Introduction to Statistics 3
     
Year 3:  Fall semester  
  PHYS 2010: General Physics 1 5
  IPHY 3470: Human Physiology 1 3
     
  Spring semester  
  PHYS 2020: General Physics 2 5
  IPHY 3480: Human Physiology 2 3
  IPHY 3435: Human Physiology Lab 2
     
Year 4:  Fall semester  
  IPHY Major Core Course #1 4-5
  IPHY Major Core Course #2 4-5
     
  Spring semester  
  IPHY Major Core Course #3 4-5
  IPHY 4660 or 4680: Critical Thinking 3
     

Integrative Physiology + Additional Chemistry (often required for graduate health programs)

Year 1:  Fall semester Sem. Hrs.
  Biology with lab 4
  CHEM 1111: General Chemistry 1 5
     
  Spring semester  
  Biology with lab 4
  CHEM 1131: General Chemistry 2 5
  Calculus (MATH 1300 or MATH 1310 or APPM 1350) 4-5
     
Year 2:  Fall semester  
  CHEM 3311: Organic Chemistry 1 4
  CHEM 3321: OChem Lab 1 1
  IPHY 3410: Human Anatomy (Lecture) 3
  IPHY 3415: Human Anatomy (Lab) 2
     
  Spring semester  
  CHEM 3331: Organic Chemistry 2 4
  CHEM 3341: OChem Lab 2 1
  IPHY 2800: Introduction to Statistics 3
  IPHY 3470: Human Physiology 1 3
     
Year 3:  Fall semester  
  PHYS 2010: General Physics 1 5
  IPHY 3480: Human Physiology 2 3
  IPHY 3435: Human Physiology (Lab) 2
  CHEM 4611: Survey of Biochemistry 3
     
  Spring semester  
  PHYS 2020: General Physics 2 5
  IPHY Major Core Course #1 4-5
     
Year 4:  Fall semester  
  IPHY Major Core Course #2 4-5
     
  Spring semester  
  IPHY Major Core Course #3 4-5
  IPHY 4660 or 4680: Critical Thinking 3
     
     

Application Forms for Special Courses

For more information, contact:

Department of Integrative Physiology
University of Colorado at Boulder
Clare Small 114
Boulder, CO 80309-0354
phone: 303-492-7333
Mission | Alumni | Undergraduate | Advising | Student Board | Graduate
Research | Faculty | Staff | Seminars | News | Links
Integrative Physiology | University of Colorado at Boulder