Today’s problems are complex. To tackle global challenges such as climate change, health care, cybersecurity, inequity, hunger and other interdisciplinary issues, we need to bring in experts from different fields who know how to understand solve problems, communicate effectively, think critically, and collaborate with teams. These skills are the backbone of the KI program.
Why narrow your interests, when you can integrate them?
Thanks to KI’s flexibility, you can specialize in arts, science, technology, environmental issues, design-thinking, psychology, business, or any other topic you find interesting. KI’s closed tight-knit community provides a supportive environment to learn how to integrate knowledge from different disciplines and offer creative novel solutions to real-world problems. Through hands-on projects and group work, you’ll learn side by side with curious and attentive peers who want to make a difference in a rapidly changing world.
"When I was in high school, I loved a lot of different subjects and was very involved in clubs, student councils, and other extra-curricular activities. While a lot of my friends knew exactly where they wanted to apply for post-secondary education, I had no idea what I wanted to do.
When I think back to my high school self, I wish I knew how amazing the KI community is. There are so many opportunities to get involved within and beyond the KI community and I have learned as much from my peers as I have from my classes. I am so grateful that I chose KI."
What makes KI’s structure unique?
By graduation, you and your classmates will have gained credible knowledge specific to your interests. You’ll also have developed a core set of transferable skills thanks to 16+ months of hands-on projects and other experiential learning.
- KI’s 12 core courses will teach you transferable skills that are in high demand amongst employers: collaboration, complex problem-solving, communication, and project management skills, amongst others.
- KI’s 11 breadth courses will build a foundation of knowledge across 8 disciplines. You’ll learn to think critically, write clearly, speak publicly, research, and make connections. With these courses, you’re set to go in any direction with your electives.
- KI’s 17 elective courses give you the freedom to explore and specialize in your many interests and discover new ones along the way. In KI, you can mix and match almost any topic offered across campus. Pick from climate change to digital arts communication, computing, cognitive science, biology, languages, and much more.
At the end of your undergraduate journey in KI, you’ll earn a Bachelor of Knowledge Integration (BKI) degree. This one-of-a-kind designation demonstrates KI’s innovative take on an arts and science education, going beyond two distinct disciplines to combine and integrate knowledge on a broader level.
How are Knowledge Integration graduates prepared for the workforce?
Knowledge Integration graduates enter the workforce with strong skills in communication, teamwork, leadership, project management and problem solving, along with the expertise of the areas of studies they pursued.
They are curious and self-directed leaders, comfortable with ambiguity, communicate with generosity, problem solve through more than one perspective, take initiative, and often want to make a difference in the world. This makes them attractive candidates for a wide variety of career opportunities. Read about how the Bachelor of Knowledge Integration is shaping problem solvers for today’s workforce.
How did KI come to be?
Suppose you had an opportunity to design a university education from scratch. What do students want? What does society need? Ed Jernigan, founding director of the Bachelor of Knowledge Integration, shares the story of how KI came to be.