WISCIENCE courses—listed as Integrated Science (INTEGSCI)—are designed to help you build community and boost confidence while fulfilling degree requirements and building career skills.
Discuss with your advisor to find out if these courses are right for you!
Exploring Biology – INTEGSCI 100
Credits: 2
Instructor: Cara Theisen
Requirements: None
Notes: First-year seminar
In this first-year seminar, aspiring bioscience majors (both first-year students and new transfer students) will learn about topics related to biology in Wisconsin, bioscience careers, scientific thinking, and biology research. This is not an intro to biology course, but a topics course that also helps students to explore campus opportunities (typically taken before the intro bio sequence).
Fall 2026 Schedule:
Section 001:
Mon. 2:25–4:20 PM (FIG section)
Section 002:
Wed. 2:25–4:20 PM
Exploring Service in STEM – INTEGSCI 140
Credits: 1
Instructor: Anna Courtier
Requirements: None
Notes: First-year seminar; requires 10 hours of service
A discussion-based seminar introducing first-year STEM students to the world of public service from the perspective of both the university and its community partners. Includes classroom activities and direct campus and off-campus experiences. Service opportunities include STEM outreach, sustainability, and public health.
Fall 2026 Schedule:
Section 001:
Thurs. 11:00 AM–12:15 PM
Section 002:
Thurs. 1:00–2:15 PM
Exploring Research in STEM – INTEGSCI 150
Credits: 1
Instructor: Nancy Ruggeri or Sarah Sweger
Requirements: None
This course offers an overview of the research process and opportunities to build skills in reading scientific literature. Students will refine their research interests, identify potential research mentors, create professional emails to ask about research opportunities, and explore STEM careers.
Fall 2026 Schedule:
Section 001:
Tuesdays, 11 AM–12:15 PM
Section 002:
Wednesdays, 2:30–3:45 PM
Exploring Peer Leadership in STEM – INTEGSCI 230
Credits: 2
Instructor: Keegan Buscaino
Requirements: Permission from instructor required. Requires involvement in a peer leadership position.
Students build practical peer leadership and mentoring skills while evaluating and reflecting on personal experiences among a group of peers who challenge and learn from each other as they explore leadership. Class activities are designed to develop critical thinking around student development issues and provide strategies for integrating discussions of diversity, ethics, social justice, community, and civic responsibility into leadership experiences.
Fall 2026 Schedule:
Lecture
Tuesdays, 8:00–9:15 AM
Discussion
Thursdays, 8:50–9:40 AM
Service with Youth in STEM – INTEGSCI 240
Credits: 2
Instructor: Anna Courtier
Requirements: Permission from instructor required.
Notes: Community-based learning; requires 25 hours of service.
Teaches students about community engagement, focusing on building partnerships, understanding organizational missions and community needs, assessing informal science outreach, and issues related to scientific literacy and access. Students will work with community partners to lead elementary after-school science clubs. Students develop themed club activities in lab.
Fall 2026 Schedule:
Lecture
Tuesdays, 9:30–10:45 AM
Lab
Thursdays, 9:30–10:45 AM