Mar 28, 2024  
Fitchburg State University 2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
Fitchburg State University 2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Interdisciplinary Studies, B.A.


Coordinator

Jane Fiske, DMA

Objectives for the Program in Interdisciplinary Studies

The bachelor of science and bachelor of arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degrees provide for individually designed, interdisciplinary majors, which allow students to work with faculty advisors to develop a course of study that responds to individual educational and professional goals. There are many possible combinations of course work available through this major, limited only by the breadth of courses offered through the day and evening divisions of the university. When creating a plan of study, a student must have a rationale for a thematic approach to their program.

Additional objectives are:

  • To enable students to explore multidisciplinary areas and to integrate them in a coherent and meaningful way through the creation of a senior capstone project
  • To provide the opportunity for majors that combine the broadly-based Liberal Arts and Sciences courses with professional courses that are individually chosen to create a minor and two areas of concentration
  • To provide the opportunity, for a part-time, individually paced education, which allows students to build their academic confidence and integrate their studies more easily into their lives

Criteria for Admissions

There is a formal application procedure for students who choose to major in Interdisciplinary Studies. The purpose of the application is to:

  • Set forth the student’s academic and professional goals and demonstrate why they are best achieved through the Interdisciplinary Studies program
  • Require students to outline their proposed program
  • Stipulate any required independent exercise or internship

Interdisciplinary Studies


Requirements for the Major in Interdisciplinary Studies


The Interdisciplinary Studies degree is normally awarded as a bachelor of science. A bachelor of arts is awarded if the student includes foreign language study through the second year of college-level work and concentrates their field of studies in the Liberal Arts and Sciences fields. Other requirements include:

  • A rationale and a thematic organizing principle for each program
  • A minimum of 36 semester hours of coursework for the major with a college-approved minor within one of the three fields
  • A minimum of nine semester hours in each of the other two fields/clusters
  • A common core of three Liberal Arts and Sciences interdisciplinary courses:

Note:


Students’ programs must meet the approval of their Interdisciplinary Studies advisor.

Interdisciplinary Studies Major for Early Childhood, Elementary, Special Education


Students in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education are required to select Interdisciplinary Studies as their Liberal Arts and Sciences major.

Required Courses

Minor and Concentrations for Early Childhood, Elementary, Special Education


Students are required to have one minor and two cluster concentrations from four curriculum areas (English, History, Mathematics, or Science) deemed appropriate by their advisor. The following are all the possible minors: English Literature, English Professional Writing, Geography/Earth Science, History, Mathematics, Political Science, Social Science, and Spanish. See the appropriate content area for requirements of each minor.