Mar 29, 2024  
Fitchburg State University 2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
Fitchburg State University 2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Interdisciplinary Studies, B.S.


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Undergraduate Evening Programs

Program Manager

Jane Fiske, DMA

Program Objectives

The bachelor of science and bachelor of arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degrees provide for uniquely designed, interdisciplinary majors, which allow students to work with faculty advisors to develop a plan of study that responds to personal educational and professional goals. The programs are particularly well-suited to adult learners. They provide the opportunity for part-time, individually-paced education which allows students to build their academic confidence and integrate their studies into their lives.

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 specifically chosen to create a minor and two areas of concentration.
  • To provide the opportunity for a part-time, individuallypaced education, which allows students to build their academic confidence and integrate their studies more easily into their lives.

Program of Study

The Interdisciplinary Studies degree is typically 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.

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.

Admission Standards and Criteria

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. Students must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of course work after the program of study is approved by their Interdisciplinary Studies advisor and filed with the registrar.
  • 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.
 

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Undergraduate Evening Programs