Interdisciplinary Studies, B.S.

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Chairperson

Rala Diakite

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:

IDIS 1800 - Global Issues 3 cr.
MUSC 2000 - Commonwealth of the Arts 3 cr. or
MUSC 2100 - Commonwealth of Ancient Arts 3 cr. or
MUSC 2120 - Commonwealth of Asian Arts 3 cr. or
MUSC 2130 - Commonwealth of the Arts: Classical through Contemporary 3 cr. or
MUSC 2210 - Commonwealth of the Arts: Medieval to Baroque 3 cr.
PHIL 1000 - Introduction to Western Philosophy 3 cr. or
PHIL 1100 - Logic 3 cr. or
PHIL 2550 - Introduction to Ethics 3 cr. or
PHIL 2600 - Philosophy of Human Nature 3 cr.
A senior-year Capstone course intended to help students to integrate the various fields of study. This may take the form of an independent study or an internship (3-15 semester hours)
A minimum 30 semester hours of course work completed after the program of study is approved and filed with the registrar
Students must be admitted to the major prior to their senior year

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, Middle School (General Science, History, Humanities, and Math Science Concentrations), and Special Education are required to select Interdisciplinary Studies as their Liberal Arts and Sciences major.

Required Courses

IDIS 1800 - Global Issues 3 cr.
MUSC 2000 - Commonwealth of the Arts 3 cr. or
MUSC 2100 - Commonwealth of Ancient Arts 3 cr. or
MUSC 2120 - Commonwealth of Asian Arts 3 cr. or
MUSC 2130 - Commonwealth of the Arts: Classical through Contemporary 3 cr. or
MUSC 2210 - Commonwealth of the Arts: Medieval to Baroque 3 cr.
PHIL 1000 - Introduction to Western Philosophy 3 cr. or
PHIL 1100 - Logic 3 cr. or
PHIL 2550 - Introduction to Ethics 3 cr. or
PHIL 2600 - Philosophy of Human Nature 3 cr.
IDIS 4000 - IDIS Capstone Seminar: Education 3 cr. or *
SPED 4300 - Engaging Scholarship in Education 1 cr. *
*Depending on program of study.

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.