Interdisciplinary Studies, B.A.

Objectives for the Program in Interdisciplinary Studies

The Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies provides for many possible combinations of coursework available through this major, limited only by the breadth and depth of courses offered through the day and evening divisions of the university. Students work with faculty advisors to develop their unique major. When creating a plan of study, students must have a rationale for the thematic approach to their program.

• Provide for individually designed interdisciplinary programs that allow students to develop a course of study that reflects individual educational and professional goals.
• Provide the opportunity for students to develop a unique course of study by creating/integrating university minor and additional courses/areas of concentration.
• Enables students to explore discipline areas and integrate them in a coherent interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary way through the development and completion of a senior capstone project.
• Provide the opportunity for students to combine broadly based liberal arts and sciences courses with professional courses that are thoughtfully chosen and promote interdisciplinary thinking.

Criteria for Admission

There is a formal application procedure for students who choose to major in Interdisciplinary Studies as an internal or external transfer student. The purpose of the application is to:

• Identify the student’s academic and professional goals to assure they are best achieved through the program.
• Require students to meet with an advisor to consider and outline their proposed program.
• Identify any required independent work or internship experience.

The above-listed goals will happen after acceptance to the program for entering freshman and external transfer students.

Interdisciplinary Studies

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will have the opportunity to pursue individually designed interdisciplinary programs, or thematically organized Interdisciplinary concentrations, with a course of study reflective of their individual educational and professional goals.
• Students will be able to identify and define a problem or issue which can be addressed from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, by doing the following:
• Students will be able to conduct primary and secondary research in order to construct original interdisciplinary research questions/problems, and develop well documented, supported, reasoned, and informed conclusions to problems and issues, by doing the following:
• Students will be able to apply and integrate methods, materials, and/or insights from different disciplines to the solution of a problem, the analysis of an issue, and ultimately the completion of an interdisciplinary capstone thesis or project informed by their previous work in different disciplines, by doing the following:
• Students will be able to communicate ideas clearly, as demonstrated by the following:
• Students will strengthen interdisciplinary habits of mind, such as the ability to recognize perspective and bias, think critically, tolerate ambiguity, discover common ground, and appreciate ethical concerns.

Additional Note:

The B.A. will be awarded if the student has completed courses demonstrating advanced intermediate proficiency in a world language.