Bachelor of arts/Bachelor of science in Interdisciplinary Studies
Program Manager
Beth Fullerton
Program Objectives
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 plan of study that responds to individual 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 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.
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
- Stipulate any required independent exercise or internship
Breakdown of Requirements for Major
- A minimum of 36 semester hours of course work 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 of study (defined by disciplines, not department or tracks)
- A common core of three Liberal Arts and Sciences interdisciplinary courses: IDIS 1800, Global Issues; MUSC 2000, Commonwealth of the Arts or MUSC 2100, Commonwealth of the Ancient Arts; and PHIL 1100, Logic or PHIL 2600, Philosophy of Human Nature or PHIL 3340 Contemporary Philosophy or PHIL 4430 Marxism
- 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
A student's program must meet the approval of their Interdisciplinary Studies advisor and advisors from each of the chosen fields of study.
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 college. When creating a plan of study, a student must have a rationale for a thematic approach to their program. Students must meet the following requirements for the major:
Liberal Arts and Sciences Requirements
LA&S Requirements (may go up to 63,
depending upon whether science courses
taken are three or four S.H.) 60 S.H.
Major Required Courses
Major Courses including the required core
(three fields of study) 36 S.H.
Capstone
Capstone Course, Project, or
Internship in Major 3-15 S.H.
Electives
Electives (may be fewer depending upon credits
taken in above two categories.) 21 S.H.
Total for Degree 120 S.H.
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