The
Interdisciplinary Studies Program offers students individually designed
major programs on both the bachelor's and master's level in addition
to formalized major and minor programs such as CLEG (Communications,
Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government) and Women's and Gender
Studies.
.01
Individually Constructed Interdisciplinary Majors
The
individually constructed interdisciplinary major is designed for undergraduate
and graduate students who wish to construct their own major programs
of study leading to the B.A., B.S., M.A., or M.S. degree.
A.
Undergraduate Majors
1.
Admission Requirements
a.
No student with less than a 2.50 grade point average will be admitted
to an interdisciplinary program.
b.
All arrangements should be completed by the end of the first semester
of the junior year, except by special permission of the appropriate
dean, and no earlier than the second semester of the freshman year.
2.
Admission Procedures
a.
The initiative in formulating an interdisciplinary major is left to
the student. The student is responsible for securing the advice and
approval of three faculty members: one major advisor (who must be a
full‑time faculty member) and two sponsors. The three faculty
members should represent the various disciplines involved in the interdisciplinary
field. The major faculty advisor will advise the student actively for
the rest of the student's undergraduate career. The two sponsors will
assist the major faculty advisor in areas outside his or her own field.
b.
The student applies for permission to undertake an interdisciplinary
major to the dean of the school or college in which he or she is enrolled.
If the focus of the interdisciplinary program makes a change of college
or school affiliation advisable, the student must follow the procedure
specified in regulation 40.10.22.
c.
The student must submit a completed Interdisciplinary Studies Major
Program Form, with required attachments and bearing the signatures of
the major advisor and the two sponsors, to his or her dean. Information
submitted must include the following:
i.
A statement of the central concept of the major and an explanation of
its interdisciplinary character.
ii.
A statement demonstrating that existing programs do not satisfy educational
needs or vocational goals of the student.
iii.
An outline of the academic requirements of the major, including a list
of all required courses and a tentative schedule for their completion.
Individually designed courses must be outlined.
iv.
A Declaration of Major Form, which must specify the name of the major
and whether a B.A. or a B.S. degree is to be awarded upon successful
completion of the program.
d.
In accepting the proposal for an interdisciplinary major, the dean's
office certifies that the rules established for interdisciplinary studies
have been followed and that courses necessary for completion of the
program will be available, and it assumes administrative responsibility
for monitoring the student's progress and clearing the student for graduation.
3.
Major Requirements
a.
Interdisciplinary major programs must include at least 36 credit hours
selected to form an academically sound, unified, and well‑defined
program. At least 75 percent of these credit hours must be upper level
as defined by the teaching units that offer them. The student should
be encouraged to include at least two 500‑level courses, although
in some areas this may not be possible. A maximum of 18 credit hours
of work completed prior to the semester in which application is made
may be included in the program.
b.
In addition to the 36 credit hours in the major, the student is required
to take two independent study courses or senior seminars (6 credit hours)
supervised by the major advisor and focused on the program's central
concept. If there is an available internship program appropriate to
the interdisciplinary theme, it may be substituted for all or part of
this requirement. Also, with prior approval, the student may substitute
an appropriate advanced course (500 level or above) for one of the above
courses.
B.
Graduate Majors (M.A. or M.S. only)
1.
Admission Requirements
Graduate
students previously admitted to a college or school may be admitted
into interdisciplinary graduate degree programs leading to the master's
degree according to their needs, interests, and capacities, as alternatives
to established disciplines. Prospective graduate students who want to
pursue an interdisciplinary degree must first be admitted to a school
or college (admission to the College of Arts and Sciences requires departmental
approval). In applying for admission, the prospective graduate student
should alert the faculty of the teaching unit to his or her interdisciplinary
goals, either personally or by mail. In this manner, the student unofficially
explores the possibilities of obtaining faculty support for the desired
interdisciplinary program. The dean's office of the school or college
may aid the prospective student in obtaining faculty advice.
2.
Admission Procedures
a.
The initiative in formulating an interdisciplinary major is left to
the student. The student is responsible for securing the advice and
approval of three faculty advisors, at least one from each of the two
or more disciplines involved in the interdisciplinary field, who will
help in setting up the program. The student should select one of the
three faculty advisors as the primary advisor who must be from the admitting
school (or department in the College of Arts and Sciences).
b.
The student, with the assistance of the faculty advisors, must formulate
in writing and submit to the office of the dean the following items
in the approved format and bearing the signatures of all three faculty
members:
i. A statement of the central concept around
which the interdisciplinary major is organized.
ii.
An explanation of why existing programs are inadequate to the student's
purpose.
iii.
A list of all proposed courses—major, related, and tool—with prerequisites
to these courses. Individually designed courses must be outlined by
the student, after consultation with the faculty member giving the course.
iv.
A rationale for the selection of courses.
v.
The title of each standardized comprehensive field, with a rationale
for selecting it.
vi.
A statement of how the 6‑hour research requirement is to be fulfilled.
If the research requirement is not to be met by a thesis, specifics
of the nonthesis option must be listed. If
the choice is to write a thesis, the thesis proposal and names of thesis
committee members must be specified.
vii.
A Change of Major Form, which must specify the name of the major and
whether an M.A. or M.S. degree is to be awarded upon successful completion
of the program.
c.
A meeting of all three faculty advisors, the student, and a representative
of the dean's office must be held before final approval of the major
program.
d.
Approval or disapproval of an interdisciplinary major will be given
by the dean's office within four weeks of receiving the proposal. In
accepting the proposal, the dean's office certifies that the rules established
for interdisciplinary studies have been followed and that courses necessary
for completion of the program will be available, and it assumes administrative
responsibility for monitoring the student's progress and clearing the
student for graduation.
3.
Major Requirements
a.
Graduate degree requirements are those of Graduate Minimum Standards
(regulation 55.00.00).
b.
The student will take any standardized examination according to the
policy of the responsible teaching unit.
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.02
Establishment of New Interdisciplinary Courses
Proposals
to establish permanent interdisciplinary courses will be handled under
the procedures set forth in regulation 70.00.02, with the following
additional requirements:
A.
Courses that involve more than one major teaching unit must go through
the approval procedure in each major teaching unit involved.
B.
Undergraduate interdisciplinary course proposals must be approved by
the University Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee before being forwarded
to the Provost.
C.
Graduate‑level interdisciplinary course proposals must be approved
by the University Senate Graduate Studies Committee before being forwarded
to the Provost.
D.
500‑level interdisciplinary course proposals must be approved
by both the University Senate Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Committees
before being forwarded to the Provost.
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.03
Formalized Interdisciplinary Programs
Formalized
(that is, not individually constructed) interdisciplinary programs are
governed by regulation 70.00.00 and 70.10.00.
Senate action and Provost approval, April 1983. Effective fall 1983.
