An interdisciplinary major consists of an integrated series of courses selected from at least two of the conventional academic disciplines. Interdisciplinary majors are available in Black Studies, Conflict Studies, East Asian Studies, Russian Studies and Women's Studies. Students also have opportunity to devise, in consultation with faculty advisors, an academic program suited to an area of special interest. Although any general problem of a genuine academic, scientific or intellectual nature may constitute the subject of an interdisciplinary major, such a major is ordinarily defined in one of three ways:
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- an area of the world, geographically, politically or culturally prescribed, such as the United States, Latin America, Asia, East Europe, or the Middle East;
- a period of time in the history of some part of the world, such as the Victorian Age, the Enlightenment, the Renaissance, or the Middle Ages; or
- a specific problem which is treated by several disciplines, such as the concept of social justice, the artist in the modern world, the rhetoric of revolutionary movements, or political modernization.
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| In selecting a subject for an independently designed interdisciplinary major, students should be guided by two further considerations. First, a mere interest in certain academic disciplines, however closely related they may appear, is not a significant justification for an interdisciplinary major. Students must have in mind a subject that can serve as a focal point for the courses chosen. Second, although the subject to be examined in the major may coincide with the vocational interests of a student, it must at the same time be a legitimate object of study in its own right. |
Each interdisciplinary major will be supervised by a committee of three faculty members, all of whom must sign the proposal and application, approve all changes to the major, and approve the senior comprehensive requirement project. |
The interdisciplinary major proposal itself should be thorough, detailed, and well-argued. It must clearly articulate a compelling rationale for the major as a whole, and should indicate how each proposed course fits into the overall plan of study. |
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| REQUIREMENTS |
1. Course Requirements:
- A total of 10 to 12 courses (12 maximum)
- At least 4 courses from each of two departments
- At least 4 courses must be at the 300-400 level
- No more than 8 courses can be taken in any one department (whether listed in the major or not).
- If one area of concentration is a language, and the language is begun at the 100 level, then a maximum of 10 courses in the department of the language may be taken.
- At least 16 courses outside of the main departments involved in the major
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2. Senior Comprehensive Requirement:
During the senior year, each student must participate in a seminar, or present and defend a thesis, or prepare an appropriate project. The Interdisciplinary Committee shall:
- Designate ways in which the student will fulfill this senior comprehensive requirement
- Notify the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs of the details of the senior project at the beginning of the student's senior year
- Certify its completion
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3. Minimum Grade Point Average:
A 2.0 grade point average must be earned in all course credit applied to the major. A passing grade must be achieved on the comprehensive requirement. |
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| APPLICATION PROCESS |
- The forms for declaring an interdisciplinary major are available in the Academic Affairs Office (207 Harrison Hall) or via the links at the left of this page.
- Each interdisciplinary major will be supervised by a committee of three faculty members, all of whom must sign the application, approve all changes to the major, and approve the senior comprehensive requirement.
- Each applicant must complete the following steps:
- Prepare the application and proposal and get the signatures of the three faculty members who agree to comprise your committee. Discuss the proposal with your entire committee. Prepare the list of courses carefully and give your rationale on the application form.
- Take the completed form to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. If approved, a copy will be sent to each member of the committee and to the student. The registrar will also receive a copy, along with the signed advisor.
- The interdisciplinary major should be approved by the end of the sixth week of the second semester of the sophomore year. In no case may such a major be approved later than the sixth week of the first semester of the junior year.
- Changes to the interdisciplinary major must be approved by the advisors and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
- The Interdisciplinary Major program is under the supervision of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, to whom all questions should be addressed.
FORMS
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E-mail questions to: Kelley Hall, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. |
