The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies allows students to choose among ten options within the major. Beginning in autumn 2010, all of those options will become independent majors, with the exceptions of Media and Communication Studies and Individualized Studies. These majors and options allow students to specialize in an area of interest without losing sight of the linkages among different ways of knowing and engaging the world.
Like all Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (IAS) degrees, the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies focuses on four core learning objectives: critical thinking; collaboration and shared leadership; interdisciplinary research; and writing and presentation. These learning objectives are developed and documented through the IAS degree portfolio process, a process that begins with the program core course and concludes with the senior seminar or capstone.
IAS emphasizes these learning objectives because they allow students to hone their abilities in writing, speaking, quantitative reasoning and information literacy. These skills position students to participate in workplace and civic leadership in a democratic society, to enrich their personal lives and their communities and to appreciate and care for the natural environment.
Students majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies choose one of the following ten options: