Interdisciplinary Studies, BA or BS

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Requirements for the Major

Students must complete the following requirements for the major and the general degree requirements.

1.

Complete 90 or more credits (at least 48 of which must be upper division) from two or more programs chosen from the following areas: art, biology, chemistry, communication, computer science, criminal justice, economics, education, English and writing, foreign languages, health and physical education, history, human service, international studies, mathematics, music, Native American studies, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, Shakespeare studies, sociology and anthropology, and gender, sexuality, and women’s studies.

2.

Select a department or program of emphasis. The department or program of emphasis is responsible for providing academic advising and ensuring that all requirements are completed. Students must complete at least 30 credits for the department or program of emphasis, including 24 credits of upper division coursework from a list designated by the department or program and approved by the department chair or program director, as well as at least 12 upper division credits in each of the remaining areas.

3.

Independent interdisciplinary majors must write a brief letter explaining the rationale for requesting an independent interdisciplinary major. The letter should explain how an independently designed interdisciplinary major would best suit the student’s purposes for study. The letter should be addressed to the department chair or program director from which the majority of the student’s courses will be selected. Students must also share the letter with the department chair(s) or program director(s) in their secondary area(s) of emphasis.

4.

Complete the writing component for the department of emphasis.

5.

Students who are interdisciplinary majors must have a planned program and a chosen department or program of emphasis by the time they have completed 121 credits.

6.

Complete the capstone experience for the departments or programs of emphasis or develop an alternative approved by the chair or program director of the departments or programs of emphasis. Students who plan to pursue the alternative option must file an approved plan with the department chair or program director in the primary area of emphasis.

7.

Maintain the minimum GPA for the chosen interdisciplinary degree. The minimum GPA for the interdisciplinary degree is the minimum GPA for the department of emphasis. Where the area of emphasis is a program rather than a department, the minimum GPA is 2.5, unless the GPA is set higher by an authorized committee in the program of emphasis.