Interdisciplinary Studies (Interdepartmental Program)

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree program is for the student whose professional goals and educational objectives are optimally satisfied by a focused curriculum of interdisciplinary studies.

The concentration in Individualized Studies links three undergraduate minors to create a thematic interdisciplinary major. All requirements for each undergraduate minor must be satisfied.

The concentration in Informatics draws together minors in Digital Studies, Geographic Information Systems, and Information Technology Management. Students pursuing this concentration would learn how to effectively gather, manage, and utilize data; plan and evaluate various data systems; and intersect a variety of technologies to visualize data. Job possibilities would include working for libraries or other institutions that deal with managing large databanks.

The concentration in Organizational Dynamics is designed for students minoring in Business Administration, Communication Studies, and Sociology. These minors provide foundational skills in business functions, communication, and group behavior which offer an excellent breadth of training for a variety of jobs in small or large corporations. 

The concentration in Public Policy Advocacy pulls together the minors in Communication Studies, History, and Political Science. Students pursuing this concentration would learn how to:  effectively communicate in individual and small group capacities; understand the historical and political contexts of public policy; and appreciate how the aforementioned contexts of the past continue to shape the decision-making that directly impacts our communities today. Job possibilities would include working in government agencies on the local, state or federal level, or in advocacy organizations that are trying to shape public policy.

The concentration in Urban and Regional Planning draws together the minors in Geography, Political Science, and Sociology. Students pursuing this concentration would learn how humans interact with and influence their environment, how political institutions go about making decisions that impact the environment and the structure of community, and who is affected by such decisions.  Job opportunities would include working for city or parish agencies, or being a community development worker.

Programs

• Interdisciplinary Studies, B.I.S.