Arts and Sciences (Interdisciplinary Studies)

Theron Corse, PhD., Interim Coordinator
408 Hubert Crouch Hall
Telephone 615-963-5755

General Statement

The Arts and Sciences (Interdisciplinary Studies) degree program is a creative, flexible, and interdisciplinary program which allows students to concentrate their upper-level studies in one of the three concentrations: the humanities, the social sciences, or the natural sciences. The program exposes the student to the knowledge and methodologies of two specific disciplines within a given concentration. The degree, which is the Bachelor of Science in Arts and Sciences, permits students to develop a personalized program of study in consultation with their advisor which would not be met through participation in a traditional discipline. This degree program is designed to provide students with flexibility while maintaining the quality and excellence expected of all degree programs. Students choose one of the three concentrations and then identify their first discipline which requires 15 semester hours of upper-level (3000-4000) courses, and a second discipline which requires 8 semester hours of upper-level courses. For example, a student with a concentration in the humanities may choose any two of the following disciplines: Art, English, French, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Spanish, and Theatre. A student with a social sciences concentration may choose any two of the following disciplines: Africana Studies, Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, and Communications. A student with a natural sciences concentration may choose any two of the following disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics.

A student may be allowed another combination of disciplines, provided he or she makes a reasonable case for it. However, this approach to the program is the exception rather than the rule. Ultimately, this combination must be approved by the Coordinator and the Dean’s office prior to embarking on coursework rather than after the coursework has begun.

The degree is especially useful for some pre-professional curricula, such as pre-law, pre-pharmacy, pre-medicine, and pre-dentistry, because it allows the student to construct more easily a degree program from the required courses in various disciplines while gaining disciplinary knowledge which can be beneficial to success in the professional program. The degree is also useful for non-traditional students who desire a liberal arts education that will maximize their flexibility with the job market. Additionally, traditional students desiring a degree program that is not currently offered at the university may find this degree useful for constructing a degree program that allows them to gain the prerequisite skills, knowledge, and experience to fulfill their graduate school or career aspirations.

The Coordinator of Interdisciplinary Studies serves as the academic advisor for all students in the program, except for those who are seeking certification in Elementary Education.

Mission

The major in Arts and Sciences (Interdisciplinary Studies) is designed to prepare students to be life-long learners, effective community leaders, community service advocates, and productive global citizens who are able to understand and integrate diverse perspectives and methods to solve complex problems and produce practical applications and solutions to global issues.

Goals

It is the goal of the Arts and Sciences (Interdisciplinary Studies) Program: 1) to provide students with a flexible, individualized degree program that allows them to integrate disciplinary knowledge and methods to prepare for their personal, academic, and career goals; 2) to assist students in developing a personalized success plan that addresses their personal, academic, and professional goals; 3) to develop students who are able to engage in multiple perspectives taking in order to integrate disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge and methods to solve complex global problems; 4) to produce students who are life-long learners, critical thinkers, and community service advocates.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in Arts and Sciences should acquire:

1. the ability to describe a theme or problem from the perspective of different disciplines;
2. basic knowledge of student’s areas of study and an understanding of the techniques used by different disciplines to produce and analyze that knowledge;
3. the ability to integrate knowledge and modes of thinking drawn from two or more disciplines; and
4. the ability to produce an interdisciplinary understanding of a complex problem or intellectual question.