Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST)

IDST 301. Interdisciplinary Theory and Practice. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students in the University College's Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program. This course will familiarize students with the history, theory and practice of interdisciplinarity. It is a core component of the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies curriculum and provides an overview of the integrative intellectual pursuit that is interdisciplinary studies. This course immerses students in the breadth of interdisciplinary synthesis and integration of research methods appropriate to their area of interdisciplinary study.

IDST 303. Interdisciplinarity in the Professional World. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course provides an overview of strategies for academic success and career-readiness within the context of interdisciplinarity in the 21st-century university and professional world. Students will leverage the work they are doing in their focus areas as they begin to explore or refine their pre-professional interests and goals. Students will research specific interdisciplinary intellectual preparation and professional skills and expectations aligned with the goals.

IDST 305. Interdisciplinary Social Innovation. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course provides students with the opportunity to learn about community issues through service to and partnerships with organizations that further social causes. Students will form interdisciplinary teams to design projects for these organizations to bring sustainable change to the community. The course emphasizes design thinking and leadership development and foregrounds skills for collaborative problem-solving and project management.

IDST 391. Interdisciplinary Special Topics. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 12 credits. Specialized topics in interdisciplinary subjects not provided by an existing course or program.

IDST 450. Career Readiness Synthesis. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Enrollment is restricted to students who have completed 14 hours of course work required for the interdisciplinary career readiness skills minor, who are enrolled in the interdisciplinary studies major or by permission of the program. This course enables students to reflect upon the courses and co-curricular experiences they have completed through the ICRS minor and serves as the capstone course for the minor. Students will explore how those courses and experiences have helped them develop the skills and competencies needed for post-graduation employment, and they will synthesize evidence of those skills into an eportfolio to share with potential employers and graduate/professional programs.

IDST 492. Independent Study. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 independent study hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for credit. This course is designed to provide upper-level B.I.S. students the opportunity to explore and investigate a complex interdisciplinary problem or area of research beyond available curricular offerings. Students must discuss their specific interest with the interdisciplinary studies faculty adviser, secure an approved faculty mentor and complete the independent study proposal form (with their faculty mentor) prior to receiving an override for course registration.

IDST 493. Internship. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 field experience hours. 1-3 credits (50 field site contact hours per credit). May be repeated for credit with different internships for a maximum of nine credits. Enrollment is restricted to interdisciplinary studies students who have completed 24 credits in their focus areas, earned junior or senior status and obtained approval of placement site from their faculty adviser. The internship is designed to help B.I.S. students have a real-world learning experience that will help move them in the direction of their desired future career. It is intended to provide opportunities for the student to apply classroom knowledge and acquire professional skills. The internship site(s) selected must be compatible with one or more of the focus areas of the student’s major and should help to build skills toward a future professional or academic path of interest to them.

IDST 499. BIS Senior Capstone. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Pre- or corequisite: IDST 301. Enrollment is restricted to students in the University College's Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program who have senior standing and have completed 18 hours in their focus area. Students will synthesize and evaluate the theoretical, methodological and substantive issues discovered during course work in the focus area, producing both an eportfolio and a capstone project.