Interdisciplinary Studies (BA)
Description
The B.A. in interdisciplinary studies is a degree program that allows students to create a flexible degree program around a unifying theme or problem that integrates more than one disciplinary perspective. This degree may fit academic or career interests that cannot be accommodated by the university's traditional academic programs. In particular, students who anticipate graduate or professional study in an area that does not require a specific undergraduate specialty (business, law, or medicine, for example) may find this program especially well-suited to their needs and interests. Students may select from two options, depending on the flexibility desired in pursuing the theme or problem.
Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120
Degree Requirements
The academic regulations for this degree program, as entered in the University of Mississippi Catalog, are in effect for the current or selected academic year and semester. The University of Mississippi reserves the right to 1) change or withdraw courses; 2) change rules for registration, instruction, and graduation; and 3) change other regulations affecting the student body at any time.
General Education
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following First Year Writing I courses: | 3 | |
| Introduction to College Writing | ||
or WRIT 1010 | First-Year Writing I | |
| Select one of the following First Year Writing II courses: | 3 | |
| First-Year Writing II | ||
or LIBA 1020 | First Year Seminar | |
| Select six hours of literature survey from the following: | 6 | |
| Survey in Literary History | ||
| Survey of World Literature to 1650 | ||
| Survey of World Literature since 1650 | ||
| Survey of American Lit to the Civil War | ||
| Survey of American Lit since Civil War | ||
| Survey of British Lit to 18th Century | ||
| Survey of Brit Lit since Romantic Period | ||
| Select six hours of one modern or ancient language at the 2000 level or above 1 | 6 | |
| Select six hours of History course work 2 | 6 | |
| Select three hours of humanities courses from the following areas: 3 | 3 | |
African American Studies | ||
Classical Civilization | ||
| Humanities and the Environment | ||
| Introduction to Gender Studies | ||
| Introduction to Queer Studies | ||
| Topics in Gender and Culture | ||
| Women, Gender & the Environment | ||
| Theories in Gender | ||
| Men, Women, and Greek Life | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Cinema | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in the Media | ||
| Advanced Queer Studies | ||
Philosophy | ||
Religion | ||
Southern Studies (Any 1000 Level only) | ||
| Introduction to Rhetoric | ||
| Interdisciplinary Humanities | ||
| Humanities and the Experience of War | ||
| Advanced Interdisciplinary Humanities | ||
| Select three hours of Fine Arts courses from the following: 2 | 3 | |
any Art History (ARTH) course | ||
| Dance Appreciation | ||
| Introduction to Music Literature | ||
| Fundamentals of Music Theory | ||
| Introduction to Music | ||
| Introduction to World Music Cultures | ||
| Music Theory and Analysis I | ||
| Appreciation of the Theatre | ||
| Introduction to Cinema | ||
| Introduction to the Fine Arts | ||
| Interdisciplinary Arts | ||
| Advanced Interdisciplinary Arts | ||
| Select three hours of Math at the 1000 level or above 4 | 3 | |
| Select six hours of Social Science from the following areas: | 6 | |
Anthropology | ||
Economics | ||
Political Science | ||
Psychology | ||
Sociology | ||
| Interdisciplinary Social Sciences | ||
| Advanced Interdisc Social Science | ||
| 3 science courses, of which 2 must have labs 5 | 9-11 | |
Astronomy OR Physics (must be 2 courses in Astronomy or 2 courses in Physics) | ||
Biology | ||
Chemistry | ||
Geology | ||
| Integrated Science I | ||
| Integrated Science II | ||
| Interdisciplinary Sciences | ||
| Interdisciplinary Lab Sciences | ||
| Advanced Interdisciplinary Sciences | ||
| Advanced Interdisciplinary Lab Sciences | ||
| Total Hours | 48-50 | |
- 1
Modern Languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, & Swahili.
Classics: Ancient Greek and Latin.
Communication Sciences & Disorders: American Sign Language
Philosophy and Religion: Hebrew
- 2
Freshmen may not register for 3000 level courses.
- 3
-
In addition, gender studies courses that are cross-listed with African American studies, classical civilization, English, modern languages, philosophy, or religion curses will satisfy this requirement.
- 4
-
Except for MATH 2451 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I and MATH 2452 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II
- 5
Courses may be chosen from astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, LIBA 2050 Interdisciplinary Sciences, LIBA 2051 Interdisciplinary Lab Sciences, LIBA 1500 Integrated Science I, LIBA 1510 Integrated Science II, LIBA 3150 Advanced Interdisciplinary Sciences, LIBA 3151 Advanced Interdisciplinary Lab Sciences and physics. Two semesters of coursework in one subject and one semester in a subject from another department are required. Each course must be a minimum of 3 credit hours. At least two of the courses taken must include laboratories. For some classes, the required laboratory will be an additional 1-hour course. For example, a student might take two 3-hour lecture courses in chemistry along with the two associated 1-hour laboratory courses, and one 3-hour course in biology without laboratory. As a second example, a student might take two 4-hour lecture/laboratory courses in geology and one 3-hour course in astronomy. As a third example, a student might take two chemistry courses, one with lab and one without, and a geology course with lab. Note that a student taking the required 6 hours of one subject (astronomy or physics) from the Department of Physics and Astronomy must take the remaining 3 hours from another department. ASTR 1110 Descriptive Astronomy does not include laboratory work; ASTR 1212 Intro Astronomy of the Solar System and ASTR 1312 Intro Astronomy of Stars and Galaxies include laboratory work and satisfy the requirements for lab-based science credits. A student may not receive credit for taking ASTR 1110 Descriptive Astronomy with either ASTR 1212 Intro Astronomy of the Solar System or ASTR 1312 Intro Astronomy of Stars and Galaxies.
A B.A. in interdisciplinary studies consists of 48 credit hours, including a 6-hour core of IDST 1010 Intro to Interdisciplinary Studies and IDST 4990 Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone and a 42 credit hour approved plan of study around a unifying theme or problem. The 48 credit-hour plan of study must include at least 21-27 hours at the 3000 level or higher (depending on the disciplines chosen) and 24 hours from the College of Liberal Arts.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IDST 1010 & IDST 4990 | Intro to Interdisciplinary Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone 1 | 6 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
- 1
The IDST 4990 Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone capstone may be substituted with an approved capstone or project from a department or an approved internship.
Emphasis - Option A
Option A: Students construct a 42-credit-hour plan of study around a unifying theme or problem consisting of at least two disciplines with no more than 21 credit hours in the same discipline.
Choose a unifying theme or problem consisting of at least two disciplines with no more than 21 credit hours in the same discipline.
Emphasis - Option B
Option B: Students construct a 42-credit-hour plan of study around a unifying theme or problem consisting of two minors and complementary courses appropriate to the theme. One of the minors must come from the College of Liberal Arts. At least 6-12 hours in each minor must be at the 3000 level or higher (depending on the discipline chosen).
Grade Requirement
Students must achieve a grade of C or better in each class that counts toward the major.