School of Interdisciplinary Studies

The Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Studies, leading to the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, is designed for students who wish to continue their intellectual development within an interdisciplinary framework and for those with specialized training who wish to broaden their education. The objective of the program is to provide students the opportunity to develop an approach to topics and problems from the perspectives of more than one discipline and to develop a better understanding of many of the social, cultural, and scientific forces which affect the individual and society.

Teacher Development Center

The University offers opportunities in selected fields for teachers and other school personnel to earn initial teaching certification and certificate endorsements.

Students wishing to pursue an advanced degree should consider programs leading to the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree in Science Education, or Mathematics Education. Students enrolling for one of these degrees should consult the appropriate subject area in this catalog. Students pursuing coursework leading to additional certificate endorsement or initial certification should seek counsel in the Teacher Development Center early in their program of study. Contact 972-883-2730 or go to www.utdallas.edu/teach.

Degrees Offered

• Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (36 hours minimum)

Faculty

All faculty in the university are eligible to participate.

Professors: George W. Fair, Karen J. Prager, Lawrence J. Redlinger

Associate Professor: Erin A. Smith

Senior Lecturers: Kathleen Byrnes, Susan P. Chizeck, Dachang Cong, Jillian Duquaine-Watson, Jonathan Frome, Lynn W. Mabe, Elizabeth M. Salter, Tonja Wissinger

Objectives

The Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Studies, leading to the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, is designed for students who wish to continue their intellectual development within an interdisciplinary framework and for those with specialized training who wish to broaden their education. The objective of the program is to provide students the opportunity to develop an approach to topics and problems from the perspectives of more than one discipline and to develop a better understanding of many of the social, cultural, and scientific forces which affect the individual and society.

Admission Requirements

The University's general admission requirements are discussed on the Graduate Admission page (catalog.utdallas.edu/2013/graduate/admission).

For admission to the program, the student must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, with a grade average of B or better. A verbal plus quantitative GRE score of 295 (or equivalent examination) is advisable based on our experience with student success in the program. All students not meeting the above criteria are considered on an individual basis. A student who has a deficit in either GRE score or grade point average may be conditionally admitted to the program.

Degree Requirements

The University's general degree requirements are discussed on the Graduate Policies and Procedures page (catalog.utdallas.edu/2013/graduate/policies/policy).

For the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, 36 hours of course work must be completed. These hours are distributed as follows:

Interdisciplinary Seminars (3 hours)

In the first year the student must complete an interdisciplinary seminar (MAIS 5300, MAIS 5301, MAIS 5313, MAIS 5315, MAIS 5316, MAIS 5333, MAIS 5335 or MAIS 5336). The seminars are designed to introduce students to graduate work and to give them experience in interdisciplinary approaches to subjects and problems.

Core Requirements (9 hours)

From the graduate courses offered in this catalog, the student selects, in consultation with the advisor, at least three hours each from at least two of the following areas: Humanities, which includes Aesthetic Studies, History of Ideas, and Studies in Literature; Natural Sciences and Mathematics, which includes courses in Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physics, and selected courses in Science Education; Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, which includes courses in Public Affairs, Criminology, Economics, Geospatial Science, Public Policy and Political Economy, Political Science, and Sociology; Management, which includes Management and International Management Studies, Accounting, Information Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Management and Administrative Sciences, Finance and Healthcare Management.

Concentration (12 hours)

From the graduate courses offered in this catalog, the student selects, in consultation with the advisor, at least 12 additional hours of coursework in one or two of the general areas listed above.

Electives (6 hours)

From the graduate courses offered in this catalog, the student selects, in consultation with the advisor, at least six semester hours of courses.

Capstone Seminar and Research Project (6 hours)

The seminar and project are the culmination of the student's program. The seminar includes readings in, and discussion of, interdisciplinary theory and preparation for the research project. Each student will develop a research topic which lends itself to an interdisciplinary approach. The topic should be sufficiently broad to draw upon knowledge and techniques gained throughout the program. To complete the project, students should synthesize and integrate information from various sources, utilizing different methodologies, and thus draw conclusions which present a new perspective on the topic as a result of this interdisciplinary approach.

Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Studies

At the beginning of the degree program each student participates in a specially designed interdisciplinary seminar on topics related to the development of human beings and their world. At the end of the program, each student participates in a capstone seminar and completes an interdisciplinary research project. The remainder of the program is individually designed by the student, in consultation with the advisor, to meet particular personal interests and professional needs.