School of Interdisciplinary Studies
Interdisciplinary Studies (BA, BS)
The Bachelor's degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies (BAIS) emphasize a broad learning experience and a wider perspective than that provided by traditional undergraduate majors. They are designed to offer the student the opportunity to participate in an interdisciplinary, coherent, academically sound, and goal-oriented education directly relevant to the student's intellectual development and career aspirations. They are appropriate for those students who seek a thorough grounding in the traditional arts and sciences from an interdisciplinary perspective. Each student in the Interdisciplinary Studies program becomes an active partner in the formulation of his or her program of study, working in consultation with an academic advisor to devise an appropriate individual degree plan. Within the framework of two foundation areas, a university-wide Interdisciplinary Studies sequence, and a multidisciplinary concentration, a student may draw upon the resources of all schools of the University to create a degree program.
Common areas of concentration for the BAIS are business issues, environmental studies, human resources, international relations, law, public relations, and urban studies. Graduates have been accepted into graduate programs in divinity, education, environmental studies, the health professions, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, law, management, and social sciences. The BS in Interdisciplinary Studies is selected by students interested in environmental studies, the health professions, and other science-related fields. Students interested in pre-health are advised to contact the Head of Healthcare Studies during their first semester.
Minors and Double Majors are not allowed in these two Interdisciplinary Studies degrees. In order to make the Interdisciplinary Studies degrees reflect their name, no more than 21 semester credit hours of courses with the same prefix are allowed in the combined major requirements and the 6 semester credit hours of electives. (All courses taught by the Naveen Jindal School of Management courses count as a single prefix.) In the major requirements and 6 semester credit hours of electives, the plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 45 upper-division semester credit hours. In the concentration, a minimum of three (3) prefixes must be represented. Please consult an academic advisor for further elaboration.
The BAIS and BSIS are geared toward non-Education majors. For those students who wish to pursue a future in the field of Education, UT Dallas offers both a Bachelor's of Arts in Education and a Bachelor's of Science in Education through the School of Interdisciplinary Studies.
Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Faculty
Professors: Karen J. Prager, Lawrence J. Redlinger, Erin A. Smith
Professor of Instruction: Barbara Ashmore, Tonja Wissinger
Associate Professors of Instruction: Kathleen Byrnes, Patricia A. Leek, Syed Naqvi
Assistant Professors of Instruction: Kyle Hammonds, Marc Lusk, Michele McNeel, Azadeh Stark, Larissa Werhnyak
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours1
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)
Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
MATH 1306 College Algebra for the Non-Scientist2
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses (see advisor)
Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
Choose two courses from the following:
ISNS 2359 Earthquakes and Volcanoes
ISNS 2367 The Oceans
ISNS 2368 Weather and Climate
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses (see advisor)
Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
AMS 2300 American Popular Culture
AMS 2341 American Studies for the Twenty-First Century
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses (see advisor)
Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours Creative Arts Core courses (see advisor)
American History: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from American History Core courses (see advisor)
Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses (see advisor)
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
GST 2300 Introduction to Gender Studies
PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses.3 (see advisor)
Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses.3
II. Major Requirements: 60 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
Major Core Courses: 18 semester credit hours
BIS 3320 The Nature of Intellectual Inquiry
Two 3 semester credit hour ISIS courses
One 3 semester credit hour ISIS course or one ISNS course
Two 3 semester credit hour courses chosen from AMS, GST, or ISIS, or BIS 4V04 Internship
Major Related Courses: 42 semester credit hours consisting of:
Two Foundations: 12 semester credit hours each (24 semester credit hours)
The two foundations are drawn from Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Naveen Jindal School of Management, and School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
One Concentration: 18 semester credit hours
Each student devises, in consultation with his/her advisor, the topic for the Concentration and selects 18 semester credit hours of coursework related to the topic, drawn from at least three academic disciplines.
Appropriate IS coursework may be selected.
III. Elective Requirements: 18 semester credit hours
Required for all freshmen: 1 semester credit hour
BIS 1100 Interdisciplinary Studies First Year Experience
Free Electives: 17 semester credit hours
A minimum of 45 semester credit hours must be taken at UT Dallas. All the coursework in the final semester must be taken at UT Dallas.
The plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 45 upper-division semester credit hours.
Honors in Interdisciplinary Studies (BA)
Grade Point Average (GPA): 3.900 cumulative GPA, 3.900 GPA in courses as described below, and a total of 30 upper-division UT Dallas semester credit hours as described below.
Required courses: 9 semester credit hours
BIS 3320 The Nature of Intellectual Inquiry (3 semester credit hours)
Foundation I (3 semester credit hours)
Foundation II (3 semester credit hours)
Concentration: 15 semester credit hours
Options: (6 semester credit hours)
6 semester credit hours of Internship
or 3 semester credit hours of Internship and one three semester credit hour AMS/GST/ISIS course
Notation on Transcript: Honors in Major
Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Faculty
Professors: Karen J. Prager, Lawrence J. Redlinger, Erin A. Smith
Professor of Instruction: Barbara Ashmore, Tonja Wissinger
Associate Professors of Instruction: Kathleen Byrnes, Patricia A. Leek, Syed Naqvi
Assistant Professors of Instruction: Kyle Hammonds, Marc Lusk, Michele McNeel, Azadeh Stark, Larissa Werhnyak
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours1
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)
Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I
MATH 2413 Differential Calculus
MATH 2417 Calculus I
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses (see advisor)
Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
Choose two courses from the following:
ISNS 2359 Earthquakes and Volcanoes2
ISNS 2368 Weather and Climate2
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses (see advisor)
Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
AMS 2300 American Popular Culture
AMS 2341 American Studies for the Twenty-First Century
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses (see advisor)
Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses (see advisor)
American History: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from American History Core courses (see advisor)
Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses (see advisor)
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
GST 2300 Introduction to Gender Studies
PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses.3
Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
Choose one of the following courses in mathematics:
MATH 1326 Applied Calculus II (if MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I is taken)
MATH 2414 Integral Calculus
or MATH 2415 Calculus of Several Variables (if MATH 2413 Differential Calculus is taken)
MATH 2419 Calculus II (if MATH 2417 Calculus I is taken)
and MATH 2415 Calculus of Several Variables
Or select any course from Component Area Option Core courses.3 (see advisor)
II. Major Requirements: 60 semester credit hours
Major Core Courses: 18 semester credit hours (6 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum)
BIS 3320 The Nature of Intellectual Inquiry
One 3 semester credit hour ISIS course
One 3 semester credit hour AMS, GST, or ISIS, or BIS 4V04 Internship
Any three ISNS science courses2
Major Related Courses: 42 semester credit hours consisting of:
Two Foundations: 12 semester credit hours each (24 semester credit hours)
Foundation I consists of courses taught by the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, or Science courses from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (NSC and CGS only).
Foundation II is drawn from the courses taught by the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology; the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (if not used for Foundation I); the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science (if not used in Foundation I); the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences; the School of Interdisciplinary Studies; and the Naveen Jindal School of Management.
One Concentration: 18 semester credit hours
Each student devises, in consultation with his/her advisor, the topic for the Concentration and selects 18 semester credit hours of coursework related to the topic, drawn from at least three academic disciplines. Appropriate IS coursework may be selected. Three courses must be science courses and one must be a statistics course.
III. Elective Requirements: 18 semester credit hours
Required for all freshmen: 1 semester credit hour
BIS 1100 Interdisciplinary Studies First Year Experience
Free Electives: 17 semester credit hours
Honors in Interdisciplinary Studies (BS)
Grade Point Average (GPA): 3.900 cumulative GPA, 3.900 GPA in courses described below, and a total of 30 upper-division UT Dallas semester credit hours as described below.
Required courses: 9 semester credit hours
BIS 3320 The Nature of Intellectual Inquiry (3 semester credit hours)
Foundation I - Natural Science and Mathematics (6 semester credit hours)
Concentration: 15 semester credit hours
Options (6 semester credit hours)
6 semester credit hours of Internship
or 3 semester credit hours of Internship and one three semester credit hour AMS/GST/ISIS course
Notation on Transcript: Honors in Major
1. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
2. A required major course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Semester credit hours are counted in the Core Curriculum.
3. Students are strongly encouraged to take core courses that are closely related to their foundations, concentrations, and career goals.