Interdisciplinary Studies

Would you like to explore the arts, humanities, and social sciences from multiple perspectives?

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) is designed for students who want a broad and diverse educational experience and prefer not to be confined to the requirements of a single discipline.

Flexible and Challenging

The Interdisciplinary Studies major has three tracks:

American Studies
Comprehensive
Humanities

You should consult the IDS program coordinator and select the Track which most closely aligns with your interests, abilities and future career plans.  An IDS degree is appropriate for most careers and occupations with the exception of medical, scientific, or K-12 educational fields.

Interdisciplinary Approach

Students in the major take several upper-level courses IDS 302 - IDS 321:  The Bible as Literature, Peace and Diplomacy, War and Society, America: Memorials, Monuments, Cemeteries. The Baroque Period, Scroll to Screen: History of the Book, Vikings: History, Mythology, Local History and Culture, The Great Books Tradition Wealth and Poverty, Tibet: Rooftop of the World. Reinhardt faculty approach a specific topic or time period from three or more disciplinary perspectives.  The professors, full-time English, History, and Religion faculty designed these unique courses.

Options: Thesis, Internship, Courses 

The program includes an optional senior thesis or internship to allow you to gain practical work experience.  Our students have worked as interns in museums, publishing houses, accounting firms, and radio stations.  If you plan to pursue graduate study or law school, you may choose to take additional IDS courses in lieu of an internship or a thesis.

If you are majoring in another discipline, you may also take a minor in Interdisciplinary Studies.  This minor was designed to be flexible and offer students maximum choice in coursework.