Description
The Bachelors in Integrative Studies (IGS) is an interdisciplinary program that combines work in arts and humanities, natural and mathematical sciences, and social sciences. Students must have completed 60 credits before entering the major. With advisement, majors choose courses from disciplines across the college at the 300 level, followed by 400-level integrative seminars. The seminars include several guest instructors, in addition to the course instructor, to provide a genuinely interdisciplinary experience.
The IGS major then requires a two-course capstone experience: in IGS 430, students develop a research project, do research in at least two disciplinary areas, and do an oral presentation or poster session. For IGS 435, students pursue the same subject, deepen and broaden their research, and work in teams as enrollment permits, to produce individual research papers.
Program Requirements
General Education Requirements (31-40 credits)
Major Department Requirements (30 credits)
- IGS 300 Introduction to Integrative Studies
Choose four courses from at least three of the following areas:
- One 300-level course in Humanities or Fine Arts, such as MUS, HST, ENG, ART, THE
- One 200- or 300-level course in Natural or Mathematical Sciences, such as MTH, BIO, ESC 332, PBH
- One 300-level course in a Social Science, e.g. WMS, PLS 303, Research Methods, SOC, ANT
- One 200- or 300-level course in Computer Science or Computer Information Systems, e.g. CSC, CIS
Plus all of the following:
- IGS 405 Integrating Seminar in Humanities or Arts and Social Sciences
- IGS 410 Integrating Seminar in Social Sciences and Natural or Mathematical Sciences
- IGS 400 Integrating Seminar in Natural or Mathematical Sciences and Humanities or Arts
- IGS 430 Mixed Methods Research Seminar
- IGS 435 Capstone Research Project
Electives (50-59 credits)
Under advisement, students select 50-59 credits of electives across the disciplines, offered in varied instructional formats.
Total Credits (120)
Student Learning Outcomes
Student learning outcomes (SLOs) for Liberal Studies students must be understood in the context of a multidisciplinary program with no prescribed core of specific courses (although there is a core of prescribed disciplinary categories), considerable variation in courses making up each Liberal Studies candidate’s plan of study (POS), and each student’s differing personal and professional goals. Nevertheless, a number of SLOs are expected for all Liberal Studies candidates. These include:
- Contributors to Knowledge – Examine the unique perspective of the arts and humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences as contributors to knowledge.
- Multidisciplinary Nature of Knowledge – Analyze the multidisciplinary nature of knowledge, and assess the value of a multidisciplinary approach to scholarship.
- Self and Nature within Contemporary Society – Provide examples of the way in which insights and methodologies from the arts and humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences contribute to an understanding of one’s self and nature within contemporary society.
- Knowledge Skills and Application – Assess interrelationships between areas of knowledge and skill within the Plan of Study, illustrate how these areas provide an integrated holistic overview.
- Critical Reasoning – Use critical reasoning skills to evaluate and synthesize knowledge from different disciplinary perspectives.
- Effective Communication – Employ effective communication skills through coherent and well-organized written and verbal presentations.