Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies
Tailor your curriculum to perfectly fit your interests and career aspirations.
About this Program
The College of Liberal Arts offers the B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies. While this program allows students to craft an individualized major, it is more than that. At the core is a philosophy of integration and collaboration. Some questions and problems are too complex to be addressed by a single methodology or disciplinary perspective.
Students in the program:
- develop a nuanced understanding and respect for multiple disciplines
- collaborate with faculty and peers across disciplines
- learn to appreciate the interdependence of disciplinary knowledge
- draw on the expertise and methodologies of two or more disciplines
- integrate their insights and experiences to develop a personal expertise
The Value of an Interdisciplinary Studies Major
Learning across disciplines fosters the kind of intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills essential to success in future employment and graduate school. Interdisciplinary Studies students will leave the university better able to understand other value systems, to think conceptually, to critically engage with the work of diverse experts, and wield their knowledge with informed intention. No matter what courses are put together, students can expect to gain the kind of skills critical to a liberal arts education—skills in communication, problem-solving, and working with a diverse group of people.
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Program Information
Program Type
Major
Area of Study
Interdisciplinary Programs
School
Duration
4 Years
Degree
B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies
Program Location
Required Credit Hours
120
Degree Requirements
Students in the B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies complete 48 credit hours of coursework, including a 6-hour core and a 42-hour plan of study. The plan of study includes at least 27 credit hours at the 300 level or higher and 30 credit hours from the College of Liberal Arts. Students choose between two options to complete the degree.
Required courses:
- IDS 101: Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies
- IDS 499: Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone Seminar
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.
Option B
Students construct a 42-credit-hour plan of study around a unifying theme 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 300 level or higher (depending on the discipline chosen).
Students in the College of Liberal Arts may select from the following list of approved minors.
Interdisciplinary Minors
- African American Studies
- Cinema Studies
- Digital Media Studies
- Disaster Sciences
- East Asian Studies
- Environmental Studies
- Freedom Studies
- Gender Studies
- International Studies
- Latin American & Caribbean Studies
- Medieval Studies
- Museum Studies
- Neuroscience
- Society and Health
- Southern Studies
Minors from CLA Departments
- Aerospace Studies
- Anthropology
- Arabic
- Art
- Art History
- Astronomy
- Biological Science
- Chemistry
- Chinese
- Classics
- Creative Writing
- Economics
- English
- Ethics and Values
- French
- Geography
- German
- History
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Linguistics
- Mathematics
- Military Science
- Music
- Naval Science
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Portuguese
- Professional Writing
- Psychology
- Public Policy Leadership
- Religious Studies
- Russian
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Swahili
- Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages
- Theatre Arts
Approved Minors Outside of the College of Liberal Arts
- Accountancy
- American Sign Language Interpreting
- Applied Gerontology
- Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Community Engaged Leadership
- Computer Science
- Criminal Justice
- Data Science
- Education
- Engineering
- Entrepreneurship
- General Business
- Geology
- Global Security Studies
- Higher Education
- Hospitality Management
- Intelligence and Security Studies
- Journalism
- Law Studies
- Manufacturing
- Marketing
- Nutrition
- Public Health
- Recreation Administration
- Recreational Therapy
- Social Work
- Sport Administration
Message from the Director
I will be there by your side throughout your time in the program, helping you to develop your personalized plan of study, acting as a sounding board for your ideas, teaching you in our introductory and capstone courses, and serving as your major advisor.
As the Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, I am eager to work with you and happy to answer any questions you might have.
Dr. Andy Pfrenger
Director of Interdisciplinary Studies
What can I do with a degree in interdisciplinary studies?
- VP and Director, Trustmark National Bank
- Professional Baseball Player, Washington Nationals
- Marketing Manager, Telluride Historical Museum
- Real Estate Agent, Kitchens Realty
- President, United Federal Logistics
- Nurse, Methodist Healthcare
- Orthopedic Surgeon, University of Florida Health
- Youth Minister, Parkway Baptist Church
- Director of IT, Baptist Memorial Health Care
- 7th grade Language Arts, DeSoto County School
- VP Government Relations, Kennesaw State University
- Legislative Director, US House of Representatives
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts
As Coordinator of Student Recruitment for the College of Liberal Arts, I work with students, and their parents, who are interested in attending UM for their undergraduate degrees. I coordinate personalized visits to our departments, answer questions about the majors and programs in the CLA and handle all recruitment communications from the CLA. Please feel free to send me any questions you may have. It is my job to make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision on where to spend your college career, and I hope it will be with the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi!
Annabelle Harris
Admissions Counselor
Future CLA Students
College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Students
We invite future undergraduates to learn about the College of Liberal Arts, the value of the liberal arts education, our programs, career opportunities, and resources to help you succeed. You can also request a personalized degree sheet.
Next Steps
Explore Affordability
We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.
Apply to the University of Mississippi
Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?