Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

The Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (M.A.I.S.) program combines a solid academic core with student-selected concentration areas, thereby enabling students to incorporate and integrate various academic disciplines, theories, and methodologies. With the aid of the M.A.I.S. program head, each M.A.I.S. student designs an individualized course of study that best suits their interests as well as their academic and professional goals, and may incorporate traditional academic courses as well as internships and independent study options.

The M.A.I.S. degree program concludes with a two-semester Master’s project, completed via the Capstone Seminar (MAIS 5302) and Research Project (MAIS 5303). The Master’s project will lend itself to an interdisciplinary approach. To complete the project, you will synthesize information from various sources, utilizing different methodologies, and draw conclusions that present a new perspective on the topic as a result of this interdisciplinary approach.

Degree Requirements

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

• Core requirements (12 semester credit hours)
• Concentration area(s) (18-24 semester credit hours)
• Electives (up to 6 semester credit hours)

Core Requirements (12 semester credit hours)

The core requirements for the M.A.I.S. degree include the following:

• MAIS 5300 Foundations of Interdisciplinary Inquiry (3 semester credit hours): designed to introduce students to graduate-level academics and provide a solid foundation for interdisciplinary research and writing.
• MAIS 5321 Library Research Skills (3 semester credit hours): helps students develop the skills to identify what information is needed for their research, how to find and evaluate scholarly resources, and how to organize the information for a thesis or dissertation.
• MAIS 5302 Capstone Seminar (3 semester credit hours): includes a discussion of interdisciplinary theory and preparation for a research project. Must be taken in the student's next-to-last semester.
• MAIS 5303 Research Project (3 semester credit hours): completion of an interdisciplinary research project. Must be taken in the student's final semester in the program.

Concentration Areas (18-24 semester credit hours)

The student may select one or two of the following concentration areas:

• American Studies
• Area & Regional Studies (The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, The Middle East, etc.)
• Arts Management
• Diversity Studies
• Environmental Studies & Sustainability
• Healthcare Studies
• Professional Communication & Leadership

Electives (6 semester credit hours)

Students who choose to pursue one concentration area select, in consultation with the faculty advisor, six semester credit hours of elective courses to complete their degree requirements.

Independent Study, Internship, Co-Op Education, and Study Abroad

Students have the opportunity to select from various independent study, internship, co-op education, and study abroad options to complete their concentration(s) and/or elective requirements for up to six semester credit hours.

Existing options within the School of Interdisciplinary Studies include:

• MAIS 5V03 Internship (Interdisciplinary Studies, Social Change and Development)
• MAIS 5V04 Independent Study
• MAIS 5V38 Co-Op Education

Students may also, in consultation with the M.A.I.S. faculty advisor, create their own unique concentration area.

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. Students will gain the ability to distinguish between interdisciplinary, disciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches. They will also become familiar with various models used in interdisciplinary research and acquire the ability to assess the relative merits of interdisciplinary research and writing. Of equal importance, students will develop the skills necessary to situate their work within an interdisciplinary framework.