School of Arts & Humanities · Bachelor’s degree
Interdisciplinary Studies (BA or BS)
Design a degree around your goals.
Your plans don’t fit one major? MVU’s interdisciplinary studies major lets you combine two or three subject areas into a personalized plan of study, or use them to finish a degree you’ve already started.
120
credit hours to graduate
45–49
credit hours in the major
On campus or online
choose what fits
4 years
at a full-time pace
Why interdisciplinary studies
A degree built around you
Combine areas like business, communication, science, or the arts into one plan.
Self-designed major
Track 1: propose your own plan of study and finish with a capstone project you present to a committee.
Degree completion
Track 2: use your credits in two or three subject areas to complete your bachelor’s degree.
Twelve subject areas
Choose from areas such as arts, business, communications, computer science, education, humanities, science, and social sciences.
Is this program for me?
This program may be a great fit if you want to…
- Combine interests that cross several subjects.
- Plan for a career or graduate program no single major covers.
- Finish a degree with credits you’ve already earned.
- Lead your own capstone project.
What will I do?
Skills you’ll practice and grow
- Build knowledge and skills in more than one area.
- Plan a senior capstone project that draws on your areas.
- Bring your areas together in the capstone.
- Present and defend your project to a committee.
How the degree works
How your 120 credit hours add up
Here’s how the degree is built. Your advisor helps you choose courses each term.
01
General education core
At least 42 credit hours across writing, speaking, math, science, social science, and the humanities.
02
Choose your areas
Option A: 15 credit hours in each of three areas (9 upper-division in each). Option B: 21 hours in one area (12 upper-division) and 24 in another (15 upper-division).
03
Get your plan approved
For Track 1, send a letter to the division chair describing your plan and how it fits your goals, then complete at least 30 hours after approval.
04
Finish with a capstone
Track 1 students complete IS 300 and IS 400, a capstone project presented to a committee.
Good to know: Declare Track 1 before you’ve earned 70 credit hours. If you have more than 70 hours, you can appeal to the division chair. No more than 6 credit hours can come from readings, applied skills, methods, technique, or problem courses.
Explore the curriculum
What you’ll study
Your courses depend on the areas you choose. Here are the areas and the rules for combining them.
Subject areas you can combine
- Arts: ART, DANC, MUSC, THEA
- Business: AGRI, ACCT, BNSS, ECON
- Communications: COMM, MASC
- Computer science: CPSC
- Education: EDUC
- Humanities: ENGL, FREN, SPAN, HUMN, PHIL, RELN
- Math: MATH
- Nonprofit management: NPFT
- Nursing and allied health: HLTH, NURS
- Physical education: EXSI, PHYS
- Science: BIOL, CHEM, PHSC
- Social sciences: ANTH, CRMJ, GEOL, HIST, POLS, PSYC, SOCL
Track 1: Self-designed major
- Choose Option A or Option B (see “How the degree works”).
- Submit a letter of application to the division chair.
- Complete at least 30 hours after your plan is approved.
- Complete IS 300 and IS 400, the capstone project.
- Take part in the major assessments for your component areas.
Track 2: Degree completion
- Choose Option A or Option B to complete your degree with the credits in your component areas.
General education core (at least 42 credit hours)
- Social and behavioral science (9 hours) from at least two subjects, including one constitution course: HIST 104, HIST 105, or POLS 100
- Written communication (6 hours): ENGL 130 Rhetoric and Composition, plus ENGL 160 or HONR 190
- Oral communication (3 hours), such as COMM 100 Public Speaking & Introduction to Communication
- Natural science: 7 hours from at least two subjects, including a lab (BS); 3 hours (BA and BFA)
- Mathematics (3 hours)
- Humanities and fine arts: 9 hours (BS) or 12 hours (BA and BFA) from at least three subjects, covering the arts and creativity, ethics, and culture and society
- Additional general education from any area, to reach at least 42 hours
- Plus one Writing Intensive (WI) course and one Service Learning (SL) course, which can overlap with other requirements
Graduation requirements
- Complete at least 120 credit hours with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Earn a major GPA of 2.0 or higher, with no grade below C and no pass/fail grades in the major.
- Complete at least 36 credit hours of upper-division (300- and 400-level) courses.
- Complete your last 30 credit hours, and at least 12 hours of your major, at MVU.
- Complete the major assessment requirement.
- Apply for graduation and pay the $100 graduation fee.
Getting started
Three steps to begin
Applying to MVU is free, and most students finish the application in a few minutes.
02
Send your transcripts
Send your high school transcript, plus official transcripts from any college or dual credit courses. Transferring? See the transfer steps.
03
Plan how you’ll pay
Explore scholarships, grants, and loans on Tuition & Financial Aid, or request information for current tuition.
Which track is right for me?
Choose Track 1 if you want to design your own major around a goal and complete a capstone. Choose Track 2 if you have credits in several areas and want to finish your degree.
Can I take it online?
Yes. The program is offered on campus and online. Ask Admissions which courses are offered online each term.
Can I add a minor or a second major?
Yes. A minor is optional and appears on your transcript; it must be in a different subject than your major. You can also double major by completing all the requirements for both majors. You’ll receive one diploma.
What do I need to graduate?
- At least 120 credit hours with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- A C or higher in every major course.
- At least 36 upper-division credit hours.
- Your last 30 credit hours at MVU.
- An application for graduation and the $100 graduation fee.
Talk with the Dean
Have questions about courses, your plan of study, or how to plan your degree? Reach out. We’re happy to talk through your goals.
Interdisciplinary Studies (BA or BS)