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Interdepartmental Studies

The Interdepartmental Studies Program (ISP) provides an alternative to traditional undergraduate majors. It gives students the opportunity to design an individualized plan of study or to choose a preapproved plan in applied human services, business studies, or health science. Each track includes course work from a variety of departments.

Since the major in interdepartmental studies affords opportunities outside the traditional degree pattern, students must create or choose study programs that meet their individual educational and career objectives. Those who plan to seek employment immediately after graduation should familiarize themselves with the educational background and qualifications required by employers and should include appropriate courses in their study programs.

Students preparing for advanced study should become familiar with the admissions requirements of graduate or professional schools that interest them. The earlier students decide to pursue graduate or professional study, the easier it is to complete necessary prerequisites.

Undergraduate Program

• Major in interdepartmental studies (Bachelor of Arts)

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in interdepartmental studies requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 36-38 s.h. of work for the major. Students choose one of four tracks: individualized plan of study, applied human services, business studies, or health science. Credit required for the major depends on the student's choice of track.

Students who choose the individualized plan of study track design their own major. Those who choose the applied human services track, business studies track, or health science track follow a preapproved study plan, which includes foundation courses and a selection of emphasis areas. The applied human services track offers three emphasis areas: aging services, community-based services, and corrections services. The business studies track offers three emphasis areas: workplace practices and perspectives, values and ethics, and arts management. The health science track offers five emphasis areas: multidisciplinary science, entrepreneurship, aging, global health, and cultures of healing.

All students must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

Interdepartmental studies students who earn a second major may count a maximum of two courses from the second major toward the interdepartmental studies major. This policy applies no matter what degree is earned with the second major (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and so forth).

Students majoring in interdepartmental studies who earn minors in other departments or programs may not count courses from the minors toward the interdepartmental studies major.

The major in interdepartmental studies requires the following course work.

Individualized Plan of Study Track

The individualized plan of study track requires a minimum of 36 s.h. of work for the major, all taken at The University of Iowa. Students who choose this track build their own study plan, creating a unique major that speaks to interests across departments and that integrates varied approaches to a particular topic (e.g., aging studies, international business, children's studies, environmental issues, health issues).

Students must submit their study plan for approval. The plan must include an essay that provides a clear statement of the area of intellectual focus; the reasons for preferring the ISP to any departmental program; a concrete discussion of how the advanced courses relate to each other, to personal interests, and to the central focus of the study plan; a description of academic goals for the bachelor's degree; a list of advanced-level course work already completed; and a list of advanced-level course work planned for all remaining semesters.

Each study plan is approved by a faculty advisory committee. Reviews are held once a semester. Deadlines are posted on the Interdepartmental Studies Program web site.

If the advisory committee does not grant approval, the study plan may be returned to the student for revisions and resubmission at the next committee meeting. In some cases, the student may be referred to an appropriate departmental major.

Once the study plan is approved, the student is required to follow the plan, taking the courses approved for it. A limited number of substitutions may be allowed, but only if they are clearly consistent with the area of intellectual focus in the approved study plan, and only if they are approved in advance by the ISP advisor. Unauthorized substitutions may be designated as elective course work.

Significant changes in the focus of a student's study plan require the submission and approval of a revised study plan. The student's academic advisor determines whether changes warrant a revised plan.

See the Interdepartmental Studies Program web site for up-to-date information on the individualized plan of study track and rules for submission of study plans.

Students who choose the individualized plan of study track are advised by the Interdepartmental Studies Program coordinator and work closely with the Interdepartmental Studies Program office while designing the study plan. Students who intend to submit a study plan should contact the Interdepartmental Studies Program coordinator as early as possible.

Applied Human Services Track

The applied human services track requires 37-38 s.h. of work for the major. It provides a preapproved plan of study that combines a generalized psychology background with a choice of three emphasis areas: aging services, community-based services, and corrections services. Students who choose this track also have the option of proposing their own human services-related emphasis area to the faculty advisory committee.

Applied human services track students must complete foundation course work (25-26 s.h.) and one emphasis area (12 s.h.). They must complete a minimum of 15 s.h. of work for the major at The University of Iowa. The Academic Advising Center advises applied human services track students; contact the center for more information about requirements.

Foundation Courses

Psychology core—both of these:

Human relations core—all of these:

Lower-level psychology electives—three of these:

Aging Services Emphasis

Students must earn 12 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the aging services emphasis must complete the foundation component (3 s.h.), the elective component (9 s.h.), and the internship (0 s.h.).

Foundation Component

Elective Component

Complete 9 s.h. from these:

May include one of these:

Internship

Community-Based Services Emphasis

Students must earn 12 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the community-based services emphasis complete the elective component (12 s.h.) and the internship (0 s.h.).

Elective Component

Complete 12 s.h. from these:

May include one of these:

Internship

Corrections Services Emphasis

Students must earn 12 s.h. from their chosen emphasis area. Students who chose the corrections services emphasis must complete the foundation component (3-4 s.h.), the elective component (9 s.h.), and the internship (0 s.h.). The elective component must include 6 s.h. earned in advanced courses (100 level or above).

Foundation Component

One of these:

Elective Component

Students complete 9 s.h. from the following lists ("Lower-level courses" and "Advanced courses"), with a minimum of 6 s.h. chosen from the advanced courses list.

Lower-level courses—no more than 3 s.h. from these:

Advanced courses—at least 6 s.h. from these:

May include one of these:

Internship

Business Studies Track

The business studies track requires a minimum of 37 s.h. of work for the major. It provides a preapproved plan of study that combines a generalized business background with a choice of three emphasis areas: workplace practices and perspectives, values and ethics, and arts management. Students who choose this track also have the option of proposing their own business-related emphasis area to the faculty advisory committee.

Business studies track students must complete foundation course work (at least 17 s.h.), business electives (at least 5 s.h.), and one emphasis area (15 s.h.). They must complete a minimum of 15 s.h. of work for the major at The University of Iowa. The Academic Advising Center advises business studies track students; contact the center for more information about requirements.

Foundation Courses

Foundational math—all of these:

Foundational economics—both of these:

Foundational accounting—one of these:

Business Electives

Two of these:

May include one of these:

May include one of these:

Workplace Practices and Perspectives Emphasis

Students must earn 15 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the workplace practices and perspectives emphasis must complete at least one course from each of four components (speaking and writing, foundations and practices, cultural diversity, and entrepreneurship). The required 15 s.h. must include 9 s.h. earned in advanced courses (100 level or above). Advanced courses for each component are listed below.

Speaking and Writing Component

At least one course chosen from these or from the advanced courses:

Advanced courses:

Foundations and Practices Component 

At least one course chosen from these or from the advanced courses:

Advanced courses:

Cultural Diversity Component

At least one course chosen from these or from the advanced courses:

Advanced courses:

Entrepreneurship Component

At least one of these (all are advanced courses):

Values and Ethics Emphasis

Students must earn 15 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the values and ethics emphasis must complete at least two courses from each of the two components (values and theories, institutions and policies).

Values and Theories Component

At least two of these:

Institutions and Policies Component 

At least two of these:

Arts Management Emphasis 

Students must earn 15 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the arts management emphasis must complete two courses from the administration component, one course from the history component, 3 s.h. from the production component, 3 s.h. from the elective component, and the internship (0 s.h.).

Administration Component

Two of these:

May include one of these:

History Component

One of these:

Production Component

Complete 3 s.h. chosen from these:

Elective Component

One of these:

Or complete 3 s.h. from these:

Internship

Health Science Track

The health science track requires 37 s.h. of work for the major. It provides a preapproved plan of study that combines a generalized health background with a varied choice of emphasis areas: multidisciplinary science, entrepreneurship, aging, global health, and cultures of healing. Students who choose this track also have the option of proposing their own health science-related emphasis area to the faculty advisory committee.

Health science track students must complete foundation course work (22 s.h.) and one emphasis area (15 s.h.). They must complete a minimum of 15 s.h. for the major at The University of Iowa. The Academic Advising Center advises health science track students; contact the center for more information about requirements.

Foundation Courses

Foundational chemistry—one of these:

And one of these:

Foundational biology—one of these:

Foundational math and statistics—one of these:

Foundational social science—one of these:

Foundational science elective—one of these:

Foundational elective—one of these:

Multidisciplinary Science Emphasis

Students must earn 15 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the multidisciplinary science emphasis must complete 15 s.h. chosen from these.

May include one of these:

May include one of these:

May include one of these:

May include one of these:

May include one of these:

May include one of these:

May include one of these:

May include one of these:

Entrepreneurship Emphasis 

Students must earn 15 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the entrepreneurship emphasis must complete 15 s.h. chosen from these.

May include one of these:

Aging Emphasis

Students must earn 15 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the aging emphasis must complete 15 s.h. chosen from these.

May include one of these:

Global Health Emphasis

Students must earn 15 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the global health emphasis must complete 15 s.h. chosen from these.

May include one of these:

Cultures of Healing Emphasis

Students must earn 15 s.h. in their chosen emphasis area. Students who choose the cultures of healing emphasis must complete the foundation component (3 s.h.) and the elective component (12 s.h.).  The elective must include 6 s.h. earned in advanced courses (100 level or above).

Foundation Component

One of these:

Elective Component

Students complete 12 s.h. from the following lists ("Lower-level courses" and "Advanced courses"), with a minimum of 6 s.h. chosen from the advanced courses list.

Lower-level courses—no more than 6 s.h. from these:

May include one of these:

Advanced courses—at least 6 s.h. from these:

May include one of these:

Four-Year Graduation Plan

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the University's Four-Year Graduation Plan. (Courses in the major are those required to complete the major.)

Note: The Four-Year Graduation Plan is available only to ISP students in the individualized plan of study track.

Before the third semester begins: at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: an approved plan of study, at least six courses in the plan of study, and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: a total of at least nine courses in the plan of study

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

Honors

Students majoring in interdepartmental studies who wish to graduate with honors must be members of the University of Iowa Honors Program, which requires that students maintain a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information). Graduating with honors usually includes the successful completion of the honors requirements in a particular department or program.

Students should initiate inquiries about graduating with honors by contacting the ISP coordinator. Students are encouraged to inquire early in their junior year to allow time for foundation course work. The director of the University of Iowa Honors Program can offer suggestions for contacting a supervising faculty member or committee from one or several appropriate departments. ISP students must submit an honors project approval form to the ISP coordinator and the honors program director.

Courses