Interdisciplinary studies

An interdisciplinary major offers students an opportunity to design a major that fits their unique interests, experience, and needs.  With training in two or three disciplines, students can build knowledge and skills for a unique field or develop interconnected knowledge and skills that equip them to succeed in rapidly changing fields or to prepare for interdisciplinary graduate programs.  Students work with the program director and departmental advisors to select a plan of study from two or three majors.

Interdisciplinary major

Two discipline program

47-52 credit hours

Primary concentration (24 credit hours)

Students identify a primary discipline that serves as a foundation for their major. In conjunction with a departmental advisor, the student selects the following:

  • Required courses (100 to 300-level) 12
  • Skills/Methods/Research course 3
  • Additional courses (200 to 400-level) from department’s required and elective courses 9
Secondary concentrations (21 credit hours)

Students identify a second discipline that complements their primary discipline. In conjunction with a departmental advisor, the student selects the following:

  • Required courses (100 to 300-level) 12
  • Additional courses (200 to 400-level) from department’s required and elective courses 9
Senior seminar and internship (2-7 credit hours)
  • Senior seminar from one of the major areas selected above 1-4
  • Internship from the same major as the senior seminar 1-3

Three discipline program

50-55 credit hours

A student may design a program that is an intersection of three fields of study. In conjunction with the program director and departmental advisors, the student selects courses from a primary concentration (24 credit hours; same as above) and two concentrations (12 credit hours each), along with an internship and senior seminar.

Primary concentration (24 credit hours)

Students identify a primary discipline that serves as a foundation for their major. In conjunction with a departmental advisor, the student selects the following:

  • Required courses (100 to 300-level) 12
  • Skills/Methods/Research course 3
  • Additional courses (200 to 400-level) from department’s required and elective courses 9
Secondary concentrations (12 credit hours each)

Students identify two disciplines that provide skills, knowledge, and values that complement their primary discipline.

Concentration two
  • Required courses (100 to 300-level) 9
  • Additional courses (300 to 400-level) from department’s required and elective courses 3
Concentration three
  • Required courses (100 to 300-level) 9
  • Additional courses (300 to 400-level) from department’s required and elective courses 3
Senior seminar and internship (2-7 credit hours)
  • Senior seminar from one of the major areas selected above 1-4
  • Internship from the same major as the senior seminar 1-3

Student learning outcomes

After completing this major, the student will be able to articulate disciplinary perspectives from two or more disciplines.

  1. Comprehend foundational knowledge, methodology, and theory in two or more disciplines.
  2. Identify the interdisciplinary skills and dispositions developed through study concentration areas
  3. Identify career and vocational goals and implement a supervised experiential learning opportunity or internship.
  4. Demonstrate problem-solving skills through critical thinking, research, collaboration, and integration for a capstone project.
  5. Integrate disciplinary perspectives with professional, ethical, and intercultural values.

Planning and Advising notes

The interdisciplinary program director will be the primary advisor and will lead coordination with departmental advisors in different concentrations.

At least one 3-credit course in each department must be completed in residence at Goshen College. Courses in an interdisciplinary major may not duplicate courses counted in any other major or minor.

Upper-level credits needed: Not including the senior seminar and internship, a minimum of 15 credit hours in the major must be upper-level courses (300-499). The Two Discipline program requires at least 6 credit hours of upper-level courses in each concentration.  The Three discipline program requires 6 upper-level credit hours in the primary concentration and at least 3 upper-level credit hours in the second and third concentrations.

Skills/Methodology/Research course: The department advisor in the primary concentration will identify an appropriate skills, methodology, or research course from the primary concentration that will offer career preparation.

Internship and Senior Seminar: Students are strongly encouraged to complete an internship and senior seminar within their primary concentration under the supervision of a departmental advisor. When a senior seminar in the primary concentration is not possible, students may complete an online interdisciplinary senior seminar (DCS 410). When appropriate, students will work with the interdisciplinary program advisor to design an interdisciplinary internship (DCS 409) to fit with individual goals.

If the student is a double major and completes a senior seminar and internship in another major, the student may elect to complete additional credit hours in one of the concentration areas to substitute for the interdisciplinary senior seminar and internship requirement.

Students interested in investigating an interdisciplinary major should contact the interdisciplinary program director to discuss interests and options.