School of Interdisciplinary Studies UASB 203
LecturersDeLusé, Ellsworth, Gneiting, Hirshorn, Krinsky, Lattouf, Lindquist
The School of Interdisciplinary Studies in University College advances intellectual fusion through innovative curricular developments and degree offerings. Objectives of the school are to offer a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree that is innovative and rigorous, to provide course offerings for degree programs and exploratory students on the Downtown Phoenix campus, to incubate new degree programs on the Downtown Phoenix campus, to develop new degree programs in interdisciplinary and individualized studies, and to partner with the School of Extended Education to offer a range of degree completion programs. The school is changing rapidly to respond to the needs of students on the Downtown Phoenix campus and, throughout the period of growth, the faculty and staff are keeping in the foreground core values of respect for the individual, integration of ideas, experiential education, and a commitment to community. BACHELOR OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS), the largest and one of the best recognized interdisciplinary studies degree programs in the nation, offers an innovative and rigorous degree to students whose academic and career interests are not satisfied by traditional majors. It provides students a remarkable freedom to choose from a rich menu of more than 100 disciplinary concentrations and to integrate multiple academic interests into a degree with interdisciplinary breadth and intellectual cohesion. An Interdisciplinary Studies student could, for example, choose to integrate biochemistry and psychology, small business and social welfare, communication and urban planning, international business and Chinese, or many other unique combinations. Interdisciplinary studies is an approach to answering questions, solving problems, and addressing contemporary social issues from multiple perspectives. Students develop the intellectual tools needed to build bridges between academic disciplines and to apply their skills, innovations, and knowledge in various academic and practical settings. Students take an active role in creating their educational plans and defining their career goals. The degree emphasizes written communication, versatility, self-assessment, and critical thinking. By engaging a breadth of knowledge and experience, and by acquiring the skills to integrate various domains of knowledge, students prepare themselves for a vast variety of careers. One student combined biology and chemistry in preparation for pharmacy school, and another prepared to own a small business by studying communication and small business. One integrated sociology and family studies to further his career as a police officer. Another studied philosophy and economics to prepare for law school. Interdisciplinary Studies students apply the skills and knowledge they acquire in class through community engagement. As part of their applied experiences, students collectively spend more than 75,000 hours each year with local business, government, and nonprofit organizations. The faculty are actively engaged in the academic community. They hold doctoral degrees in anthropology, communication, comparative culture, educational psychology, English, interdisciplinary studies, Middle East history, political economy and public policy, political science, and psychology. They have authored academic books, the first interdisciplinary studies textbook, and academic articles in disciplinary and interdisciplinary journals. To graduate with a BIS degree, a student must successfully complete all university and General Studies requirements (see General Studies), the four BIS core courses, and the requirements for two concentrations of their choice. AdmissionStudents declare either premajor status or major status. Students seeking either status must be in academic good standing and must complete the Cyber Workshop (found on the Web at universitycollege.asu.edu/sis) before meeting with an advisor to declare major or premajor status. Students who do not satisfy the requirements for major status outlined below should instead declare pre-major status while working to become eligible for major status. To be eligible for major status, a student must meet all of the following requirements: Core CoursesStudents complete a series of four core courses that provide the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate their two concentrations into a cohesive and coherent degree. Throughout the core courses, the student assembles a portfolio, including self-assessment of progress toward career goals and an evaluation of key educational and cocurricular activities. These core classes consist of BIS 301 (an introduction to concepts and theories of interdisciplinarity), BIS 302 (an exploration of interdisciplinary approaches to human inquiry), BIS 401 (an applied study, in which students bridge their academic work and an applied learning site), and BIS 402 (a capstone seminar). BIS 301 is taken first and is the prerequisite to BIS 302. BIS 301 and BIS 302 are prerequisites to BIS 401 and BIS 402, which may be taken concurrently or in sequence. To enroll in BIS 401, a student must apply online. Access universitycollege.asu.edu/sis for application deadlines. Each core course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher. ConcentrationsStudents complete requirements for two single concentrations or one double concentration. Students select their subject-area concentrations with consideration given to their academic interests and educational goals. To ensure interdisciplinarity, students may not use concentrations rooted in the same discipline. For concentrations, see the BIS Concentrations. Each concentration requires a minimum of 18 semester hours with grades of “C” or higher. At least 12 of those 18 hours must be in upper-division courses. Some concentrations have additional GPA and/or admission requirements. With this degree comes the promise of outstanding academic advising. Each of the professional advisors in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies is committed to providing every student with the support needed to reach his or her academic goals. Early and periodic advising is recommended to facilitate selecting courses that best meet the graduation requirements. For more information, visit UASB 203, or call 480/965-1970. For information about the program at the Polytechnic campus, see Interdisciplinary Studies—BIS. Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in this catalog, see Omnibus Courses. Alliance Program with the Maricopa Community CollegesThe Alliance Program is a unique partnership between the Maricopa Community Colleges and ASU designed to increase the number of students who graduate with associate and bachelor’s degrees. The Alliance Program strives toward collaboration in degree planning, seamless transitions for students throughout their academic careers, joint programs and services that are student-centered, and increased access to affordable and flexible education. The Alliance Program director has a dual reporting line to ASU and the Maricopa Community Colleges. Academic Transfer Articulation OfficeATAO facilitates curriculum information related to the transfer of course work to ASU, articulation task forces in the state of Arizona, course equivalency guides, and Associate in Transfer Partnership degree articulations with the Maricopa Community Colleges. ATAO strives to provide timely, relevant information to students, advisors, and faculty on matters related to the transfer and articulation of course work. Degree Audit Reporting SystemDARS is an online tool that provides students with current information regarding their degree requirements. Through this system, a degree audit is produced that matches a student’s completed courses against degree program requirements. The audit allows students to assess their progress toward their degree or determine how their earned credits would apply to another degree program. General Studies Curriculum SupportUniversity College offers curriculum support services for processing General Studies designations. For a complete description of the General Studies Program, see General Studies.
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