Contents > Intercollegiate Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs
Intercollegiate Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs
Geographic Information Science
Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Wellness
Many graduate programs have an interdisciplinary dimension. The programs in this section are administered by more than one college. Refer to the college sections for other interdisciplinary programs. For more information, see Interdisciplinary Study.
At ASU, engineering, arts, and science disciplines invested in media research and training have come together to create the Arts, Media, and Engineering program (AME). The program’s mission is research and education in the integrated development of media systems. The program’s specialized focus is the study and development of experiential media systems. These are systems that integrate computation and digital media in the physical human experience for the production of enhanced physical-digital experiences. The program’s goals are achieved through a large interdisciplinary network of faculty and students working under a common, use-inspired research and education agenda.
For more information, access the Web site at ame.asu.edu.
Courses
Information about all courses is available on the Web at ASU Interactive. For more information, see Classification of Courses.
Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program
www.poly.asu.edu/msabr/agb_phd.htm
The Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management and the W. P. Carey School of Business offer an interdisciplinary program leading to the PhD degree in Business Administration with a concentration in agribusiness.
As an academic discipline, agribusiness focuses on the application of theory and quantitative methods in economics, finance, marketing, and management to issues involved in the production, distribution, and marketing of food and fiber. Agribusiness PhD students study topics such as consumer behavior in food markets, strategic marketing by food retailers, supply-chain management, derivatives and risk management, and international agricultural trade and policy. The objective of the agribusiness PhD program is to produce scholars who are trained in the latest methods of business and economic analysis. Graduates are prepared to be at the forefront of problem solving in one of the most important sectors of the global economy. With this background, graduates of the concentration are expected to assume teaching and research positions at top-ranked research universities.
Applicants to the PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in agribusiness must submit an application for admission by January 15, and all supporting materials in time to obtain a complete application package by February 1 for fall study. For general admission requirements, access the Web site at wpcarey.asu.edu/grad/phd/phd_ba_concentrations.cfm. All application packets meeting these minimum requirements will be evaluated by graduate faculty of the Morrison School.
See Doctor of Philosophy, for general requirements. Agribusiness PhD students are expected to develop programs of study that consist of three elements: (1) a core of theory and quantitative methods course work in economics and management from the W. P. Carey School, (2) completion of at least one advanced course in economics, finance, and marketing or management from the W. P. Carey School, and (3) completion of a two-course sequence of PhD-level theory and methods as applied to issues and concepts specific to the agribusiness sector from the Morrison School. The agribusiness PhD is designed to allow “flexibility with focus” so each student’s program of study is unique, but is designed to produce the highest level of research competency in the student’s chosen area of interest.
After completion of all course work, each student completes a comprehensive written examination that covers both core and interest-area subject matter. The intent of the exam is to determine whether the student is sufficiently prepared to conduct dissertation research to the standards of the W. P. Carey School and the Morrison School research faculty. Consequently, the exam is set and graded by faculty in both schools. Students must pass the comprehensive exam and have their dissertation prospectus accepted by their committee in order to be admitted to candidacy.
PhD students select a dissertation committee consisting of a minimum of three faculty members, with at least one member from the W. P. Carey School and one from the Morrison School. The PhD dissertation represents an original body of research that contributes to existing knowledge in the chosen field in a significant way.
Upon completing the dissertation, PhD candidates take an oral examination in defense of their work. The oral examination is administered by the PhD committee and one external member from within the university community. The PhD is granted upon successful completion of the oral defense and any revisions to the dissertation required by committee members.
Interdisciplinary Master’s Program
www.asu.edu/clas/english/creativewriting
Terry Hummer, Director, Executive Committee
Regents’ Professors: Dubie, Ríos
Professors: Boyer, Goldberg, Hogue, Hummer, Pritchard, Rhodes
Associate Professors: McNally, Savard
Faculty of the Creative Writing Committee offer an interdisciplinary Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. The program is offered jointly by the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Theatre and Film in the Katherine K. Herberger College of the Arts.
One of the unique features of this interdisciplinary program is that, because it utilizes faculty research, creative activity, and teaching interests of two academic units, a student may tailor a course of study to fit individual needs, talents, and goals. The Department of English administers the program and reviews the applications for admission. In the English Department, the studio/academic program requires poets and prose writers to divide work equally between writing workshops and literature courses. This flexible curriculum allows candidates time to study with several gifted writers and scholars in a stimulating atmosphere, time to get quality advice on writing, and time to explore and develop their talents. In the School of Theatre and Film, the studio/academic program emphasizes the collaborative process of playwriting. Working with actors and directors, playwrights’ workshops include informal readings, staged readings, and workshop production of students’ plays.
In addition to meeting the general requirements of the Graduate College, applicants should have an undergraduate major in English or Theatre, with a GPA of 3.00 or above. Applicants who do not have an undergraduate major in English or Theatre may be admitted on the basis of excellent creative and academic work. Deficiencies in undergraduate preparation may be removed while pursuing the MFA degree. Applicants must also submit the following:
1. three letters of recommendation;
3. a statement of career goals, including the designation of an area of specialization (options include creative nonfiction, fiction, playwriting, and poetry) and a manuscript sample of one of the following: 30 pages of drama; 20 pages of poetry; 30 pages of prose fiction or creative nonfiction; or 40 total pages of work in two of these literary forms.
Application should be made to the Graduate College at www.asu.edu/graduate, and transcripts should also be mailed directly to the Graduate College. All other materials and manuscripts, including the teaching assistant application form, should be submitted to the Department of English by January 15. The Creative Writing Committee reviews the materials and manuscripts and makes recommendations for admission by March 15. Guidelines for admission recommendations used by the committee include the following: applicant’s academic record and capabilities for successful graduate study; talent and promise demonstrated in the manuscript sample; strength of letters of recommendation; quality of applicant’s undergraduate background; and compatibility of the applicant’s career goals with the purpose of the degree program.
In poetry and fiction, the program of study requires a minimum of 48 semester hours of graduate credit approved by the student’s supervisory committee, the director of the Creative Writing Committee, and the dean of the Graduate College. Of these, 24 semester hours must be creative writing courses and must include nine semester hours of ENG 580, and nine semester hours of any combination of ENG 562, 563, 594, 598, 662, 663, and 664. The course 594 Conference and Workshop may be taken twice to varied offerings. The literature component of 24 semester hours must include ENG 591, 665, and two ENG courses in literature selected by the student’s supervisory committee or the director of the creative writing committee such as ENG 667. In playwriting, the program of study requires a minimum of 48 semester hours of graduate credit approved by the student’s supervisory committee, the director of the Creative Writing Committee, and the dean of the Graduate College. The program of study must include the following: THP 519 (three semester hours), 560 (15 semester hours), 561 (three semester hours), 598, and 693 (six semester hours). The literature component must include THE 500, 504, 520, and 562.
Subject to the recommendation of the supervisory committee, students with a completed MA or PhD degree in English or Theatre may have up to 15 semester hours of literature credit applied to the MFA program of study. A maximum of nine semester hours taken before admission and not as part of a completed degree at ASU and/or another institution may be used to fulfill degree requirements.
A final written comprehensive examination is required and is scheduled once each semester and once during the summer. The student is required to notify the Creative Writing Committee of intent to take the examination at least 30 days in advance. A student is not eligible to apply for the written examination until a program of study has been filed. If the candidate fails the examination, a reexamination may be administered no sooner than three months and no later than one year from the date of the original examination. Permission for reexamination must be obtained from the student’s supervisory committee, the director of the Creative Writing Committee, and the dean of the Graduate College. Only one reexamination is permitted. Students are examined in the following areas:
1. 20th-century American writers: modern period;
2. 20th-century writers: contemporary period; and
3. 20th-century critical theory.
Playwrights are examined in the following areas:
1. European and American drama and
2. dramatic theory and criticism.
The examination is constructed and graded by members of the Creative Writing Examination Committee.
Practicum and Performance Requirements
ENG 580 Practicum is required of all students in the poetry and prose program. For all playwrights THP 693 is required. For nine semester hours of credit, the student creates a book-length volume of poetry, short stories, novel, drama, translation, or creative nonfiction (except literary criticism). This project must be approved in advance by the student’s supervisory committee on the basis of sample pages and a summary of the proposal. The supervisory committee must evaluate and approve the final project. As the last requirement for the degree, the candidate must read or perform from the practicum or applied project before students and members of the faculty.
Research and Scholarly Activity
Research and scholarly endeavors inform the creative work of the faculty, which includes publication of poetry, fiction, and drama; collaborative production with musicians, fine printers, and visual artists. Special research courses are offered on contemporary perspectives emphasizing such topics as “Magical Realism,” “The Long Poem,” “Pedagogy Forum for Creative Writers,” “The Literature of Obsession,” “Internship for Community Outreach,” “Death and Transfiguration,” “Poetry as Witness,” and “Latino and Latina Theatre.”
Research and creative activity is enhanced by vigorous faculty and student involvement in producing a national literary magazine, Hayden’s Ferry Review, an ASU student publication. Creative writing faculty and graduate students participate in public outreach programs, including workshops at ASU for adults and high school students in rural and metropolitan areas of the region. Public lectures and readings by faculty members, original play productions and reader’s theatre, and a regular series of public readings, lectures and conferences featuring writers of national renown provide a forum for exchange among artist, audience, scholar, and student. Recent conferences, with support from the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing and other agencies, have brought together writers, editors, and publishers, focusing attention on issues in publishing creative work. The School of Theatre and Film regularly brings guest artist playwrights to campus to enhance the learning experience of students.
Courses
Information about all courses is available on the Web at ASU Interactive. For more information, see Classification of Courses.
Geographic Information Science
Interdisciplinary Certificate Program
Elizabeth Wentz, Director, Executive Committee
John M. Briggs, Associate Director, Executive Committee
Assistant Professors: Edsall, Myint, Torrens
Associate Professor: Guhathakurta
Under the auspices of the School of Geographical Sciences, the interdisciplinary certificate program in Geographic Information Science (GIS) is administered by an executive committee. The objective of this program is to enable ASU graduate students and GIS professionals to learn how to apply GIS concepts and technology for the purposes of spatial analysis.
A minimum of 16 semester hours consisting of three required and two elective courses (three semester hours each) plus a capstone seminar (one semester hour) is required to complete the GIS Certificate. For a full description of the program course work, access the GIS Web site at www.asu.edu/giscert.
Current graduate students receive priority admission to the certificate program. Students qualify for admission to the certificate program by maintaining good standing in a cooperating department and completing an application specific to the GIS Certificate. Practicing professionals who already hold a graduate degree furnish proof of an advanced degree by a formal transcript and enroll as nondegree graduate students through the Graduate College. Prospective students must complete prerequisites listed for the level one required course, or pass a proficiency test.
Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Wellness
Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program
www.poly.asu.edu/ecollege/wellness
Pamela Swan, Executive Committee Chair
Associate Professors: Swan, Tudor-Locke
Assistant Professors: Winham, Woolf
The Executive Committee of the Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Wellness program offers an interdisciplinary graduate program leading to the PhD degree in Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Wellness (PANW). One of the unique features of this interdisciplinary program is that a student may tailor a course of study to fit individual needs and goals within two main concentration areas: (1) exercise and wellness and (2) nutrition. The program focuses on issues that contribute to health through the reduction of disease risk, quality of life promotion, and enhancement of well being. While many healthy lifestyles are studied, the emphasis is on physically active living and sound nutrition.
The PhD degree in PANW is an individualized interdisciplinary program that integrates graduate courses from several academic units to provide a sound foundation for research leading to a dissertation. The PANW doctoral program prepares research scholars, teachers, and professionals who study physical activity, nutrition, healthy lifestyles, and wellness. The program prepares graduates for careers in higher education, government agencies, and health-related positions in private industry. The interdisciplinary PhD program requires residency and three years of full-time study after the master’s degree. Students are actively involved in research at all stages of their doctoral study through their participation in formal research internships, independent research experiences, seminars and colloquia, and dissertation research.
In addition to meeting Graduate College requirements, students must submit a letter designating potential concentration area, area of research interest, the name of a potential mentor (from the list of approved faculty mentors), and a statement of career goals to the chair of the PANW Executive Committee. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (verbal, quantitative, and writing), a writing sample, a professional résumé, and three letters of recommendation must also be submitted. Additionally, all students must submit an application for a teaching or research assistantship. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. Applicants must have successfully received a master’s degree before admission to the PhD program, and it is preferable that they have completed a data-based research thesis. Admission decisions are based on the compatibility of the applicant’s research interests and career goals with the purpose of the degree program, previous academic training and GPA, GRE scores, recommendations, and match of research interests with those of available mentors. First priority for fall admission is given to completed applications received by January 15.
The program of study (POS) consists of a minimum of 68 semester hours past the MS degree distributed across five areas of study: core (12), internships (two), inquiry/analysis (15), concentration (15) and dissertation (24). It is expected that 12 of the 15 semester hours in the concentration are in a focused content area within the concentration. In addition, at least three but not more than nine semester hours in the concentration should be taken from a program/department outside the student’s home program. An individual POS is selected in consultation with the student’s supervisory committee. It is expected that students admitted to the PhD program have a strong foundation in either exercise and wellness or nutrition. Those lacking background in these areas are required to make up deficiencies before gaining admission to the program. Minimal undergraduate course requirements are human anatomy/physiology; BIO 201 and 202 Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II; NTR 241 Human Nutrition; and EXW 315 Physiological Foundations of Movement. It is also expected that all students enter the program with at least one graduate-level basic statistics and one basic research methods course. Other requirements may be necessary depending on the area of study and are determined by the mentor and program committee.
It is expected that students spend three years in full-time residence. The intent is to involve and embed the student in ongoing research as well as class study. Thus, all PhD students are to be full-time students and hold part-time appointments (50 percent time, 20 hours a week) as a teaching assistant or research assistant. As such, to be accepted into the program one must have the expertise, experience, and willingness to teach courses in the physical activity program or in the EXW or nutrition undergraduate curriculum or be a research assistant and conduct research with a mentor as funding allows.
Upon completion of course work and before commencing dissertation research, the student is given written and oral examinations. After the student has passed the comprehensive examinations, a dissertation committee is approved by the PANW Executive Committee and the dean of the Graduate College. After the dissertation committee has approved the dissertation prospectus, the student is eligible to apply for admission to candidacy. At least 12 semester hours of dissertation must be taken following advancement to candidacy.
The dissertation must consist of a fully documented written analysis of a problem that extends the knowledge and/or theoretical framework of the field. The research should demonstrate the student’s creativity and competence for independent research
A final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required. The candidate must take the final oral examination within five years after passing the comprehensive examinations. Any exception must be approved by the supervisory committee, the chair of the PANW Executive Committee, and the dean of the Graduate College and ordinarily involves repetition of the comprehensive examinations.
For courses, refer to the course listings under the Department of Exercise and Wellness and the Department of Nutrition. Applicable courses are also available through other departments with approval of the student’s supervisory committee.
Interdisciplinary Master’s and Certificate Programs
www.asu.edu/graduate/statistics
Dennis L. Young, Codirector, Executive Committee
Douglas C. Montgomery, Codirector, Executive Committee
Professors: Askin, Hubele, Montgomery, Runger
Assistant Professors: Kulahci, Pan
Mathematical Sciences and Applied Computing
Professors: Eubank, Lohr, Young
Assistant Professors: Chen, Majumdar, Yang
The Committee on Statistics offers a program leading to a graduate Certificate in Statistics and the MS degree in Statistics. The program is interdisciplinary in that it draws upon faculty research and teaching interests from various academic units so that programs of study can be tailored to reflect individual needs and goals. The committee, which sets program requirements and supervises programs of study, is composed of faculty from departments in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the W. P. Carey School of Business, and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.
The program for the MS degree in Statistics provides preparation for either a research-oriented or a practice-oriented career. Requirements specific to this program ensure balanced attention to the theoretical and applied aspects of the discipline of statistics. (See Master’s Degrees, for general requirements.) Flexibility in the program reflects the fact that statistical analysis is one of the most widely used tools of modern scientific reasoning.
Applicants must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the Graduate College (see Admission to the Graduate College) and must, in addition, have three letters of academic recommendation submitted to the admissions subcommittee of the Committee on Statistics. Although most applicants earn the bachelor’s degree in a quantitative area (such as statistics, quantitative business analysis, mathematics, engineering, or computer science), this is not required for admission to the program.
Applicants should have completed the following courses (equivalents at ASU are given in parentheses): calculus (MAT 270, 271, and 272), advanced calculus (MAT 371), linear algebra (MAT 342), computer programming (CSE 100), and introductory applied statistics (QBA 221 or STP 420). The submission of Graduate Record Examination test scores is strongly recommended, but not necessary.
Upon entering the program, the student should contact the program director for assistance in selecting a three-member supervisory committee. (Typically, the student progress subcommittee of the Committee on Statistics serves as the student’s initial supervisory committee.) The faculty member who directs the student’s work on the thesis or applied project must be a member of the Committee on Statistics and serves as the chair of the student’s final supervisory committee.
The student’s program of study must contain at least 30 semester hours of credit, none of which may be from the prerequisites and at least 18 of which must be at or above the 500 level. The program must include the nine semester hours from three required theory courses: probability (STP 421), mathematical statistics (STP 427), and theory of statistical linear models (STP 526). The program must also include either three semester hours of applied project (IEE 593, QBA 593, or STP 593) or six semester hours of thesis (IEE 599, QBA 599, or STP 599).
The remaining 15 or 18 semester hours may come from elective courses chosen by the student with the approval of supervising faculty. A maximum of six semester hours may be chosen from a related field on which statistics relies (such as computer science) or in which statistics is an essential tool (e.g., biostatistics, quality control).
The required theory courses are fundamental to the education of statisticians and are necessary for more advanced graduate study. The elective courses allow the student to emphasize a particular area of statistical inference, culminating in an applied project report or a thesis on a topic in that area. The student has considerable flexibility in selecting an area of specialty. Possible areas of specialty include, among others, mathematical statistics, biostatistics, applied data analysis, design of experiments, statistical modeling, time series analysis, statistical process control, variance components analysis, statistical computing, and survey research. Sample programs of study for such areas of specialty may be obtained from the director of the program.
Either an applied project or a thesis is required. The content of the applied project report or thesis must, in its final form, be suitable for submission to an academic journal or conference proceedings. The thesis must conform to Graduate College format requirements.
An oral examination in defense of the applied project or thesis is required.
This certificate provides statistical training to graduate students and professionals. The certificate requires 15 semester hours of course work selected from approved ASU graduate-level courses. To enroll, the applicant must have a bachelor’s degree, an introductory applied statistics course, and one semester of calculus and is also required to have some computer literacy with knowledge of a programming language, a spreadsheet program, or a statistical software program. For more information, access the Web site at www.asu.edu/graduate/statistics.
Research interests of committee members include nonparametric regression, variance components, generalized linear models; multivariate analysis, latent structure models, categorical data analysis; biostatistics, biomedical research; time series analysis and forecasting, econometrics, statistical process control, statistical decision support systems; statistical computing, statistical graphics; panel data analysis, complex sampling designs; decision-theoretic methods, risk
assessment, robust statistical methods; design of experiments; process optimization; and response surface methodology.
Courses
Information about all courses is available on the Web at ASU Interactive. For more information, see Classification of Courses.
Interdisciplinary Certificate Program
www.asu.edu/caed/transportation
Aeronautical Management Technology
Associate Professor of Practice: Karp
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Professors: Mamlouk, Pendyala, Washington
Associate Professor: Guhathakurta
Assistant Professors: Balsas, Golub
Under the auspices of the Graduate College, an advisory committee administers the Graduate Interdisciplinary Certificate in Transportation Systems program. The objective of this program is to enable existing graduate students and transportation professionals to examine transportation-related issues from a variety of perspectives and in the context of different travel modes.
The certificate program requires a minimum of 15 semester hours of course work. To qualify, the student must complete an interdisciplinary issues pro-seminar class (three semester hours) and a capstone research paper that explores a transportation problem from a multidisciplinary perspective (three semester hours). A thesis in the area of transportation may substitute for the capstone paper. Students selecting the thesis option must take an additional elective course.
Nine semester hours of elective course work is also required. Students should choose three classes from the following approved transportation-related courses.
AMT 521 Air Transportation Regulation (3)
AMT 522 Transportation Law (3)
AMT 525 Airport Planning and Design (3)
AMT 527 Airline Management Strategies (3)
CEE 475 Highway Geometric Design (3)
CEE 512 Pavement Performance and Management (3)
CEE 515 Properties of Concrete (3)
GCU 442 Geographical Analysis of Transportation (3)
GCU 444 Geographic Studies in Urban Transportation (3)
GPH 471 Geographics: Interactive and Animated Cartography and Geovisualization (3)
GPH 598 ST: Geographic Information Science I (3)
GPH 598 ST: Geographic Information Science II (3)
PAF 505 Public Policy Analysis (3)
PUP 398 Sustainable Transportation (3)
PUP 544 Urban Land Use Planning (3)
PUP 550 Transportation and the Environment (3)
PUP 662 Planning Methods II: Quantitative Planning Analysis (3)
Master’s degree candidates in good standing in participating departments may apply. Current practicing professionals who already hold a graduate degree or who have at least three years of postbaccalaureate professional transportation experience may also apply. Applications are reviewed by the advisory committee, made up of representatives of participating departments. Enrollment in all classes outside the major requires permission of the instructor. For more information, contact the program director at 480/965-6395.
Courses
Information about all courses is available on the Web at ASU Interactive. For more information, see Classification of Courses.
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