2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived]

Multidisciplinary Studies


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Chair: Donna Selman
Program Office: Holmstedt Hall, room 291
Web site:
https://www.indstate.edu/cas/node/90
E-mail: Barbara.McNeill@indstate.edu

The Multidisciplinary Studies Department consists of Gender Studies, International Studies, Multidisciplinary studies, Philosophy, and Sociology.  The department is designed to foster collaboration and innovation in interdisciplinary studies, teaching, and research at Indiana State University. Faculty and students in Multidisciplinary Studies benefit from cross-program and cross-discipline exchange.  Specifically, students examine various thematic and current issues using methodology from the multitude of disciplines in the arts and sciences. 

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Multidisciplinary Studies

The Multidisciplinary Studies Program offers a curriculum that leads to a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree. Candidates for either degree must complete the University requirement of a minimum of 120 credits, including Foundational Studies course work and the requirements for their multidisciplinary studies concentration.  The program is designed for students who wish to pursue expansive study in the liberal arts and sciences with a custom-designed concentration. With appropriate consultation, students may combine available courses to create a concentration in an area of study not offered elsewhere in the University. As a result of their course of study, students are expected to be able to communicate effectively, demonstrate integrative habits of thinking, especially across the disciplines constituting their major, and transfer skills from one setting to another. Highly motivated students and students with specialized career or professional goals will find this combination of flexibility and focus very attractive.

Students may also complete a minor in Multidisciplinary Studies.  The Multidisciplinary Studies minor allows students to pursue a coherent, multidisciplinary course of study not duplicated by any existing ISU minor. It encourages students to engage in focused exploration of related disciplines in their areas of interest or in fields which complement their declared major. Students may design their own minor or, when available, select from multidisciplinary minors already developed by faculty.  One example of this is the designation in Genomic Advocacy. 

This program will be the first Coordinated Program of Study for the minor in Multidisciplinary Studies.   This minor will introduce students to the ethical, business, and political issues that surround the field of genomic science and how they are interconnected to impact personalized medicine, healthcare, public policy, business/insurance/risk management, education and other science fields.  Genomics has a far-reaching impact on humanity with numerous social and ethical issues to be addressed now and in the future.  This minor will somewhat parallel, yet extend for undergraduates, the currently approved graduate program in Genomic Advocacy.

Regular advising is a central component of the Multidisciplinary Studies Program. Majors in the program are encouraged to maintain good contact with their faculty academic advisor, and are expected to work with their advisor prior to registration each semester. Students who do so are more likely to meet their goals and achieve academic success. The Multidisciplinary Studies faculty assigns faculty academic advisors upon approval of a proposed MST concentration. Students can find their assigned advisor by consulting the college or their DARS/MySam degree audit tool.

Philosophy

The study of philosophy provides students with an awareness of critical thinking, an appreciation of ethical reasoning, and the power of logical analysis. These abilities are valuable in every academic endeavor. With appropriate work in related fields, the study of philosophy prepares students for continuing education in law, theology, the humanities, journalism, research, management, and a variety of graduate programs.

Philosophy is best described as the combination of the following disciplines: logic, the study of correct or valid reasoning; ethics, the study of morality and value; aesthetics, the study of the nature of beauty and art; epistemology, the study of knowledge; and metaphysics, the study of the most general categories and principles by which humankind understands the universe. The close associations among these disciplines are made apparent upon in-depth investigation of a wide variety of philosophical issues.

With its emphasis upon clarity and logical rigor on the one hand, and upon breadth and generality on the other, philosophy not only cultivates a critical and analytical perspective, but also provides for a comprehensive world view. In this way, a study of philosophy enables people to deal more thoroughly with the complex problems facing civilization.

In support of the liberal arts and sciences mission of the college and the University, the Department of Philosophy participates in the Foundational Studies Program, the University Honors Program, the Genomic Advocacy Center, and the Gender Studies Program.

The Department of Philosophy offers a curriculum leading to a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. Candidates for the degree must successfully complete the University requirement of a minimum of 120 credits, including Foundational Studies course work, and the requirements for the major. A minor is not required for this degree.

To fulfill the University’s goal of a culminating experiential learning opportunity in all major curricula, all philosophy majors will take either Philosophy 333 or 401 in their senior year. These courses will be offered on a rotating basis, and will require students to apply ethical theory to current issues in the community.

The Department of Philosophy sponsors a very active student organization, The Great Ideas Philosophy Club.

Majors and minors in the Department of Philosophy are encouraged to maintain good contact with their advisors, and are expected to work with their advisors prior to registration each semester. Students who do so are more likely to meet their goals and achieve academic success. Students can find their assigned advisors by consulting the college, the department, or their Degree Audit Tools.

Gender Studies

Gender studies is an interdisciplinary field that draws from a variety of academic areas to examine the creation and perpetuation of sex/gender systems. In many cultures, sex/gender systems, as well as race, ethnicity, sexuality, and class function serve as lines of division and oppression that restrict access to education, the work force, and full participation in social and political life. Course work in gender studies explores constructions of identities and asks how political institutions, the law, the economy, art, history, literature, and education (among other agencies) shape understandings of gender and human relations. Feminist theories that address possibilities for social change are specifically explored.

The Gender Studies Program offers an academic minor that is available to all students. A minor in Gender studies benefits students in almost any major because it promotes the development of cross-cultural communication skills and the ability to work well with diverse groups of people. It is highly recommended to students who plan to work in social service areas (law and law enforcement, social work, public administration, teaching, or nursing) or students who plan a career in business.  Students interested in majoring in Gender studies are encouraged to declare the major in multidisciplinary studies and work with the Gender studies academic advisor to identify a major course plan in Gender studies.

The Gender Studies Program offers core courses in the discipline as well as a variety of electives in over 11 programs in the arts and humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and the physical sciences. A listing of currently approved Gender studies elective courses is available on the program’s Web site. Many Gender studies core courses and electives also fulfill Foundational Studies requirements. Independent study and fieldwork opportunities may be arranged through academic advising.  A link to specific requirements for the minor may be accessed under the Interdisciplinary Programs listing.

Advising is an important component of the Gender studies minor, as students who work closely with their advisor are more likely to meet their goals and achieve academic success. Gender studies minors are encouraged to maintain regular contact with their academic advisor and the program director, and are expected to meet for advisement prior to registration each semester.

Gender studies teaching and learning is not confined to a traditional classroom. The curricular program is matched with a robust co-curricular program that has included a yearly Take Back the Night event, conferences featuring undergraduate and graduate faculty research, performances, exhibits, and field trips.

International Studies

The International Studies Program was created to prepare students to be more effective in their chosen careers through the development of their international and intercultural competence. The program emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to international connections in political, economic, environmental, philosophical, and cultural systems. Through the program students have the opportunity to study with faculty experts, to interact with visiting scholars and students from around the world, and to gain personal experience through study or internships abroad.

Students with international studies degrees are competent for positions in federal agencies (such as the Departments of State, Defense, Commerce, Agriculture, and Immigration and Naturalization) or state or local governmental offices involving international trade, tourism, and economic development, as well as in business enterprises, media, healthcare, education, and not-for-profit organizations.

International Studies offers an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to educate students to live and work in an interdependent world through the international studies minor.  Links to the specific requirements for this program may be accessed at the International Studies Web site: www.indstate.edu/intnlstudy/.

The international studies minor is an interdisciplinary program that complements any major by combining course work from several key disciplines, including anthropology, history, geography, economics, foreign languages and political science. The core courses in the minor encourage a global perspective, while the concentration allows students to focus their study on a particular world region or global theme. Work in the minor also includes a study abroad experience and a culminating capstone course for a Senior Project. Foreign language study available at ISU includes Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

Successful completion of the minor entails a total of 25 credit hours and requires careful planning. Students must design their programs of study in consultation with the International Studies Academic advisor. Early consultation will facilitate smooth completion of the international studies minor in coordination with the student’s major field of study.

The University is committed to providing an access to an array of affordable of study abroad programs across the world. Opportunities for full-year, single-semester, and summer programs to study in English or to study a foreign language make it possible for students to easily incorporate an international experience into their academic program.  The University supports students taking advantage of these opportunities through competitive scholarships and financial aid assistance.

Program and scholarship information for Academic Programs Abroad opportunities can be obtained from the Director of Study Abroad in the Rhodes Hall Lounge Area, room 106, or by visiting the Web site at www.indstate.edu/studyabroad/.

Sociology

A minor in sociology provides foundational knowledge of social structures and behavior for students of criminology and criminal justice, psychology, social work, and family and human development studies.  Sociological training is also valuable for students entering teaching, nursing, business, and technology.  An optional internship/field placement is available for minors who wish to jump-start their plans for employment following graduation. Department faculty are happy to discuss the value of these programs in support of students’ career aspirations.

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