What is interdisciplinary study?

At its most basic, an interdisciplinary program is a track of courses derived from two or more academic disciplines—taking the knowledge and working methods of one discipline and applying them to another discipline. By working with multiple departments, you’re exposed to many ways of thinking and communicating which leads to a broader perspective and deeper learning experience.

What are the benefits of interdisciplinary study?

From a practical standpoint, interdisciplinary programs much more closely mirror how we live our lives outside of the academic environment. We don’t simply use our knowledge of math, science, history, or English singularly, but rather, we use a combination of the knowledge and skills we’ve learned in a variety of subjects to navigate the world around us.

An interdisciplinary background can also make you more marketable to employers because you’ll have a wide range of skills. For example, if you want to be a technical writer in the high-tech field, you might study writing and information and cyber analysis, or if you want to work in international business, you might pursue an international studies degree with a business minor.  

Through interdisciplinary study, you’ll be an active contributor to the learning process, creating your own knowledge and comparing and contrasting it with other ideas experiences.