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Studies & Degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies

Interdisciplinary studies is a type of degree rather than a single subject. Instead of following the fixed curriculum of one department, the student combines courses from two or more disciplines around a question or theme: for example health and society, environment and policy, or technology and culture. The US National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) defines it as a programme that derives from two or more distinct programmes and is integrated around a unifying theme or topic that cannot be subsumed under a single discipline or occupational field.

What students learn therefore depends on the combination they choose. The common elements are the methods of at least two fields, the ability to connect them, and a final piece of work that brings them together. Wright State University describes the skills of its programme as critical thinking, writing, ethics and interpersonal communication.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degrees in the United States. This is where the degree is most common. It is usually awarded as a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science; Wright State University offers both. At the University of Florida the bachelor's degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies require 120 credits and come in three types: individualised studies, established specialisations and general interdisciplinary studies. The individualised type is a coherent set of courses from two or more departments. A self-designed major must be substantially different from a regular departmental major, requires a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and ends with a senior thesis or final project supervised by a faculty sponsor. Students apply in their fourth or fifth semester, after starting in a regular major.
  • Graduate level. Many universities organise interdisciplinary master's and doctoral programmes across departments. Purdue University has an Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs, which has supported this kind of research since 2004. The University of Tokyo has a Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, which aims to train people with advanced specialised knowledge and a broad perspective.
  • Spain. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) have a defined curriculum, but Royal Decree 822/2021 allows two flexible formats. In a grado with an open academic pathway (itinerario académico abierto), students take courses from two or more official grados in the same or related fields for 60 to 120 credits during the first two years, and then continue in one of those degrees. Universities may also organise double degree programmes with a specific pathway.

Where to study interdisciplinary studies

SpainExchange lists 62 active schools for this subject. Most of them, 42, are in the United States, followed by Spain with 8. Germany and the United Kingdom have 2 each, and Canada, Greece, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Slovenia and Switzerland have one each.

The schools in the United States include the University of Florida, Wright State University, Purdue University, San Diego State University, The Pennsylvania State University, Fort Lewis College and Arcadia University. In Spain the list includes the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Schiller International University, Madrid. Other examples are Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom and The University of Tokyo in Japan.

Because the name covers very different programmes, compare them on a few points:

  • whether you design the plan yourself or choose from set combinations
  • which departments take part, and whether the fields you want are among them
  • whether admission is direct or by application after the first semesters, as at the University of Florida
  • whether there is a thesis or final project and who supervises it
  • which degree title appears on the diploma, which matters for recognition in another country

Careers

There is no single profession attached to this degree, and no official employment figures for it as an occupation. Outcomes depend on the fields combined and on the level reached. Wright State University presents its programme as preparation for a wide range of careers that value adaptability, problem-solving and strong communication. Graduates who want a regulated profession, such as teaching, law or health care, normally need a further specific qualification.

The degree is well established in the United States. According to NCES, institutions there awarded 52,573 bachelor's degrees in multi/interdisciplinary studies in 2021-22, out of 2,015,035 bachelor's degrees in all fields. In 1970-71 the figure was 6,324. The Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, an international professional association for interdisciplinary teachers, scholars and researchers, was founded in 1979.

Frequently asked questions

Is interdisciplinary studies the same as a double major?

No. A double major means completing two separate curricula. An interdisciplinary degree is one plan built from courses in several fields around one theme. The University of Florida requires that a self-designed major be substantially different from a regular major or a major plus a minor.

Can I design my own degree?

At some universities, yes. The individualised option at the University of Florida lets students design their own plan from two or more departments. It needs approval, a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and a senior thesis or final project.

How long does it take?

The same as other bachelor's degrees at the same university. At the University of Florida the degree requires 120 credits.

Does Spain have interdisciplinary degrees?

Spanish law allows grados with an open academic pathway, in which students take courses from two or more official degrees for 60 to 120 credits in the first two years, as well as double degree programmes. Each university decides whether to offer them.