Interdisciplinary Studies, B.I.S.

Student Learning Outcomes

Degree Program

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies is a unique and rigorous degree program administered by the Office of Academic Affairs at The University of New Orleans. The program provides versatility for students seeking to design a coherent academic plan through the process of integrative learning. Integrative Learning refers to the process of combining and coordinating academic elements into a whole or aggregate. IDS students develop an Integrative Learning Plan (ILP) with the guidance and assistance of professional staff. The ILP will incorporate a minimum of two subject areas that clearly represent a focus for studies. Students develop a learning experience that helps meet individual and professional goals while balancing work and life responsibilities with educational opportunities.

Specific requirements for the degree are:

1. General Education Requirements:
   1. English Composition - 6 hours. ENGL 1157  and ENGL 1158 /ENGL 1159  or their equivalent. Completion of ENGL 1158  or ENGL 1159  with a grade of C or better.
   2. Mathematics/Analytical Reasoning - 6 hours.
   3. Natural/Life/Physical Sciences - 9 hours, including a six hour sequence in one science and an additional three hour course in another. One of the sciences must be Biological Sciences and the other one must be Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, or Physics.
   4. Humanities - 9 hours to include:
      • 3 hours in Literature.
      • 6 additional hours to be taken from the Departments of Film and Theater; English; Foreign Languages; History; Philosophy; Women’s and Gender Studies.
   5. Social/Behavioral Sciences - 6 hours from Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and/or Urban Studies.
   6. Fine Arts - 3 hours to be taken from the Fine Arts, Music, or theatre/dance/film-related courses in Film and Theater.
2. IDS 1002    Making Connections: Introduction to Integrative Learning.
3. IDS 2002    Introduction to Information Literacy and Scholarly Discourse.
4. Integrative Learning Plan: Completion of an interdisciplinary component, representing a clearly defined focus of studies, with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00. The component will consist of at least two disciplines for a combined total of 36 hours. A minimum of 18 of the 36 hours must be completed with course work at the 3000-4999 level. At least half of the ILP (18-credit hours) to be completed after enrolling in the IDS program.
5. IDS 4091  Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone Seminar must complete with C or better.
6. Single-Subject Limitation: A maximum of 30 hours of course work in any one subject can be counted toward credit for the degree. For this purpose, all course work offered in business, education, and engineering will be regarded as a single subject.
7. Completion of a minimum of 33 hours of courses numbered 3000 or above, with a minimum of 18 hours applied to the ILP.
8. Completion of a minimum of 120 hours of course work in courses numbered 1000 and above, with a grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better.
9. No more than one-half the semester hours required for the completion of the IDS degree may be transferred from a community college.
10. The last 30 hours of coursework must be completed in degree residency while enrolled with Interdisciplinary Studies. All hours must apply toward the major.