Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

Department Chair Iliana Portaro – BH 304M	Faculty & Staff
MIS Program Director David Hatch – BH 304N	Student Success Advisors
Graduate & INDS Coordinator Stacie Stein – BH 304A	Website

Overview of Programs

The Department offers an Associate’s Degree in General Studies (AA, AS), a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS), a Bachelor of General Studies (BA, BS, BGS), and a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS). A variety of minors and certificates are also available in our undergraduate and graduate programs.

Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.)

The Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) major allows students to integrate two (2) or three (3) academic disciplines into a customized program of study, linked together by a foundation core (INDS 2000, INDS 3000, INDS 4000, and INDS 4900). BIS majors will learn how to create meaningful connections between academic disciplines, while also developing critical thinking, communication, problem solving, synthesis, and research skills. The program aims to empower students to apply innovative and interdisciplinary thinking in their academic, professional, and civic endeavors.

In consultation with their academic advisor, students must complete a program of study (degree plan). All programs of study must be approved by the INDS Department Chair and include the BIS foundation core classes (12 credits) and the list of classes for each selected discipline.

Master of Interdisciplinary Studies

The Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS) provides an opportunity for students to build a graduate degree from three disciplines, resulting in a unique interdisciplinary experience. This 30-credit degree allows students to develop an individualized program of study, tailored to students’ personal passions and career objectives. Students will enjoy the flexibility of online courses, taught by highly qualified faculty.

To build the individualized 30-credit MIS program of study, students complete a three-credit introductory course, a 3-credit capstone, two 9-credit concentrations, and one 6-credit concentration from the following programs of study:

Arts Administration
Aviation Management*
Business Administration
Contemporary Animal Services Leadership*
Contemporary Animal Services Leadership* - Executive Leadership Certification Graduates
Cybersecurity & Information Assurance
Education*
English: Creative Writing
English: Writing & Rhetoric
Leadership Studies
General Studies
Human Values
Leadership Studies
Music Technology
National Parks & Public Lands
Non-Profit Management
Online Teaching & Course Design
Public Administration
School Library* (endorsement available)
Social Media & Public Relations
Special Education* (no endorsement)
Sports & Athletics Management
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (no endorsement)

* Students may complete a total of 18 credits within these learning blocks.

MIS students will complete their program with a 3-credit capstone project (INDS 6900 - MIS Capstone Project ) or 3-credit internship (INDS 6890 - Interdisciplinary Internship ). Capstone experiences provide students the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the course competencies in their chosen academic areas and abilities to synthesize these competencies into a meaningful whole. Capstones should achieve the following goals: (1) combine the student’s concentrations in a meaningful way that demonstrates mastery of disciplinary knowledge and interdisciplinary approaches; (2) be informed by research using scholarly sources; (3) address an issue or solve a problem (in the case of an internship, this means helping an organization solve a problem, assess data, or move a project along); (4) the capstone, whether project or internship, must be completed during the student’s final semester; and (5) not be directly related to the student’s regular, paid employment. If the capstone cannot be completed within one (1) semester, students must be continuously enrolled in INDS 6901 - MIS Capstone Continuation until their capstone is completed.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies is to teach students how to create meaningful connections between academic disciplines. The department pursues this objective through a customized curriculum that integrates two or three programs of study linked together by a common core of interdisciplinary studies courses and a capstone project. In collaboration with their faculty mentors and advisors, students create a tailored degree program connected to their personal and professional objectives. Through experiential and applied learning inside and outside of the classroom, students develop critical thinking, communication, problem solving, synthesis, and research skills. The program aims to empower students to apply innovative and interdisciplinary thinking in their academic, professional, and civic endeavors.

Department/Program Learning Outcomes

General Studies (AA/AS)

Students will be able to demonstrate generalized knowledge from the array of courses attempted for the General Studies AA/AS.

General Studies (BA/BS)

Students will be able to effectively communicate and present ideas with clarity and persuasive force.
In preparation for graduate school, learners will explore and apply various concepts of scholarly research in an abbreviated literature review.

General Studies (BGS)

Students will be able to demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills.
Students will be able to organize complex information.

Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS)

Students will demonstrate an understanding of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary concepts.
Students will develop communication, information literacy, inquiry, and analysis skills as it applies to interdisciplinary scholarship corresponding to the undergraduate level.
Students will demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills by drawing conclusions and combining examples, facts, or theories from more than one discipline into an interdisciplinary capstone project.
Students will develop and articulate skills to market their interdisciplinary background.

Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS)

Students will effectively communicate and present ideas with clarity and persuasive force.
Students will demonstrate graduate-level information literacy and integrate interdisciplinary concepts in scholarly research.
Students will demonstrate graduate-level writing skills.
Students will apply interdisciplinary concepts to solve challenges in their communities.
Students will be able to strategically market themselves as interdisciplinary thinkers to advance their professional goals.

Undergraduate Graduation Information

General Studies (BA/BS)

All courses must be passed with a “C-” (1.7) or better to be counted in the major.
Graduates from this degree program cannot be approved for Utah state certification as a teacher using this major.
General Studies is a stand-alone program and cannot be used as a double-major with any other baccalaureate program.
Credit earned more than 20 years ago may be considered and, if approved, counted towards the major credits needed to complete this program.

General Studies (BGS)

All courses must be passed with a “C-” (1.7) or better to be counted in the major.
Graduates from this degree program cannot be approved for Utah state certification as a teacher using this major.
Students must complete the requisite amount of upper-division credit as per University policy.
Credit earned more than 20 years ago may be considered and, if approved, counted towards the major credits needed to complete this program.
A formal graduation plan on file with the Registrar’s Office is not required to graduate with this major.

Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS)

Interdisciplinary Studies is a stand-alone program and cannot be used as a double-major with any other baccalaureate program.
BIS majors must complete a minimum of 54 credits in the program, 12 of which comprise the BIS foundation core. A total of 30 upper-division credits must be within the BIS program of study (BIS disciplines).
Course substitutions are not allowed within the BIS foundational core (INDS 2000, INDS 3000, INDS 4000, and INDS 4900).
For the BIS degree, a BIS discipline is defined as a collection of courses that have the same course prefix (e.g., CHEM, SPAN, HIST, etc.). A BIS discipline can also be a collection of topically related courses with different course prefixes that is designed in consultation with their Student Success Advisor and Interdisciplinary Studies Department Chair.
Students who choose to pursue a BIS degree must gain approval for their curriculum design (BIS disciplines) from Interdisciplinary Studies Department Chair before they have earned 75 total undergraduate credits. Students who have earned more than 75 credits should consider a different degree, such as General Studies (BA/BS) or General Studies (BGS) . Certain circumstances may warrant exceptions with approval from the Interdisciplinary Studies Department Chair.
Changes to a student’s BIS disciplines cannot be made within a student’s last earned 30 credits. Exceptions will be made under circumstances where a student’s BIS discipline course is no longer offered.
All courses in the BIS discipline and total credit count must be passed with a “C-” (1.7) or better. Courses graded as Pass/Fail will only be accepted with prior approval from the Interdisciplinary Studies Department Chair.
Graduates from this degree program cannot be approved for state certification as a teacher using this major.

Graduate Admissions and Graduation Information

Admissions Requirements

Prospective students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and submit the following materials:

SUU Graduate Programs Admissions application
Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions
Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
Statement of Intent that addresses the following:
1. Why have you chosen the MIS degree?
2. How do you plan to use your MIS degree professionally once you graduate?
3. If your GPA is below 3.0, what have you done to advance your skill set?

* Students with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be admitted on a provisional basis. For questions, please contact the MIS Program Director.

Academic Standards

All students accepted into the Master of Interdisciplinary Studies degree program at SUU are expected to make adequate academic progress towards graduation and meet the following requirements:

A student with active status in the program must be continuously enrolled for a minimum of one (1) credit hour during each semester of each academic year they are in the program. This policy may be adjusted (with department chair approval) to accommodate particular circumstances.
A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to maintain active status in the degree program. If the cumulative GPA falls below this point, the student loses their standing in the program and must reapply for admission.
As per SUU policy, a student may retake a course to receive a better grade, but the last grade received is the grade reflected on the transcript.
If a capstone project cannot be completed within one (1) semester, students must be continuously enrolled in INDS 6901 - MIS Capstone Continuation until their capstone is completed.
Students have a maximum of six (6) years from the date of initial enrollment to complete the degree.
Students are expected to meet with the program advisor during the enrollment period preceding each new semester. It is important that students meet with an advisor prior to registration for each new semester.

Graduate Graduation Requirements

All courses must be passed with a “B-” (2.7) or better to be counted in the MIS degree.
In order to remain in good academic standing, a graduate student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than 3.0 through the duration of their graduate studies. Graduate students must also maintain a Semester GPA of 3.0 or better to remain in good standing. For purposes of this policy, a “Semester” is equivalent to two (2) Sessions of accelerated program courses. Students who do not meet these requirements will be subject to the College of Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS) Probation Policy.
Graduate courses cannot be repeated more than once.
Graduate students must complete their program within six (6) years of matriculation.
Students may transfer up to nine (9) graduate credits from an accredited master’s degree program, with director approval. Courses cannot be older than 10 years from the date the degree was awarded, must be applicable to the desired course of study, and must have a “B-” or better grade. Official transcripts are required for consideration.
Using the Senior Benefit option, SUU undergraduate students that have participated in 5000+-level work that has not been counted toward an undergraduate program may bring up to six (6) of those credits into the MIS program with director approval.
Only nine (9) credits total of 5000-level work may be applied to the degree, from any source, including transfer credits and Senior Benefit.

Programs

Associate’s Degree

General Studies (AA/AS)

Bachelor’s Degree

Academic Certificate (Undergraduate)

Minor

Master’s Degree

Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS)