Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (M.I.S.)

Program Summary

The Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (M.I.S.) 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 and/or face-to-face courses, taught by highly qualified faculty.

To build the individualized 30-credit M.I.S. program of study, students complete 12 credits of interdisciplinary core courses in addition to 9 credits each* (totaling 18 credits) from two of the following programs of study:

• Arts Administration
• Aviation
• Business Administration
• Corporate Online Training
• Cybersecurity & Information Assurance
• Education
• General Studies
• Music Technology
• Online Teaching
• Leadership Studies
• Professional Communication
• Public Administration
• School Library (endorsement available)*
• Special Education (no endorsement)
• Systems Quality Leadership & Management
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (no endorsement)

M.I.S. students will complete their program with a 3-credit capstone (INDS 6900 - MIS Capstone Project ), 3-credit internship (INDS 6890 - Interdisciplinary Internship ), or 3-credit thesis (INDS 6910 - MIS Capstone Thesis ), which provides students the opportunity to show they have achieved mastery of the course competencies in the academic areas and they are able to synthesize these competencies into a meaningful whole. If the capstone project cannot be completed within one semester, students must be continuously enrolled in INDS 6901 - MIS Capstone Continuation  until completion.

* Students may complete a total of 18 credits within the School Library learning block, to complete the master’s degree with the 12 credits in the interdisciplinary core.

Program Information

• All courses must be passed with a “B-” (2.7) or better to be counted in the program.
• Students must earn a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 to graduate. Students who fail to maintain a 3.0 GPA average may be dismissed from the program.
• 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 12 graduate credits from a regionally accredited master’s program. See program advisor for details.

Admissions Requirements

For a student to gain admittance into the MIS degree, they must:

• Be successfully admitted to the Graduate School at SUU based on University standards in Policy 6.61;
• Provide transcripts showing a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited university;
• Submit a résumé; and
• Submit a Letter 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?

All students who have been accepted into the Master of Interdisciplinary Studies degree program at SUU are expected to make adequate academic progress towards graduation. This means:

1. 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;
2. 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;
3. 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;
4. Students have a maximum of six (6) years from the date of initial enrollment to complete the degree; and
5. 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.

For more information about SUU’s graduate policies, click here.