Program Policies - Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program

Owned by Laura Lehman (Deactivated)
Last updated: Dec 20, 2022 by Shirley Ewald (Deactivated)
3 min read

  1. The name of the degree listed on the transcript will be Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. In addition, students will choose one or two areas of specialization from the graduate programs of study.

  2. Students are admitted to the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) program by the MAIS admissions committee consisting of the MAIS program director, the program director of the student’s primary program of study, and the program director of the secondary program of study.

  3. The course plan must include a minimum of 12 semester hours and a maximum of 18 semester hours from the primary program and a minimum of 9 semester hours and a maximum of 12 semester hours from the secondary program. The 12 to 18 semester hours from the primary program is best fulfilled by requiring that MAIS students be steered towards an existing graduate certificate in their primary program.

  4. A coherently designed plan that does not follow these guidelines is an additional option but requires the Dean of Social Sciences and Professions’ approval.  This policy regarding credits in the course plan and the admissions committee will be reviewed annually.

  5. The proposal for individualized study must come through the MAIS program director. Admission in the program is contingent on a MAIS course plan schedule being developed by the student and the MAIS program director.  The MAIS course plan schedule must then be approved and signed by each member of the MAIS admissions committee.  The MAIS program director is responsible to oversee consultation between the graduate programs included in the course of study.

  6. Once the plan of study is completed, assuming all other admission criteria are met (See admission criteria on website), the MAIS program director sends the applicant a letter of acceptance. The Primary program director will provide on-going advising throughout the student’s enrollment.

  7. The MAIS degree must include a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate level work. Prerequisite courses may be negotiated within the proposed course of study. Such courses do not count toward the 36 semester hour degree requirements.

  8. An individualized program can be designed for any area that is mutually agreed upon by the MAIS program director, the sponsoring graduate departments, and the student.

  9. The MAIS program director will oversee the development of a set of core student specific competencies, such as research skills, and ethical reasoning, that will be expected to be met within the MAIS degree.

  10. Students may request to transfer credits from other regionally accredited colleges or universities based on the credit transfer policy of their primary graduate program. A transfer of credit request form must be completed. Requests for transfer credit should be directed to the MAIS program director and will be considered on a course by course basis.

  11. The degree must include some capstone or thesis project. Such a project can satisfy up to 6 hours of the degree. Options for fulfilling the capstone requirement include completing a practicum, designating a specific project in a course as a capstone, or writing a supervised thesis. The capstone requirement should be specified in the initial course plan, and should take place within the student’s primary program.

  12. MAIS students are subject to all the policies pertaining to graduate students.

  13. Given an approved course of study, MAIS students have the same access to those courses within a program as other degree students within that program.

  14. The MAIS student will be responsible for any fees associated with the primary program. In addition there will be a $50 application fee that will also be paid to the Office of the Dean of Social Sciences and Professions.

  15. Tuition will be the charge per course of the program in which the course is taken.

  16. Assessment of student learning objectives will be the responsibility of the primary program in which the MAIS student is enrolled. The MAIS program director will provide a rating sheet to confirm completion of the student’s primary and secondary coursework, as well as a rubric to assess the student’s own learning objectives using their capstone assignment.