Interdisciplinary Studies, BS

Toni Hoang, PhD, Interim Program Director
S1009, 713-222-5373

The Bachelor of Science with a major in Interdisciplinary Studies (BS-IS) degree program permits students to select courses that most interest them and to present 12 upper-level courses as their major. This flexible interdisciplinary program is often a suitable degree completion alternative for transfer students. It also appeals to students who wish to pursue a multidisciplinary degree that meets their academic and professional interests. Although a minor is not required, students are strongly encouraged to complete one or more, using the required area of concentration as a basis.

Graduates are qualified to undertake a variety of employment opportunities and community service challenges. By careful selection of courses with the help of a college advisor, students who complete the degree can prepare themselves for advancement in their current position, new directions in their career path, and a variety of post-baccalaureate programs. Students should consider taking advantage of the option to complete up to 6 upper-level credit hours of field experience or internship.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates who earn a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies will:

Be able to produce clear, mature, well-organized college-level writing using proper grammar and sentence structure.
Be able to:
1. research topics in one or more arts/science disciplines;
2. articulate a well-stated purpose or argument;
3. use research to advance the thesis of the paper; and
4. cite sources correctly in original papers.
Be able to apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge to work-based task or project.
Be able to use software to produce documents that are professional in appearance.

Degree Requirements

To complete a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies degree, students must satisfy the Requirements for CHSS Majors and fulfill the coursework below.

Common Core Requirements (42 hours)

All students seeking a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Houston-Downtown must complete the Common Core Requirements as listed in this catalog.

Major Requirements (36 hours)

At least 36 hours of upper-level course work are required and 18 of the 36 must be UHD course work. Within these requirements, students must complete a concentration consisting of at least 9 hours in a single discipline or area of concentration, without exceeding the limit of 21 hours in a single discipline or area of concentration. Three hours must be taken in residence–ENG or TCOM course with “Writing” in the title. Although a minor is not required, students are strongly encouraged to complete one or more minors, using the concentration as a basis. A 3- or 6-hour Field Experience is recommended, but not required. Successful completion of ISS 4098 - Senior Portfolio for BS-ISS is required for graduation.

Free Electives

Upper or lower division courses may be applied to this area, with the exceptions described under the “Requirements for CHSS Majors,” so that the student’s entire coursework, including the above requirements, totals 120 semester credit hours.

Students who did not complete an Ethics course through class selections in the Core, or Major area, must complete an Ethics course as an Elective. Ethics courses include any Philosophy course except for “Critical Thinking” or “Logic.” Non-Philosophy options for Ethics include but are not limited to the following. Consult your advisor.