May 17, 2024  
2023-2024 Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Catalog [OFFICIAL CATALOG]

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, B.I.S.


Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Degree Plan of Study  

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) degree is designed to allow curricular flexibility for students who desire to pursue coursework in more than one area of interest and allows students to customize their education toward their particular goals and plans for employment or advanced study. This degree in itself leads to no specific licensure or certification. Students seeking licensure or certification in their chosen field should consult an academic advisor in that area.

The transcript and diploma for this degree reads “Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies” with no major, minor, or theme designation.

The BIS degree requires a minimum of 120 hours of college credit at the 1000-level or above. At least 40 hours must be at the 3000-4000 level.

Specific degree requirements are:

  1. Completion of the University’s 35-hour general education curriculum.
  2. Completion of the UST 4001 General Studies Capstone  or a discipline-specific capstone course.
  3. Completion of one primary theme and one secondary theme. Courses completed in any theme may not be used to fulfill other degree requirements.
  4. Completion of 30 or fewer elective hours to reach the minimum 120 hours required for the degree. Any necessary prerequisites for chosen theme requirements may be used to fulfill the electives category. The student should consider required prerequisites when making elective course selections.
  5. Achievement of a minimum 2.00 grade point average in each theme and overall.
  6. Fulfillment of the University’s residency requirement.

Any student who declares a major in Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies and then later decides to opt for a different baccalaureate degree will be required to fulfill all requirements (including major, minor) for the selected degree.

Completion of one or more themes for the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree does not necessarily satisfy completion of a major or minor from that theme.

Requirements for Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree:


General Education Core: 35 hours


English Composition: 6 hours


Mathematics: 3 hours


Any MATH 1000-level or above

Communication: 3 hours


Fine Arts: 3 hours


One of the following courses:

Humanities: 3 hours


  • Any literature course
  • Any philosophy course
  • Any foreign language course

U.S. History or Government: 3 hours


One of the following courses:

Social Sciences: 6 hours


Basic Sciences: 8 hours


Choose two 3-hour lecture courses with associated 1-hour labs or two 4-hour courses with integrated labs from the following disciplines:

  • Biological Science
  • Earth Science
  • Chemistry
  • Physics

Capstone: 1 hour


Theme(s): 54 hours


With the assistance of his/her advisor, a student selects a primary theme and a secondary theme from the options below. The themes must be different.

Primary theme, 36 hours. A minimum of 15 hours must be from courses with the same prefix and at least 9 of those hours must be upper level (3000-4000). An additional 21 hours must be taken from a combination of prefixes including 9 hours of upper level (3000-4000). Professional Studies theme can only be selected as a secondary theme and the coursework must differ from the dominate discipline found in the student’s primary theme.

Primary theme = 36 hours

15 hours 21 hours
Same prefix with 9 hours of upper-level coursework (dominant discipline) Combination of prefixes with 9 hours of upper-level coursework

Secondary theme, 18 hours. A minimum of 18 hours is required with at least 9 hours at the upper-level (3000-4000). The hours may be a combination of prefixes.

Available themes:

Arts & Humanities Business Technology Education Health Care
Choose courses from:
ART, COMM, ENGL, FA, FREN, MODL, MUS, PHIL, PMUS, SPAN
Choose courses from:
ACCT, CIS, ECON, FIN, GB, HOSP, MGMT, MKT, CS
Choose courses from:
EDUC, EXSC, MAED, MLED, PE, READ, SCED, SPED
Choose courses from:
NURS, BIOL, PSY, SOC

 

Natural Resources Math & Science Social Sciences Professional Studies
Choose courses from:
AGEC, AGRI, AGRO, ANSC, BIOL, ENTO, NRM, SURV
Choose courses from:
BIOL, CHEM, CS, ENGR, ESCI, MAED, MATH, PHYS, SCED
Choose courses from:
ANTH, CJ, GEOG, HIST, PSCI, PSY, SOC, SWK
Choose a combination of courses that target skills necessary for your chosen field of employment. Coursework must show a variation in discipline from the primary theme. (secondary only)

Electives: 30 or fewer hours


NOTE: The electives must include sufficient 3000-4000 level courses to meet the 40 upper-level hours needed for this degree.

Total Hours: 120