2025-2026 Catalog (Working Draft)
Interdisciplinary Studies, B.I.S.
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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 10000-level or above. At least 40 hours must be at the 30000-40000 level.
Specific degree requirements are:
- Completion of the University’s 35-hour general education curriculum.
- Completion of the UNIV 40071 General Studies Capstone or a discipline-specific capstone course.
- Completion of one primary theme and one secondary theme. Courses completed in any theme may not be used to fulfill other degree requirements.
- 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.
- Achievement of a minimum 2.00 grade point average in each theme and overall.
- 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.
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Requirements for Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree:
General Education Core: 35 hours
English Composition: 6 hours
One of the following courses:
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:
Two courses from two different disciplines from the following:
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
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 (30000-40000). An additional 21 hours must be taken from a combination of prefixes including 9 hours of upper level (30000-40000). 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 (30000-40000). The hours may be a combination of prefixes.
Available themes:
Arts & Humanities |
Business Technology |
Education |
Health Care |
Choose courses from:
ARAD, ARED, ARHS, ARTS, COMM, DMPR, ENGL, FILM, FREN, GDES, HUMN, MUAC, MUAP, MUED, MUEN, MUHS, MUPD, MUSC, MUTH, PHIL, SPAN, SPCH, THTR, WLLC |
Choose courses from:
ACCT, BADM, BINS, BLAW, BUSI, CESC, CPSI, CPSI, ECON, FINN, HOSP, ISYS, MGMT, MKTG, OMGT |
Choose courses from:
EDHP, ELED, EXSC, MLED, PHED, READ, SPED, STEM |
Choose courses from:
BIOL, BIOS, CEMB, ENSC, ENTO, EPID, GENE, MBIM, NURS, PHAR, PSYC, SOCI |
Natural Resources |
Math & Science |
Social Sciences |
Professional Studies |
Choose courses from:
AGEC, AGEN, AGRI, AGRO, ANSC, BIOL, BIOS, CEMB, ENSC, ENTO, ENTO, EPID, GENE, MBIM, NREM, PHAR, SURV |
Choose courses from:
ASTR, BIOC, BIOL, BIOS, CEMB, CHEM, CPSI, ENSC, ENSC, ENTO, EPID, GENE, GEOL, GEOS, GNEG, MATH, MBIM, PHAR, PHSC, PHYS, STAT, STEM |
Choose courses from:
ANTH, CRJU, GEOG, HIST, PLSC, PSYC, SBSC, SCWK, SOCI |
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 30000-40000 level courses to meet the 40 upper-level hours needed for this degree.
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