http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/gs/
All faculty in the university are eligible to participate.
Professors: George W. Fair, Karen J. Prager,
Associate Professor: Scherry F. Johnson, Erin A. Smith
Senior Lecturers: Susan P. Chizeck, Dachang Cong, Elizabeth M. Salter,
Penny G. Sanders
The Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Studies, leading to the degree of
Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, is designed for students who wish
to continue their intellectual development within an interdisciplinary
framework and for those with specialized training who wish to broaden their
education. The objective of the program is to provide students the opportunity
to develop an approach to topics and problems from the perspectives of more
than one discipline and to develop a better understanding of many of the
social, cultural, and scientific forces which affect the individual and
society.
The University�s general admission requirements are discussed here.
For admission to the program, the student must have a bachelor�s degree from
an accredited institution, with a grade average of B or better. A verbal plus
quantitative GRE score of 1000 (or equivalent examination) is advisable based
on our experience with student success in the program.. All students not
meeting the above criteria are considered on an individual basis. A student who
has a deficit in either GRE score or grade point average may be conditionally
admitted to the program.
The University�s general degree requirements are discussed here.
For the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, 36 hours of
course work must be completed. These hours are distributed as follows:
In the first year the student must complete an interdisciplinary seminar
(MAIS 5300, 5301 or 5305). The seminars are designed to introduce students to
graduate work and to give them experience in interdisciplinary approaches to
subjects and problems.
From the graduate courses offered in this catalog, the student selects, in
consultation with the adviser, at least three hours each from at least two of
the following areas: Behavioral Sciences, which includes courses in
Communication Disorders, Human Development, and selected courses in Education;
Humanities, which includes Aesthetic Studies, History of Ideas, and Studies in
Literature; Natural Sciences and Mathematics, which includes courses in
Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physics, and selected
courses in Science Education; Social Sciences, which includes courses in Public
Affairs; Management, which includes Management and International Management
Studies; and Engineering and Computer Science.
From the graduate courses offered in this catalog, the student selects, in
consultation with the adviser, at least 12 additional hours of course work in
one or two of the general areas listed above.
From the graduate courses offered in this catalog, the student selects, in
consultation with the adviser, at least six semester hours of courses.
The seminar and project are the culmination of the student�s program. The
seminar includes readings in, and discussion of, interdisciplinary theory and
preparation for the research project. Each student will develop a research
topic which lends itself to an interdisciplinary approach. The topic should be
sufficiently broad to draw upon knowledge and techniques gained throughout the
program. To complete the project, students should synthesize and integrate
information from various sources, utilizing different methodologies, and thus
draw conclusions which present a new perspective on the topic as a result of
this interdisciplinary approach.
At the beginning of the degree program each student participates in a
specially designed interdisciplinary seminar on topics related to the
development of human beings and their world. At the end of the program, each
student participates in a capstone seminar and completes an interdisciplinary
research project. The remainder of the program is individually designed by the
student, in consultation with the adviser, to meet particular personal
interests and professional needs.