HAVING trouble choosing a major? Perhaps, like many other University students, you've bounced a lot of ideas around: first psychology, then English and maybe you're experimenting in art history while you desperately try to figure out what to fill in on your major declaration form due this spring. The entire process can be intimidating. Maybe you haven't quite had the time to determine where your true academic interests lie, or perhaps your interests are so varied that you cannot possibly locate them within one program. But your choice of a major doesn't necessarily have to place limits on the range of subjects you study: An interdisciplinary major program offers a wonderful option for students who wish to integrate their study of a number of subjects.
Interdisciplinary major programs are sometimes given a bad rap, labeled as programs for students who have no direction or can't find a focus of concentration. Often outsiders perceive these programs as "wishy-washy." But that is simply not the case: The appeal of such programs is more than simply allowing the students to dabble in a variety of academic topics. Instead, these programs provide a unique opportunity for students who are able to see connections between different fields of study to investigate these links, rather than prescribing that they study academic subjects in isolation from each other.
The University offers a great variety of courses, and many programs have arisen to prompt study of these topics across disciplines. Within the College, some options include American Studies, Latin American Studies, Archaeology, Cognitive Science, Human Biology, Linguistics, Political & Social Thought and Media Studies. The Architecture School offers a degree in Urban and Environmental Planning, which is also interdisciplinary in nature.
Further, there is an option for students to design their own individualized interdisciplinary major if they cannot locate an existing program which appeals to them. In the past, students have designed majors such as Bioethics, Irish Studies and Medical Anthropology, to name a few. There are two options available for students who wish to design their own majors: the Echols Interdisciplinary Major, open to Echols Scholars, and the Interdisciplinary Majors Program, available to all College students with a 3.4 or above grade-point average. Both options require the creation of a thirty-credit program and close collaboration with faculty advisors from contributing departments. The IMP also requires that students undertake a six-credit thesis project in their fourth year, with the possibility of receiving honors upon graduation.
There are many other benefits of choosing an interdisciplinary option beyond the ability to fulfill requirements in a number of departments. For fourth year American Studies and History major Becca Walton, "even the most engaging discussion section can't compare with working closely both inside and outside the classroom with a small group of students and professors. The interdisciplinary setting provides the opportunity to bring to the table relevant expertise in a variety of disciplines."
Another positive aspect of many IMPs is their size: American Studies and Political & Social Thought, for example, require that students go through an application process and be selected by a faculty committee. This not only ensures that only highly-motivated and capable students are admitted to these programs, but also serves to keep program sizes small. Both of the aforementioned programs have less than thirty majors per class, which contrasts with larger traditional major programs, which can number in the hundreds. These programs' small sizes help to foster a sense of community within each major, which is often impossible in larger departments. Students in IMPs are frequently required to take major seminars together, which furthers this end. These seminars are also integral to the goals of IMPs, as they allow students to share their diverse experiences, perspectives and academic interests with their peers. Students are also given a great deal of individual attention by IMP faculty members and advisors, due to the frequency and intensity of their interactions.
One overlooked advantage of the interdisciplinary major is the access it gives students to upper-level courses which have "majors only" requirements. Many professors will make special exceptions for interdisciplinary majors, some going as far as to reserve spots in their courses for IMP students or giving them priority on waiting lists.
So if you're feeling a bit constrained by the University's traditional major offerings, don't fret. There's plenty of room for improvisation and innovation in interdisciplinary programs. And if you still can't find a program which piques your academic interests, it's always possible to design your own. There's no need to worry that pursuing an unorthodox option will hurt your chances at admission to graduate or professional school. If anything, they'll be impressed with your ingenuity.
Todd Rosenbaum's column appears Thursdays in the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at trosenbaum@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
BURSTEIN: Federal workforce cuts target Virginia — and Youngkin’s response falls short
By Carly Burstein | 2 days agoForcing employees to choose between uprooting their families or losing their livelihoods is not just callous — it is economically reckless.
HUYNH: Virginia’s proposed ‘whippets’ law is laughable
By Viet Huynh | 3 days agoAs people continue to be harmed by nitrous oxide abuse, Virginians will see this new law as the ineffective, ultimately harmful policy that it is.
EDITORIAL: We can demand more of our university presidents
By Editorial Board | 3 days agoWe hope for greater transparency because for the principles of solidarity in this statement to be enacted and effective, stakeholders must be treated as partners in resistance.
