The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) offers rigorous but flexible curricula that allow students to design their own programs of study and pursue an education that builds on their unique interests, backgrounds, and career goals. The IDS program is appropriate for students who have prior educational credit or for those just beginning their university experience. IDS students complete an interdisciplinary core that emphasizes critical thinking and communication skills, fosters cultural understanding, and engages them in both interdisciplinary theory and practice. In addition to the core requirements, students complete at least 15 hours of course work in a concentration. IDS graduates are among the most broadly educated on Middle Georgia State's campuses, and they are attractive to employers as workers who can communicate effectively, adapt well to change, demonstrate intercultural understanding, and apply creative solutions to complicated problems.
Students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in Area F and all upper-level coursework.
Note: The Interdisciplinary Studies Program of Study requires a minimum of 39 hours of upper-level course work (3000/4000 level).
Curriculum for the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies
Core Curriculum (Credit: 42 hours)
See listing of requirements
Area F: Lower Division Major Requirements (Credit: 18 hours)
Major Field
| HUMN 2151 | Special Topics | 3 credits |
| | OR | |
| HUMN 2155 | Survey of Humanities I | 3 credits |
| | OR | |
| HUMN 2156 | Survey of Humanities II | 3 credits |
| | | |
| | Any approved Area C-F Course | 15 credits |
No courses already applied in Areas A-E may be applied in Area F.
Upper-level courses (Credit: 60 hours)
Upper-level courses in Interdisciplinary Studies are divided into three areas: Interdisciplinary Studies Core (18 hours), Interdisciplinary Concentration (15 hours), and Interdisciplinary Electives (27 hours). Students must complete at least 39 semester hours of upper level course work.
Interdisciplinary Studies Core (Credit: 18 hours)
Foundations of Writing: Choose One
| NMAC 3108 | Writing for Digital Media | 3 credits |
| PFWR 3160 | Introduction to Professional Writing | 3 credits |
| PFWR 3170 | Practical Workplace Writing | 3 credits |
Critical Studies: Choose One
Note: A 3000- or 4000-level class with a critical studies focus can be substituted with the approval of the program coordinator.
Theory: Choose One
Note: A 3000- or 4000-level theory class can be substituted with the approval of the program coordinator.
Interdisciplinary Studies Praxis Course: Choose Two
Students may take IDS 4999 twice as long as the two courses cover different topics.
Students may take HUMN 3999 twice as long as the two courses cover different topics.
| HUMN 3501 | Topics in Linguistics & Culture | 3 credits |
| HUMN 3999 | Special Topics | 3 credits |
| IDS 4010 | Gender, Media, and Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4020 | Science, Politics, and Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4030 | Special Topics in Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4040 | Fashion, Literature, and Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4050 | Performance, Literature, and Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4060 | Madness, Literature, and Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4070 | Organizations, Technology, and Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4080 | Sports, Media, and Culture | 3 |
| IDS 4999 | Special Topics in Culture | 3 credits |
Interdisciplinary Studies Methods: Required
| IDS 3800 | Methods in Interdisciplinary Research | 3 credits |
Selected Discipline Concentration (Credit: 15 hours)
The Interdisciplinary Studies Degree requires students to complete a concentration of five (5) 3000-4000 level electives in a disciplinary area to be selected with the guidance of an advisor.
Choose between the following concentration options:
A. A Single Discipline Concentration: 15 hours of courses from any one discipline at the 3000- or 4000- level.
B. A Liberal Arts Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: CRWR, ENGL, FREN, HIST, HUMN, IDS, SPAN
C. A Media and Communication Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: COMM, CRWR, GFA, FILM, MCOM, NMAC, PFWR.
D. An Education Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: EDUC, ESE, ISCI, SCIE, SPED.
* Note: Only Education majors can take 3000- and 4000-level education courses at Middle Georgia State University.
E. A Business Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: ACCT, BUSA, BMGT, BMKT, ECON, FINA, FTA, LEAD, LENB, MGMT, MKTG, SCM.
F. A Health & Human Services Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: HLSA, HS, HLTH, PBSV, NURS, OCTA, RHAB, RESP, SOCW.
* Note: Only Nursing majors can take 3000- and 4000-level Nursing courses at Middle Georgia State University.
* Note: Only Respiratory Therapy majors can take 3000- and 4000-level Respiratory Therapy courses at Middle Georgia State University.
* Note: Only Rehabilitation Science majors can take 3000- and 4000-level Rehabilitation Science courses at Middle Georgia State University.
* Note: Only Occupational Therapy majors can take 3000- and 4000-level Occupational Therapy courses at Middle Georgia State University.
G. An Arts Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: ARTS, CRWR, FILM, GFA, MUSA, MUSC.
H. A Social Sciences Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: ANTH, CRJU, EURO, PBSV, POLS, PSYC, SOCI, SOCW, SSCI.
I. A STEM Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: AVIA, BIOL, CHEM, ENGR, ENVS, GEOL, ITEC, MATH, PHYS.
* Note. Additional classes may be added to a concentration with approval of the program coordinator.
Open Electives (Credit: 27 hours)
The Interdisciplinary Studies program of study requires 27 credit hours of IDS elective course work. Students can receive no more than twenty-one (21) credit hours of lower division (1000/2000) credit outside of Areas A-F.
Students are strongly encouraged to choose one of the minors offered at MGA to complete their curriculum. Available minors are: Professional Writing, Creative Writing, Spanish, U.S. History, World History, Global Studies, Film Production, Cinema Studies, Gender Studies, Public Relations, Business, Information Technology, Web Design and Instructional Technology, Graphic Design, Mathematics, Statistics, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Pre-Law, Sustainability Politics, Environmental Policy Studies, Applied Behavior Analysis.
Note: A student cannot do a concentration and a minor in the same discipline.