The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) 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 BIS program is appropriate for students who have prior educational credit or for those just beginning their university experience. BIS 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.
BIS 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.
Up to 8 hours of Institutional Priority courses (formerly Area B) credit can be applied to the degree, i.e. a total of two Area I courses can be taken.
Note: The Interdisciplinary Program of Study requires a minimum of 39 hours of upper-level course work (3000/4000 level).
Curriculum for the Bachelor in Interdisciplinary Studies
Core IMPACTS (Credit: 42 hours)
See listing of requirements for Core IMPACTS
This Field of Study is specific to the selected concentration option. The iMeta overly may be found below in the iMeta course sequence.
Field of Study: Lower Division Major Requirements (Credit: 18 hours)
| ARTS 2016 | Introduction to Computer Arts | 3 |
| OR | |
| ITEC 2215 | Introduction to Information Technology | 3 |
| OR | |
| NMAC 2145 | Introduction to Media Production | 3 |
| OR | |
| HUMN 2151 | Special Topics | 3 |
| OR | |
| POLS 2601 | Introduction to Public Administration | 3 |
| AND | |
| Any 1000-2000 Electives | 3 hours |
| Any 1000-2000 Electives | 3 hours |
| Any 1000-2000 Electives | 3 hours |
| Any 1000-2000 Electives | 3 hours |
| Any 1000-2000 Electives | 3 hours |
No courses already applied in Core IMPACTS may be applied in the Field of Study area.
Upper-level courses (Credit: 60 hours)
Upper-level courses are divided into three areas: Interdisciplinary Studies Core (18 hours), Interdisciplinary Concentration (15 hours), and Interdisciplinary Electives (27 hours).
Interdisciplinary Studies Core (Credit: 18 hours)
Foundations of Writing (Credit: 3 hours)
Take one of the following courses:
Critical and Cultural Studies (Credit: 6 Hours)
Any 3000- or 4000-level ARTS, COMM, ENGL, FOLA, FREN, GRMN, HIST, HUMN, KOR, IDS, MCOM, MUSC, POLS, or SPAN class.
Note: A 3000- or 4000-level class with a critical and cultural studies focus can be substituted with the approval of the program coordinator.
Theory and Analysis (Credit: 3 Hours)
Take one of the following courses:
Note: A 3000- or 4000-level theory and analysis class can be substituted with the approval of the program coordinator.
Interdisciplinary Studies Praxis Course (Credit: 3 Hours)
Students may take HUMN 3999 twice as long as the two courses cover different topics.
| HUMN 3501 | Topics in Linguistics & Culture | 3 |
| HUMN 3999 | Special Topics | 3 |
| HUMN 4500 | Digital Humanities | 3 |
| IDS 4010 | Gender, Media, and Culture | 3 |
| IDS 4020 | Globalization, Politics, and Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4030 | Film, Literature, and Culture | 3 |
| IDS 4040 | Fashion, Literature, and Culture | 3 |
| IDS 4050 | Performance, Literature, and Culture | 3 |
| IDS 4060 | Madness, Literature, and Culture | 3 |
| IDS 4070 | Organizations, Media, and Culture | 3 credits |
| IDS 4080 | Sports, Media, and Culture | 3 |
| IDS 4090 | Happiness, Literature, and Culture | 3 |
| IDS 4700 | Interdisciplinary Studies Internship | 3 |
| IDS 4999 | Special Topics in Culture | 3 |
| POLS 3901 | Politics in Film | 3 |
Required: Interdisciplinary Studies Methods (Credit: 3 Hours)
| IDS 3800 | Methods in Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 |
Selected Discipline Concentration (Credit: 15 hours)
The Interdisciplinary Studies Degree requires students to complete a concentration of five (5) 3000-4000 level electives in an area to be selected with the guidance of an advisor.
Choose between the following concentration options:
A. Single Discipline Concentration: 15 hours of courses from any one discipline at the 3000- or 4000- level.
B. Liberal Arts Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: CRWR, ENGL, FREN, HIST, HUMN, IDS, PHIL, SPAN
C. Media and Communication Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: COMM, CRWR, GFA, FILM, MCOM, NMAC, PFWR.
D. 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.
* Note: IDS students with a concentration in Education can take a limited selection of Education courses.
E. 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, SMGT.
F. 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.
G. Arts Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: ARTS, CRWR, FILM, GFA, MUSA, MUSC, THEA.
H. Social Sciences Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: ABA, ANTH, CRJU, EURO, PBSV, POLS, PSYC, SOCI, SOCW, SSCI.
I. STEM Concentration: 15 hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses with the following prefixes: ASTR, ACES, AERO, AMGT, AMKT, AMTP, ASPC, ASTP, ATCM, AVIA, AVNC, BIOL, CHEM, CSCI, ENGR, ENVS, GEOL, ITEC, MATH, PHYS.
J. Career Pathway Concentration. Students will develop a plan of study including 15 hours of 3000- and 4000-level courses across multiple academic disciplines, with approval of the program coordinator. Examples of career pathways that students can develop include, but are not limited to: Music Production, Spanish for Business, Digital Humanities, Human Resources.
K. Integrative Media, Technology, and Arts Concentration. 15 hours of any of the following classes:
Choose 5 courses from the list (for Integrated Media, Technology, and Arts Concentration only)
Note: Additional classes may be added to a concentration with approval of the program coordinator.
Note: Many academic disciplines, particularly in education, health sciences, and STEM fields, have prerequisite courses and/or admission requirements for at least some upper-level courses; for example, upper-level nursing courses are only open to students who have been admitted to the nursing program, while most upper-level biology courses require students to have completed BIOL 2108K. Students are strongly encouraged to work with their academic advisor and contact the appropriate department to ensure they will complete necessary prerequisites and will be able to complete enough upper-level courses in their preferred concentration area.
Open electives (Credit: 27 hours)
The Open Electives area requires 27 credit hours of elective course work that includes a minimum of 6 credit hours of upper-level (3000/4000) credits.
Students are strongly encouraged to choose at least one of the minors or certificates offered at MGA to complete their curriculum. Some available minors and certificates are: African & African Diaspora Studies; Cinema Studies, Creative Writing, Environmental Policy Studies, European Studies, Film Production, Global Studies, Graphic Design, History, Local Government Administration, Political Science, Pre-Law, Professional Writing, Public Relations, Spanish. Students can also earn the 18-hour certificate from the Georgia Film Academy. See the catalog for a complete listing of available minors and certificates.
Note: A student cannot do a concentration and a minor or certificate in the same discipline.