STEPS TO COMPLETE THE

INTERDISCIPLINARY MAJOR

  1. Meet with the Interdisciplinary Studies Major Coordinator, Kathleen Doty (English Department, FH 211, Ext. 5917 or email, kld1@humboldt.edu) and discuss your idea for a major and what you’ll have to do. At the meeting you’ll sign a sheet that acknowledges you know what will be expected of you and if that raises any questions you should be sure to get answers. You will also get a handout that describes what your proposal essay should contain.
  2. Write the proposal essay that describes what you want to do for the major. Be sure to thoroughly address all the questions and all the issues called for in the essay guidelines. Also, be sure to attach a current copy of your academic transcript. On the cover page include your name, the proposed title of your major, your e-mail address, phone number, and regular mail address so you can be contacted.

You may discuss your ideas for the proposal with faculty who might be interested in supervising your major to get ideas and find out if there’s anyone who would work with you, but you do not have to do that. You may also ask specific questions of the IS Coordinator. Since part of the purpose of the essay is to see if you are able to follow instructions and make use of resources you are supposed to have only one chance at making your case for your proposed major. Therefore, you will not be able to turn in your essay to the IS Coordinator, get comments, and revise your essay. You may, however, get help and advice from any other source you can.

When you’re finished, submit the essay to the IS Coordinator. If you turn it in after the eleventh week of the semester you should expect that the final approval will not happen until the following semester, which could affect the courses you can include in your major. It is in your best interests to submit the essay as early as you can.

  1. If your proposal is approved by the IS Coordinator and the Vice-Provost of Academic Programs and Undergraduate Studies, go back to the Coordinator to get the major contract and the memo to area advisors. Then contact faculty to be your Focus Area Advisor for each area and obtain their agreement to your proposal and to supervise your final project by completing the Major Contract. Sometimes this is fairly easy and sometimes it is very difficult. Make an appointment with each person and have each approve the courses for their area of the major, making sure you meet the requirements of the major. Be sure to give each advisor a copy of the memo describing the program and the responsibilities of the focus area advisors so they’re aware of what is expected of them.

When you talk with faculty about being your area advisors you should try to find people who are interested in what you are doing, who plan to be here when you need them to supervise your senior project, and who have faculty status so they can assign a grade for your senior project.

If you did not work with faculty who might be your area advisors as you created your proposal your area advisors may insist on changes from your original list of classes. That is common and is not a problem as long as your final list of classes meets the program requirements, which are indicated on the major contract.

  1. Make an appointment with the IS Coordinator to get final approval for the courses to be included in your major. This may take longer than one meeting if there are problems with the courses proposed.
  1. When the courses are approved and you have all the signatures, take a copy of the major contact to the AIR center and begin the process of the graduation check. Also, complete a Change of Major and Advisor form so the IS Coordinator becomes your advisor (unless other arrangements have been made with the IS Coordinator.)
  1. Complete the courses in your major contract.

If you need to make a change in the courses required for your major you must get the Program Variation form from the IS Coordinator, complete it and get the approval from the focus Area Advisor responsible for the area you want to change, then get the IS Coordinator’s signature. (Note: The IS Coordinator will not approve a change to substitute a class already taken or in progress for a course previously approved unless there is compelling evidence that the previously approved course was not or will not be available.)

  1. Contact all of your focus area advisors the semester before you do the Senior Project and come to an agreement as to what the final project will entail. It may be easy to get the agreement, or it may be difficult, but you must get a written agreement that is acceptable to all three advisors. You are required to give a copy of that signed agreement to the IS Coordinator.

Senior projects differ depending on the major and the requirements of the area advisors. They all must be significant single projects that bring together all three areas of the majors and are equivalent to the expectations of a senior level three-unit class. They must be done as close to graduation as possible, so you have the chance to incorporate the knowledge from as many classes in your major as you can. Also, they all must have a final product that can be graded by the area advisors and turned in to the IS Coordinator.

When you design your senior project you should begin by talking informally with each of your area advisors, explaining your ideas and getting their advice. Then write a draft of a proposed project that incorporates their ideas and gives them a chance to approve what you include. Then write a final draft that addresses any of their concerns, have each of them sign it, and give a copy to each area advisor and to the IS Coordinator. Some advisors may want a document that is more detailed than others, and some may want to have a meeting with you and the other areas advisors. It is your responsibility to meet their expectations. It is in your best interests to include as much detail as you can, so there is little chance of disagreement over whether or not you met expectations.

  1. Complete the senior project. You must enroll for at least one unit of Directed Study or Independent Study from each of the area advisors during the term you do the senior project to get credit and a grade. Each advisor will grade the project independently, focusing on the area for which they have responsibility.
  1. Turn in a copy of the final project, or some other product agreed upon in advance, to the IS Coordinator. This is a requirement to graduate with a Student Designed Interdisciplinary Studies major.
  1. GRADUATE!