Individually Designed Interdisciplinary Majors & Minors

Interdisciplinary Majors

An individually designed interdisciplinary program (IDIP) is a major program of study consisting of courses from two or more departments or the Institute taken in a well-defined area of interest. Students design an interdisciplinary major program in consultation with faculty members from the Departments or the Institute, wherever the majority of their coursework is based.

The student's course plan for the major must include a minimum of 40 credits for the B.A. and 56 credits for the B.F.A. To be eligible, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of application, and they must complete a petition for an interdisciplinary major program and have it approved by the IDIP faculty committee before beginning their junior year.

Petitions, with rules, submission dates and instructions are available from The Office of the Executive Director, Institute for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies, 120 Boylston Street, Room 509. Petitions are due in the Director's office by November 1st (for the Fall) and March 1st (for the Spring).

Interdisciplinary Minors

Through the Institute, students may pursue minors in selected areas of interdisciplinary study. Interdisciplinary minors give students the opportunity to explore an area of academic study in greater depth, from multiple disciplinary perspectives, over a period of several semesters.

Students interested in pursuing an Interdisciplinary Minor should consult with their advisor and the Executive Director of the Institute for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies. Students may count up to eight credits from the General Education curriculum toward the minor. Following is a list of the requirements for minors currently offered by the Institute:

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Women's and Gender Studies Minor

At least 16 credit hours in courses designated as fulfilling the Women's and Gender Studies Minor.

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
IN200	Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies

For the remaining 12 credits, students may choose from the following classes (for additional classes always check the semester registration listings):

IN306	Masculinities
IN370	Topics in Global Studies
IN404	The Evolution of Queer Identity: History, Literature, Theory
LI210	American Women Writers
LI396	International Women Writers
LI436	Cultural Criticism
PS230	Psychology of Gender, Race and Ethnicity
SO206	Gender in a Global Perspective
TH205	Dress Codes: American Clothes in the Twentieth Century
VM200	Media Criticism and Theory
VM400	TOPIC IN MEDIA ARTS: COURTING CONTROVERSY: ERROL MORRIS AND MICHAEL MOORE

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Post-Colonial and Global Studies Minor

At least 16 credit hours in courses designated as fulfilling the Post-Colonial and Global Studies Minor. The minor offers students the opportunity to acquire a deeper understanding of the non-Western tradition. The aim of the minor is to provide both a conceptual and a historical understanding of the consequences of imperial expansions. To maximize the experience of the minor, it is strongly recommended that students choose classes that cover texts from diverse geographical locations. It is also strongly recommended that students choose classes that approach the subject matter of postcoloniality from different disciplinary perspectives.

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
IN203	Post-Colonial Cultures

For the remaining 12 credits, students may choose from the following classes (for additional classes always check the semester registration listings):

IN104	The Caribbean Imagination
IN142	African Civilizations
IN148	Politics, Film and Literature in Latin America
IN205	Exile and Global Citizenship
IN370	Topics in Global Studies
IN405	Moving Out, Moving In
LI381	Global Literatures
LI396	International Women Writers
LI423	Topics in Literature: The Modern Grotesque
MU203	Perspectives in World Music
TH215	World Drama in Its Context I
TH216	World Drama in Its Context II
TH514	Top: Contemporary Women Playwrights
VM214	History of Non-Western Art I: Asia and the Mideast
VM215	History of Non-Western Art II: Africa, the Pacific, and the Americas
VM216	History of Non-Western Art III: Topics
VM418	Transnational Asian Cinema
VM509	Post-Colonial Film

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Performance Studies Minor

At least 16 credit hours in courses designated as fulfilling the Performance Studies Minor. The minor offers students the opportunity to study performance from aesthetic, cultural, and social scientific perspectives. The performance domains included within the scope of the minor are performance art and performance of literature, cultural performance (such as ritual, parades, and pageants), and performance in everyday life. The aim of the minor is to combine the theory and practice of performance from multiple disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives.

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
IN202	Performance as Cultural Criticism

For the remaining 12 credits, students may choose from the following classes from the General Education and the majors curriculum. See catalogue for course descriptions, prerequisites, and availability.

IN123	Life & Death: Sci & Psych of Survival
IN138	Staging American Women: The Culture of Burlesque
IN402	Living Art in Real Space: Multidisciplinary Art and the Collaborative Process
IN404	The Evolution of Queer Identity: History, Literature, Theory
IN405	Moving Out, Moving In
LI436	Cultural Criticism
OP264	Oral Presentation of Literature
SO207	Dance, Ritual and Society
TH525	Theatre and Community I
TH526	Theatre and Community II
VM403	Studies in Digital Media and Culture
VM503	Aesthetics and History of the New Media

Students may also choose special topics courses and seminars when the following topics are offered:

Course Code	Course Information
LI411	Topic: What is Taste?
TH411	Topic: History of Acting
LI423	Topics in Literature: The Modern Grotesque
TH315	Topics in Contemporary Theatre
TH514	Top: Contemporary Women Playwrights