College of Social & Behavioral Sciences and Social Work

The Interdisciplinary Studies Program offers alternatives for students seeking degree programs which provide a broad background applicable to a variety of careers. The program has three options: liberal arts, prior learning and interdisciplinary studies.

This program and its options are intended to serve:

• Students who prefer a broad liberal arts concentration (Liberal Arts).
• Students who have acquired substantial specialized training and experience outside the academic classroom (Prior Learning).
• Students who wish to complete an interdisciplinary option using two or three academic disciplines (Interdisciplinary).

Prior Learning Option

Eastern Washington University has been awarding credit for prior learning through the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies Portfolio Assessment Program since 1979. Students participating in this program are able to utilize their career experiences toward elective credits in their Interdisciplinary Studies degree. The process to have career experiences evaluated is done by enrolling in the ITDS 300 Portfolio Development course which guides you through the development of your portfolio.

Degree Completion

Eastern's Department of Interdisciplinary Studies provides opportunities for you to have your previous college course work (from any accredited institution) reviewed to determine exactly how close you may be to your baccalaureate degree. The program also allows you the autonomy to design your own 60-credit upper division emphasis.

Our Interdisciplinary Studies staff are available to examine your college records and provide you with recommendations for successful completion of that degree you have always wanted to finish.

Liberal Arts Option

Designed for students interested in a traditional "liberal arts" education, this Interdisciplinary Studies option combines 60 upper division credits from Social Science, Natural Sciences/Mathematics and Humanities. Within each breadth area, students complete 20 credits (20-20-20).

Under the Liberal Arts option, the student's program of study stresses the five fundamental concepts of critical thinking, problem solving, computer software skills and verbal and written communication skills. This option is designed to give students a breadth of academic experience to enrich their lives and broaden their understanding of the human experience.

Multidisciplinary Option

Ideal for students who prefer a multidisciplinary major, this option combines 60 upper division credits from two or three academic departments, programs or certificates. Multidisciplinary students follow the guidance of department chairs and the Interdisciplinary Studies Director to design their courses in an area in which a traditional major does not exist. The student's program of study emphasizes cognitive skills, theoretical and research abilities, and content knowledge that is thematically related to the student's career or graduate studies objectives.

Interdisciplinary Studies programs allow students to study a variety of different subjects in relation to one another. They might learn, for example, how literature and anthropology might be connected, what modern Islam has to do with ancient developments in math or the ways evolutionary studies and political science affect one another. Depending on your area of specialization, the research skills and creativity developed in an Interdisciplinary Studies program can be ideal preparation for a career or graduate studies in a range of different subjects, including the fine arts, writing or the law.