Interdisciplinary Studies M.A./M.S.

Haley Ye, Ph.D., Program Director

Office: Mary Stuart Rogers 240 
Phone: (209) 664-6768

Graduate students in the MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Program are innovators. They understand that thriving in a dynamic economic landscape requires not only flexibility, collaboration, and social and analytical skills, but specialized competencies not readily available in traditional academic programs. Master’s students in the IS Program at Stanislaus State custom-design their own courses of study, combining two or more disciplines to create a hybridized degree program responsive to the needs of the modern workforce (students may also choose to follow one of many predesigned collaborative pathways). The IS Program aims not only to instill specialized skills and knowledge in its students, but to move them expeditiously into high-end jobs. Students may earn MA degrees in any field, though the MA is most common in the arts, letters, and humanities. The MS degree is awarded in the sciences. Each degree plan requires a minimum of 30 units.

While a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies prepares students for success in a multitude of careers, the degree is not intended to culminate in a credential or license. Students considering the MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies degree for the purposes of teaching at a community college should contact the appropriate community college’s district office regarding its policy governing the hiring of instructors and the requisite coursework; often, the degree can be tailored to meet these requirements.

Minimum Prerequisites for Program Admission

As early as possible, the prospective IS candidate should identify a mentor-a tenured or tenure-track faculty member-and have that mentor sign a Faculty Commitment Form and agree to serve on the student’s program committee. After meeting with the Interdisciplinary Studies Director, the student should apply to the Graduate School on Cal State Apply. Once admitted to the Graduate School, the student may then apply to the MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies degree program by completing a program proposal.

The successful student normally meets all of the following criteria and submits these required materials in order to be admitted to the MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Program:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• A minimum of 18 upper-division and/or post-baccalaureate semester units in the primary field(s) of the proposed program
• A minimum grade point average of 2.5 in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted
• Participation in a program orientation with the Interdisciplinary Studies Director
• A signed commitment form from at least one tenured or tenure-track faculty member
• A program proposal and defense in accordance with published deadlines

Contact the Department of Anthropology and Geography/Environmental Resources  for information regarding the Interdisciplinary Studies M.S.: Geospatial Analysis of Human-Environmental Change Concentration  

Application Timelines

The review process outlined above will take a full semester; the program proposal requires thoughtful writing and frequent consultation with the faculty committee and may be subject to revision based on recommendations from the University Interdisciplinary Studies committee.

No more than nine (9) units of completed course work prior to admission to the program may be included in the program. Completed course work includes transfer units, units taken at CSU Stanislaus in a prior semester, and current units in progress (incomplete grades are considered works in progress).

Procedures for Application to the Interdisciplinary Studies MA/MS Program

• The student attends an orientation meeting with the Interdisciplinary Studies Director.
• The student selects a program committee chair and, in consultation with the chair, chooses two additional faculty members to constitute the student’s committee. The committee must include tenured or tenure-track faculty from at least two different disciplines represented in the program’s coursework.
• Student must submit a “Faculty Commitment Form” signed by at least one faculty member before applying to the Graduate School.
• Student applies to the Graduate School (the application should include 1-3 letters of recommendation and a brief Statement of Purpose). 
• After gaining admission to the Graduate School, the student completes the “MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Program Proposal” and “Program Proposal Preparation Checklist.”
• The student gets all program committee members to approve the program proposal prior to submission to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program.
• The Interdisciplinary Studies Director assesses the proposed program’s compliance with the technical requirements for Interdisciplinary Studies. If these are not met, the proposal will be returned to the student for revision and resubmission.
• The student and the student’s committee chair are invited to attend the meeting of the University MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Committee at which the student’s proposal is reviewed. The student and the committee chair may present information and may be asked questions. The admission decision will be communicated in writing to the student’s committee chair, typically within one week following the meeting, and to the student the following week.
• The student’s committee, the department chairperson of the student’s committee chair, the MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Committee, and the Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program must approve the proposal.
• When the student receives written approval by the Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, the student will be admitted to the program in Classified Standing.
• Any changes to the approved program require the approval of the student’s committee chair, in consultation with the committee members, and the Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program.
• All other University procedures and requirements for the completion of the graduate degree, including the thesis/project, are applicable. Please consult the University Catalog and the Graduate School.

Criteria

Applicants must follow the format below when completing the “MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Program Proposal” and the “Program Proposal Preparation Checklist.” The proposal must demonstrate advanced analytical and communication skills, abilities the student should have developed as an undergraduate and that suggest future success in graduate school. Indicators of success include a high undergraduate and post-baccalaureate grade point average, examples of undergraduate preparation, and the ability to write a coherent and persuasive Letter of Intent. The MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Committee welcomes quality proposals and employs the following criteria in its deliberations:

• Adherence to the technical requirements of the program (number of units, etc.)
• Clarity and completeness of the written proposal, which must display advanced communication skills in English
• A thorough, clear statement of the academic objectives of the student’s proposed program
• A cogent explanation of how the program contributes to the student’s professional objectives
• A convincing justification for the proposed multidisciplinary program
• An explanation of the coherence of the program (the relatedness of the subject and title and the selection and relationship of the courses)
• The strength of the student’s academic record and evidence of the ability to complete a program of individualized graduate studies

Requirements

The IS Committee will consider a proposal when the applicant meets all program requirements and completes the Program Proposal Form, including the Letter of Intent outlined in part III.

Please use the following checklist before submitting your proposal to the Graduate School:

1. The admission requirements are met.
2. The program includes a minimum of 30 semester units for the MA or MS degree.
3. Only 4000* and 5000-level courses are counted toward the semester units required in the MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Program.
4. At least 21 units of 5000-level courses are included in the program proposal.
5. A minimum of 6 semester units in one or more disciplines other than the primary field of concentration are included.
6. A maximum of 9 units of independent study are included in a student’s program. Independent Study courses are described in the student’s proposal in detail equivalent to a catalog course description and the instructor of record is listed for each independent study course. Courses must be taken for a letter grade.
7. A 4000*/5000-level research methods course appropriate for the discipline(s) is included in the program.
8. The proposal fully describes the method for the satisfactory completion of the CSU graduate writing competency requirement.
9. Six (6) units of project or thesis work are included in the student’s program. Prior to enrolling in thesis/project units students must have an approved Prospectus Form on file with the Graduate School. An oral defense is required.
10. A maximum of 9 units of transfer credit are included in a student’s program. Extension credits are not acceptable.
11. No more than 9 units completed prior to admission to the program are included in the student’s Interdisciplinary Studies Program.
12. The IS program normally limits the CR/NC grading option to field studies, practica, and internships, not to exceed 20% of the required coursework.  Exceptions will be reviewed by the IS Director.
13. No grade below “B-” may be applied toward the IS degree.  Exceptions will be reviewed by the IS Director.
14. Reading competency in a language other than English and/or a comprehensive examination may be required by the master’s committee.
15. The program title reflects the interdisciplinary focus of the program. The names of disciplines for which traditional degree programs exist may not be used.

*Any 4000-level course offered within a student’s IS program must be acknowledged by the instructor as containing assignments and grading which meet the higher standards of a graduate course. The methods a professor imposes to ensure more rigorous standards for graduate students are a matter of instructor preference. Additional readings, research papers, essay questions on examinations, and oral presentations are often employed to satisfy this requirement. Within the first two weeks of each semester, a “Verification of 4000-level Coursework” form verifying the instructor’s acknowledgment of this requirement must be submitted to the Graduate School for each 4000-level course.

Requirements for Continuation in the Program

1. Students in the Interdisciplinary Studies MA/MS program must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in courses taken to satisfy the requirements of the degree. No grade lower than a “B-” will be accepted in courses taken to satisfy degree requirements. Students who fail to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation and will be notified of the conditions required for removal of the probation. Failure to meet the conditions will result in disqualification.
2. All requirements for graduation must be completed within 7 years of initial admittance (either provisional or classified) to the Interdisciplinary Studies MA/MS program. Students may be put on probation or disqualified for repeated withdrawal or failure to progress toward degree completion.

Student Learning Goals

A student in the Interdisciplinary Studies program is expected to demonstrate:

Competence in Interdisciplinary Studies

1. Advanced knowledge of the disciplinary knowledge, skills and values of their interdisciplinary study, the relationships among these disciplinary courses, and the ways in which these disciplinary perspectives are integrated and transformed through interdisciplinary studies.
2. Ability to analyze complex issues, draw reasoned conclusions, and evaluate effectiveness of proposed solutions to problems.
3. Understanding of global perspectives appropriate to the disciplines.

Communication

4. Ability to write effectively in a variety of written and quantitative formats appropriate to the disciplines and the differing audiences and contexts.
5. Ability to express ideas orally, with attention to audience and effectiveness of delivery.
6. Advanced oral and written communication skills, complemented by ability to access and analyze information from a myriad of primary, print, and technological sources.

Research and Scholarship

7. Advanced knowledge of research and scholarship appropriate to the interdisciplinary study.
8. Ability to work as individual researchers/scholars as well as in collaboration with others in contributing to the scholarship of interdisciplinary studies.