Requirements for the Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree with major in Interdisciplinary Studies

In special circumstances, a student wishing to pursue a course of study not available within the stated offerings of John Brown University may present a petition to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies requesting approval of an individualized program leading to an associate’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Such a program should be thoughtfully designed in consultation with a faculty advisor after the student has had significant college experience. Therefore, a student should not begin the proposal process prior to the second semester of the sophomore year. The associate’s Interdisciplinary Studies degrees is not available to students pursuing another degree.

Associate’s Interdisciplinary Studies Programs must conform to general university two-year degree requirements, including the following:

• Full 28-hour Core Curriculum  as stated for associate’s degrees, possibly employing existing exceptions.
• Major field consisting of at least 27 semester hours.
• The major field requirements must include courses from two different primary disciplines, each with at least 9 hours. These courses could also meet Core Curriculum requirements.
• Stated residency requirements.
• Stated minimums for major, minor, and cumulative grade-point averages.
• Minimum credit of 62 total semester hours.

A student considering an Interdisciplinary Studies degree should begin discussion with the general academic advisor toward the establishment of a Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) to supervise the degree project. The FAC consists of two or three faculty members representing the academic colleges or divisions where substantial proportions of the desired courses are offered. FAC members offer guidance as the student initiates and navigates the process: defining/refining personal goals, designing a coherent program that is professionally relevant and academically valid, and completing the requirements as approved for the degree. One of the FAC members must also agree to be the student’s academic advisor.

The student must submit to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies a detailed proposal that includes the following:

• Rationale for the desired major, including the student’s personal aims.
• Documentation of any similar curricula offered by other accredited institutions.
• If the program is to form a foundation for advanced study, a statement of potential acceptability from a graduate institution to which the student may eventually apply.
• Specific course plan arranged in accordance with scheduled offerings stated in the catalog.
• Current transcript showing a grade-point average of at least 2.8.
• Signatures of members of the Faculty Advisory Committee.

Final approval of proposals for Interdisciplinary Studies is granted by the Undergraduate Council.