Interdisciplinary studies reflects new academic interests and innovative collaborations

While the interdisciplinary studies (IS) major offers students the freedom to combine disciplines to fit their interests and cross normative academic boundaries, the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies works with students to help design and promote their individualized major post-graduation — a unique challenge to IS majors that comes with its own advantages.

Dean of Undergraduate Studies Carmen Lowe talked about how the IS major became what it is today.

“[The major] used to be called the plan of study major because you had to create your own plan of study," Lowe said. "This was before there was an interdisciplinary studies center, so the major was homeless."

According to Lowe, the major was overseen by a faculty committee known as the curriculum committee. Students could propose their majors and this committee would evaluate them for approval or rejection. Today, students meet with an advisory committee to help create the proposals, which are then submitted to the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS) faculty committee for review, according to the CIS website.

Before Tufts had women's, gender and sexuality studies or other common interdisciplinary majors, the Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) major fulfilled the existing student demand.

“A lot of existing majors we have now did not exist back then, so students could propose their own major as long as the curriculum could support it," Lowe said. "A lot of people back then were doing things like women's studies or environmental studies.”

The IS major still exists as a way to bring new disciplines not yet established at Tufts. Senior Matthew Merritt Smith will graduate with an IS major about data science and public policy, as Tufts develops its data science major, according to a Nov. 3 Daily article. Additionally, Senior Palak Khanna's IS major on South Asian studies creates a major that does not exist at Tufts.

Julie Dobrow, the director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, described the IS major as an opportunity for students whose interests cross disciplinary boundaries to create their own major by combining classes from three or more departments or programs. Any combination of programs can be connected as long as there is a cohesive direction the student has intended.

“Students have to write a narrative in which they explain what the rationale for the major is, why it's something that couldn't be easily accomplished by the usual major/minor or double major configuration and why what they're proposing is truly interdisciplinary," Dobrow told the Daily in an email. "They have to get three faculty members who commit to being advisors. They have to have some idea of what kind of capstone project they might do, even though we know that the ideas for this will change over the next couple of years. And they have to put together a list of courses.”

Some recent capstone projects, according to theInterdisciplinary Studies website, include: "Exploring the Selfie Phenomenon: Identity Representation in Middle School Female Students," "Changing the Channel on Climate Change: How Televisual Media Can Be Used to Teach Children about Climate Change" and "Video Game Soundtracks."

Dobrow also had some insight from previous IS majors. She mentioned a student who created a "Bio-Dramatics" major that combined biology, theater and philosophy.

"His capstone project was an original play he wrote, cast and directed about a controversial issue in biology. After the play, he brought in a panel of scientists to do a talk-back with the audience," she said.

Smith talked about why he chose to do an IS major of data science and public policy.

“I knew that it's exactly what I want to do, and I didn't want to wait until graduate school to pursue it. What drives me is helping people to the greatest extent that I can, using my unique talents and interests," Smith said. "The intersection of all those things is using quantitative, technical approaches to public policy to make biases known, and hopefully eliminate them, and make policy that helps more than it hurts.”

Khanna wrote in an email about her experience with the IS major. Her South Asian studies major involves history, community health and women’s, gender and sexuality studies courses, as well as a few religion and anthropology classes.

"Interacting with faculty across multiple departments in Tufts undergrad, and taking courses drawing from a pool of departments has encouraged this intersectional approach to my graduate interests," Khanna said. "My [South Asian studies major] has also invited me to think more critically of India's hegemony within the South Asian frame, especially in the American gaze (also largely Hindu, north-Indian, Hindi centered frame), and encouraged me to engage in critical studies of other regions, religions, cultures, and people within India and other nations within South Asia."

Khanna intends to continue her studies at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy post-graduation.

When it comes to graduate schools, Dobrow recognizes that an IS major can seem intimidating to talk about with potential graduate schools or employers. There are no other students that will have your background or experience. This is something that may help you in the long run, if you know how to approach it.

“I think that doing an interdisciplinary major shows prospective employers or graduate programs that a student can do original work [that shows] they are self-motivated, organized and creative — all skills you want to have in a potential employee or graduate student,” Dobrow said.

Dobrow also said that the Career Center, in conjunction with the IS department, is actively supporting students in the major. She mentioned her work with Director of Career Development Donna Esposito on a student workshop about how to market your major.

“Students have to learn how to speak about an interdisciplinary major in language that will resonate with others outside of Tufts; they have to learn how to give their 'elevator pitch' about it," Dobrow said.

Merritt Smith said that his IS major changed the way that he looked at his career opportunities.

“It has caused me to reach out into the community of like-minded people interested in the same field much more than I otherwise would have, and opened up doors," he said. "In a sense, there are fewer doors because not everyone understands what I do and how I add value, but I am a far better fit for those few than I otherwise would have been.”

After going through the process of creating her IS major, Khanna encouraged those who are contemplating an IS major to speak with the program staff and current students about their ideas.

"I would encourage future IS majors to reach out to the IS department even if their thoughts on their interdisciplinary interests are not yet well-developed. As intimidating as the process may seem, the IS department is very understanding and seeking to support interested students," she said. "There are also many students in the IS program who I know would be happy to give advice, peer review, bounce ideas, and provide moral support."