Interdisciplinary Studies: Student Designed BA
- Major
- BA
- In-Person
- Greeley
Fall (Aug.)
Spring (Jan.)
Program Overview
Do you have a lot of different interests and can’t pick just one major? At UNC, you don’t have to choose. With this program, you can create your own major by combining two subjects that you care about. If you want a program that matches your unique interests, this program is a great choice!
What you’ll do in the Interdisciplinary Studies B.A. program:
- Combine two academic areas into one custom major
- Partner with faculty to build your plan
- Gain hands-on experience through internships and research
- Complete a final project or thesis
- Develop critical skills like communication and problem solving
120 total credits required for graduation.
View Full Degree Requirements
Liberal Arts Curriculum: 31 credits
- Written Communication: 6 credits
- Mathematics: 3 credits
- Arts & Humanities, History, Social and Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies and International Studies: 15 credits
- Natural & Physical Sciences: 7 credits
Required Major: 60 credits
You’ll complete 60 total credits for your major:
- One course must be a final project or thesis (3 credits).
- You’ll create a personalized plan that combines courses from more than one subject area (57 credits).
- At least 27 of your credits must be upper-level (300 or higher).
- You can only include up to 15 credits that you finished before your plan was officially approved.
University-Wide Credits: 29 credits
- Outside your major, you’ll complete UNC’s general education requirements and use electives to round out your degree.
- Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for this degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 29 credits.
Because this program is so flexible, many students choose to pair their self-designed major with a formal minor to dive deeper into a specific subject. Some popular options include:
• Psychology
• Communications
• Business Administration
• Environmental Studies
There are no set concentrations in this major, you get to create your own.
Working with your advisors, you’ll design a course of study that combines two or more academic areas into something completely tailored to your interests.
Past student-designed focus areas have included:
• Music Technology and Business
• Art Therapy
• Environmental Communication
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Women’s and Ethnic Studies
No matter what you create, your degree will be uniquely yours.
Why Choose Interdisciplinary Studies at UNC?
Your Credits Count Here
Use previous coursework and transfer credits to create a flexible, efficient path to graduation.
Build Your Own Degree
Build a degree that reflects your unique goals and interests. No two students follow the same path.
Land Any Job You Want
Build skills in communication, leadership and problem solving that prepare you for jobs in business, nonprofits or grad school.
How to Declare This Major
Students interested in the Interdisciplinary Studies BA should connect with the Division of Academic Engagement to begin the application process and receive initial advising. You’ll work with two faculty advisors from different subject areas to create your individualized plan of study.
To be eligible:
- You must have a proposed plan approved by both faculty advisors and the Schulze Chair of Honors & Interdisciplinary Studies.
- The Undergraduate Council must review and approve your plan.
- No more than 15 credits of already-completed coursework may be applied toward your custom plan.
To be admitted to the Interdisciplinary Studies BA program, you’ll need:
• Full-time admission to UNC as a degree-seeking student
• A completed plan of study with two areas of academic focus
• Endorsement from faculty advisors in both subject areas
• Final approval from the Schulze Chair of Honors & Interdisciplinary Studies and the Undergraduate Council
Students are encouraged to start this process early, no more than 15 credits of completed coursework can be included in your plan.
Yes! First-year students can begin working on their interdisciplinary plan as soon as they start at UNC. Early advising is encouraged so you can build your major with intention.
This major is designed to be as unique as you are. Past student-designed majors have included:
• Art Therapy
• Music Technology and Business
• European Studies
• Film and American Culture
• Naturopathic Medicine
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Cultural Exchange in Music and the Arts
• Ecological Theory
• Women’s and Ethnic Studies
Want to blend science and storytelling? Business and psychology? You can build a degree that reflects who you are and what you want to do next.