Core Curriculum

Be sure to consult with your advisor to learn more about the courses that INDS offers!

Required Classes

As part of your INDS degree, you will be required to take a few classes with the express purpose of learning about integrative studies and interdisciplinary problems that we face today. These courses are taught by departmental faculty as well as professors from other departments.

INDS 330 - Ways of Knowing (3 credits):

A writing intensive introduction to interdisciplinary studies usually taken during the sophomore second semester or junior year. Meets "WI" (Writing Intensive) requirements for GEP general education requirements.

Full course description: How can the insights from various disciplines inform our understanding of difficult issues? This course explores the methods of different academic disciplines and their implications for an interdisciplinary understanding of complex problems. Each year students will examine a compelling issue (e.g., AIDS, energy policy) by integrating the contributions of several disciplines. Students will develop skills in interdisciplinary research and problem solving, oral and written communication, and in integrating diverse perspectives. Prerequisite: First-year seminar or junior standing and by permission only.

INDS 430 - Special Topic (3 credits):

This class allows students to explore an interdisciplinary field that may or may not be related to their major but allows them to hone their skills as interdisciplinary scholars as well as get involved something new.

In the past, INDS 430 has covered such topics as:

The Business of Medicine
Sustainable Design: the University and Beyond
Travel Narratives and the Formation of Global Identity
The American Entrepreneur in the 21st Century

INDS 480 - Capstone Project Seminar (1 credit):

Students with an approved INDS proposal who are preparing to do a capstone project are required to complete their capstone 490 proposal form in this course. Learn more about the capstone project in our Capstone Presentation section.

INDS 490 - Capstone Project (3 credits):

An integrative independent project and presentation that students complete in their senior year. Learn more about the capstone project in our Capstone Presentation section.

Recommended Classes

Being in Interdisciplinary Studies, you will no doubt engage in a great variety of exploration and seek out real world experiences. We encourage that mentality as it incorporates precisely what it means to be an interdisciplinarian, so we also offer two courses that can be arranged and may grant a variable number of credits depending on your activities.

INDS 400 - Independent Study:

INDS students with an approved degree plan may create an independent study with the approval and guidance of a UMBC faculty mentor. This course enables the student to pursue study in a field that may not be offered in a traditional course format so long as he has support from a faculty member.

INDS 410 - Internship:

We strongly recommend that students gain professional experience in the field in which they plan to work. You may take INDS 410 as a way to gain credit for doing research and internships relevant to your degree.

Examples in other departments include:

POLI 301 Research Methods in Political Science
SOCY 300 Methodology of Social Research
PSYC 331 Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis I