About Interdisciplinary Programs

The College of Arts and Sciences offers several interdisciplinary programs that provide opportunities to study multiple disciplines with less narrow focus in a single discipline. An interdisciplinary major allows students to focus on various interest areas and get a holistic academic experience while gaining skills that today’s employers seek.

What are learning outcomes for interdisciplinary students

K-State values the benefits of interdisciplinary learning and how it advances students in their career trajectory. Although each interdisciplinary major has its own learning outcomes, interdisciplinarity itself also has outcomes.

1. Graduates identify and describe the benefits of interdisciplinary study in their major (i.e., the study of multiple academic disciplines to make connections between them).
2. Graduates identify how essential concepts related to their chosen concentrations/areas of emphasis can be applied to future career opportunities.

What employers are saying

Keith Westervelt, owner for Blueville Nurseries, has hired several K-State Arts and Sciences interdisciplinary alums and said, “They are great with multitasking, have strong interpersonal skills, understand teamwork and have great leadership skills. I look for and value this type of career readiness that students gain from their college experience.”

What interdisciplinary alumni are doing

While many alumni use their interdisciplinary programs as jumping off points for graduate school, many go straight into the workforce. Here is a small sampling of the job types and employers of our interdisciplinary alumni.

What our alumni are doing	Where our alumni work
Account managers and executives Army Lieutenant/Officers Case Managers Customer Service Business consultants and managers Engineering project managers Healthcare Human resources Lab technicians Legal assistants Property managers Public information officers Sales Social media and marketing specialists Recruiters Teachers Veterinary technicians	Amazon Americorps Blueville Nursery Cerner CivicPlus Farm Bureau Financial Services Farmers Insurance J.P. Morgan Hospitals and medical centers Kansas State University Labcorps Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Assoc. Pawnee Mental Health U.S. Army Women's Health Group

Interdisciplinary majors

Environmental Science

The Environmental Science major teaches students to understand the Earth as an integrated system. Students gain impactful hands-on experiences through course work, research, and internships that include laboratory, computer-based, and field methods.

Humanities

Humanities is a multidisciplinary major that deals with human thought and culture.

Integrated Computer Science

The Integrated Computer Science degree combines real-world programming skills with an individualized concentration in each students’ area of interest.

Integrated Health Studies

Integrated Health Studies is a secondary major that enables students to understand not only the scientific foundations of health, but the social, cultural, and ethical dimensions as well.

Life Science

Life Science is a multidisciplinary major involving the study of living organisms and life processes.

Medical Laboratory Science

Medical Laboratory Science degree prepares students to work in hospital and similar settings running labs and other diagnostic tests

Physical Science

Physical Science is an interdisciplinary major that deals with nonliving matter.

Social Science

Social Science is a branch of learning that examines society’s institutions—their structures, theoretical foundations, evolution, and interrelationships—and how they affect and are affected by human behavior.

For more information, contact Assistant Director of Interdisciplinary Programs Dr. Kaela Urquhart: kaelaurquhart@ksu.edu.