About Interdisciplinary Programs

K-State's College of Arts and Sciences values interdisciplinary learning and encourages students to explore connections across fields. Whether you’re pursuing a major, minor, or certificate, Arts and Sciences offers opportunities to expand your academic experience beyond a single discipline. These interdisciplinary offerings allow students to focus on various interest areas and get a holistic academic experience while gaining skills that today’s employers seek.

Programs featured in the left navigation menu (also notated with an * in list below) are administered through the college’s Dean’s Office and supported by the assistant director of interdisciplinary programs. In addition, a wide range of interdisciplinary and complementary programs are offered in the colleges departments.

Together, these offerings allow you to build a more personalized academic path. Pairing programs across disciplines can deepen your expertise, strengthen transferable skills, and better prepare you for evolving career paths. Explore the full list below to discover ways to enhance your primary area of study and align your education with your academic and professional goals.

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

“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.” –Keith Westervelt, owner for Blueville Nurseries, which has employed several K-State Arts and Sciences interdisciplinary alums

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 offerings

These are great options for those with many and/or diverse academic interests as well as those looking to enhance their academic profile in general or to fulfill the Arts and Sciences Outside Concentration requirement.

Majors

• Digital Innovation in Media
• Environmental Science
• Humanities*
• Integrated Computer Science*
• Life Science*
• Medical Laboratory Science*
• Physical Science*
• Social Science*
• Social Transformation Studies

Certificates, minors and secondary majors

• Aerospace Studies minor
• African Studies Certificate
• Classical Studies Minor
• Dance and the Human Experience
• East Asian Studies minor
• Film Studies Certificate
• Forensic Studies Certificate
• Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies minor
• Global Health, Medicine, and Society Certificate
• Government and Political Communications Certificate
• Grand Strategy Certificate
• Integrated Health Studies secondary major*
• International and Area Studies secondary major
• Intercultural Competence Certificate
• Latin American Studies secondary major
• Law, Policy, and Advocacy Certificate*
• Linguistics Certificate
• Middle East Studies minor
• Museum Studies certificate
• Musical Theatre minor
• Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences secondary major
• Neuroscience minor
• Politics, Philosophy, and Economics of Health Policy Certificate
• Popular Music Studies minor
• Primary Texts certificate
• Queer Studies minor
• Religious Studies Certificate
• South Asian Studies minor
• Spanish Translation minor
• Travel and Tourism Promotion Certificate

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