About

Do you have a very specific academic goal that cannot be met by existing majors, minors, and electives? Do you have a very specific career goal that you cannot prepare for through existing programs?

Within the multidisciplinary studies program, you can focus your study in Asian studies, classics and classical civilization, international studies, neuroscience, religious studies, Russian studies, and women's studies. If you have interest in these areas, please contact the director of the program of your interest.

In addition, the "individual concentration" provides a focus that could be unique to you. The individual concentration is designed for the student (1) who has clear interests and objectives that overlap schools, departments, degrees, or concentrations; (2) whose interests and objectives cannot reasonably be met through existing majors, minors, and electives; and (3) whose program is not fashioned in order to bypass a requirement of an existing program. You develop a course of study in consultation with faculty in the appropriate disciplines and the director of multidisciplinary studies. The multidisciplinary studies committee approves your course of study. The individual concentration major must be approved early enough in your academic career in order to have time to adhere to program guidelines.

ECU Advantage

Our multidisciplinary concentrations (international studies, neuroscience, religious studies, and security studies) are innovative, interdisciplinary programs.

The "individual concentration" that could provide a unique focus for you, and is discussed above, requires that you be highly motivated and disciplined, and that faculty advising you be closely involved in the process from the proposal preparation stage, through the completion of the program. The individual concentration program is not a general studies degree, and program guidelines prohibit approval into the program, of students who have not developed a coherent and academically respectable course of study that meets program guidelines.

What You Will Study

Concentration Directors:  

Contact the Director of Interdisciplinary Programs for other program information: Lisa Ellison (3307 Bate Building; 252-328-2617; ellisonl15@ecu.edu)

Multidisciplinary Studies is an interdisciplinary program in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. The goals of the program are to foster multidisciplinary study among various schools and departments, enable motivated students to pursue degrees in specialized or new fields, and encourage undergraduates to pursue research interests while working closely with faculty.

To major in Multidisciplinary Studies, students must select a concentration or an area of study, have completed 30 s.h., and have a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Concentration curricula are outlined in the catalog. They include:

An area of study is a repeatable curriculum that is not outlined in the catalog. An area of study can be selected from existing areas (listed below), or can be designed in consultation with faculty in the appropriate disciplines, by a student (1) who has clear interests and objectives that overlap schools, departments, degrees, or concentrations; (2) whose interests and objectives cannot reasonably be met through existing majors, minors, and electives; and (3) whose program is not fashioned in order to bypass a requirement of an existing program. For a new area of study, a formal proposal, including the list of faculty who will supervise the student, is submitted to the Director of Interdisciplinary Programs for approval by the Multidisciplinary Studies Committee. The nature of this program requires that the student be highly motivated and disciplined and that faculty advising the student be closely involved in the process from the proposal preparation stage through the completion of the program. The program is not a general studies degree and program guidelines prohibit approval into the program of students who have not developed a coherent and academically respectable course of study that meets program guidelines. For a general studies degree, see University Studies, BS.

Students interested in proposing an area of study, and faculty interested in proposing an area of study or concentration should contact the Director of Interdisciplinary Programs for procedures and guidelines.

Requirements for concentrations and areas of study include MULT 3500 and MULT 4999 or comparable substitutions approved by the Multidisciplinary Studies Committee or relevant academic advisor, from among thesis, senior summary, and upper division content courses.

The degree requires a minimum of 120 s.h. as follows:

1. General education requirements - 40 s.h.

(For information about courses that carry general education credit view the General Education Program section.)

    2. Demonstrated foreign language proficiency through level 2004 - 12 s.h.

    (For information about the foreign language requirement view Special Requirements for the BA Degree in the Academic Advisement, Progression and Support Services section and Placement Testing, Foreign Language in the Admission and Readmission section.)

      3. Core - 30 s.h.*
      • MULT 3500 - Research in Multidisciplinary Studies or comparable concentration course.
      • MULT 4999 - Seminar in Multidisciplinary Studies or comparable concentration course.
      • A minimum of 24 s.h. of approved courses in the major.
      4. Minor or approved electives - 18 s.h.*
        5. Electives to complete requirements for graduation.
          *Note:

           A minimum of 24 s.h. from sections 3 and 4 must be above 2999.

            For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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