The Interdisciplinary Studies program is an option for students who seek to accomplish intellectual goals beyond an existing major. It requires an expression of creativity and self-motivation, and a foundation of intellectual commitment.
When Bardhi began her education at Stonehill, she was drawn to classes that complemented her early business experience. In her sophomore year, she decided to create her own entrepreneurship major as part of the interdisciplinary studies program. She is now the youngest female contractor in Massachusetts.
Interdisciplinary studies majors at Stonehill College must prepare a program proposal with substantial intellectual content. Formulated with faculty advisors — one of whom will be designated as principal advisor — it must reflect the objectives of a liberal arts education.
Proposals to create an Interdisciplinary Studies major must be approved prior to a student’s enrollment in the final 10 courses of their Stonehill degree (i.e., prior to the senior year). If a student is adding an Interdisciplinary Studies major as a second major, an exception may be allowed to this requirement.
A student’s program proposal includes a statement describing educational goals sought, and the sequence of courses that would enable the student to achieve these goals. The course content must be focused upon a specific theme, and must include a significant number of courses beyond the introductory level as well as a senior Capstone Experience.
Being an Interdisciplinary Studies major has challenged me to examine who I am as a person and who I want to become, as well as what I want to accomplish in the future.
The Interdisciplinary minor gives students the opportunity to explore, in some depth, a well-defined question or topic beyond the major.
The Interdisciplinary minor provides students with maximum flexibility to propose a course of study, comprised of classes and other academic experiences, as a path to conduct an interdisciplinary inquiry that may or may not be related to the major or disciplinary minor.
Students submit a proposal for an Interdisciplinary minor that will include six academic classes.
Topics around which Stonehill students have recently organized their studies include:
• Art of change
• Business of dance
• Child life
• Computational analytics
• Diversity and social justice
• Event management
• Global studies
• Human ontology
• Music therapy
• Neurophysiology
• Nutritional sciences
• Sustainability and food systems
• Transforming communities
Stonehill interdisciplinary studies graduates go on to work at a range of notable organizations. Continue exploring where Stonehill graduates work.
Organizations involved in assessing U.S. colleges and universities continually cite Stonehill as being among the best in the nation when it comes to value, outcomes and a commitment to making the world a better place. See full list of accolades.
After assessing U.S. colleges and universities based on 17 measures of academic quality and graduate outcomes, U.S. News & World Report ranked Stonehill No. 73 in the Best Value category out of 1,500 colleges, while also moving up to No. 83 among National Liberal Arts Colleges.
Stonehill College has been recognized again this year by The Wall Street Journal for the value it provides students, especially in the areas of career preparation and character development.
Money’s 2024 Best U.S. Colleges research shows Stonehill among top 10% nationwide.
To view our program requirements for interdisciplinary studies, please view our online course catalog.
The nature of Interdisciplinary Studies dictates that students’ learning experiences outside the classroom will be widely varied.
Interdisciplinary Studies majors at Stonehill College have gone on to careers in a variety of fields.
