Interdisciplinary Studies
Office of Student Academic Affairs
College of Letters and Science
Cheadle Hall 1117
Telephone: (805) 893-2038
E-mail: rfletcher@LTSC.ucsb.edu
Contents:
The major in interdisciplinary studies was created to provide a means for students to achieve particular intellectual goals that cannot be met by any existing major. Successful interdisciplinary studies majors are those that carry a coherent theme across a group of three or more departments - a theme that cannot easily be examined within a single major or double-major format. Students are urged to consult with a college advisor early in their academic careers for assistance in formulating their objectives within the major and in identifying the courses at UCSB which will best fulfill those goals.
Students wishing to enter the major must draw up a proposed program of study in three separate departments according to the requirements listed below. (At least one-half of the units required for the interdisciplinary studies major must be in departments that offer a departmental major in the college.) After approval by the chairs of the selected departments and review by a college advisor, the proposal is submitted to a college dean appointed by the executive committee of the College of Letters and Science, which has sole authority for approving admission to the major. The dean evaluates proposals according to a combination of the following criteria: (1) overall coherence and academic integrity of the proposed set of courses to be taken in each department; and (2) rationale for the choice of major departments, as explained in a statement of purpose submitted by the student. The program approved by the dean constitutes a contract and may be altered only by petition.
Applications for admission to the major are available in the college office, Cheadle Hall 1117. The entire process of admission - from first picking up application papers to final approval by the dean - can take several weeks. Interested students are advised, therefore, to begin the process by the beginning of their junior year. Applicants to this program are normally not admitted as freshmen. Admission to the major in the senior year is not encouraged and will be granted only in exceptional circumstances.
The interdisciplinary studies major does not exempt prospective teaching credential candidates from the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET). Students interested in UCSB’s credential requirements are urged to consult the Teacher Education Program in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education in Phelps Hall 2517 as soon as possible.
Students who intend to pursue graduate or professional studies are urged to consult advisors in their proposed fields to determine the prerequisites for admission to the desired graduate programs. The specific areas of emphasis within interdisciplinary studies will not be noted on student transcripts.
Bachelor of Arts--Interdisciplinary Studies
Preparation for the major. A minimum number of lower-division courses as specified by each of the three selected departments must be completed. A list of the current requirements for each department may be obtained at department offices or the college office, Cheadle Hall 1117. At the time of application for the major, the student must have earned a grade-point average of at least 2.0 in each academic department making up the major. Interdisciplinary studies majors are required to complete all college and university degree requirements, including the General Education Program.
Upper-division major. Students must complete 56 upper-division units, selected from three departments in the College of Letters and Science, with at least 16 units in each department. The senior thesis or research project requirement is included in the 56 upper-division units. Some departments allow only a restricted number of their upper-division courses to be applied to this major. Students should ask at the office of prospective departments, or the college office, for a current list of courses that will be accepted for the interdisciplinary studies major. Upper-division courses which are accepted in transfer from other four-year colleges and universities will be accepted for major credit in appropriate departments only if they conform to courses approved for the major in that department. Different foreign languages are considered to be in different departments. Economics 109 and Mathematics 100A-B may be acceptable in the preparation for the major, but cannot be applied to the upper-division major. No more than 12 units of performance courses (Dance 149, Theater 149, Music Performance Laboratories, or equivalent transfer courses) can apply to the major, and no more than 4 units of such courses may be applied from any single department. Courses which are to be applied to the major may not be taken on a passed/not passed basis.
Senior thesis or research project requirement. As a means of tying together the various strands of their study in a coherent and academically significant fashion, interdisciplinary studies majors are required to complete at least one 4-unit course in one of the three selected departments in which a senior thesis or research project will be completed. A list of suitable courses is available at department offices and the college office.
Interdisciplinary courses are either sponsored by the College of Letters and Science or by academic departments in the college. The courses present opportunities to study certain broad topics from perspectives which cross traditional departmental lines. Many of the courses are team taught, and all encourage examination of issues using a variety of different methodologies.
1. Introduction to Library Research
(1) Staff
Available P/NP only.
Course designed to assist undergraduate students in learning how to use library resources effectively. Classwork emphasizes applied experience with finding and evaluating information, especially through use of library catalogs, journal indexes, and Internet resources.
15. General Computing Skills
(4) Koseluk
Prerequisite: lower-division standing.
Introduction to the use of micro-computers in language and literature as well as general computer literacy for all students. Hands on lab instruction. Involves the major aspects of computing essential for university level work.
20. Introduction to the University Experience
(3) Staff
Prerequisite: freshman standing.
Not open to students who have completed Sociology 10.
A course designed to introduce first year students to the university. Topics include: the university as a community of scholars, student sub-culture, student rights, university and community, university as policy, personal growth in college.
64. Career Development and Decision Making Theory and Practice
(2) Staff
Prerequisite: freshman standing.
Provides an overview of theoretical constructs of career development and practical applications from college across the lifespan. Through lectures, readings, discussions, and projects, the course assists students in developing an effective life plan while exploring majors at college and career choices.
91. Interdisciplinary Issues in Aquatic Sciences and Policy
(1-5) Polne-Fuller
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
A seminar-style course examining biological, environmental, political, and economic issues in aquatic topics, including oceanography, marine pharmacology and biotechnology, coastal geology and coastal processes, fisheries, and ocean policy.
92B. Introduction to Shoreline Preservation: Research and Writing
(2-4) Polne-Fuller
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units.
Familiarize students with the conventions of scientific research and writing. Students interact with researchers studying shoreline preservation and environmental issues. Weekly lectures, discussions, lab experiences or field trips are included.
93LS. Introduction to Research in the Social, Life, and Physical Sciences
(1-5) Polne-Fuller
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Introduction to college level research experiences in the social, life or physical sciences. Students participate in research in UCSB laboratories and learn to use tools and techniques in an organized laboratory class setting.
93S. Readings and Lectures in the Social, Life, and Physical Sciences
(4) Polne-Fuller
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Introductory course for students interested in research in the social, life or physical sciences. Students read papers written by and about recent research at UCSB and meet with researchers to discuss their research tools and concepts.
94AA-ZZ. Freshman Seminars
(1) Staff
Prerequisite: freshman standing.
Students may earn a maximum of 3 units from all INT 99AA-ZZ courses. No seminars with the same suffix (AA-ZZ) may be repeated.
Selected topics of interest to students pursuing various degrees in the College of Letters and Science. Small group discussions which emphasize active class participation. Topics will vary each quarter.
95. The Modern Research University: Pathways to Discovery and Creativity
(1) Gallucci
Prerequisite: freshman standing.
Introduces students to the nature of research in the various disciplines represented at UCSB through weekly lectures by faculty artists, engineers, humanists, scientists, and social scientists who speak about their creative or scholarly research projects.
100AA-ZZ. Topics in Advanced Library Research
(2) Staff
Prerequisite: not open to freshmen.
May be repeated for credit provided the letter designation is different.
Recommended preparation: Interdisciplinary 1.
Students critically examine the complex range of research tools within a specified area. Students should be concurrently enrolled in a course with a related research project requirement. Course focus is determined by the instructor and announced by the library.
150. Voices of the Stranger
(4) Staff
Portrayals and analyses of the diversity of ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious experience in the United States in the contemporary era.
180AA-ZZ. Special Topics at Washington Center
(4) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; consent of instructor; acceptance to Washington Center.
Courses offered to exploit special opportunities available at the Washington Center. Subject and topics vary.
184AA-ZZ. Honors Forum: Special Topics
(2-4) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; enrollment in Letters and Science Honors Program.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum 16 units provided letter designations are different.
An interdisciplinary approach to topics of national and world concerns. Readings will be assigned from several disciplinary perspectives.
185AA-ZZ. Interdisciplinary Humanities Seminar
(1-4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Seminar hosted by the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center (IHC) and focused on selected topics, texts, theories, and/or methods in the humanities. See IHC website (www.ihc.ucsb.edu) for current listings.
192B. Introduction to Shoreline Preservation: Research and Writing
(2-4) Polne-Fuller
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units.
Familiarize students with the conventions of scientific research and writing. Students interact with researchers studying shoreline preservation and environmental issues. Weekly lectures, discussions, lab experiences or field trips are included.
192DC. Washington Center Internship
(4-8) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; consent of instructor; acceptance to Washington Center.
Courses designed for students to obtain credit for internship while at the Washington Center.
192SA. Sacramento Center Internship
(4-8) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; consent of instructor; acceptance to Sacramento Center.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units.
Courses designed for students to obtain credit for internship while at the UC Sacramento Center.
193SA. Seminar in California Issues
(4) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; consent of instructor; acceptance to Sacramento Center.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units.
Intensive study of important issues in contemporary and historical California. Topics vary by quarter.
199DC. Independent Research at Washington Center
(4) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; consent of instructor; acceptance to Washington Center.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units. Students are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined.
Independent research for those enrolled in the Washington Center. Enrolled students complete a research project related to the students’ internship and drawing on the special resources of the Washington area.
199SA. Independent Research at Sacramento Center
(4) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; consent of instructor; acceptance to Sacramento Center.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units. Students are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined.
Independent research for those enrolled in the UC Sacramento Center. Enrolled students complete a research project related to the students’ internship and drawing on the special resources of the Sacramento area.
200A-B-C. Seminar in Cognitive Science
(2-2-2) Staff
Prerequisites: graduate standing; consent of instructor.
A. Overview and introduction to topics in cognitive science.
B. Colloquium speakers in cognitive science.
C. Student presentations in cognitive science.
201AA-ZZ. Graduate Humanities Seminar
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Graduate seminar hosted by the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center (IHC) on topics, texts, theories, and methods in the humanities. See the IHC website for current listings (www.ihc.ucsb.edu).
210. IGERT Seminar in Interactive Digital Multimedia
(2) Manjunath
Prerequisites: graduate standing; consent of instructor.
Presentations by faculty, students, and visiting lecturers on topics related to interactive digital multimedia.
223A. Educational Hypermedia and Multimedia
(4) Chun
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Examination of educational rationales for the design of hypermedia applications. Students evaluate existing programs and apply principles of learning with media to the development of their own projects using tools to acquire and manipulate text, images, sound, and video.
223B. Educational Hypermedia and Multimedia
(4) Chun
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Continuation of Interdisciplinary 223A. Further investigation of teaching and learning with media, design of hypermedia applications, and evaluation of their usability and effectiveness.
223C. Technology and Second Language Acquisition
(4) Chun
Examines research on the theory and practice of using digital media and the Internet for teaching and learning second languages and cultures; discusses principles for the design and development of multimedia courseware.
256. Interdisciplinary Collaborative Project
(4) Staff
Same course as MAT 256.
A team-taught course with goals to foster engineering-level research in conjunction with the experimental approach of the visual arts. Course consists of team-based production for the realization of a multimedia project. Emphasis of the course is to develop skills in interdisciplinary production, concept development and problem solving methodologies.
259. The Aesthetics of Algorithmic Visualizations
(4) Legrady
Same course as MAT 259.
Project-based course focused on aesthetics of algorithmic visualization. An overview of designing still and time-based visualizations with historical and contemporary perspectives resulting in large scale prints, digital video, or computer generated realtime visualization. Emphasis on implementation of algrorithmic expressions.
262A. Applied Linguistics
(4) Chun
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Same course as German 262A.
Overview of the basic theoretical principles of second language acquisition as they apply to language teaching and learning. Discussion of different methodologies of foreign language teaching and the history of those used in the U.S.; special emphasis on current methodologies.
262B. Second Language Acquisition
(4) Chun
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Same course as German 262B.
Overview of second language acquisition theories from a range of perspectives (e.g., psychology, linguistics, cognitive science, sociology). Focus on adult SLA including role of the native language, universal grammar, acquisition vs. learning, interlanguage, input and interaction, learner processes and strategies.
420. Grant Writing for the Humanities and Fine Arts
(2) Unruh, Holly
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Graduate course on the fundamentals of grantwriting for arts & humanities students. Working with the IHC staff students learn and practice techniques for identifying funding sources and writing successful proposals. Students produce a working application for funding their dissertation. (W)
592. Research Seminar in Human Development
(1) Staff
Prerequisite: acceptance to Interdisciplinary Development Program; graduate standing; consent of instructor.
Special interest group research seminar in human development.
594AA-ZZ. Directed Reading and Research
(1-4) Staff
Prerequisites: graduate standing; consent of instructor.
In-depth consideration of interdisciplinary humanistic topics, issues, and concerns through tutorial format. Students may affiliate with Interdisciplinary Humanities Center’s Research Focus Groups (www.ihc.ucsb.edu/research).
Other Interdisciplinary Courses
Medieval Studies: see 199
Renaissance Studies: see 100 and 199
