Interdisciplinary Studies

The School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS) incorporates the various interdisciplinary programs in the College of Liberal Arts ranging from area studies, ethnic studies, to comparative studies. While each of our programs share the value of interdisciplinarity, our approaches range from multidisciplinary—in which people from different disciplines collaborate, interdisciplinary—in which knowledge and methods from different disciplines are integrated, to transdisciplinary—in which a new unity of intellectual frameworks are created beyond the originating disciplines. Despite this variation in approach, our programs all recognize the need and value of interdisciplinary approaches to integrate and synthesize knowledge to provide a fuller understanding of a topic. The School of Interdisciplinary Studies is a community of faculty and students enjoying an environment of rigorous and innovative intellectual inquiry.