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Interdisciplinary Studies

In this section

Gender and Society (Minor)

International Studies (Minor)

Media and Performance Studies (Minor)

Public Health (Minor)

Quantitative Science (Minor)

Social Entrepreneurship (Minor)

Sustainability (Minor)

Gender and Society (Minor)

The gender and society minor provides students with the tools they need to participate competently in society’s current and ongoing conversation about gender. It illuminates the images of femininity and masculinity that shape cultural representations of gender, offers new insight into human difference and diversity, and enhances individual choice and our common humanity. This minor enhances career preparation in that students will be well suited for jobs with advocacy groups; human rights organizations; environmental and consumer groups; health care; and youth, elderly, and social services.

Minor Requirements

IS 200 Approaches to Gender and Society

IS 420 Gender and Society Capstone

Fifteen (15) credits in a minimum of three academic disciplines (12 credits outside the major), choosing from the following: AA 410 Fashion Consulting and Culture, CMD 220 Intercultural Communication, ECO 350 Economics of Poverty, EN 230 American Multicultural Literature, EN 340 Major Women Writers, IS 300 Advanced Gender Studies, PSY 110 Human Growth and Development, PSY 220 Social Psychology, PSY 321 Psychology of Gender, SOC 306 Social Inequality in Arlington, SOC 350 Social Justice, SOC 365 Gender Inequality in Global Perspective, SOC 375 Topics in Human Rights, SOC 385 Global Inequality and Community Development, TRS 362 Friendship, Marriage, and God

International Studies (Minor)

The international studies minor provides an interdisciplinary examination of cultures and societies outside the United States as well as an exploration of political, economic, social, and cultural interconnections among nation states, non-governmental organizations, and ethnic and religious groups around the world. International studies coursework is combined with language study, study abroad, and a presentation of capstone thesis. Fifteen (15) credits plus study abroad and language. Please see Graduation Honors for information about study abroad credits and Graduation Honors.

Minor Requirements

SOC 203 The Global Village

Language: Students must show a level of skill in a non-native language equivalent to the successful completion of a second-semester college-level language course. There are two different ways to meet the requirement: (1) Complete 6 credits of college-level coursework at the elementary level, which may include courses combining language and culture or complete 3 credits of college-level foreign language at the intermediate level. AP, IB, and CLEP equivalencies are accepted. (2) Receive a waiver from a faculty member of the International Studies Steering Committee. Waivers will be granted when a student can show knowledge of a language equivalent to two semesters of college-level work either in a proctored exam or with a transcript showing prior schooling in a language other than English.

Study Abroad: Minimum of 3 credits in a study abroad program approved by the Center for Global Education. A full semester abroad is strongly recommended. Students with substantial experience living outside the United States may request a waiver from a faculty member or the International Studies Steering Committee.

Twelve (12) elective credits outside the required coursework for the student's major, in at least three different disciplines, from the following:

ECO 211 Principles of Macroeconomics

ECO 485 International Economics

EN 204 World Literature, Romanticism through Post-Modernism

FA 110 Cross-Cultural Visual Thinking

FR 303 Contemporary French Civilization

IS 421 Thesis Project in International Studies

IT 110 Information Technology in the Global Age

MGT 385 International Business

MKT 485 International Marketing

POL 102 International Relations

POL 103 Comparative Government

POL 380 Politics of Latin America

POL 381 Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa

POL 382 Politics of Western Europe

POL 385 Politics of East Asia

POL 389 Area Studies

PSY 325 Cultural Psychology

SOC 204 Cultural Diversity

SOC 365 Gender Inequality in Global Perspective

SOC 375 Topics in Human Rights

SOC 385 Global Inequality and Community Development

SP 303 Spanish Civilization and Culture

TRS 202 Religions of the World

TRS 345 Buddhist Traditions

With the approval of the International Studies Steering Committee, up to 3 credits of language may count toward the elective requirement.

With the approval of the International Studies Steering Committee, courses taken during an approved study abroad program may count as international studies electives provided they are on the subject of international studies, broadly defined.

Media and Performance Studies (Minor)

The media and performance studies minor provides an interdisciplinary examination of film, video, television, multimedia, and Web 2.0 texts with a primary emphasis on textual interpretation and theory and a secondary focus on production. The program seeks to improve student fluency with media, both for academic and commercial applications, in order to enhance students' understanding of their major disciplinary field. Students will apply their interdisciplinary knowledge through a capstone project that results in a creative presentation, documentary, or ethnographic visual text, or other multimedia production.

Minor Requirements

IS 240 or EN 240 Introduction to Visual and Cultural Studies

CMD 404 Performance Media Lab

Nine (9) credits (6 outside the student’s major) from the following: EN 207 Theater History, EN/IS 220 The Movie or the Book?, EN 321 Modern Drama, EN 429 Topics in Performance, FA 380 Movements in Modern Art

Six (6) additional credits outside the student’s major from the following: CMD 202 Illustration I, CMD 203 Digital Photography, CMD 204 Video Production: Multimedia Communication, CMD 205 Video Production: Promotional and Informational Communication, CMD 308 Web and Social Media Design, CMD 404 Performance Media Lab, EN 212 Topics in Acting, EN 270 Approaches to Creative Writing, EN 305 Topics in Creative Writing, FA 103 Two-Dimensional Design, FA 110 Cross-Cultural Visual Thinking, FA 395 Advanced Studio

Public Health (Minor)

See public health minor under interdisciplinary studies in the Malek School of Health Professions.

Quantitative Science (Minor)

The quantitative science minor is intended to prepare mathematics, biology, and biochemistry majors to join the increasingly integrated community of physicists, chemists, computer scientists, engineers, and mathematicians who are working together to tackle a broad range of scientific and societal problems. The truly integrative minor is intended to improve MCAT performance for our medical-school-bound students; to prepare science majors for careers that require increased quantitative skills, such as careers within the pharmaceutical industry or in computer-enhanced labs; and to increase career horizons for mathematics majors through this training in the application and communication of mathematics to important problems in our world.

Minor Requirements

IS 233 Introduction to Quantitative Science

MA 218 Probability and Statistics

MA 325 Differential Equations

MA 230 Scientific Computing or MA 418 Stochastic Modeling

BIO 151 General Biology I

BIO 151L General Biology I Lab

BIO 262 Genetics for Majors

BIO 262L Genetics for Majors Lab

BIO 363 Cellular Biology

CHM 125 Life Chemistry or CHM 222 Organic Chemistry II with lab (note that CHM 125 is the recommended path for non-science majors)

CHM 441 Physical Biochemistry