Planning Your Program
Students who are interested in creating an interdisciplinary studies major are encouraged to meet with the program coordinator early in their undergraduate career. Since students at Richmond don’t declare a major their first year on campus, it is typical for students to consider the interdisciplinary major during their sophomore year and apply in the spring. By that point, they have taken a number of courses and have a better understanding of the disciplines they enjoy studying.
Students considering an interdisciplinary studies major should ask themselves whether an interdisciplinary program would outweigh the benefits of simply picking up an additional minor or major. They should also consider the nine courses they would ideally take to create their unique field of study. Lastly, they should begin considering how their senior thesis would evolve out of that coursework.
The program coordinator can help students answer some of these questions as well as direct them to specific faculty members who can lend advice on building a discipline-specific curriculum.
