Available in English

Interdisciplinary Studies

Faculty of Arts

Your degree, your way.

Discover the program Program Details

Program Overview

Earn a customized Bachelor of Arts degree based on your unique interests.

The B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies lets you build a program around a theme that matters to you, whether it's the environment, health, social change, creativity, or another focus. Choose three Arts disciplines and bring them together through a capstone project in your final year.

What you'll learn

Choose three areas of study in the arts, plus a fourth area of study as a minor. With guidance from the program coordinator, you can design your degree around a central theme, combining courses from 3 different Arts disciplines. You'll be able to take courses from a range of disciplines, including criminology, anthropology, economics, English, gerontology, Indigenous studies, history, law and justice, psychology, and sociology, and more. Your personalized plan will be reviewed annually to support your academic goals.

In your final year, you'll bring everything together in a capstone project course with a faculty supervisor. The project can be a research essay, literature review, or creative project.

When you graduate

When you complete the program, you’ll receive an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts, preparing you for careers in various fields or graduate studies. Because the degree is self-directed and thematic, it gives you a unique edge: you’ll stand out to employers and graduate schools for your ability to think across boundaries.

The program also provides a solid foundation for law school and graduate studies, such as teaching, journalism, business and interdisciplinary research and Master of Relational Studies program.

With faculty guidance, you can customize your Major around a central theme, focusing on 3 different Arts disciplines.

You can combine your customized Major in Interdisciplinary Studies with your choice of one or two Minors to expand your knowledge and skills.

In your fourth year, you will complete a capstone project on a topic of your choice, allowing you to explore your interests in a in-depth way. This may take on the form of a thesis, literature review, film, or other creative work.

Career Outlook

Graduates can rest assured knowing there is a multitude of career options they can explore post-graduation. Some fields and career options include, but are not limited to:

Professional writing and communication
Information management
Filmmaking and video production
Print and television journalism
Creative writing
Public relations and media design
Non-profit administration and development
Education
Law and civil service
Graduate studies
Cultural events programming
Management and administration
Professional programs
Independent business ownership

Program Details

Program language:

English

Delivery method:

On Campus and Online

Contact info

Dr. Sara MacDonald
(705) 675-1151 ext. 4201
Arts Building, 3rd Floor, Room A-347

Please contact Dr. MacDonald for more information about the program.
szmacdonald@laurentian.ca

Please contact the email above, and our recruitment team will get back to you!

More About The Program

The Major in Interdisciplinary Studies allows students to organize their own academic interests around a central theme. It is housed in the Faculty of Arts and overseen by the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee. Each student designs their plan of study with the program coordinator’s guidance, and will have a faculty supervisor for their independent project.

For example, here is a possible Plan of Study:

Sample Plan of Study (120 credits total)

Major in Interdisciplinary Studies - 42 credits
- Arts Discipline 1 - Psychology - 12 credits of 1000/2000/3000 level PSYC courses
- Arts Discipline 2 - Sociology - 12 credits of 2000/3000 level SOCI courses
- Arts Discipline 3 - History - 9 credits of 2000/3000 level HIST courses
- Research Methods course - 3 credits
- Capstone Project course: ARTS-4005, Independent Study Project - 6 credits
Minor in Criminology - 24 credits
Electives - 54 credits

Available Disciplines

Please find below the list of Arts programs that students can include in Interdisciplinary Studies. Programs marked with an asterisk (*) are also offered online.

For Interdisciplinary Studies in English:

Admission Requirements

Ontario High School Applicants

Program Prerequisites:

1 grade 12 English U/M course; 5 other grade 12 U/M courses
A minimum overall average of 70% in the 6 best grade 12 U/M courses

Students in the Major in Interdisciplinary Studies are eligible for direct entry from high school, college, or other post-secondary studies.

How To Apply

Canadian Applicants

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you must complete your application through the Ontario Universities Application Center (OUAC).

For detailed instructions on the application process, see the How to Apply: Canadian Undergraduate Applicants page.

Apply Now as a Domestic Applicant

International Applicants

If you’re an international applicant, you must fill out the International Application Form.

For detailed instructions on the application process, see the How to Apply: International Students page.

Apply Now as an International Applicant

Degree Options

Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Total 120 credits

Students must follow these regulations in order to meet graduation requirements for the BA or B.Sc.

Major in Interdisciplinary Studies (ALSO OFFERED ONLINE)

12 credits from a first Arts discipline

12 credits from a second Arts discipline

9 credits from a third Arts discipline

3 credits of Research Methods from the following list:

STAT-2126EL Introduction to Statistics

ECON-2136EL Statistical Methods for Economics

ENGL-2057EL Critical Reading and Textual Analysis

GERO-3126EL Reseach Literacy for Gerontology

GERO-3127EL Applied Research Methods in Gerontology

HIST-2026EL Historical Methods

HIST-3006EL Approaches to Canadian History

SOCI-2127EL Research Methods and Data Analysis

SOCI-3126EL Qualitative Methods

ARTS 4005 EL - Independent Study Project (6 cr)

* The 42 credits for the Major in Interdisciplinary Studies must include at least 6 cr at the 3000 level, and no more than 6 cr at the 1000 level. Students may choose to combine any three disciplines available within the B.A.

Notes:

In order to get a BA, students must include 6 credits in linguistic awareness, 6 credits of Indigenous content, and 6 credits in the Sciences if not part of the other minor or second major. Eligible courses are available at the 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 levels and students should take them at the appropriate time in their studies.
Students must complete a minimum of a minor (24 credits) or a second major (42 credits) from among their elective credits.
Students may not exceed 42 credits at the 1000 or 9100 level in their degree program.