The Klingler College of Arts and Sciences is committed to the fundamental goal of integrating diverse areas of learning into a coherent whole. This integration lies at the heart of the liberal arts education provided at Marquette University. Achieving this goal involves two steps. First, as part of the Marquette Core Curriculum and elective courses, students study material from the wide variety of disciplines comprising the arts and sciences. Second, by majoring and perhaps minoring in specific disciplines of their choice, students pursue learning in more depth and are then challenged to integrate this into their broader understanding of the world. For students whose interests go beyond the boundaries of traditional disciplines, the college offers the following interdisciplinary majors and minors:

Interdisciplinary Majors/Minors

Individually-Designed Interdisciplinary Major or Minor

Students for whom particular interests may be better served by a flexible grouping of courses from several areas can create an individually-designed, interdisciplinary major or minor. Examples of self-designed majors or minors include Italian Literature and Culture, Forensic Science, Linguistics and Community Health Studies. Students should consult the college office regarding the creation of the individually-designed major or minor, and to acquire the guidelines and the form that must be submitted. With a faculty adviser in their area of interest, students write a proposal explaining the relationship between their educational objectives and the choice of an individually-designed, interdisciplinary major or minor, as well as develop a list of courses comprising the major. Two letters of recommendation are required: one from the faculty adviser, and the second from a faculty member who is familiar with the student's academic work. Such proposals, as well as any subsequent modifications, must be approved by the college’s Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Upon graduating from this major, students will be able to:

• Describe, apply, and synthesize analytical perspectives and tools acquired from two or more academic disciplines.

• Demonstrate understanding of the value of interdisciplinary inquiry in relation to disciplinary inquiry, articulating its unique potential to aid in problem solving and/or analytical reasoning.

• Articulate personal educational objectives of individualized course of study.

• Communicate effectively with individuals and teams habituated to diverse assumptions, methods of inquiry, and areas of practice.

• Articulate the value of interdisciplinary inquiry to further educational or vocational objectives involving applied problem solving and/or analytical reasoning.