Individual Degree Concentration
Explore Your Own Passions with an Individual Degree Concentration
The Individual Degree Concentration allows students to develop an individualized degree program that integrates academic disciplines. It includes courses from two or more disciplines with a central focus on a subject or topic that may not be covered in existing majors or combinations of academic programs, but the combination of these courses will help students reach their academic/career goals. Students pursue individually designed academic pathways, developed in close consultation with an advisor and approved by the Interdisciplinary Studies department chair, that are tailored to their academic interests, goals, and professional aspirations. These pathways are not pre-set tracks but are uniquely structured for each student.
Students interested in the Individual Degree Concentration must submit this Individualized Degree Program Proposal form. This form includes a brief explanation of what subject areas will be combined and why. It also includes the listing of proposed courses, some initial ideas or questions to be answered in the senior capstone and potential titles for the Individual Degree Concentration.
No changes may be made to the approved program without written authorization from the Interdisciplinary Studies Chair. Students who major in Individualized degree concentration will be conferred with the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Flexible and Diverse Curriculum
UNC Asheville’s interdisciplinary studies major empowers students to deepen their understanding of cultural, economic, and political forces in one of four concentration options: Arts & Markets; Law, Ethics, and Social Policy; Global Studies; and the individualized degree plan. Minors add additional opportunities for students to pursue an area of study that interests them. Combining courses from disciplines such as political science, economics & finance, mass communication, and more, students forge an academic path that nurtures their interests and career aspirations.
Career Paths
With an interdisciplinary curriculum, students can pursue a variety of careers that require the ability to connect ideas across fields, adapt quickly, and solve complex problems from multiple angles. Our flexible course of study, combined with the chance to design a path around your own interests, equips students with the versatility to succeed in fields ranging from intercultural affairs and education to healthcare, business, and policy.
Undergraduate Research
At UNC Asheville, undergraduate research is a defining part of the Interdisciplinary Studies experience. Working alongside faculty mentors, you'll explore questions that cross traditional academic boundaries, design original research around your interests, and address complex, real-world challenges. Whether you present your work at conferences, publish your findings, or complete a creative project, you'll graduate with valuable hands-on experience and the confidence to make an impact.
Requirements for an Individualized Degree Concentration
Requirements for an Individualized Degree Concentration
- Required courses in the major—36 hours, including: IST 499; 16 hours in a primary subject area, as defined by course prefix; 8 credits in a secondary subject area; 8 additional hours of electives relevant to the program of study and approved by the major advisor. These 8 additional hours cannot be in the primary or secondary area of study. Of the 36 required hours, 16 must be at the 300-400 level.
- Required courses outside the major—None.
- Other departmental requirements—Major competency is demonstrated by successful completion of IST 499.
Students seeking an Individual Degree Concentration cannot seek a double major, and none of the hours used to fulfill requirements for a declared minor may be used for the Individual Degree Concentration. UNC Asheville graduates returning for a second degree cannot use any of the courses from their previous major or minor for the Individual Degree Concentration. Form must be submitted and approved before a student completes 75 credit hours. In exceptional cases a student may petition to have this rule waived.
Students should submit the following forms:
Students pursue individually designed academic pathways, developed in close consultation with an advisor, that are tailored to their academic interests, goals, and professional aspirations. These pathways are not pre-set tracks but are uniquely structured for each student.
For more information, please contact the IDC Coordinator, Dr. Renuka Gusain, rgusain@unca.edu.
Customize Your Field
Pursue an individualized academic pathway tailored to your unique academic interests, goals, and professional aspirations.
Clubs & Organizations
Clubs & Organizations
With 60+ student clubs and organizations, UNC Asheville makes room for every interest, belief, and background to find its place. For Interdisciplinary Studies majors, that range is an invitation: connect with people who already share your passions, and just as easily find yourself challenged by perspectives you hadn’t considered. It’s a college experience built not around one path, but around the many you choose to explore.
Recreation, Outdoor Education & Sports
Recreation, Outdoor Education & Sports
A student-designed IDC pathway focused on holistic and current understanding of the dynamics in Recreation, Outdoor Education and Sports, and how to make those connections generative and productive.
“We are fortunate that our University has generative connections in the Asheville region to host internship opportunities for students within these areas of study.”
Medical Anthropology
Medical Anthropology
A student designed IDC pathway focused on bridging the gaps between medical professionals and marginalized communities to promote greater access to inclusive medical care, to create a holistic understanding of the issues at stake in healthcare access and equity in the United States and abroad.
“[This is] the path I am seeking out because I know this is the best study plan to gain a comprehensive understanding of healthcare and how I will be able to take action in my future career…I plan on seeking out the Masters of Public Health at UNC-Gillings to further my education and I know that my proposed course plan will prepare me well for this.”
Healthcare & Society
Healthcare & Society
A pre-designed IDC pathway focused on effective communication and intercultural competency in relation to a future career in medicine.
Environmental Equity
Environmental Equity
A student-designed pathway to be applied in order to explore environmental equity through environmental, climate, and other natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities courses that create a holistic understanding of the effects of a changing environment and it’s impacts on global indigenous people specifically, and humanity generally.
“There are deep, interlacing concepts between environmentalism and social justice. There is no longer time for us to be passive about our future—the time to act, learn, and problem-solve is now.”
Holistic Health
Holistic Health
A pre-designed IDC pathway focused on developing a cohesive study of behavior, health history, natural healing, and regional understandings of health overall.
Prosthetics & Orthotics
Prosthetics & Orthotics
A student-designed pathway aimed at a comprehensive and innovative career as a prosthetist and prosthetics designer.
“While I cannot return all that was lost to someone, I can work tirelessly to give them the best care possible and support them throughout their journey…I was truly inspired, I knew that I had chosen the right field.”
Cultural Studies & Experiences
Cultural Studies & Experiences
A student-designed IDC pathway focused on the universal theme of human and cultural expression as a key to understanding humanity as a living, changing, and artistic philosophical concept.
“An interdisciplinary approach to this topic will allow me to discover new ideas and concepts, using a broader perspective to notice things that are not always evident when completely immersed in a certain field.”
African Music & Culture
African Music & Culture
A student-designed IDC pathway focused on the historical and contemporary impact on culture, communication, sociopolitical issues, and human expression over time as created by African music and culture, both on the continent and in global diaspora.
“This [course of study] will help me articulate my ethical stances toward individuals, communities and societies, through its examination of the way in which morality and ethics are explored through cultural elements…by getting to understand what these different cultures perceive as right and wrong, good and bad, and how they react when faced with the unique challenges of the human experience through their music, I will be better able to understand different perspectives on these issues.”
Theoretical Data Science & Astronomy Innovation
Theoretical Data Science & Astronomy Innovation
A student-designed IDC pathway focused on a science-based approach to combining computer based modelling with the statistical, mathematical, and astronomical skills required to study transiting exoplanets.
“The multi-disciplinary studies and focus on critical thinking skills that are the foundation of the liberal arts education here at the University of North Carolina at Asheville have revealed to me a greater potential use for an interest in computers than previously envisioned.”
Related Programs
Ready for What's Next?
The Interdisciplinary Studies major at UNC Asheville empowers you to explore diverse subjects, merge ideas from various fields, and discover unexpected connections that can shape the future. Our program is a gateway to a world of boundless possibilities, where you can delve into the intersection of art and science, business and sustainability, technology, and social impact.