B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies

Overview

INTERDISCIPLINARY SKILLS FOR AN INTERDISCIPLINARY WORLD.

The B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies is a major for visionaries, creatives, and entrepreneurs. It’s for students who want to be well-rounded and in the highest demand to employers who rely on people trained in multiple areas.

• Design your own major for maximum effectiveness.
• Specialize in three areas of your choice.
• Become the worker and thinker the modern workforce demands.
• Train your mind to synthesize and specialize.

The impetus for the Interdisciplinary Studies degree comes from our understanding of Christ’s Lordship over all things — in “Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). Because all things hold together in Christ, it means that all areas of life are connected — from science to technology to business to music and to the humanities. This program recognizes this truth and offers students a broad learning experience in which they are able to pursue their unique interests and career aspirations. Under the guidance of an academic advisor, students choose two concentrations to form an individualized plan of study, which allows them to develop expertise in multiple areas while being able to think more broadly about a given topic. A third, student-led block, includes an internship and capstone course. The degree trains students to be resourceful—innovating and creating new solutions and finding different ways of tackling old challenges. Students will demonstrate their interdisciplinary learning in a student-designed capstone project at the end of the program. An internship experience is also required.

Focus Tracks

Students complete 3 blocks. For the first 2 blocks, students choose areas of study from 14 different emphases options. The third block includes the internship program and a capstone project. The capstone is a unique project that is a culmination of the studies - a research paper, a business proposal, or other project. The internship is also unique to each student depending on which emphases options they choose. An academic advisor works closely with each student on both the capstone and the internship. Click on the emphases options below to see the complete emphasis or program descriptions.

Biblical Studies Biblical Studies Israel Biology Business Administration Classical Liberal Arts Communication English Geosciences History Kinesiology Marketing Math Media Studies Political Studies

Sample Courses

View Sample 4-Year Plan

Business + Classical Liberal Arts (CLA)

Students complete General Education (GE) requirements in their freshmen and sophomore semesters. For junior and senior semesters, they take 6 courses of Classical Liberal Arts (CLA) major courses, and 6 courses from the business major. The third block of classes is a combination of the two chosen areas plus a unique capstone and a CLA/business internship in their senior year.

The 6 Business Block Courses include:

ECN210 Microeconomics
MGT310 Management Theory
MGT330 Business Communication
MKT350 Fundamentals of Marketing
INB311 Global Business Strategies
BUS368 Entrepreneurship

The 6 CLA Block Courses include:

HU201 Introduction to Classical Liberal Arts
ART338 Art History of the Western World
LAT399 Latin 1
POL365 Western Political Philosophy
BIB357 Bible Backgrounds
HU312 Disciplinary Connections

Complementary business courses include FIN341 Investments, MGT351 Human Resources, MKT462 Sales and Customer Service, MKT381 Consumer Behavior, BUS320 Business Law, and ACC460 Tax Accounting. Complementary CLA courses include TMU in Italy, H316 Renaissance Europe, H383 Ancient Roman History, and H385 Ancient Greek History.

Entrepreneurship + Political Studies

Students complete General Education (GE) requirements in their freshmen and sophomore semesters. For junior and senior semesters, they take 6 courses of Entrepreneurship major courses, and 6 courses from Political Studies. The third block of classes is a combination of the two chosen areas plus a unique capstone and a Entrepreneurship/Political Studies internship in their senior year.

The 6 Entrepreneurship Block Courses include:

ENT200 Innovation and Entrepreneurship
ENT425 Strategic Marketing
ENT411 Organizational Management
BUS320 Business Law
ENT300 Entrepreneurial Finance
ENT461 Capstone – Business Plan Presentation

The 6 Political Studies Block Courses include:

POL326 Introduction to American Politics
POL343 U.S. Constitutional History
POL354 The Christian & Politics
POL365 Western Political Philosophy I
POL466 The Federalist Papers
POL473 American Political Thought I

Complementary Political Studies courses include POL366 Western Political Philosophy II, POL325 Political Parties & Elections, POL474 American Political Thought II, and POL336 Political Communication.

Strategic Marketing + Communication

Students complete General Education (GE) requirements in their freshmen and sophomore semesters. For junior and senior semesters, they take 6 courses of marketing courses, and 6 courses from the communication major. The third block of classes is a combination of the two chosen areas plus a unique capstone and a Strategic Marketing/Communication internship in their senior year.

The 6 Communication Block Courses include:

C122 Social Media and Communication
C202 Film History
C220 News Media Literacy
C331 Freelance Entrepreneurship
C371 or C391 Interpersonal/Intercultural Communication
C472 Rhetorical Criticism

The 6 Marketing Block Courses include:

MKT350 Marketing Fundamentals
MKT361 Marketing Strategy
MKT381 Consumer Behavior
MKT462 Sales and Customer Service
MKT482 Marketing Research
TBDXXX Digital Marketing

Complimentary Communication Courses include: C132 Podcast Studio, C254 Journal & Autobiographical Writing, C320 Newspaper Workshop, C351 Creative Writing, C311 Video Production I, C381 Beginning Public Relations, or C399 Winterim Production. Complimentary Marketing Courses include MKT488 Marketing Internship, MGT330 Business Communications, and C368 Fundamentals of Advertising Copywriting.

More ideas for combining block courses:

Students can select from 14 different programs options and combine them together to create their unique curriculum paths. For example:

Pre-Medical + Biblical Counseling: learn to care for both the body and the soul, aiming to enter graduate programs in medicine or health.
Engineering + Finance: quants, fintech, investing, financial engineering, and a love of all math.
Education + English: double-down on K-12 teaching career paths.
Geoscience + Business: combine scientific knowledge of geology with hands-on experience in accounting and finance to breach into the oil & gas industry.
Sport Science + Global Studies: bring your skills and love of athletics and treating athletic injuries into the international missions field to serve the church abroad.

Comprehensive specialists for a complex world
Dr. Whitney Gamble, Program Director

Next Steps: Applying

Since 1927, the mission of The Master’s University is to empower students for a life of enduring commitment to Christ, biblical fidelity, moral integrity, intellectual growth, and lasting contribution to the Kingdom of God worldwide.

Requirements:

Required statement of faith and pastoral recommendation
3.6 GPA average for new applications

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Faculty Profiles

All faculty share in the commitment to empower students for a life of enduring commitment to Christ, biblical fidelity, moral integrity, intellectual growth, and lasting contribution to the Kingdom of God worldwide.