COURSE CURRICULUM

The Interdisciplinary Studies Master’s program (MA or MS) is a highly flexible graduate degree designed for students whose academic or professional goals span multiple disciplines and cannot be fully met within a single traditional program. Admission requires applicants to apply separately to the university for general graduate admission and to the College of Graduate Studies for program-specific approval. Candidates must meet all university admission requirements and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25 in the last 60 semester units of post-secondary coursework. A key part of the application process is the submission of the DocuSign PowerForm titled “Information and Application for Interdisciplinary Studies Majors,” which must include approval from a tenured or tenure-track San José State University faculty member who agrees to serve as the student’s master’s committee chair. This faculty mentor is responsible for guiding the student’s individualized curriculum, providing academic supervision, and overseeing the culminating experience. Applicants must also submit a statement outlining their proposed interdisciplinary research focus and justify why their academic goals require an interdisciplinary approach. In addition, all proposed courses must receive formal approval from the respective departments before enrollment is permitted. The completed application is reviewed by the assigned advisor and the College of Graduate Studies Graduate Program Coordinator, who makes the final admission decision, with oversight from the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. International applicants must also meet English language proficiency requirements as defined by the university. For advancement to candidacy, students must satisfy general university requirements, including completion of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). The degree itself requires a customized 30-unit program of study drawn from at least two different academic departments, with at least half of the units at the graduate level. Prerequisite courses, if required, are taken in addition to the 30 units. Students may complete the degree through Plan A (thesis), Plan B (project under restricted conditions), or Plan C (creative project), with all culminating experiences requiring approval from the program advisor and formal certification upon completion. Overall, the program offers maximum academic flexibility, allowing students to design a unique, cross-disciplinary graduate education tailored to their specific goals.