Master of Arts (MAP) in Interdisciplinary Studies

Program Requirements

An Initial Study

The Initial Study is your entryway into the Master of Arts Program. Kept small by design, it is the only formal course required for the degree. Short reading and writing assignments on interdisciplinary topics help you to become more comfortable with the various modes and methods of interdisciplinary scholarship. A library paper is assigned as an opportunity to begin introductory research on some facet of your academic interests. The centerpiece of the Initial Study is the design of the Plan of Study, in which you will describe in detail the three Learning Contracts and the Master's Thesis that you intend to pursue towards completion of your graduate work.

Three Learning Contracts

Each Learning Contract is an intensive investigation into one of the areas of academic interest expressed in your Plan of Study. You will be guided through this investigation by a carefully selected faculty tutor whose expertise is best suited to your contract proposal. You are invited to use a wide variety of educational resources and methods as you prepare your Learning Contracts. These consist primarily of library and/or field research but may include course attendance, apprenticeships or internships, laboratory work and studio participation. In order to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the Master's Program, each contract may either incorporate approaches from at least two of the Liberal Arts areas (Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences), or at least one of the contracts must emphasize an area different from the others.

A Master's Thesis

The final component of the Master of Arts Program, the Master's Thesis draws together information from the previous three Learning Contracts to create an interdisciplinary context for an innovative contribution to your area of study. Once your completed thesis has been approved by three faculty members, and you have successfully defended it in colloquy with them, you have completed the requirements for the Master's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at New College.