PROVOST’S OFFICE
As part of Hofstra 100, the University’s strategic plan, we are pleased to announce new interdisciplinary course offerings designed to bring faculty expertise together in the classroom. These courses give students the opportunity to explore topics across subject areas while also completing degree requirements.
Most problems — and nearly all of society’s major challenges — are complex, multifaceted, and require diverse perspectives and skills to address. Interdisciplinary education enhances both job readiness and adaptability for future careers. Hofstra’s longstanding tradition of delivering an outstanding liberal arts education — combined with its wide range of career-focused programs in business, engineering, communication, and health professions — positions the University to offer relevant and integrated interdisciplinary courses and programs.
To explore available course offerings, visit Hofstra’s dynamic course schedule.
Fall 2026 Courses
Nicole Clarity, Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations, and Rosanna Perotti, Political Science
This course will examine how elections are contested in the United States and how the media cover those elections, with an emphasis on the 2026 legislative and Congressional elections. Who can be expected to turn out to vote, and why? How will concerns about voter access and election security shape the way votes are cast and counted? How will decisions made around reapportionment and redistricting affect the outcome in these elections? What policy issues will most likely affect these off-year elections, and how are the media covering these issues? What strategies will be available to incumbents, challengers, and candidates for open seats? How will money affect the races and their outcome? How should news consumers and media professionals interpret polls conducted during these campaigns? Finally, how good a job have the media done at covering these campaigns in the past? How well are the media representing all voices in their communities?
- Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs: PSC 151N
- The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication: JRNL 180T
John Tsiforas, Director of Law & Technology and Analytics; and Visiting Professor, School of Law, and Alex Pelaez, Professor of Information Systems and Business Analytics, School of Business
This interdisciplinary, simulation-based course brings together law, business, and information technology (i.e., cybersecurity and computer science) graduate students to collaboratively manage the lifecycle of information governance, cyber incident response, and litigation response involving electronically stored information (“ESI”).
Students will assume cross-functional roles within a simulated corporate environment (General Counsel, CISO, Chief Compliance Officer, and Business Continuity Manager) to develop and implement information governance frameworks, draft cyber breach response plans, and design litigation response plans.
The course employs a progressive, semester-long simulation where teams establish information governance polices and respond to a (1) a lawsuit scenario involving data identification, preservation, and collection requirements; and (2) organizational data breach scenario involving governance, compliance, regulatory response, and litigation challenges; and then reflect upon their preparedness for these crises. Students will integrate legal and ethical reasoning, technical analysis, and business strategy under time-sensitive conditions.
- School of Law: LAW 3615
- Frank G. Zarb School of Business: IT 257B
- DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science: CSC290XX
Kenyatta Beasley, Music, and Kelcey Edwards, Radio, Television, Film
This class will examine the intersectional relationship of music and video production from the musical score as an integral element of cinema to the contemporary practice of filming and editing live music performances through music documentaries, live studio productions, and music videos. Through readings, screenings, and the analysis of works by classic and contemporary composers, students will explore the symbiotic relationship of film and music from historical, technological, and theoretical perspectives. Students will have the opportunity to work with the same leading digital tools that have accelerated the revolution in independent music publishing and video production as they explore the narrative functions of music through hands-on audiovisual projects. Students will become familiar with the techniques and collaborative workflows of music composers and filmmakers in practical and creative ways. Projects include scored film projects and on-camera performances of original scores for music students, and music videos, short music documentaries, and live-to-tape broadcasts for film/television students. Through these projects students will gain familiarity and confidence in the collaborations involved in the cinematic interpretation of live and pre-recorded music as they develop their unique creative styles and approaches. Final evaluations will be based on technical and creative mastery as well as each student’s contributions to highly collaborative group work.
- School of Humanities and Fine Arts: MUS 180 A-Z
- MUSB 150B
- The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication: RTVF 181B
Nick Salter, Psychology, and Rebecca Natow, Specialized Programs in Education
This course will introduce students to leadership theories and practice from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students will learn leadership theories, the history of leadership analysis, leadership in different practice contexts (education, government, nonprofits, the corporate sector, etc.), and research on leadership approaches. Theoretical perspectives include industrial models, transformational leadership, servant leadership, and social change theory, among others. Additionally, approaches to leadership across different industries — from the corporate sector to non-profits to educational institutions — will be compared. The course will draw from multiple fields of leadership literature, including organizational psychology, education, and public policy. The goal of the course will be for the students to not only understand how different areas define leadership, but also how it manifests and is applied across different contexts.
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics: PSY 101D
To learn more about how these courses satisfy degree requirements, reach out to your academic advisor or advising@hofstra.edu.
Past Interdisciplinary Courses
Russell Chun, Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations, and Kathleen Wallace, Philosophy
This interdisciplinary (journalism/philosophy) course explores ethical issues in the uses and impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) (especially in the fields of journalism and communication). The course also explores AI’s impacts on how we think about creativity, authorship, truth and authenticity. Students will have an opportunity to use a variety of generative AI tools to gain a better understanding of their abilities and limitations.
Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs: PHI 051A
The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication: JRNL 180S
Nicholas Merna, Engineering, and Nicholas Santangelo, Biology
This course will examine the intersection of bioengineering and human physiology, applying engineering principles to physiological function, disease mechanisms, and medical innovation. Students will explore the mechanical, transport, and material properties underlying physiological systems and medical interventions. By integrating engineering analysis (Dr. Nicholas Merna) with biological function and disease pathology (Dr. Nicholas Santangelo), the course will provide a biological foundation in normal physiological function and the disruptions caused by disease. A popular method for studying physiological systems is through a pathophysiology approach, where exploring disease mechanisms helps reveal system design. This course will emphasize the pathophysiological basis of medical intervention by examining how disease disrupts normal function and how bioengineering solutions restore it. Students will analyze conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory failure, and renal dysfunction while also studying medical device design, including artificial hearts, dialysis, neuroprosthetics, and drug delivery systems. Designed for students in bioengineering, biology, and pre-medicine, this interdisciplinary course will strengthen analytical and problem-solving skills relevant to medicine, biomedical research, and medical device development. Engineering students will gain a deeper understanding of physiological function and disease symptoms, informing their designs. Biology students will learn the importance of quantifying physiological processes beyond conceptual understanding. Moreover, because physicians and bioengineers often work together to solve health issues, this course will emphasize the integration of physiological form and function with engineering quantification and development. By bridging these fields, students will gain both an appreciation for interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on experience in developing solutions to modern healthcare challenges.
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics: BIOL 137
School of Engineering and Applied Science: ENGG 81
Carolyn Dudek, Political Science, and Vicente Lledó-Guillem, Romance Languages and Literatures
This interdisciplinary course constitutes a political history of Europe as well as its current political dilemmas by means of literary analysis. This historical and political approach will be based mainly on the reading of the novel Tell Me Who I Am (2010) by the Spanish author Julia Navarro. The novel, which will be read in English, tells the story of a journalist who tries to write the biography of his great grandmother, Amelia Garayoa. The journalist is forced to travel both in time, from the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), through WWII (1939-1944), to the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989), and geographically, from Madrid to Paris, Barcelona, the Basque Country, Moscow, Berlin, Rome, Warsaw, and Athens to recreate the life of Amelia. The historical events that Amelia witnessed will allow students an opportunity to learn about the politics across Europe during the time the novel takes place and how that time period has shaped the politics of today. The dynamism of this interdisciplinary course will stem from students learning about similar concepts and events, but from very different disciplines. The literature faculty member will provide a literary critical analysis of the descriptions of historical events in the novel and will demonstrate the profound ideological impact literary elements of a political and historical narrative can have upon the reader. Simultaneously, the political science professor will utilize political theory to provide a complimentary perspective on what shaped these critical events that defined 20th-century Europe and continues to shape the 21st century.
The course can count towards the LT or IS distribution requirement, the major in Spanish, and the major and minor in Political Science and the minor in European Studies.
School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts: SPLT 050Q (LT)
Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs: PSC 154I
E. Christa Farmer, Geology, Environment, and Sustainability, and Margaret Hunter, Engineering
Recent trends suggest global average temperatures have risen 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels.. This course will combine geoscience and engineering best practices to examine the efficacy of several proposed technological methods intended to lower global average temperature, including ocean fertilization, sequestration in basalt, and seeding clouds with aerosols. The course will culminate in a challenge to students to imagine, design, and create their own methods for removing carbon from the atmosphere.
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics: GEOL 104H
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: ENGG 197B
Roche C. de Guzman, Engineering, and Yalan Xing, Chemistry
This course explores the fundamental principles of biomaterials from both a chemical and engineering perspective, emphasizing their design, synthesis, characterization, and applications in medicine and biotechnology. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of synthetic polymers, biopolymers, metals, ceramics, and composite biomaterials, along with their mechanical, chemical, and biophysiological properties. Topics will include polymer synthesis and characterization, biomaterial surface properties, host response to biomaterials, and regulatory considerations, including FDA safety and ISO 10993 biocompatibility standards.
Through a combination of lectures, literature reviews, case studies, and student-led presentations, students will analyze real-world applications in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and medical devices. The course will emphasize problem-solving and interdisciplinary collaboration, preparing students to select and design biomaterials for biomedical applications.
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics: CHEM 192
School of Engineering and Applied Science: ENGG 118
Russell Burke, Biology, and Irma Hidayana, Population Health
This course will examine how environmental changes, biodiversity, and zoonotic diseases influence public health and global sustainability. Students will engage with case studies and data-driven analysis to understand how collaborative, cross-disciplinary approaches can address emerging health challenges. Key topics will include Zoonotic Disease Spillover & Pandemics (e.g., COVID-19, H5N1, Ebola); Climate Change and Vector-Borne Disease Emergence (e.g., malaria, dengue, Lyme disease); Habitat Destruction and Its Role in Emerging Infectious Diseases; Antimicrobial Resistance at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface; Biodiversity Loss and Its Impact on Ecosystem and Human Health; Food Security, Industrial Agriculture and Infectious Disease Transmission; Environmental Pollutants and Their Effects on Public Health; and Global Health Policy, One Health Strategies and Pandemic Preparedness. By integrating perspectives from medicine, ecology, and biological sciences, this course equips students with the skills to tackle complex health issues in an ever-changing world.
School of Health Science: HPR 179DD
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics: BIOL 198D
Susan DeMetropolis, Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences, and Craig Rustici, English
This interdisciplinary course will equip students with the knowledge and skills to advocate for the rights and well-being of individuals in long-term care settings. Team-taught by faculty from disability and rehabilitation studies, this course explores the legal, ethical, and systemic issues affecting residents in long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and home-based care. Students will engage in hands-on training, case studies, and fieldwork to develop effective communication, mediation, and policy advocacy skills. Students will also interact with community partners in the New York State Department of Aging, the Family and Children’s Association, and the Family Service League. Introductions to the interdisciplinary academic study of disability and aging will empower students to analyze both their fieldwork and wider controversies concerning, for example, advance directives or perceived quality of life. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to serve as ombudsmen, ensuring quality care, dignity, and empowerment for long-term care residents. This course may be used as an elective in programs in Health Science, Community Health, and Disability Studies. Students will also be able to earn internship credit in subsequent semesters when they volunteer as Long-Term Care Ombudsmen.
HCLAS: DSST 150D (DL)
School of Health Science: HPR 179CC
- AI in Healthcare: Innovation, Ethics, and Business Strategy
- Art, Memory, and Healing: An Exploration Through Art Therapy, Studio Art, and Art History
- I Want My MTV: The Intersectional Relationship Between Music & the Moving Image
- Medical Narratives: Expressing and Exploring the Experience of Patient Care
- Leadership in Action
Find a program that fits your goals. Learn across diverse fields. Join a community that truly cares about you.