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• Provisional Bulletin Independent Interdisciplinary Guidelines
• Independent Interdisciplinary Major Guidelines
• Frequently Asked Questions about Independent Interdisciplinary Majors 
• The Role of Advisors of Independent Interdisciplinary Majors
• Downloadable Forms

Independent Interdisciplinary Major (IIM) Guidelines

Independent Interdisciplinary Majors offer students with interdisciplinary intellectual interests the opportunity to design a course of study not available in the regular curriculum.  Each Independent Interdisciplinary Major is designed around a topic, theme, issue, or set of questions that cannot be adequately addressed within the context of existing majors or minors.  A proven record of academic achievement, seriousness of purpose, and intellectual curiosity are prerequisites for this endeavor.  The skills necessary to pursue an Independent Interdisciplinary Major include the ability to work independently, to analyze and synthesize materials from different disciplines, and to work one-on-one in sustained dialogue with faculty members.  If you are considering an Independent Interdisciplinary Major, please note the following:

Your Independent Interdisciplinary Major must be designed in collaboration with three faculty members from at least two different departments.  While it is acceptable to have faculty from the International Business School, or from the Heller Graduate School, the primary adviser must be a faculty member from the College of Arts and Sciences.

When you meet with prospective faculty advisors, try to ascertain their availability for the duration of your course of study (i.e., are they planning a leave or sabbatical in the next few years?) and assess their willingness to provide the time and attention your project will require, especially in your senior year.

To become an Independent Interdisciplinary Major, you must present and receive approval of a proposal no later than the end of your junior year.  The proposal should describe the role each potential course plays in your curriculum and how the various courses relate to one another.  In addition to discussing your intellectual, academic and career goals, please address the following questions:

• Is this major more desirable than two separate majors or a combination of major and minor? 
• Why is this?
• How does this new major contribute to your intellectual development? 
• Do your academic plans also include completion of another major and/or minor at Brandeis?

The proposal consists of four parts: the proposed curriculum forms, a proposal statement no longer than three pages in length, a letter of endorsement signed by all three members of the faculty committee, and evidence of comparable majors offered at other colleges and universities.  Please read Frequently Asked Questions About Independent Interdisciplinary Majors and use the attached checklist as a guide for completing all necessary steps. 

You will have an opportunity to discuss your proposal with a subcommittee of faculty members from the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) and the Committee on Academic Standing (COAS), which meets during the second half of each semester.  This group will evaluate your proposal and make recommendations to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, which grants final approval of all IIM proposals.

If your proposal is approved, plan to meet with your primary advisor at least once each semester to discuss your major and its evolution.

After you have selected your courses, written your proposal, and organized a group meeting with your advisors, please return your application to the Office of Academic Services, Usdan130, and schedule an appointment with the IIM coordinator, Jennifer Kim (she is also available to discuss your plans for an Independent Interdisciplinary Major at any point during the application process). 

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Frequently Asked Questions About Independent Interdisciplinary Majors

What do I do if I haven’t declared a major yet and am waiting to hear if my Independent Interdisciplinary Major is approved?
All students are required to declare a major by the end of sophomore year.  Even if you plan to propose an Independent Interdisciplinary Major or are waiting to learn if your Independent Interdisciplinary Major is approved you must go ahead and declare a standard major.  This can always be dropped at a later point.  Students must have a realistic back up major in case the IIM is not approved.

How many courses should I select?
Most Independent Interdisciplinary Majors consist of 12 courses (eleven courses and one independent study, IIM 98a/b, or ten courses and the two-semester IIM 99d, senior thesis courses).  It is not to your advantage to list more than 15 courses in sections I and II of the Proposed Curriculum for Independent Interdisciplinary Major petition.

Can course credit earned from study abroad, summer school, cross-registration, or domestic leave of absence count toward my Independent Interdisciplinary Major?
Yes, but at least 8 of the courses must be taken at Brandeis or through cross-registration.

Can "pass/fail" courses count toward an Independent Interdisciplinary Major?
As is true with any other major at the university, courses with a grade of “pass” can not count toward completion of an IIM.

Can language courses count toward my Independent Interdisciplinary Major?
Language courses numbered 40 and above may count toward an Independent Interdisciplinary Major, but those numbered below 40 cannot.

What are some of the pitfalls to avoid in selecting courses?
Do select courses from three or more departments.  Do not avoid the "hard" parts of a departmental major (i.e., Statistics, Organic Chemistry).  Try to find a mix of introductory and intermediate or advanced courses.  All selected courses should relate in a relatively obvious way to your topic, or you should explain the connection in your proposal.  If you are able to review the curricula of similar majors offered at other colleges and universities, you will most likely find appropriate course topics to include.  You must also be able to complete all selected courses in your time remaining at Brandeis.

How many courses may double count with another major and/or minor?
Due to the interdisciplinary nature of designing an IIM, no more than four courses may double count toward another major or two courses towards another minor.  No more than six courses may be used toward any additional major(s) or minor(s).

What exactly does the senior research or independent study component entail?
Students who wish to write a senior thesis for their Independent Interdisciplinary Majors enroll in IIM 99d, a two semester course in which a senior honors project or thesis is produced.  An independent study, IIM 98, is a one-semester course taken in either semester of the senior year.  For either a 98 or a 99, you must identify a faculty sponsor who will supervise your work and assign the course grade.  The academic requirements of an independent study usually include writing a paper and reading a selected set of books or other research documents.  Review the guidelines on the back of the Independent Study "add -form," available in the Office of the University Registrar, for more information.  Students can only enroll in a 99 or 98 course by submitting a completed form in person to the Office of the University Registrar.  Neither course can be registered for on the web.

How do I choose a good title for my Independent Interdisciplinary Major?
The title should resemble those used for similar majors at other institutions.  Because your title will be listed on your transcript, it should not be too specific (e.g. "Environmental Studies” is fine, but "Global Warming in the Developing World" is not).  It will also be stated on your diploma at the time of graduation. 

What should I include in my written proposal?
Proposals should discuss the topic's viability as a field of study, your intellectual and academic goals and post- Brandeis plans, the contribution of each course to the overall curriculum, and why this major is more desirable than a combination of majors and/or programs offered at Brandeis. 

When is my proposal due?
Proposals are reviewed once a semester with deadlines in mid-October and early March.  Check with the Office of Academic Services or the web site for exact dates.  Please note an Independent Interdisciplinary Major must be proposed before the end of your junior year.

Can I submit my IIM proposal the semester I am abroad?
Absolutely!  It however very important that you have worked closely with your advisors on your proposal and required senior capstone idea before you leave campus since it may be difficult when you are abroad.  Students have an option to sit before the IIM committee to give a brief overview about their IIM and answer any questions.  If you wish to partake in this, we can set up a conference call since you cannot be physically present.

Who will review the petition?
A subcommittee representing the four schools of the University (Creative Arts, Humanities, Science, and Social Science) and including two faculty members from the Committee on Academic Standing and two from the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee will meet once each semester to review your petition.  You are welcome to meet with the committee.  Meetings usually last about twenty minutes, and include a brief presentation by you, followed by questions from the committee.

What do I do after my proposal has been approved?
There is no need to complete a major declaration form for your approved IIM.  The Office of Academic Services will be sure that your IIM is added to your academic record.  However, be sure to meet with your primary advisor at least once per semester to review your progress.  You should also provide regular updates to the other members of your committee, and meet with them as needed.

What happens if a course I planned to take is no longer available?
You may revise the requirements of your major with the approval of your primary advisor.  When you make a revision to your major you will need to notify the Office of Academic Services in writing.  To do this, your primary advisor should e-mail the IIM coordinator with the planned changes.  The updated information will be put in your file.

What do I do if my primary advisor leaves the University for a semester before I graduate?
Ask your primary advisor to approve a temporary or permanent replacement to serve in his or her place while he or she is away.  You must maintain a permanent committee of three faculty advisors throughout your Independent Interdisciplinary Major studies at Brandeis.

Can I graduate with honors in my Independent Interdisciplinary Major?
Independent majors should achieve a 3.25 cumulative grade point average in order to be considered for "departmental" honors.  You must also complete the IIM 99d option, a senior honors project in your Independent Interdisciplinary Major.  Students enroll in IIM 99d for two semesters and receive the equivalent of eight credit hours (out of 128) or two courses (out of 32).  After your thesis advisor and other readers have read your thesis, they will recommend whether your work merits one of the three degrees of honors to your permanent committee of three faculty advisors.   

How does the University know if I have completed my requirements?
Towards the end of senior year, the Office of Academic Services will review your Independent Interdisciplinary Major declaration form (including documented changes) and work with you and your primary advisor to ascertain whether you have met all requirements for your major.

In which mini-commencement will I participate?
The Office of the University Registrar will contact you before graduation and ask you to select the mini-commencement ceremony you wish to attend.  Most students select the department of their primary advisor or the one in which they took the most courses.

Is there an Undergraduate Departmental Representative for Independent Interdisciplinary Majors?
Yes.  The name and contact information of the UDR for Independent Interdisciplinary Majors is available in the Office of Academic Services, and on the website of the Dean of Arts and Sciences Office at http://www.brandeis.edu/das/programs/udr/index.html.  The IIM UDR(s) look forward to answering any questions you might have about the process.

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The Role of Advisors of Independent Interdisciplinary Majors

You have been asked to serve as an advisor for a student's Independent Interdisciplinary Major.  To familiarize yourself with independent major advising, as well as the process students must follow to have their majors approved, you should read Frequently Asked Questions About Independent Interdisciplinary Majors on this web site.  Please note that all faculty advisors for independent majors are expected to serve as a resource to the student throughout his or her studies at Brandeis.  For students pursuing Independent Interdisciplinary Major honors, it is the committee of three advisors that will decide on the level of honors to be awarded. 

One required component of an Independent Interdisciplinary Major petition is a letter of support signed by the three faculty advisors, and usually authored by the primary advisor.  In assessing this project, please review the student's transcript and proposal, and then evaluate and include in the letter a discussion of:

• The topic's viability as a discrete area of intellectual inquiry (Are similar undergraduate majors offered at other colleges and universities?  Is the proposed major more desirable than a combination of majors and/or minors already offered at Brandeis?)
• It is encouraged that the student selects a balance of courses from at least two but preferably three or more departments.
• The appropriateness, breadth, and depth, of the proposed curriculum.
• The interrelationship of the courses.
• The candidate's qualifications to undertake this project.  While there are no absolute criteria for judging a student’s qualifications, you should examine the student’s transcript for evidence of academic achievement, and/or try to determine the student’s ability to work well independently.
• The title of the major (ideally, a title should resemble that of other majors, e.g. Environmental Studies or East Asian Studies, and not be too specific, e.g., not "The Chinese Bureaucracy in the 18^th Century,” or "Global Warming in the Developing World").
• Any other factors you think would be helpful to the Committee as it reviews the petition.

The primary advisor of a student's Independent Interdisciplinary Major will meet periodically (at least once a semester) with the student to review progress toward completion of courses constituting the major.  This review is necessary because irregularly scheduled courses can impede a student's graduation plans.  Changes in a program must be approved by the primary advisor and copied in an e-mail to the IIM coordinator. 

The IIM coordinator in the Office of Academic Services will be responsible for certifying completion of the student's program prior to graduation.  Any approved changes made to the original proposed courses should be e-mailed periodically to the coordinator and will be updated in the student’s file.

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Downloadable Forms

• Complete Independent Interdisciplinary Major Packet
• Electronic version of the Independent Interdisciplinary Major petition

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