Independent Interdisciplinary Major
An independent interdisciplinary major (IIM) offers students with diverse academic interests the opportunity to design a course of study not available in the regular curriculum at Brandeis.
To pursue an IIM, you’ll propose a course of study, drawing on at least three departments, that will enable you to probe your topic through a variety of lenses, perspectives, and schools of thought. Proposal requirements include:
- A rigorous and coherent selection of 12 courses
- The support of three faculty members from at least two different departments
- Curricula from comparable programs at 3-4 peer institutions
- A senior capstone project
Examples of some recently completed independent majors include Technology: Ethics and Politics, Environmental Science, Black Music Studies, and Development and Migration Studies.
IIM Proposal Deadlines:
Fall 2025 - Tuesday, October 21
Spring 2026 - Wednesday, March 18
Student Guide: Independent Major Proposal Process
Step 1: Meet with an IIM Advisor
Discuss your vision and potential alternatives
A successful IIM proposal requires a student to demonstrate that their proposed plan of study cannot reasonably be addressed within the context of existing majors or minors. The IIM Coordinators in Academic Services have the insight to help you determine whether an IIM is the best way to meet your goals; they can advise students about curricular offerings at Brandeis and, if it is the best course of action, how to begin the IIM proposal process. In addition, Undergraduate Departmental Representatives who are pursuing their own independent majors are available to answer questions from students considering this program. Arrange a meeting by emailing iim@brandeis.edu.
General timeline:
IIM proposal applications are accepted twice a year: October 21 for the Fall semester and March 18 for the Spring semester.
Students typically begin preparing their IIM materials at least one semester before submitting their proposal application. This allows for a truly collaborative effort between the student and their faculty advisors, which tends to lead to stronger student-faculty relationships and sufficient time to develop a viable proposal.
The most common time to submit an IIM proposal is the spring semester of sophomore year (fourth semester). The last opportunity for students to submit a proposal is fall of junior year (fifth semester). The IIM review committee will consider proposal applications from juniors in their second semester only with prior approval from the IIM Coordinator.
You should plan to complete your application about a month prior to submission to allow time for your faculty advisors to write you a letter of endorsement.
Step 2: Work with faculty members to develop your program
Define your program with faculty input.
Following an initial consult with the IIM Coordinator, the next step is to find supportive faculty members to help develop your ideas and program of study. Independent majors are interdisciplinary in nature, so speak with faculty members in one or more departments to explore multidisciplinary perspectives.
Choose advisors.
Eventually, you will ask three faculty members to serve as your advisors and write in support of your application. You must find one primary faculty advisor and two secondary faculty advisors who will serve as a resource throughout your studies at Brandeis. Your primary advisor will help with the proposal process, and will meet with you at least once a semester to review your progress. Your secondary advisors will also help you with the proposal process, offering suggestions and edits to your curriculum and evaluating its viability.
Students should consider whether the faculty they choose as advisors are guaranteed to be on-campus for the duration of their studies. Where possible, students should select advisors with the title of Professor (Assistant, Associate, or Full). If a student has an advisor in mind without these titles, or if they’re otherwise unsure, they should consult with the IIM Coordinator.
You should share our guidelines for IIM faculty advisors with the faculty members that you choose so that they have a clear understanding of their responsibilities as an advisor in the program.
Consider your Senior Capstone.
Every IIM student must complete a culminating Senior Capstone project; this will entail either independent research (the equivalent of one one-semester course) or writing a thesis (the equivalent of one two-semester course).
The goal for both capstone options is to enable you to engage deeply with your subject, work one-on-one with a professor, and contribute original scholarship to an academic discipline or disciplines.
You may choose a different advisor for your senior thesis, if this is in keeping with your research focus and is approved by your core faculty advisors.
Keep program requirements in mind.
| Coursework | Each IIM comprises 12 courses: 10-11 departmental courses and 1-2 semesters of Senior Capstone. Coursework should address multidisciplinary perspectives and provide both depth and breadth. |
| Foundational Literacies | You should identify the three distinct courses that fulfill the required foundational literacy categories within your IIM: Writing Intensive (WI), Oral Communication (OC), Digital Literacy (DL) |
| Experiential Learning | Whether through independent study, extra-curricular opportunities, or study abroad, experiential learning is an important component of interdisciplinary study. Students should consult with their faculty advisors and an IIM Coordinator about earning major credit for experiential learning/study abroad. |
| Honors | To qualify for departmental honors, students must achieve a 3.25 cumulative GPA and complete a senior thesis under a faculty member’s supervision. Honors candidates are expected to design a significant and independent year-long research program, culminating in the writing and oral defense of an original thesis. The level of departmental honors is determined by the student’s thesis committee. |
Step 3: The IIM Proposal
IIM proposals include:
- An IIM Application form (pdf) (this includes a cover sheet and your proposed course curriculum),
- A written proposal, describing in 3-4 pages:
- A description of your proposed major
- Your rationale for pursuing an IIM instead of an established program/combination of programs
- An overview/explanation of your curricular choices
- An explanation of how this major is relevant to you and your future goals
- A signed letter of support from your faculty advisors
- A copy of 3-4 comparable program descriptions from other colleges/universities
For details on how to fill out the application form and the specific information needed in the written proposal, please see the Proposal Guide.
Proposals must be submitted via email to iim@brandeis.edu as a single pdf document.
Review Process
IIM proposals are reviewed once each semester by the IIM subcommittee. The IIM subcommittee is made up of four faculty members, one from each of the four schools (Science, Humanities, Social Science and Creative Arts), the Senior Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences for Undergraduate Education and the IIM Coordinator in the Office of Academic Services. They meet once a semester to review students' proposals and make final approvals. The subcommittee pays careful attention to the interdisciplinary and liberal arts context of the IIM, the coherence of the set of classes and how the IIM fits into the student's overall academic plan.
“The week before I proposed [my IIM], I met three of my professors for lunch at the Faculty Club. Their confidence in my ability to create a special major that would address a field that is constantly changing, innovating and growing fueled my own.”
Michael Heldman ’20