Jan 03, 2026  
USC Catalogue 2022-2023 
    
Catalog Navigation
  Catalogue Home
  About USC
  Administration
  Admission and Orientation
  Tuition and Fees
  Academic Calendar
  The Schools and Academic Units
  Programs, Minors and Certificates
  Programs by School
  Courses of Instruction
  Schedule of Classes
  Academic and University Policies
  Undergraduate Education
  Graduate and Professional Education
  The Graduate School
  About the Catalogue
  Past Catalogues (Online)
  Past Catalogues (PDF)
HELP
USC Catalogue 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOGUE]

Interdisciplinary Studies

Return to: USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences  

Grace Ford Salvatori Hall, Suite 320
(213) 740-2961
Email: fliegel@usc.edu
dornsife.usc.edu/IDM
Faculty Director: Thomas Gustafson, PhD

Director: Richard Fliegel, PhD

Interdisciplinary Major

The interdisciplinary major allows students to create an individual, original major. It is a flexible option available when a combination of existing majors and academic minors does not adequately fulfill a student’s educational goals. With close advisement, students can build their own programs of study.

The interdisciplinary major is an intensive research program for students with a focused interest in a topic that requires study from more than one disciplinary perspective. Interdisciplinary majors are usually self-motivated students with good writing skills and an intellectual passion for a particular area of inquiry. Course work is selected to lead to a thesis project integrating the areas of research comprising the interdisciplinary major.

Admission

Admission to the interdisciplinary major is by application. Applications, which may be obtained from the program office, are considered by a special admissions committee. Interested students must have a GPA of 3.0 (A = 4.0) or above; those with less than a 3.3 are the exception.

Program Requirements

Students in the program must meet all graduation requirements of USC Dornsife College. When admitted, students establish an academic “contract,” which outlines each student’s course of study through graduation. The contract includes a minimum of nine (4-unit) upper-division courses, distributed in at least two fields. The primary focus of the major should be in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. These areas of concentration must then be combined in a senior thesis, written under the supervision of the student’s Guidance Committee.

Restrictions

Course prerequisites cannot be waived; admission to courses restricted to majors is subject to availability and direct negotiations; admission to departments and/or schools that have their own admission requirements must be processed separately.

Programs

Bachelor’s Degree

Minor

Courses

Interdisciplinary Major Program

  • INDS 100 Topical and Multidisciplinary Seminars

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Max Units: 12.0
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    Small group investigation from an interdisciplinary perspective.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 101 Directed Research and Tutorials

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    Research and study with L.A.S. Faculty Associates and other faculty.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 102 Field Study

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    In-service experience in a variety of off-campus institutions under the supervision of an L.A.S. Faculty Associate.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 300 Topical and Multidisciplinary Seminars

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Max Units: 12.0
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    See INDS 100  for description.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 301 Directed Research and Tutorials

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    See INDS 101  for description.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 302 Field Study

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    See INDS 102  for description.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 400 Topical and Multidisciplinary Seminars

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Max Units: 12.0
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    See INDS 100  for description.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 401 Directed Research and Tutorials

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    See INDS 101  for description.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 402 Field Study

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    See INDS 102  for description.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter

  • INDS 494 Senior Thesis

    Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
    Terms Offered: FaSp
    Writing the IDM senior thesis under the supervision of a faculty qualifying exam committee.
    Instruction Mode: Lecture
    Grading Option: Letter