Interdisciplinary Studies: Design Your Degree
ONLINE & ON-CAMPUS
Chart Your Own Path.Chart Your Own Path
Complete your bachelor's degree on your schedule with a program tailored to your goals.
The Interdisciplinary Studies program offers a flexible, 100% online-optional degree path. Design a course of study that aligns with your unique passions and career goals by combining insights from multiple disciplines.
Program at a Glance
Study on Your Schedule
Complete your degree 100% online if desired or choose a mix of online and on-campus courses.
Structured Course of Study
Build your bachelor's degree around a focused 36-hour concentration tailored to your personal and professional goals.
Prior-Learning Option
Apply your eligible prior learning toward your degree requirements through the optional IDST 250 portfolio course.
Shape Your Degree Path
Select one of 11 concentrations or request a custom focus to match your goals.
Explore Our Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Discover the pathway that fits your career goals.
11 Pathways
- Arts
- Business
- Education
- Health
- Humanities
- Organization and Communication of Ideas
- Science
- Social and Behavioral
- Social Justice and Equity Studies
- Sustainability
- Technology
60 Hours
Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies
The Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies provides a flexible path toward your academic and career goals. This 60-credit-hour program allows you to customize your curriculum across focus areas like Business, Health, and Technology. It is the ideal choice to consolidate previous college credits, earn a valuable credential for workplace advancement, or create a seamless bridge into a four-year bachelor's degree.
120 Hours
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies offers maximum flexibility for students seeking a customized four-year degree. You will combine coursework across distinct academic disciplines, including high-demand areas like Business, Technology, and Science. Available 100% online or on campus, the BIS empowers you to apply transfer credits toward a targeted degree tailored to your specific career path.
Have Questions? Text Us!
Need more information about our program or have specific questions? Text The School of Leadership and Professional Studies directly! We're here to help you with everything from admissions to program details.
Text Us At: 270-721-8539Please note, this number cannot receive phone calls.
What You Can Do With a BIS
Organizations value professionals who can connect ideas across fields to solve complex challenges. Interdisciplinary Studies gives you the flexibility to select complementary courses from different disciplines suited to your career goals.
As a transfer student or working adult, you develop cross-disciplinary problem solving and adaptable thinking skills that prepare you for promotions and broader workplace opportunities. Because you can complete your interdisciplinary studies degree 100% online, you maintain momentum at work while finishing on your schedule.
How You Move Through the Program
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies provides a clear, flexible path to graduation. You can complete it 100% online if desired, or mix online and on-campus courses. Choose an entry path tailored to your background, then select an established concentration or design a custom curriculum to fit your goals.
Finish Your Degree on Your Schedule
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies gives you a structured pathway to complete your degree. You can take your courses 100% online or choose a mix of online and on-campus classes. You meet with your advisor each semester before registration.
Balance Your Education and Career
Complete your degree 100% online while balancing professional commitments and personal responsibilities. Select a focused concentration that builds cross-disciplinary problem solving skills to help you pursue a promotion or new workplace opportunities. You can also explore the IDST 250 prior-learning portfolio option, though portfolio credit may not exceed one-fourth of the major or minor, or one-fourth of the hours required for the degree.
Change Your Major to Interdisciplinary Studies
If you are currently enrolled at WKU and considering a change of major, this degree offers a flexible path to graduation. You can select an established concentration or request a custom focus that fits your academic goals. Contact advisor Brandy Lasiter at brandy.lasiter@wku.edu to explore your options.
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Finish Your Degree. Advance Your Career.
Student Spotlight
As a single mother working full-time, the flexibility of the BIS program allowed me to take classes for personal and professional growth without having to put life on hold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find clear answers to common questions about degree flexibility, concentration options, and academic policies for the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.
Yes. You can complete your degree 100% online if desired, or you can choose a mix of online and on-campus courses. This flexibility allows you to complete your studies on a schedule suited to your personal and professional needs.
Yes. While you can choose from 11 established concentration areas, you may also design an individualized curriculum to fit your goals. A custom concentration requires a written request approved by your advisor, the Director, and the Dean.
You may explore the IDST 250 prior-learning portfolio option to demonstrate your learning. Portfolio credit may not exceed one-fourth of the major or minor, or one-fourth of the hours required for the degree.
Yes. Degree plans may include no more than 24 credit hours in any single discipline. In addition, you can take no more than 30 credit hours in courses administered by the Gordon Ford College of Business.
Yes. Western Kentucky University offers a separate Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) degree. You can explore requirements for the associate program in the undergraduate catalog.
View Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies Catalog Requirements ↗
Who to Talk With
Advising is required each semester before registration to support your on-time graduation.
Dr. Anne Heintzman
Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies Program Coordinator
GRH 2022
Cortney S. Basham
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Program Coordinator
GRH 2018
Find Your Place in WKU Interdisciplinary StudiesFind Your Place in WKU Interdisciplinary Studies
Join the Hilltopper community at Western Kentucky University and complete a flexible degree designed to help you finish on your schedule and advance your career.
THE SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
1906 College Heights Blvd. #41031,
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1031
270-745-4890
Program Info
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