MDST Core Curriculum

As part of your degree, you must take a few classes that help you build clarity and confidence in the central purpose of your MDST degree and, more importantly, your ability to tell this story to others, such as the applications you will be making to jobs, grad school etc. These courses are taught by departmental faculty as well as professors from other departments.

Required courses

A writing intensive introduction to interdisciplinary studies usually taken during the sophomore second semester or junior year. Meets “WI” (Writing Intensive) requirements for GEP general education requirements. How can the insights from various disciplines inform our understanding of difficult issues? This course explores the methods of different academic disciplines and their implications for an interdisciplinary understanding of complex problems. Each year students will examine a compelling issue (e.g., AIDS, energy policy) by integrating the contributions of several disciplines. Students will develop skills in interdisciplinary research and problem solving, oral and written communication, and in integrating diverse perspectives.

Department permission required.
Prerequisite: You must complete ENGL 100 or equivalent with a C or better.

With consultation from degree mentors, students with an approved degree plan will develop and submit a proposal for a capstone project. Strategies for conducting interdisciplinary research and designing a cohesive, integrated, manageable project will be discussed.

Department permission required.
Prerequisite: Completion of INDS 330 with a C or better

An independent study or other creative effort demonstrating the accomplishment of the approved objectives in the student’s degree proposal. Permission to register will be granted from the Interdisciplinary Studies Office after the student submits a written statement describing the capstone project, which has been approved and signed by the faculty advisors.

Department permission required.
Prerequisite: INDS480 with a grade of C or better.

We strongly recommend that students gain professional experience in the field in which they plan to work. You may take INDS 410 as a way to gain credit for doing research and internships relevant to your degree. Students are required to add the 0-credit PRAC 98A to provide a richer experience through the Career Center.

Department permission required.

OR

A seminar course that examines the integrative nature of interdisciplinary studies applied to a specific focus. Different instances of the course deal with fundamentally different topics that each cut across academic disciplines. Each instance of the course is usually offered for 3 credits, but the course is repeatable for a maximum of 6 credits.

In the past, INDS 430 has covered such topics as:

  • Kinetic Sculpture
  • Interactive Food Game Design
  • Astrobiology

Department permission required.

Recommended/Optional Course Offerings

INDS students with an approved degree plan may create an independent study with the approval and guidance of a UMBC faculty mentor. This course enables the student to pursue study in a field that may not be offered in a traditional course format so long as he has support from a faculty member.

Department permission required.