BA in Independent Interdisciplinary Major (IIM) Program By Brandeis University |Top Universities

BA in Independent Interdisciplinary Major (IIM)

Main Subject Area

Communication and Media StudiesMain Subject Area

Program overview

Main Subject

Communication and Media Studies

Degree

BA

Study Level

Undergraduate

An independent interdisciplinary major (IIM) offers students with interdisciplinary intellectual interests the opportunity to design a course of study not available in the regular curriculum. Each IIM 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 IIM 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. An IIM must be designed in collaboration with three faculty members from at least two, preferably three, different departments. Although it is acceptable to have faculty from the International Business School or the Heller School, the primary adviser must be a faculty member from the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must present and receive approval of a proposal no later than the end of their junior year. The proposal should describe the role each potential course plays in their curriculum and how the various courses relate to one another. In addition to discussing their intellectual, academic, and career goals, students must address why designing an IIM is more desirable than completing two separate majors or a combination of major and minor. 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. The proposal will ultimately be reviewed by 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 the proposal and make recommendations to the UCC, which grants final approval of all IIM proposals.

Program overview

Main Subject

Communication and Media Studies

Degree

BA

Study Level

Undergraduate

An independent interdisciplinary major (IIM) offers students with interdisciplinary intellectual interests the opportunity to design a course of study not available in the regular curriculum. Each IIM 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 IIM 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. An IIM must be designed in collaboration with three faculty members from at least two, preferably three, different departments. Although it is acceptable to have faculty from the International Business School or the Heller School, the primary adviser must be a faculty member from the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must present and receive approval of a proposal no later than the end of their junior year. The proposal should describe the role each potential course plays in their curriculum and how the various courses relate to one another. In addition to discussing their intellectual, academic, and career goals, students must address why designing an IIM is more desirable than completing two separate majors or a combination of major and minor. 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. The proposal will ultimately be reviewed by 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 the proposal and make recommendations to the UCC, which grants final approval of all IIM proposals.

Admission requirements

Undergraduate

7+
Other English Language Requirements:  600 (paper-based TOEFL); 250 (computer-based TOEFL); 68 (PTE).
Jan-2000

Tuition fee and scholarships

Domestic Students

0 USD
-

International Students

0 USD
-

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Characterized by academic excellence since its founding in 1948, Brandeis is one of the youngest private research universities, as well as the only nonsectarian Jewish-sponsored college or university in the country.Named for the late Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis of the U.S. Supreme Court, Brandeis University combines the faculty and resources of a world-class research institution with the intimacy and personal attention of a small liberal arts college. For students, that means unsurpassed access--both in and out of the classroom--to a faculty renowned for groundbreaking research, scholarship, and artistic output. At Brandeis, professors bring newly-minted knowledge straight from the field or lab to the graduate and undergraduate classrooms.Brandeis supports an innovative and exciting program of learning that emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge and the solution of real-life problems. Undergraduates, from the very first year, enjoy leadership positions and research opportunities typically available only to upperclass and graduate students.Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, on 235 attractive suburban acres, Brandeis is in an ideal location just nine miles west of Boston.Brandeis is ranked in the top tier of the nation's universities. Our graduates depart to pursue careers in a wide array of fields, and advanced studies in the nation's leading graduate and professional schools.

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Characterized by academic excellence since its founding in 1948, Brandeis is one of the youngest private research universities, as well as the only nonsectarian Jewish-sponsored college or university in the country.Named for the late Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis of the U.S. Supreme Court, Brandeis University combines the faculty and resources of a world-class research institution with the intimacy and personal attention of a small liberal arts college. For students, that means unsurpassed access--both in and out of the classroom--to a faculty renowned for groundbreaking research, scholarship, and artistic output. At Brandeis, professors bring newly-minted knowledge straight from the field or lab to the graduate and undergraduate classrooms.Brandeis supports an innovative and exciting program of learning that emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge and the solution of real-life problems. Undergraduates, from the very first year, enjoy leadership positions and research opportunities typically available only to upperclass and graduate students.Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, on 235 attractive suburban acres, Brandeis is in an ideal location just nine miles west of Boston.Brandeis is ranked in the top tier of the nation's universities. Our graduates depart to pursue careers in a wide array of fields, and advanced studies in the nation's leading graduate and professional schools.

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