Individualized Studies Major - Learn More

An Individualized Studies Major involves 36 or more credits. 5 of these credits come from courses required for the ISM; the remaining 31+ are courses you will identify as the designer of your own Individualized Studies Major: 15+ from one prefix, allowing you to delve into a disciplinary area; 15+ from other disciplines relevant to your focus. 

At the heart of your Individualized Studies Major will lie a set of 1-3 questions that demonstrate integrative inquiry: asking meaningful questions by synthesizing multiple bodies of knowledge to address real-world problems and issues. These questions will give rise to the brief, engaging, and informative title that sums up the focus of your Individualized Studies Major: e.g. Arts Organizations in the 21st Century; Space Tourism; Environmental Citizenship. The questions you want and need to ask will take you to your own title.

A proposal process, revolving around an Individualized Studies Plan, will help you discuss and refine plans with key supporters, mentors, and resources on campus including one or more faculty advisers; Center for Integrative Learning faculty and staff; other campus faculty and staff who can help you develop your project; and any relevant community partners locally and internationally. During this process you will identify the courses that will best allow you to answer your major’s key questions and develop a curricular pathway that will ensure you can complete these courses (and relevant prerequisites) within the four years of your bachelor’s degree.

An approved Individualized Studies Major revolves around creating a Web Portfolio to share your project with a wider audience: you will explain your title and questions and  why they matter; document the courses you are taking and how they connect so you can explore your questions; identify and explain discoveries you are making along the way; link together experiences related to the ISM, including professional development, co-curricular activities, and civic engagement; and showcase your final capstone.

The Center for Integrative Learning is here to help you with this process. This informational video (coming soon!) will take you through the process and our FAQs (coming soon) answer common questions; we also host regular information sessions and are happy to arrange 1:1 meetings virtually or in person. To start the proposal process, please review the ISM criteria and submit an Interest Form; the Director of the Center for Integrative Learning will contact you for a 1:1 meeting to help you start developing your proposal. We look forward to collaborating with you!