Program Description
The purpose of the Special Interdisciplinary Major (SIM) is to permit exceptional students to complete a degree at Puget Sound through a course of study that draws upon the curricula of two or more departments, schools, or programs. The SIM may be in a recognized interdisciplinary field or in an emergent field. The course of study is designed by the student in concert with a multi-disciplinary faculty committee. The plan of study must present a coherent program in the liberal arts and include strong methodological grounding in the relevant disciplines. The plan of study must also include upper-division coursework sufficient for the student to develop knowledge and analytic tools sophisticated enough to permit interdisciplinary synthesis. The student must demonstrate this knowledge and analytical skill by preparing and publicly presenting a senior thesis or project.
The purpose of a SIM is not to dilute an existing major, but to allow students to pursue areas of study that cannot adequately be addressed through existing majors, minors, and programs. For some students the pursuit of a SIM may be preferable to the completion of a double major.
The SIM is supervised by a principal advisor from a relevant department with a committee of two or more other faculty members. At least one of the committee members must have their primary appointment in a different department or program from that of the principle advisor. All three committee members supervise implementation of the SIM, approve changes when necessary, and certify completion of the approved course of study.
Examples
- Tovah Gordon '21, Ethnic Studies in Visual Culture
- Noah Thomas '20, Digital Media and Communications
- Amanda Diaz '19, American Studies
- Daniel Parecki '08, Politics of Health Care