Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts, B.A.

Associate Professor Gretchen Elizabeth Smith, Director

The major in interdisciplinary studies provides an opportunity for outstanding students to design programs that bring together multiple disciplines within the Meadows School of the Arts. Another option is to combine a discipline or disciplines housed in the Meadows School of the Arts with areas of study found elsewhere in the University for the purpose of exploring new forms of artistic expression or communication. Academically qualified students may explore the possibility of a specialized major with the program director. If the proposed plan appears to have merit, the program director will suggest faculty advisers who can provide further assistance in designing the program.

Program Description

Students with at least a 3.000 GPA in the first 24 credit hours taken through enrollment at SMU are eligible to pursue the program. The program consists of individually designed majors in the arts of at least 36 term hours, with a minimum of at least 24 credit hours of advanced courses (3000 level or above). At least two-thirds of the courses that count toward the major must be taken in the Meadows School of the Arts. The program must satisfy all University-wide requirements and all other University and Meadows School graduation requirements. Students are responsible for fulfilling all prerequisites for courses taken. This program is designed to allow exceptional students an opportunity to design an interdisciplinary program; it is not intended to be a way of avoiding divisional requirements. Certain Meadows courses are open only to majors or by audition. Admission to such courses is at the discretion of the faculty of the division in which such courses are offered. The degree will be identified as a Bachelor of Arts. The transcript will refer to the major as “Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts.” A note on the transcript will denote the specialization. Students intending to seek admission to graduate schools are encouraged to include at least 30 hours of a coherent set of courses in an identifiable disciplinary field.

Administrative Procedures

The Meadows Academic Policies Committee shall have the final authority to approve all specialized programs. In order to initiate discussion of a specialized major, a student must submit to the program director a preliminary plan of study in the form of a brief statement of goals and a course list made in consultation with appropriate faculty advisers. A number of steps must be completed prior to declaring the major:

1. If the program director approves the program, the student and the faculty advisers must form a supervisory committee with a minimum of three members. The supervisory committee will provide advice and guidance to the student. At least two members, including the chair of the committee, shall be resident members of the Meadows School faculty. The chair of the committee will normally be the faculty adviser.
2. The student will submit a formal plan of study to the supervisory committee. The plan of study must include a proposal for a special project such as a thesis, exhibition or performance. Satisfactory completion (in the judgment of the supervisory committee) of this special project is a requirement. If the commit-tee approves the plan, it must then be submitted to the program director, who will submit it to the Meadows Academic Policies Committee for approval.
3. Once approved by the Meadows Academic Policies Committee, the plan will be transmitted to the Office of the Meadows Associate Dean for Students. The plan of study normally should be submitted to the Meadows Academic Policies Committee for approval before the completion of 60 total credit hours of coursework.
4. The chair of the supervisory committee and the program director will recommend candidates for graduation. The chair of the supervisory committee will certify that the required project has been completed to the satisfaction of the committee. The supervisory committee may recommend that the degree be awarded with distinction if the GPA in the courses required for the major exceeds or equals 3.500 and if the project is deemed excellent. The Associate Dean for Students will be responsible for verifying and certifying graduation requirements.

SMU Degree Requirements

An SMU undergraduate degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours and must include completion of the University’s Common Curriculum , one major and a combination of electives and/or other majors or minors. Completion of certain majors requires more than 120 hours to finish the degree.