Interdisciplinary Scholar – A 21st Century Term for Renaissance Man

First in a two-part series

Leaders in business and the government have been saying for years that universities need to change the way that they educate students. For example, Donald Hanna, former Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Extension has written “… it is the performance of students in developing diverse perspectives and approaches to problem-solving, in gaining critical thinking skills, in honing the ability to work effectively in teams, and in establishing a pattern of continued learning in and out of the workplace that will define successful academic programs in the future.”

The program's goals are to produce graduates who can:

• Demonstrate appropriate depth and breadth of knowledge in their disciplines;

• Use skills of interdisciplinary scholarship and research to integrate multiple perspectives;

• Effectively communicate results of their research to diverse audiences;

• Use self-reflection for personal and professional improvement;

• Understand and value diverse approaches to problems; and

• Work effectively in collaborative environments.

Some people misunderstand how the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program differs from traditional Ph.D. programs and think that it is a different type of degree. In fact, the degree that is awarded is the same: a Ph.D. (i.e. Doctor of Philosophy). The fundamental difference is that students are required to demonstrate appropriate depth and breadth of knowledge in two disciplines as described below.

Students who apply to the program must select at least two different disciplines: a coordinating discipline and a co-discipline. The coordinating discipline is the primary area of study. This is usually determined based on the student having previous academic degrees in that discipline, professional experience in the area and the student plans to pursue positions in this discipline post-graduation. The co-discipline is the secondary area of study. This discipline adds breadth to the coordinating discipline by broadening the students’ perspective on issues, research questions and problem-solving abilities.

After joining the program, students select a major advisor, based on the goals of the student and the mutual interests of the faculty member. In addition to the advisor, four other faculty members comprise the student’s supervisory committee, which guides the student throughout the degree program. Because the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program is a self-directed program, the number of hours needed to complete the program will vary from student to student. However, each student is expected to complete at least 30 coursework hours and 12 dissertation hours.

Each student is also expected to pass a comprehensive examination that tests the student’s knowledge in their chosen disciplines and if successfully passed, the student proceeds to the dissertation stage. This starts with a dissertation proposal that defines the research problem and the methods that the student will use to address the problem. The pursuit of the problem and the written document that derives from it becomes the student’s dissertation.

The final step is the defense of the dissertation in which the student presents his/her research and answers questions in an open meeting with the supervisory committee and others who wish to attend. Acceptance of the dissertation by the committee and passing of the oral defense are the final academic achievements before awarding of the Ph.D. degree. The average time from enrollment to completion of the degree is approximately five years.

To learn more about UMKC Interdisciplinary Ph.D., visit the IPHD website.