Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies
Freedom. Flexibility. Possibility. There’s something about an online liberal arts degree that allows you to pursue an education based upon your own passions and interests. NU’s BA in Interdisciplinary Studies is designed to provide you with a well-rounded education that focuses on reasoning, intellect, and ethical development. With this knowledge, you’ll be equipped for a broad range of professional pursuits beyond graduation.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American will change jobs more than 10 times over the course of their career, and those moves don’t necessarily happen within the same industry. No matter where your career path takes you, this rich and rigorous curriculum can prepare you for career options in our ever-changing cultural and economic environment. You’ll develop a strong background in research and writing and well-rounded critical thinking skills, which are valued by employers in just about any field.
Preparation for the Major
LIT 100 Introduction to Literature – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
An overview of the main genres of literature, including fiction, poetry and drama. Examines literary language and different approaches to literary criticism designed to increase student confidence when responding to literature.
ENG 310 English Grammar – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Analysis of Modern English structure using the methods of traditional grammar. Topics studied: parts of speech, grammatical functions, phrase, clause, and sentence types, and nominal and verbal categories. Nature and usefulness of prescriptive rules of grammar. How to teach traditional grammar as presented in the secondary English curriculum. Instruction will encourage students to demonstrate critical understanding of traditional grammar, of contemporary syntactic analysis, and of the strengths and weaknesses of those systems in secondary education.
OR ENG 375 Nature Writing – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; ENG 240, or ENG 334A
An advanced course for students interested in using writing as a means of exploring the natural world. This course surveys nature writing in its various forms (essays, articles, poetry, journals, etc.) as well as effective nature writing strategies. This course is designed to give students a basis for future personal creative work.
HIS 220A United States History I – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Survey of American history from pre-colonial times through Reconstruction. Explores economic, political, social and cultural factors that shaped the origins of the nation, including the Revolution, the Constitution and the Civil War. Special attention is paid to issues of race, class, gender and ethnicity. Includes study of the Constitution.
OR HIS 220B United States History II – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Survey of American history from Reconstruction to the present. Explores economic, political, social, and cultural factors that shaped the development of the nation, including industrialization, America’s emergence as a world power and the challenges of the late 20th century. Pays special attention to issues of race, class, gender and ethnicity.
Requirements for the Major
COM 380 Democracy in the Info. Age – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
A critical examination of the media and power in modern democracies. Covers theories of democratic participation and media responsibility, as measured against contemporary practices around the world. Explores effects of television news, popular access to video and electronic technologies, and global electronic networks on contemporary political and cultural discourse.
SOC 336 American Film and Society – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
A critical examination of the complex relationship between film and society and the processes by which film both influences and is influenced by society. Emphasizes the importance of locating the meaning of film texts within social and historical perspective and identifies how the film industry influences the presentation of different groups of people and issues in society. Explores the interrelationship between film and technology, the impact of narrative and the institution of Hollywood on the sociological imagination and the nature of representation, particularly as it applies to race, class and gender.
OR SOC 350 Cultural Diversity – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Examines race, gender, ethnicity and class in 20th century American society. Introduces students to methods for studying the changing nature of our society and explores ways in which our increasingly urbanized and technological culture affects all aspects of professional and unskilled work. May involve work in oral history.
BIS 301 Intro to Interdisc. Studies – 4.50
This course is designed to develop the mindset of a holistic thinker or inter-disciplinarian and that of a knowledge explorer, a participant observer and citizen leader in a culturally-diverse and interdependent world. The course is organized around instructional units and a number of related modules. It is based on a principle of “information-giving, information-receiving, and information-exchanging.” Emphasis is placed on reading, reflection, web resources and enrichment lectures, action research, writing, dialogue, and debate.
BIS 401 Interdisciplinary Practice: Integrating Disciplines with Technology – 4.50
Prerequisite: BIS 301 and four additional courses from the major
This course is a sequel to the introductory course interdisciplinary studies, BIS 301. It is the second of three course courses in the Bachelor of Arts program. It is a “how-to course” on interdisciplinary inquiry designed to provide students with an opportunity to use digital tools to explore and examine the assumptions and the relevance of connectivity between and among various disciplines on the College of Letters and Sciences. It is anticipated that the students will learn how to examine issues critically and approach problems holistically. They will also learn how to integrate the knowledge acquired in their program of study to date and create a space and a voice to demonstrate the practice of interdisciplinary.
Literature
LIT 321 American Literature I – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 240 and LIT 100
A survey of important American authors and literary trends through the late 19th century. Texts will be situated in relation to cultural, philosophical, social and historical contexts, e.g., Puritanism and its legacies, varieties of American Romanticism, debates over slavery and gender roles, formation of national identities.
LIT 322 American Literature II – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 240 and LIT 100
A survey of important American authors and literary trends from the late 19th century through the present. Texts will be situated in relation to cultural, philosophical, social and historical contexts. Particular attention will be paid to the modernist canon and to works by women and authors of color that respond to American literary heritage and social conditions.
LIT 338 Shakespeare – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 240 and LIT 100
An examination of major works of William Shakespeare.
LIT 345 Mythology – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 240 and LIT 100
An examination of mythology. This course recognizes that myth-making is a creative activity central to all cultures, including our own society. Students analyze and compare mythological narratives from a variety of cultures.
LIT 446 Studies in Poetry – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 240 and LIT 100
Focused study of a particular theme, genre, period, or author.
LIT 450 Studies in the Novel – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 240 and LIT 100
Focused study of a particular theme, genre, period, or author.
LIT 460 Gender and Literature – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 240 and LIT 100
A study of the representations of gender in literature to better understand changing literary aesthetics. Discusses assumptions about the ways gender permeates language and discourse.
Social Sciences
HIS 320 Culture of Global Capitalism – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Places contemporary cultural, economic and technological issues in a global and historical perspective. Examines the ways that capitalism, culture, and technology have interacted over the past 500 years to shape the places, peoples and societies that have come into existence in the modern world.
HIS 410 California History – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Through an historical and literary approach, this course examines the interaction of the hopes and dreams of the peoples of California from the arrival of the first peoples to the post-World War II boom. May involve work in oral history..
SOC 325 Popular Culture – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Introduces students to the concept and origins of popular culture and to social theories used by academics to analyze its impact on self and culture in modern consumer societies. Topics include mass media, TV, the internet, video games, sports, leisure, fashion, celebrity, shopping, advertising, and youth culture.
SOC 344 Love, Sex, and the Family – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Examines the institutions of marriage and family structures and their historical development. Topics include kinship, changing gender roles, changing family forms, divorce, domestic violence, and economic structure.
SOC 445 Contemporary Social Problems – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Uses the functionalist, conflict and interactionist perspectives, this course explains how human conditions come to be perceived as social problems, and how to evaluate their proposed solutions.
SOC 440 Power and Social Change – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
A critical examination of theories of power, including the relationship of power to culture, social class, the economic order, government, ideology, poverty, race, sex and other topics. Studies community, national and international power structures and institutional leaderships.
Behavioral Sciences
HUB 420 Human Communication – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; PSY 100
A study of the theoretical and practical aspects of interpersonal and group communication.
HUB 440 Organizational Development – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; PSY 100
A study of human relations and its relationship to organizational effectiveness through planned change and technological development.
PSY 426 History and Philosophy Psych – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; PSY 100
Explores the intellectual history and contemporary diversity of psychology in dialogue with a cultural understanding about the nature of the person. Topics include: psychology and science, philosophy of mind, functionalism, measurement, applied psychology, gestalt, behaviorism, the unconscious mind, phenomenological and existential psychology, clinical psychology and mental health, and qualitative perspectives.
PSY 427 Biological Psychology – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; PSY 100
A study of the way in which the brain mediates behavior, emotion, and cognition. Topics include sensory systems, neural development, emotion, learning, memory, consciousness, reproduction, and neurological and psychological disorders.
PSY 428 Developmental Psychology – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; PSY 100
A study of the major transitions from fetal development through death in the physical, cognitive, social and emotional domains. The impact of ethnic, gender and cultural factors on development will be examined.
PSY 429 Intro to Personality Theory – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; PSY 100
The study of psychological characteristics of the individual that endure in stable form for substantial periods of time. Examines influential theories of personality and supporting research.
PSY 432 Social Psychology – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; PSY 100
A study of the responsiveness of individuals to various sources and forms of social influence. Major areas of study include persuasion, conformity, obedience, prejudice, attitude formation and change, social behavior, altruism, aggression and the influence of the mass media. Emphasizes social circumstances rather than variations in personal characteristics, as in personality theory.
PSY 433 Cognitive Psychology – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102; PSY 100
The study of psychological functioning in the area of mental operations, largely uninfluenced by individual differences in personality or motivation. This encompasses the areas of attention, pattern recognition and other perceptual achievements, memory, problem solving, categorization and concept formation, language acquisition and use, textual interpretation and decision making.
Natural Science and Mathematics
SCI 300 Geography – 4.50
Examination of relationships between geographical features of the earth and human societies. Includes the study of map construction, mapping tools, geographical data, and the influence of geomorphological features on the development and spatial distribution of political systems, languages, and religions.
BIO 330 Ecology – 4.50
Prerequisite: BIO 161; BIO 162; BIO 163; BIO 169A; CHE 141; CHE 142; CHE 143; CHE 149A
A study of the relationship of plants and animals to their environment and to one another. Emphasizes populations, the population-community interface and community structure and interactions within the ecosystem.
BIO 450 Natural History of California – 4.50
Prerequisite: BIO 161; BIO 162; BIO 163; BIO 100A, or BIO 100; BIO 100A
Study of the flora, fauna, and biomes of California. This course includes field trips, with sites selected for each academic center within the University.
MTH 301 Fundamentals of Mathematics II – 4.50
Prerequisite: MTH 209A
This continuation of MTH 209A includes concepts of measurement, geometry, probability and statistics, elementary synthetic and Euclidean Geometry. Computer programming in BASIC is introduced. Methods are incorporated whenever possible. However, both MTH 209A and MTH 301 are content/concept courses as prescribed by State regulations, not methods courses. Calculator may be required.
MTH 317 Mathematical Modeling – 4.50
Prerequisite: MTH 215, or MTH 216A and MTH 216B and MTH 210
An introductory to mathematical modeling, utilizing a variety of diverse applications from physical, biological, business, social, and computer sciences. Discuss the limitations, as well as the capabilities, of mathematics as applied to understanding of our world. Teaches problem identification, models of solutions and model implementation. Graphing calculator is required.
MTH 410 Technology in Math Education – 4.50
Prerequisite: MTH 215, or MTH 216A and MTH 216B, or MTH 301
Computer Technology in the Mathematics Classroom An overview of the computer-based technology in the mathematics classroom. Evaluates graphing calculators, and computer software such as Maple, Scientific Workplace, Geometer’s Sketchpad, MiniTab, SPSS, and others to determine their value in illuminating concepts in the curriculum.
MTH 411 Number Theory – 4.50
Prerequisite: MTH 216B, or MTH 215, or MTH 301
An examination of fundamental concepts of numbers, including divisibility, congruencies, the distribution of Primes, Pythagorean triples, the Euclidean Algorithm, the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic, Diophantine equations, and Goldbach’s conjecture. Emphasizes active student involvement in posing and testing conjectures, formulating counter examples, logical arguments and proofs.
MTH 412 History of Mathematics – 4.50
Prerequisite: MTH 215, or MTH 301, or MTH 216A and MTH 216B
Examines currents in the development of mathematics and throughout ancient Egypt, Babylon, China, and the Middle East. It studies math’s influence on society through the major events of Europe, contemporary developments, and some projections into the future, including the women and men who played key roles in evolution of mathematics.
MTH 417 Foundations of Geometry – 4.50
Prerequisite: MTH 216A and MTH 216B, or MTH 215 and MTH 311
A discussion of fundamental ideas and processes common to Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometries: projective, affine and metric geometry. Examines the interplay between inductive and deductive reasoning and formal and informal proof. Addresses uses in science (transformations, scaling), art (Escher-type tessellations, projections), architecture (three-dimensional figures) and computer science (fractals, computer-aided design).
MTH 418 Statistical Analysis – 4.50
Prerequisite: MTH 210 and MTH 220
An examination of statistical applications to business, computer science, psychology, education, social sciences, and mathematics with fundamental concepts of probability distribution, mathematical models relating independent and dependent random variables, hypothesis testing and experimental design. Includes fundamental analysis of variance, various distributions and methods of regression, analysis and scaling.
BIS 405 Genetic Anthropology – 4.50
Prerequisite: BIS 301; Recommended: Prior completion of: MTH 215
This elective is open to non-science majors. This trans-disciplinary course is a comprehensive team science approach to learning the basic concepts of genetic anthropology, human evolution, migration and cultural diversity, genetics and human variation, and epidemiology of disease. It will make use of computer technology. Students will participate in virtual learning environments and be introduced to interdisciplinary case studies. Teams of students will engage in investigative data search and analysis. Patterns of human migration will be examined within the context of cultural diversity, language, and the impact of environment on disease.
Humanities
ART 315 Film as Art – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Survey of the art of cinema from the silent period to the present; examines film techniques and theories; explores film styles and genres, focusing on elements such as lighting, editing, and cinematography; establishes a basis by which students can make aesthetic judgments.
ART 323 Modern Art – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
An introduction to the major movements, styles and artists from Impressionism to the present. Examines how themes of contemporary art reflect the social, historical and cultural events of the period.
ART 329 World Art – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
This course approaches the fundamentals of visual and applied arts from a global perspective and provides an overview of non-Western art from ancient times to the present. Specific areas of focus are the art of South Asia and the Islamic World, East Asia, Pre-Columbian Central and South America, Native North America, Africa and Oceania. Students learn how to look at, appreciate, and critically think and write about art from the perspectives of a diversity of cultures and historical eras.
HIS 345 Latin American Studies – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Introduction to Latin American history and culture focusing on diversity of Latin American societies and their multicultural heritage. Topics include colonialism and indigenous societies, growth of plantation and mining economies, enslavement of Africans, struggle for independence, distribution of political power, recurrence of popular rebellion, and artistic and cultural life.
HIS 348 Asian Studies – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Overview of contemporary Asian history and culture focusing on the diversity of Asian societies. Includes distribution of political power, ideological and structural stratification between East and West, impact of “Orientalism” in global context, impact of imperialism, effects of sexual and religious stratification, and discussion of political and religious differences.
HIS 349 African Studies – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Survey of major themes, issues, and personalities in African history since 1500. Topics include: kingdoms and empires, population movements, spread of Islam, slave trade era, abolition of slave trade, European imperialism, impact of colonialism, religious and cultural movements, nationalism and pan-Africanism, ethnicity and identity in modern Africa.
MUS 326 American Music – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
A survey of American music from the Colonial period to the present. Emphasizes political, social and economic developments as related to the evolution of American music, including popular, religious and art music in a broad array of styles.
MUS 327 World Music – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
An exploration of musical traditions and techniques in a variety of cultures, including Japan, India, Native America, South America, and Africa. Broadens students’ cultural understanding of music.
PHL 320 World Religions – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, are surveyed in their historical, literary, and historical contexts. The sociology of religion is extensively addressed, and parallels in myths, rituals, conversion, and rites of passage are compared. Recent and contemporary religious trends are also addressed.
PHL 339 Study of a Major Philosopher – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
An in-depth analysis of the writings of a major figure in the history of philosophical thought. The particular emphasis will be determined by the instructor in the context of the specific thinker chosen.
PHL 375 Environmental Ethics – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
An exploration of ethical theories as they inform and are applied to contemporary environmental issues such as animal rights, habitat loss, species extinction, pollution, industrialization, population control, ecofeminism and political ecology. Western cultural and ecological assumptions are examined through the lenses of humanitarian, eco-centric, utilitarian, deontological, and ethics-of-care perspectives.
PHL 337 Ethics – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
An examination of theories of value and ideological differences in practical applications to clarify ethical differences. Course emphasizes the dilemmas of personal and professional responsibility, including business and workplace circumstances, social relationships, and political practice.
SOC 328 Art, Culture, and Civilization – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
An expansive overview of world consciousness, drawing upon the significant, creative contributions of men and women from varied cultures and different fields of learning. Emphasizes the approach of comparative synthesis. Studies the world’s outstanding creative thinkers and the interconnectedness of their works.
SOC 400 Race & Ethnicity in the U.S. – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Examines the origins of cultural pluralism in the USA and the valuing of diversity as a socio-cultural imperative. Explores the social history of race and ethnic relations in the USA from Colonial America to the present. Topics include voluntary and involuntary immigration, internal colonization, theoretical frameworks for understanding prejudice and discrimination, master narratives, the US Census, eugenics, immigration policy, and how gender and class complicate understandings of race and ethnicity in the USA.
SOC 410 Gender and Society – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 240
Examines the sociological and historical experiences of sex, sexuality, and gender in the USA, focusing on their intersectionality with race, class, and other social variables. Analyzes dominant representations of gender roles and stereotypes in public culture as well as LGBTQ and other representations that challenge prevailing power structures.
Capstone Course
BIS 499 Interdisciplinary Studies Project – 4.50
This is an eight-week, 4.5 quarter unit capstone course that focuses on portfolio and research methodologies. It is designed to provide students with an opportunity to integrate lessons learned from interdisciplinary portfolio-building and understand the craft of interdisciplinary research. The main course content areas include: 1) Portfolio packaging and interdisciplinary analysis on a topic as a model for students, 2) Internet research, 3) Developing an interdisciplinary research project, 4) Paper editing, 5) Constructing a sound argument, and 6) Clarifying elements across disciplinary boundaries. Grading is H, S or U only. Course is eligible for In Progress (IP) grade.
Degree and Course Requirements
To receive a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Interdisciplinary Studies, students must complete at least 180 quarter units as articulated below, 45 of which must be completed in residence at National University, 76.5 of which must be completed at the upper-division level and a minimum 69 units of the University General Education requirements. The following courses are specific degree requirements. If students intend to complete a teacher credentialing program, these courses will help prepare for the MSAT and Basic Skills requirement tests. In the absence of transfer credit, students may need to take additional general electives to satisfy the total units for the degree. Students should refer to the section on undergraduate admission procedures for specific information on admission and evaluation. All students receiving an undergraduate degree in Nevada are required by State Law to complete a course in Nevada Constitution.
Program Learning Outcomes
As a graduate of Berkshire’s Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies program, you’ll develop the following skills:
Demonstrate an understanding of interdisciplinary theory and the practice of critical thinking for the collection, validation, analysis, and synthesis of historical data and new information
Explain the integration of knowledge in a global context and engage in collaborative research across disciplines
Access opportunities for professional certifications on SAAS, Oracle, and Data Warehouses
Identify and appreciate the cultural perspectives of world views
Use information communication technology for knowledge sharing and the interdisciplinary approach
Demonstrate a deep and flexible understanding of subject matter
Admissions
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