Multidisciplinary Science

http://gensci.uoregon.edu

Jana Prikryl, Program Director
65C Klamath Hall
jprikryl@uoregon.edu

A multidisciplinary science major allows students to design their own program of study in the natural sciences. Students choose their areas of specialization from a broad range of sciences, tailoring their studies to their specific interests and career goals.

The multidisciplinary science major is useful to students whose interests do not fit well within a single scientific field, as well as students who wish to pursue advanced degrees in health-related fields.

Multidisciplinary Science is different from traditional majors in that it pulls coursework from multiple STEM departments to provide students with a self-guided interdisciplinary education. Unlike many STEM majors, most MSCI students add the major during their junior or senior year. Assessment models that rely on learning outcomes based on the content of specific coursework and subdivided into yearly educational benchmarks are therefore not appropriate for the Multidisciplinary Science Program. Instead, the MSCI program outcomes are tied to its structure, which is designed to:

• Provide students with interdisciplinary curricular choices that develop competencies important for all STEM fields. 
• Emphasize and develop skillsets commonly sought by employers.
• Address expectations of students entering the Multidisciplinary Science Program, for example timely degree completion.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Develop a personalized plan for timely degree completion in the MSCI program by thoughtfully selecting coursework from multiple STEM departments, taking into account the unique structure of the program and individual academic goals.
• Analyze and articulate connections between chosen STEM disciplines and their applications to career objectives.
• Explain the steps and limitations of the scientific methodology and apply this knowledge to critically evaluate scientific information as presented by popular and professional sources.
• Articulate how the MSCI coursework develops skills that are highly valued by employers, such as critical thinking, problem solving, work ethic, collaboration, effective communication, and analysis and interpretation of quantitative information.

Multidisciplinary Science Major Requirements

¹

All students must demonstrate a proficiency in mathematics by passing calculus I and one additional math or computer science class from the provided list. All courses must be completed with grades of C– or P (pass) or better

²

All students must take three course sequences (or three course combinations in the case of ANTH and GEOG) from the provided list, two of which must include laboratories. The labs might be embedded in the class (as with BI, CS, and GEOL), or taken as separate courses (as with CH and PHYS). All courses must be completed with grades of C– or P (pass) or better, except ERTH 101-103 which must be completed with grades of mid-B or better.

³

If an upper-division course is used towards the Foundations requirements, the same course cannot also be used to satisfy the other upper-division MSCI requirements.

⁴

All courses must be completed with grades of C– or P or better. All upper division emphasis area courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Additional Requirements

At least 24 upper-division credits must be taken at the University of Oregon.

Approved Courses

Multidisciplinary science courses must be completed with grades of C– or P (pass) or better. Courses graded N (no pass) or F may be repeated for credit, in accordance with university policy.

The upper-division requirements are for students who declared the multidisciplinary science major fall 2000 or later. Students who declared the major before fall 2000 follow the requirements that were in effect when they declared the major. Upper-division credits used to satisfy minimum requirements of another major may not be used to satisfy upper-division requirements in multidisciplinary science. At least 24 upper-division science credits must be completed at the University of Oregon to meet the multidisciplinary science residency requirement.

Upper-division courses may be selected from the multidisciplinary science website.

Honors Program

Students preparing to graduate with honors in multidisciplinary science should notify the program director no later than the first term of the senior year.

Honors in multidisciplinary science centers on a thesis, which is the culmination of research conducted under the direction of a faculty advisor. The advisor does not need to be a member of the Multidisciplinary Science Committee.

To graduate with honors, students must have at least a 3.50 overall grade point average and an average GPA of 3.50 or better in all classes counting towards the multidisciplinary science major. In addition, they must complete 6 credits (or equivalent experience pre-approved by MSCI Director) of Research (401) or Thesis (403) or both in an appropriate department. These credits must be distributed over at least two terms and cannot be used to fulfill emphasis-area requirements.

Upon approval of the thesis by the advisor and the program director, honors in multidisciplinary science are awarded.

For guidelines and calendar, contact the Multidisciplinary Science Program Director.

Four-Year Degree Plan

The degree plan shown is only a sample of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best path for them.

Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Science with Education Focus

Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Science with Pre-Medical Focus