The Interdisciplinary Studies Program typically takes course proposals for the upcoming academic year each February. See the 2023-2024 course proposal form here [PDF].
About IDS
IDS provides the opportunity for BC instructors from different disciplinary backgrounds to come together to co-teach a thematic 10- or more-credit course organized around a subject of inquiry that students and faculty explore together in community. These “learning communities” are thematic, and—done well—they create a collaborative environment where students and faculty can do their best work, learning from and challenging each other, while developing the skills and habits of mind to successfully tackle complex real-world problems. Instructors are encouraged to experiment with different pedagogies, but at the heart of most IDS courses is an emphasis on seminar learning in which students and faculty alike actively teach and learn from each other in community. Examples of recent IDS courses offered at BC include:
- Of Mice And Matter: Crime Scene Investigation (a 17-credit course in which students earned credits in Anthropology, Biology, and Chemistry)
- Bite Me: Consumption and Sustainability in the United States (a 10- or 11- credit course in which students earned credits in Biology, Botany, English, Environmental Science, and/or Nutrition)
- The Politics and Psychology of Happiness (a 10-credit class in which students earned credits in both Psychology and Political Science)
- The Good Life: Finding Your Place in School & Life (a 10-credit course in which students earned credits in English and Sociology)
- How to Survive the Coming Zombie Apocalypse (a 10-credit course in which student earned credits in English and Philosophy)
We want you!
The IDS Steering Committee loves to receive course proposals from faculty across the college. We have a great mentoring program in place for faculty who have not taught IDS courses before, and we also offer periodic programs in the Faculty Commons throughout the academic year focused on networking with potential collaborators.
If you are interested in teaching an IDS class, if you would like to become involved on the IDS Steering Committee, or if you would just like to learn more about the program, please e-mail: Charlene Freyberg, the IDS Chair.
Last Updated May 24, 2023