Interdisciplinary Studies: Humanities 90–30

You may earn either a B.A. or B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies: Humanities 90–30.

Northern Arizona University’s flexible, B.A. and B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies offers you an opportunity to design a plan of studies, in consultation with an advisor, to meet your individual educational needs. You may choose either of these degrees if you plan to enter an occupation that requires a broad general education, if you are seeking career advancement or personal intellectual enrichment, or if you are considering a pre-professional plan.

We also offer this degree as part of Northern Arizona University’s Extended Campuses program; however, not all Specialization areas are available through Extended Campuses.

We designed this degree to broaden your background, but not to substitute for a degree that meets specific professional or occupational needs. If you are preparing for an occupation where entry is governed by licensure and/or professional certification, you should seek admission to the appropriate degree plan.

To earn the Interdisciplinary Studies degree, you must complete at least 120 units of course work, which we describe in the sections that follow:  

• To avoid any deficiencies (or risk having to take more than 120 units of credit to complete this degree), a completed community college degree AND an Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) from a regionally accredited community college in Arizona are highly recommended.

• Students with a completed associate's degree and an AGEC will have met the 35 units of liberal studies requirement. Students who do not have an AGEC certification will need to meet the Northern Arizona University liberal studies requirements plus NAU's diversity requirements.

• Students may transfer up to a maximum of 90 units of community college and/or university credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education.

• Students must complete at least 30 upper-division units in a specifically designed program of study at Northern Arizona University.

• Students must complete an overall total of at least 120 units.

• To be eligible for Honors at Graduation, you must complete 45 units at Northern Arizona University. If you complete less than 45 units at Northern Arizona University to fulfill the requirements for this degree, you will not qualify for Honors at Graduation, regardless of your cumulative Grade Point Average.

Be aware that some courses required for your degree may have pre-requisites that you must also take. Check the courses in the appropriate subject. (You may be able to count these pre-requisites toward your liberal studies or general elective credit.)

Please note that you must complete Northern Arizona University’s diversity requirements by taking two 3-unit courses, one in U.S. ethnic diversity and one in global diversity awareness. These courses may be used to meet other requirements within your academic plan if you choose them carefully. Click here for a list of the available diversity courses.

Additionally, please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement; however, you must still meet the total of at least 120 units to graduate. Contact your advisor for details.

Liberal Studies (General Education) Requirements  

If you have earned an AGEC Certification from a regionally accredited community college in Arizona, then you have satisfied the Northern Arizona University Liberal Studies and diversity requirements for this degree. Students who have not earned an AGEC must complete all Liberal Studies and diversity requirements before graduation.

Click here to go to the section titled Northern Arizona University’s Undergraduate Academic Plans for information about the 35 units of liberal studies credit that we require. Contact the department of your Specialization for information about liberal studies courses that are specific to your major.

 Please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement.

• You may use courses with prefixes in your Specialization area to fulfill liberal studies, but you may not use the same course(s) to satisfy your Specialization requirements and your liberal studies requirements.

• If you do use some courses to meet more than one requirement, you must still meet the total of at least 120 units to graduate. Contact your Interdisciplinary Studies advisor for details.

You must complete at least 30 upper-division units at Northern Arizona University for this major.

Please note that you must have a grade of "C" or better in all courses used in the major, which includes the Specialization and Interdisciplinary Studies Requirements areas. Further note that all course work in the Specialization Areas must be upper-division and from Northern Arizona University. Substitutions and use of credit from other institutions are not allowed in the Specialization.

Specialization Requirements—Humanities 90–30

You must take 30 units from Northern Arizona University as described below:

Take the following three courses (9 units):

• CCS 250, 350W, and 490C

Select four courses from the following (12 units):

• HUM 370, 371, 373, 375, 376, 395; [HUM 362 or 381]

If you have not already met NAU's Global and/or U.S. Ethnic Diversity requirements, you must select:

• HUM 362 or HUM 381 from the above, either of which meets the Global Diversity requirement; and/or

• HUM 375, which meets the U.S. Ethnic Diversity requirement.

Finally, select 9 additional units from:

• ENG 305W

• BIO 301 or 302

• CST 361 or 424

Minor, Focus, or Certificate Requirements

A minor, focus, or certificate is not required in this program.

B.A. / B.S.  Interdisciplinary Studies Requirements

Included in the credit transferred as part of the completed community-college degree you must have:

• Computer Literacy: 3 units for the B.A.; 6 units for the B.S.

This course work must help you to understand, in general, the technical components of computers and information systems, how to solve problems using information systems technology, word processing, spreadsheet use, data base management, graphic information software, website development, graphic design  and use of statistical analysis software. This course(s) must have been taken within 10 years of admittance to Northern Arizona University.

• Communication Courses: (6 units)

• 3 units of theory-based courses; and

• 3 units of Performance-based course work

• Performance-based courses are defined as having at least 51 percent of the evaluation of the student being based upon oral performance.

• Language or Science Requirement

• For the B.A., take a Language Requirement. You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to four terms of university course work in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or by testing out of all or part of it by taking CLEP, or other exams.

• For the B.S., take a Science Requirement. Take at least 12 units selected from:

General Electives  

Additional course work is required, if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

You may take these remaining courses from any academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you. (Please note that you may also use pre-requisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren’t used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.)