Interdisciplinary Studies
The Master’s and PhD degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) provide a unique opportunity for highly motivated graduate students to pursue individualized and innovative interdisciplinary research outside the traditional boundaries of discipline specific graduate programs.
The IDST degrees aim to prepare candidates for careers that require creative thinking beyond disciplinary boundaries and innovative responses to the complex social, economic, scientific and intellectual problems of the 21st century.
The M and PhD IDST degrees may be completed on a part-time or full-time basis, and applications may be submitted any time of the year. Starting dates are normally September or January.
Further information on the Interdisciplinary degrees can be found on the School of Graduate Studies website.
Interdisciplinary
The University of New Brunswick in Fredericton and Saint John has long supported interdisciplinary research and practice. The Master’s and PhD programs in IDST were established to recognize this work and to bring research and cultures across the university together to address questions requiring an integration and synthesis of disciplinary knowledge and perspectives. Faculty members from across the university and beyond serve as research supervisors and committee members, and students bring a broad range of disciplinary knowledge and work/life experiences to the program.
What is Interdisciplinary?
A specific definition of interdisciplinary is hard to pin down, but the concept is typically used to indicate a process of building understanding and answering questions about a problem or issue through the integration of two or more disciplinary perspectives and modes of thinking. The integration process leads to a deeper and broader understanding of a problem than is typically possible through a single disciplinary approach. (1)
Today, students in the IDST program at UNB are bringing together various disciplinary perspectives and methodological approaches to address problems relevant to their communities. For example, some of the topics addressed currently include: workplace wellness (kinesiology/education/ethics/workplace wellness (Dalhousie); childhood obesity (kinesiology/ethics/nutrition/sociology).
(1) Klein, J. T. (1990). Interdisciplinarity: History, Theory and Practice. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. Weingart, P. & Stehr, N. (2000). Practising Interdisciplinarity. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
The Program
The Interdisciplinary Studies program is research-based; it enables graduate students to bring together theoretical perspectives and knowledge from different disciplines to create new knowledge and a broader understanding of a specific problem, issue or topic.
A student’s course of study is individually designed to meet his/her needs and research interests and is carried out under the direction and guidance of a research Supervisor and an Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee comprised of two or more committee members who provide expertise in the relevant disciplinary areas.
The Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (M IDST)
A course of study for the M IDST degree includes:
Coursework:
Relevant courses are selected from those offered by IDST and in graduate programs and faculties across the university. Coursework normally includes seven courses, two of which may be independent study/directed reading courses with a maximum of two courses taken at another university.
A Research Proposal:
The proposal outlines the research question, relevant literature, methodology, and research design of the proposed study. An oral presentation of the proposal is also required. The Supervisor and Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee must approve the proposal and oral examination, and Ethics approval (if appropriate) must be obtained before the research can proceed.
A Master’s Thesis:
The thesis incorporates all of the elements of the research proposal outlined above plus the documentation and analysis of a student’s actual research project. The presentation of the thesis and subsequent oral examination must meet all of the requirements as outlined in the UNB Calendar, 22 A.
The PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies
A course of study for the PhD IDST degree includes:
Coursework:
Relevant courses are selected from those offered by IDST and in graduate programs and faculties across the university. Coursework normally includes six courses, two of which may be independent study/directed reading courses and two courses may be taken at another university.
Comprehensive Examinations:
The comprehensive examinations are intended to ensure that students are prepared in at least two substantive relevant areas prior to engaging in doctoral research. The examination questions are designed to meet the needs of each individual student and may follow various formats. For example, each question may be completed as a traditional formal examination, or may be submitted as a paper developed over a period of a few months. Each question normally includes an oral presentation/examination.
A Research Proposal:
The proposal outlines the research question, relevant literature, methodology, and research design of the proposed study. An oral presentation of the proposal is also required. The Supervisor and the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee must approve the proposal and oral examination, and Ethics approval (if appropriate) must be obtained before the research can proceed.
A Doctoral dissertation:
The doctoral dissertation involves all of the elements of the proposal outlined above plus the documentation and analysis of the candidate’s research project. The dissertation and subsequent oral examination must meet all of the requirements and regulations as outlined in the UNB Calendar, 21 (A).
The Application Process
Admission Requirements for the MIDST: Normally, successful completion of an honours undergraduate degree (or equivalent) with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3, or an average of at least A- or equivalent in the last two years of study.
Admission requirements for the PhD IDST: Normally, successful completion of a Master’s degree with thesis with an average of at least A- or equivalent.
How to Apply:
Step 1:
Contact Dr. Linda Eyre, Assistant Dean of Interdisciplinary Programs to discuss your research interests, possible thesis supervisors and committee members, and potential course of study.
Step 2:
Contact the potential thesis supervisor and committee members to discuss your research interests and determine their willingness to work with you on your research topic, and inform Dr. Eyre of the outcome of your meetings.
Step 3:
If there is evidence of a compatibility of research interests between you and specific faculty members, and if the School of Graduate Studies is satisfied that there is faculty support for your proposed research and course of study, you will be encouraged to complete the Application to the School of Graduate Studies.
Step 4:
Compile an application package. Your application must include:
-
- A completed School of Graduate Studies Application Form;
- A statement of why you wish to pursue a Master’s or PhD degree;
- A preliminary five-page outline, with working bibliography attached, of your specific research interests;
- A paragraph explaining why your proposed research fits within Interdisciplinary Studies;
- A paragraph outlining the different disciplines (two or more) that you will bring to your research to help address your research problem;
- A detailed letter from the proposed supervisor indicating that he or she is willing to supervise your research and explaining why she or he feels that you are well prepared to undertake this interdisciplinary research topic;
- Three additional academic references, which should indicate your suitability for graduate work and, if possible, why you are particularly qualified to conduct research across several disciplines;
- A sample of a sustained piece of writing, for example, an essay (15-20 pages) from a university course (Master’s applicants), or sections from a Master’s thesis (PhD applicants), to show that you are an accomplished academic writer;
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work taken at any post-secondary institution attended; and
- If your first language is not English and you have not previously studied at an English-speaking university, official evidence of a TOEFL score of 600 (paper based) or 100 (Internet-based test), TWE of 5.5, or IELTS score of 7, is required. (The SGS does accept other English-language tests other than TOEFL).
Step 5:
Submit your completed application package to:
Janet Amirault, Admissions Secretary (IDST) School of Graduate Studies(For further information, please contact Janet Amirault; Telephone: 506-458-7558)
Financial Support
The following scholarship funding is available on a competitive basis:
- Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA);
- Merit Awards;
- Government scholarships: SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, Trudeau, Vanier; and
- UNB Donor Scholarships and Bursaries
For details, contact Kelly Humber, School of Graduate Studies.
In addition, the following employment funding may be available:
- Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA), contact Janet Amirault
- UNB Work-Study and Summer Seed Programs; and
- Research Assistantships may be provided by individual faculty members.
