Interdisciplinary Studies, Master of Arts/Master of Science

Interdisciplinary Studies at UNT prepares you to examine and solve complex problems as you draw on knowledge and skills from more than one academic field. Whether you are preparing for a specialized career that requires uncommonly broad training, or you seek a more global view on multifaceted issues for your own personal development, our Master in Interdisciplinary Studies program may be exactly what you are looking for.

How could Interdisciplinary Studies advance my career?

Whether you are a young recent graduate of a bachelor’s program or have been in the workforce for years, you can hone your talents for future employment where broad knowledge, advanced research, and effective communication skills are in high demand. Through UNT’s Interdisciplinary Studies program you will learn to sift through information and produce a body of work that synthesizes multiple perspectives, arriving at a more comprehensive understanding of the important issues. Employers recognize the value of individuals who are open-minded, and who call upon a wide array of unconventional tools to solve intricate problems.

Program Concentrations

Interdisciplinary Studies at UNT offers three ways to pursue your area of study while providing the academic rigor to help propel you into your professional or academic career. While a predefined recognized concentration provides more structure, the self-styled program allows you to pursue an intellectual interest not met by any specific degree program available. Each program requires 30 hours for degree completion from three different fields of study with at least 6 hours of credit in each field. No more than 18 hours (including thesis and special problem courses) may be taken under any one course prefix or subject field.

 View UNT Catalog descriptions of the program concentrations

Advanced Data Analytics

The Advanced Data Analytics concentration is a focused interdisciplinary degree designed to provide students with the academic and practical preparation necessary to meet a growing research field and a rapidly expanding need of business and industry. The program centers on developing deep analytic competencies in statistics and data analysis, coupled with a strong knowledge of contemporary data structures, to prepare students to conduct sophisticated analysis in business, industry, and science.

Applied Analytics

Analytics is one of the fastest-growing areas across almost every field of industry and government. Although data is widely available, many entities have no systematic way to turn data into action. The concentration in applied analytics at UNT meets this challenge, providing talented students the opportunity to enter a rapidly expanding job market, working professionals a chance to update their skills and businesses with resources to compete in a data-rich marketplace.

Health Data Analytics

Driven by federal requirements and the demand to improve the quality of healthcare delivery in the United States, the healthcare industry generates and stores massive amounts of electronic data related to patient care, compliance, regulatory and billing requirements, and medical research. The opportunity to improve health care quality, lower costs and accelerate research collaboration lies in the hands of those capable of synthesizing and analyzing massive data sets to extract the insights necessary for informed decision-making.

The health data analytics concentration prepares graduates to assume leadership roles in this emerging discipline.

Workforce Leadership and Development

The Workforce Leadership and Development concentration provides students with opportunities to broaden their workplace related skills in the areas of leadership, project management, organization design, and entrepreneurship. These workplace skills augment mid-management positions in most disciplines and have been associated with improving organizational performance while enhancing growth. This track provides valuable skills for employees at all levels in an organization (manager, team leader, leader, executive) and provides effective techniques to manage change, launch new products, and lead through disrupted technologies.

Self-Styled

While several concentrations have been established as predefined options in the Interdisciplinary Studies program, the possibilities are virtually endless if you seek a tailor-made plan that meets your career goals and aspirations. Under a self-styled plan, you can design a program using existing courses from almost any graduate area of the university to address your particular intellectual interest not met by any specific degree program. A 100% online option is available provided the student selects among those courses that are available for them to enroll in online.

For further information about a Self-styled Interdisciplinary Studies option at UNT, please contact Interdisciplinary Studies Program Coordinator, Toulouse Graduate School, Eagle Student Services Center 354; 1155 Union Circle #305459, Denton, TX 76203-5017 or by calling 940.565.4787.