Today is the best Thursday ever!

In case you’ve forgotten me, I’m Kim, the creator of this blog. 

I’ve been very busy for the last eight weeks and all of my free time has been devoted to a college course.  Tonight I submitted an essay, which contained several topics, but one in particular that I wanted to share.  My professor chose the topics, this one was my favorite…

Interdisciplinarity

Merriam-Webster ignores the word interdisciplinarity and defines interdisciplinary as “involving two or more academic, scientific, or artistic disciplines” (Interdisciplinary, n.d.).  This is using more than one approach to address a problem, and in doing so, fashioning an entirely new field.  Gregor Mendel is the most popular example of a successful interdisciplinarian.  As a scientist studying pea plants, Mendel identified the concept of genetics using the disciplines of statistics and applying them to biology.  An interdisciplinary studies degree in higher education involves integrating multiple fields of study, up to three concentrations, as opposed to one major or a single field of study.

The first time I took interest in the word interdisciplinary was the day I contacted Liberty University’s Student Affairs to change my major.  Instead I learned that there was a possibility that I could soon retire from my career as a student.  As I would learn, the Interdisciplinary Studies degree would give me the opportunity to customize my “field of study” using courses I had already taken toward completion of my degree.

I researched the interdisciplinary studies degree online and I remember reading how it is important to select courses that you are passionate about.  Since I’ve never discovered anything to be continuously passionate about, I thought I may have trouble deciding.  But thanks to a 1996 whim to attain a degree in nursing, I had taken so many science courses,  I was on task to be a science major.  Clearly, a degree in nursing didn’t happen, but later in 2006 I earned my Associate of Science in Interior Design Technology degree.  This led me to decide I would continue on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business, so I would be better prepared to manage my own interior design business some glorious day in the future.

Being a business major at Liberty University required me to take courses such as Statistics, Accounting I, Accounting II, and Business Law.  I soon reached my threshold of tolerance for business courses, so I made the change to interdisciplinary studies. Having a transcript filled with business and sciences courses, I chose to wrap up with more science courses, specifically behavioral sciences.

Today I will complete my interdisciplinary studies core class, Knowledge Synthesis for Professional & Personal Development, INDS 400.  I am writing my last essay for this last course to complete the anticipated degree.  It has been a long and winding road, “many times I’ve been alone and many times I’ve cried” (Lennon & McCartney, 1970).  Nevertheless, this year I will finally be awarded with the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies degree and I am thrilled.

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

References

Covey, S. (2015). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People infographics edition. Mango Publishing Group

Interdisciplinary. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interdisciplinary

Lennon, J., McCartney, P. (1970). The Long and Winding Road [Song]. On Let It Be. Apple Records. Retrieved from  https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/6793826/The+Beatles/The+Long+and+Winding+Road