With six different options in the IDS program, you spend more time studying your interests.
Arts, Media, and Entertainment
Economy and Industry
Global and Intercultural Understanding
Science, Technology, Health, and Society
Social Behavior and Human Understanding
Sports and Society
Arts, Media, and Entertainment
Arts, Media, & Entertainment is designed to develop skills in criticism and evaluation of art forms, an understanding of the processes by which art and creativity are communicated, and an academic knowledge of promotion and marketing in the performing arts. Selected courses should focus on the ability to analyze the effects of the social, network, technical, and entertainment arts and media, and to develop the academic preparation necessary to pursue careers in arts, media, entertainment, and associated fields.
Emphasis theme requirements stipulate students take courses in at least two different art forms or media in order to gain exposure to the impacts of arts and media in contemporary culture.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the roles that arts, entertainment, amusement, recreation, and media have played in contemporary and historical societies.
- Identify the contributions of different artists and art forms to the human condition.
- Exhibit an awareness of how art, media, and entertainment shape and are shaped by cultural priorities and norms, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
- Develop and identify their own strengths, interests, opportunities, and potential contributions in and to the arts and related fields.
Economy and Industry
Economy and Industry develops an understanding of the role of economy and industry in society. Selected courses should focus on both practical and theoretical approaches to understanding various industries, labor relations, organizational culture, and human resources, either through a multidisciplinary approach or through concentration in one area such as the environment, the arts or marketing.
Emphasis theme requirements stipulate students take courses from at least two different business disciplines in order to gain a working knowledge of basic business principles and structures.
- Demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts of commerce such as business ethics, economics, finance, planning and evaluation, management, and promotion.
- Demonstrate competence in the use of digital communication and basic information technologies.
- Exhibit an awareness of the importance of interpersonal skills in workplace relations, including the legal and ethical impacts of workplace discrimination and the nature of bureaucracies.
Global and Intercultural Understanding
Global and Intercultural Understanding provides students with an understanding of the customs, cultures, mores, practices, contributions, and struggles of peoples around the globe. Through ethnographic accounts, students are exposed to various ways of life across the world, and gain the academic preparation needed to succeed in an increasingly global workforce. Selected courses should emphasize the increased study and application of a cultural and global perspective to historical and contemporary issues and concerns and an understanding of how the nations of the world are economically, politically, socially, and culturally interdependent.
Emphasis theme requirements stipulate students take at least one course outside their own ethnic or cultural framework and that focuses on a culture, society, literature, or language of a nation or region that, as a general principle, is located outside the United States, Canada, or Europe. Courses that focus on Native American history or culture may also fulfill the requirement.
- Develop intercultural knowledge and sensitivity.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the roles that culture, politics, and economics play in exacerbating international problems or contributing to their solutions.
- Exhibit an understanding of the contributions made by different communities and societies in the arts, sciences, humanities, education, and technology.
- Apply a cultural and global perspective to historical and contemporary issues and concerns.
- Show evidence of an understanding of how the nations of the world are economically, politically, socially, and culturally interdependent
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Environmental and Water Resources, Resource Economics
College of Fine Arts
- Schools of Art, Music and Theatre, Film and Television
College of Humanities
- Classics, Creative Writing, Africana Studies, East Asian Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, Judaic Studies, Latin American Studies, Mexican American Studies, Near Eastern Studies, English, French and Italian, German, Russian and Slavic, Spanish and Portuguese
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Linguistics, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology
Science, Technology, Health, and Society
Science, Technology, Health and Society develops critical awareness of the methods and limits of scientific inquiry, while fostering observational and analytical skills and skills in quantitative analysis and deductive reasoning. Selected courses should focus, either through a multidisciplinary approach or a more in-depth study, academic preparation in both the technical and non-technical skills required for professional success, including the importance of both logic and creative problem-solving.
Emphasis theme requirements stipulate students take courses from at least two different disciplines in order to examine and evaluate the world around them from a scientific perspective.
- Exhibit the development of specific skills related to the science, technology, health and society disciplines, particularly the use of math and science to solve problems in concentrations such as health, natural resource use and conservation, sustainability, information science, and engineering.
- Exhibit an awareness of the contributions these fields have made to modern living.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the roles of teamwork and interpersonal communication in scientific advancement and discovery.
Social Behavior and Human Understanding
Social Behavior and Human Understanding provides students with a basis for understanding social systems and the interactions of individuals and societies. Selected courses should emphasize the ability to understand and analyze multiple perspectives on social and cultural change, and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of conflicting points of view.
Emphasis theme requirements stipulate students take courses in at least two different disciplines that emphasize the development of an appreciation of and sensitivity to differences between and among individuals in different economic, political, religious, cultural, ethnic, and social groups.
- Demonstrate the development of interpersonal skills.
- Exhibit an awareness of the roles that disability, race, class, ethnicity, culture, religion, socioeconomic status, and gender play in micro-, meso-, and macro-level interactions and exchanges.
- Identify the contributions and needs of others in society utilizing social, behavioral, and humanist perspectives from a variety of disciplines.
- Demonstrate an understanding of human motivation, the role of power, and the effects of change in historical and contemporary societies.
Sports and Society
Sports and Society provides students a basis for understanding the sports industry and the broader economic, political, religious, cultural, ethnic, and social systems that apply to the world of sports. Selected courses should emphasize the development of a fundamental skill set in economics, accounting, and general management theory as well as an increased understanding and ability to evaluate multiple perspectives on social and cultural change, and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of conflicting points of view.
Emphasis theme requirements stipulate that students take courses in at least two different disciplines that emphasize development of and appreciation of the economic, political, religious, cultural, ethnic, and social systems that apply to the world of sports.
- Understanding theories regarding teams including issues related to cultural, gender, and socioeconomic diversity.
- Understanding issues related to the role sports plays in society.
- Greater preparedness to understand workplace issues.