Statement of Purpose
This policy is designed to facilitate the creation of, support for, and sustainability of Interdisciplinary Programs (IDPs). IDPs are academic programs that typically extend across schools and/or colleges with participating faculty from each school and/or college. IDPs are a new and increasingly important part of undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). It also documents the unification of undergraduate and graduate IDPs under the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. This policy spells out how IDPs are utilized and governed at UNLV.
Entities Affected by this Policy
This policy affects all faculty, department chairs, unit heads, and deans involved in the planning and execution of interdisciplinary programs and all students enrolled in interdisciplinary programs.
Who Should Read this Policy
All faculty, department chairs, unit heads, and deans considering the development of an interdisciplinary program, and administrators involved with the planning and execution of IDPs.
Policy
IDPs are coordinated by the Deans of participating schools and/or colleges, under the authority of the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. The implementation and execution of graduate IDPs are facilitated by the Graduate College, and the implementation and execution of undergraduate IDPs are facilitated by the Office of Undergraduate Education and High-Impact Practices.
IDPs with curriculum and faculty in more than one school and/or college shall adhere to the processes and standards outlined in the appropriate (undergraduate or graduate) handbook. Majors, minors, certificate programs, dual degree programs, and any other interdisciplinary credentials that meet the definition of an IDP are all subject to this policy.
The degree requirements of all undergraduate IDPs must satisfy the University’s general education curriculum requirements, and may satisfy more than general education distribution area requirement as per guidelines in the IDP handbook.
The undergraduate and graduate IDP handbooks are living documents that outline IDP Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding content standards, implementation, operations, and all other relevant IDP practices.
Related Information
Links
Definitions
- Dual Degree Programs
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Formal programs, approved through graduate curricular processes, where students are simultaneously enrolled in both that result in the awarding of two degrees.
- Certificate
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Formal academic credentials, generally between 12 and 29 credits, that students apply for admission to, matriculate through, and complete in the same manner as other degrees. Certificates allow students to gain specialized skills and expertise and enhance their resumes and curriculum vitae. Students may enroll in certificate programs either as a stand-alone educational experience, or they may earn the certificate while simultaneously working to complete a degree program.
- Interdisciplinary Program (IDPs)
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A program that typically involves collaboration across schools and/or colleges with participating faculty from multiple disciplines.
- Program
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An academic major, minor, or program of study leading to a degree, certificate, or other university credential.