Greetings! The Boise State M.A./M.S. Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) Program offers students an alternative to a discipline-specific masters degree. Students with educational goals that work the interface between traditional disciplines can meet their goals by completing a program that combines course work from the appropriate disciplines in a coherent manner. Before a student is accepted into the program, a degree plan must be created with the help of faculty advisors and approved by the IDS committee, which consists of faculty representatives from each of the Colleges in the university.
If you are interested in learning more about the MA/MS IDS program, the following course of action is recommended:
- Read a full description of the program, either at this website or in the Boise State University graduate catalog.
- Contact the IDS office to obtain further information and to set up an interview appointment. We will discuss your academic background and goals and the suitability of the IDS master’s program for meeting those goals.
My contact information is: nicolemolumby@boisestate.edu or ids@boisestate.edu.
A word of caution – the IDS is not meant to be a general master’s degree. Rather, the IDS degree plan must be sharply focused and designed to meet a specific, clearly defined educational objective.  Your application for admission must contain a coherent statement that does the following:
- Discusses your academic goals
- Explains why a traditional degree plan does not meet those goals
- Describes how each course in the proposed plan supports those goals
- Illustrates your vision for the future implementation of the degree
The IDS master’s program is an excellent avenue for students with clear interdisciplinary goals and a strong academic background. IDS students are self-starters, very focused and highly motivated. Faculty advisors have commented that IDS students challenge them to expand their understanding of discipline-specific ideas and issues. Likewise, students find advisory committee members to be the most accessible, communicative and challenging faculty they encounter in their academic careers. In short, participation in the IDS program can be unique and fulfilling for both parties.