Interdisciplinary Programs

Interdisciplinary graduate programs promote intellectual growth and offer distinct challenges to conventional thinking. They address areas that are too broad or too complex to be dealt with adequately by a single academic discipline. Interdisciplinary programs are essential for the education of graduate students involved in projects concerned with the nurturing of technology from concept to realization. It is also the case that some interesting scholarly areas involve the blending of two or more academic disciplines, for example, management science juxtaposes operations research and business.

Interdisciplinary programs are different than traditional programs in that students study collaboratively across departments. Students have a primary, or "home", department and they work with a faculty advisor to develop a study plan that will help them earn their degree. As such, a student's required courses are determined in consultation with their faculty advisor(s) and academic departments. Depending on the student's primary department, their may be specific course requirements.

Master of Engineering in Interdisciplinary Engineering: 30 credits. Students must meet with their faculty advisors to develop a unique Study Plan.
Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Sciences: 30 credits. Students must meet with their faculty advisors to develop a unique Study Plan.
Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Engineering: 84 credits, with at least 15 of those credits being research credits. Students must meet with their faculty advisors to develop a unique Study Plan. Students must successfully complete their Qualifying Exam, Proposal Defense, and Final Dissertation.

Students interested in an Interdisciplinary program at either the Master’s or Ph.D. level may proceed as follows:

The student applies to Stevens Institute of Technology as an Interdisciplinary student and outlines the program he or she would like to undertake.
The Office of Graduate Admissions forwards the application to the Office of Graduate Academics & Student Success. The Office of Graduate Academics & Student Success forwards the application to the appropriate departments/programs for consideration.
The departments/programs render their decisions and report them to the Office of Graduate Academics & Student Success.
If all decisions are positive, the Office of Graduate Academics & Student Success informs the appropriate directors and appoints advisors for the preparation of an academic plan and mentoring of the student.
The Office of Graduate Academics & Student Success formally informs the Office of Graduate Admissions the status of the application. If all decisions are positive, admission is granted; otherwise, admission is not granted.
The student must meet with their advisors to develop an academic plan.