Liberal Studies

Interdisciplinary Studies Certificate

Students enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Studies certificate have the greatest flexibility in their course selection. They may take a range of courses offered through the Liberal Studies certificates of advanced graduate study curriculum in the areas of History, American Studies, Chicago Studies, and Religious and Ethical Studies. They may also choose to focus on a more individualized course of study in consultation with the Student Adviser for Liberal Studies.

START MY APPLICATIONREQUEST PROGRAM INFORMATIONATTEND AN INFORMATION SESSION

 

About the Interdisciplinary Studies program

Interdisciplinary Studies Course Schedule

The Interdisciplinary Studies Course Schedule page provides you with detailed information on the program's offerings.

Interdisciplinary Studies Faculty

You can find a full listing of our instructors in this certificate program on the Interdisciplinary Studies Faculty page.

Admission for the Interdisciplinary Studies program

Applicants to this certificate program must hold a graduate degree from an accredited U.S. college, university or its foreign equivalent. A competitive graduate record that indicates strong academic ability is required. Work, internship, or research experience is highly desirable, but not a requirement.

A list of admission requirements can be found on the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study Admission page.

Interdisciplinary Studies Tuition

Tuition costs can vary for each of our programs. For the most up-to-date information on financial obligations, please visit our Interdisciplinary Studies Tuition page.

Interdisciplinary Studies Registration Information

Our Interdisciplinary Studies Registration Information page outlines important dates and deadlines as well as the process for adding and dropping courses.

Additional Information

The post-graduate certificate in interdisciplinary studies may be especially beneficial to educators, students who are thinking of going on to a PhD program, or anyone who wants to combine interdisciplinary methods within a broad range of subject areas. The coursework will:

  • Expose students to Northwestern University’s distinguished and world class instructors.
  • Provide students with countless opportunities to engage with others who are passionate to learn more about vitally important social and cultural issues through history, religion, philosophy, art, literature and film.
  • Prepare students for the intellectual demands of professional life by enriching students’ understanding of a broad array of social and cultural issues while improving their ability to analyze, write and complete research.
  • Sharpen analytical and writing abilities, which can help prepare students for application to PhD programs.

Applicants must possess a graduate degree in order to be considered for this program.


Find out more about Northwestern's Interdisciplinary Studies program

Interdisciplinary Studies Course Options

To complete this certificate, students may take any four courses available in their chosen topic area (which may include courses available through The Graduate School). To satisfy the four units of credit required for the certificate, students also have the option to register for one or both of the following:

  • An independent study, which is a customized course of study undertaken by a single student under the guidance of an instructor. Denoted by the course number, 499, independent studies are comparable in their demands to other graduate-level courses.
  • A capstone project, which is an essay of 45 to 75 double-spaced pages written under the supervision of an approved faculty member. The project presents an opportunity to research and explore a topic thoroughly. Students often elect to expand a seminar paper from a previous course. Students who wish to pursue a capstone project must do so as their fourth and final course in the certificate program.

Students who did not previously study the humanities at the graduate level are strongly encouraged to take IPLS 410: Introduction to Cultural Analysis. This course introduces students to interdisciplinary cultural analysis through an intellectual history of critical theorists and thinkers. Through close reading, seminar discussion and presentations, students develop their critical analysis skills.

Please note that courses completed in the certificate program cannot be transferred to the corresponding graduate degree.

^ Back to top ^