School of Urban and Public Affairs

• Undergraduate
  • Interdisciplinary Studies (INTS)
  • Minor in Urban and Public Affairs
  • Minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies
• Graduate
  • Ph.D. in Public and Urban Administration
  • Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Public Policy
  • Master of City and Regional Planning
  • Master of Arts in Urban Affairs
  • Master of Public Administration
• Certificate Programs
• Forms for Students
• How to Apply
• Institute of Urban Studies
  • Contact the Institute
  • Projects and partnerships
• Alumni
• Giving to SUPA

What is Interdisciplinary Studies?

What is interdisciplinary studies (INTS)?

• Interdisciplinary studies is a thirty-five year-old academic field and the thirteenth most popular major across the United States.
• Nationally, almost 500,000 students graduated with an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary degree since 1973.
• The INTS program allows students to custom build their own program of study resulting in either a B.A.I.S. or B.S.I.S. degree.
• There are 652 interdisciplinary programs nationwide, along with 215 interdisciplinary masters and 65 doctoral programs.

INTS at UT Arlington

• With around 700 students in the INTS program at the University of Texas at Arlington, ours is one of the largest and fastest growing academic programs on campus.
• The INTS program at UTA is the largest program of its kind in Texas.
• In building custom degree plans, students mix the required core components with various disciplinary components to meet the academic and professional needs of the student.

Why INTS?

• Studies show that students with a background in interdisciplinary studies perform significantly better on tests measuring reasoning, intellectual, and ethical development.
• The science, medical, and engineering professions are placing a greater emphasis on interdisciplinarity.
• Interdisciplinary education bridges the "gap" between academia and society by equipping students to think integratively, learn cooperatively, and produce new understandings of real world problems and meaningful questions.
• Employers increasingly desire graduates ready to address the "interdisciplinary" needs of the work world and global economy.
• Businesses value the hallmarks of interdisciplinarity: analytical thinking, critical thinking, research, and clarity and precision in reading, writing, and speaking.