Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletins

Interdisciplinary Programs and Courses


Field Description

Baruch College offers a variety of interdisciplinary experiences associated with the different schools and programs described below.

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Tier III Minors

 

Tier III Interdisciplinary Minors

One of the requirements for graduation is the completion of the Tier III minor component of the core curriculum. Three courses (9 credits) must be chosen from a discipline or subject outside the students major. As an alternative to the traditional discipline- or department-based minors, students may choose from Baruchs interdisciplinary minors. These new and exciting minors, which bridge several areas of study, enable students to satisfy specific interests and intellectual curiosity and provide an increased understanding of the interdependent world in which we live.

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American Studies (AMS)
See for course information.) Program coordinator: John Brenkman (Department of English; telephone: 646-312-3921).

Asian and Asian American Studies (AAS)
The minor in Asian and Asian American studies offers students an opportunity to study Asian cultures and the histories and experiences of communities of Asian descent residing in the U.S. (See for course information.) Program coordinator: Charlotte Brooks (Department of History; telephone: 646-312-4340) and Carla Bellamy (Department of Sociology and Anthropology; telephone: 646-312-4482).


Black and Hispanic Studies (BLS/HSP)
This minor explores the social, political, and economic history of Black and Hispanic peoples throughout the world from ancient to modern times. (See for course information.) Program coordinator: Vilna Treitler (Department of Black and Hispanic Studies; telephone: 646-312-4448).

 

Environmental Sustainability (ENV)
The minor in environmental sustainability is an interdisciplinary program suitable for both business and liberal arts students who have an interest in developing a critical understanding of interactions between human society and the broader global ecosystem. The program emphasizes economic, legal, and philosophical issues of environmental sustainability. (See for course information.) Program co-coordinators: Jason Munshi-South and Chester Zarnoch (Department of Natural Sciences; telephone: 646-660-6238 and 646-660-6239).

 

Information Technology and Social Responsibility (CIS)
The minor in information technology and social responsibility studies the effects of new technologies on the individual, the workplace, and society at large. In this program of study students will examine the increasing importance of individual and organizational social responsibility in today's interconnected and computer-mediated environment, as well as the specific issues that stand at the intersection of social responsibility and information technology. (See for course information.) Program coordinator: Linda Friedman (Department of Statistics and Computer Information Systems; telephone: 646-312-3361).

 

Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS)
The minor in Latin American and Caribbean studies exposes students to cross-cultural and professional opportunities through courses that explore the historical, political, cultural, and socioeconomic conditions in the region. (See for course information.) Program coordinator: Elena Martínez (Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature; telephone: 646-312-4210).


Law and Policy (LAW)
The minor in law and policy examines the legal system from various liberal arts perspectives. The program emphasizes philosophical, historical, sociological, and political insights about law and individual rights. (See for course information.) Program coordinator: Matthew Edwards (Department of Law; telephone: 646-312-3580).


Religion and Culture (REL)
The minor in religion and culture offers students the opportunity to study the religions of man from the earliest times to the present and how they have shaped and been shaped by the forces of history. (See for course information.) Program coordinator: Michael Plekon (Department of Sociology/Anthropology; telephone: 646-312-4472).


Womens Studies (WSM)
The minor in womens studies provides students with a deeper understanding of womens individual and collective experi - ences as well as knowledge of womens diverse contributions to their societies. (See for course information.) Program coordinator: Katherine Pence (Department of History; telephone: 646-312-4332).

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Interdisciplinary Minor with Honors in New York City Studies

This special minor stimulates interest in and deepens understanding of the institutions and people of New York City. A unique feature of the Macaulay Honors College experience at Baruch, this minor consists of a sequence of courses that examine different facets of metropolitan life in general and New York City in particular. All of the seminars offer opportunities to meet and work with artists, cultural experts, scientists, and other distinguished professionals who represent the different facets of contemporary New York. This minor and the courses of which it is composed are only open to students who are participating in the Macaulay Honors College/ University Scholars Program.

Prerequisite
IDC 1001H The Arts in New York City

Required Courses
IDC 3001H The Peopling of New York
IDC 3002H Science and Technology in New York City
IDC 4001H New York in the Twenty-First Century

 

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Arts and Sciences Interdisciplinary Minor with Honors

The arts and sciences interdisciplinary minor with honors provides students, especially those preparing for careers in business, with an opportunity to deepen their humanistic, social, or scientific knowledge as part of their preparation for life.

Courses
Students enrolled in a Feit Interdisciplinary Seminar (IDC 4050H) may complete a 9-credit Tier III minor with honors by registering for a two-semester (6000-level) honors thesis that delves more deeply into the subject matter introduced by the Feit Seminar. According to the intellectual direction that the student wishes to pursue, the thesis may be written either within a single discipline and continued under the appro - priate disciplinary title (such as Art, English, or History), or as an interdisciplinary effort (IDC 60016002).

Prerequisites
The thesis topic must be approved by the Undergraduate Committee on Honors. Students should complete the honors thesis application form as well as a two-page prospectus.

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Feit Interdisciplinary Humanities Seminars  

Feit Seminars (IDC 4050H), endowed by the late Charles Feit ('48), bring together two or more instructors from different departments in the college and a small select group of students. Seminars speak to important themes and issues not ordinarily covered in the standard Weissman curriculum and reflect the special interests and research areas of our faculty.

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Chase Interdisciplinary Seminar

Chase Interdisciplinary Seminars (IDC 1002, IDC 2002), endowed by Baruch alumna Professor Hedy Feit in honor of former Weissman Dean Myrna Chase, offer a unique experience to second semester freshman who have participated in the Freshman Learning Community Program. Each spring, two groups of students chosen from among the most promising participants in the previous fall's Freshman Learning Communities receive invitations to register for these interdisciplinary team-taught courses that are designed on the model of the Feit Seminars. Faculty who are selected to teach these seminars are distinguished professors who are committed to creating an excellent educational experience for students.

The seminars also extend the learning community experience, including opportunities for education outside of the classroom. As in the learning community, professors may arrange co-curricular events, such as a play, a concert, an exhibit at a museum, or a visit to a restaurant. Participation in the seminar gives students the opportunity to become acquainted with some of the most interesting and gifted students at Baruch. Moreover, students who maintain at least a 3.3 GPA and who obtain a letter of recommendation from their Chase Seminar faculty may apply to the Baruch College Honors Program as Provost's Scholars.

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