Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a Concentration in Montessori Education

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies

The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies is a 42-course, 126-credit degree. It is not designed to overlap with existing degrees but rather to provide qualified students with an academic program that meets their unique needs. Offering students flexibility, independence, and academic rigor, this option provides undergraduate adult learners with the opportunity to draw on the resources of the entire curriculum, across disciplines while building an academic focus in areas they find most important.

Concentration in Montessori Education

The Montessori Education Concentration is a 6 course, 18 credit specialization that focuses on issues relevant to educators who specialize in the Montessori Method. This is an interdisciplinary specialization that focuses on providing students with an expanded knowledge of the cultural context in which Montessori Education is situated.

The Concentration in Montessori Education will be open to all students enrolled in our BA program in Interdisciplinary Studies and our BS Program in Psychology. These concentration courses will replace corresponding open elective credit requirements.

Curriculum Requirements - Total Credits Required: 125

General Education Requirements - 30 Credits

World Cultures Course (3 Cr.)
Aesthetic Awareness & Creative Expression Course (3 Cr.)
Literary Perspectives Course (3 Cr.)
Individual and Society Course (3 Cr.)

Quantitative Reasoning Course (3 Cr.)
Values & Ethical Reasoning Course (3 Cr.)
Science & Technology Course (3 Cr.)
Global Issues Course (3 Cr.)

World Language (6 Cr.)
General Education Electives (12 Cr.)

EC 201 - Experience, Competency and Belonging (Cr: 3
EC 355 - Career Transitions (Cr: 4)
ENG 111 - Critical Reading and Writing I (Cr: 3)
ENG 112 - Critical Reading and Writing II (Cr: 3)
IDS 201 - Interdisciplinary Seminar (Cr: 3)
Taken twice (Cr: 6)
IDS 302 - Methods of Inquiry in the Humanities (Cr: 3)
Or
PSY 236 - Research Methods (Cr: 3)
IDS 489 - Senior Research (Cr: 3)
IDS 490 - Senior Thesis (Cr: 3)

First Year Adult Learning Experience (7 Credits)

EC 201 - Experience, Competency and Belonging (Cr: 3
EC 355 - Career Transitions (Cr: 4)

Writing Designated Courses (6 Credits)

ENG 111 - Critical Reading and Writing I (Cr: 3)
ENG 112 - Critical Reading and Writing II (Cr: 3)

Upper Level Core Electives (6 Credits)

Must be above the 100 level.

Interdisciplinary Studies Major Requirements (30 Credits)

Psychology or Sociology Elective (3 Cr.)

Philosophy or Religion Elective (3 Cr)

Political Science Elective (3 Cr.)

Science or Math Elective (3 Cr.)

History Elective (3 Cr.)

Political Science or IDS Elective (3 Cr.)

English Elective (3 Cr.)

American Studies or IDS Elective (3 Cr.)

IDS 201 - Interdisciplinary Seminar (Cr: 3) Taken twice (Cr: 6)

Final Research Project (9 Credits)

IDS 302 - Methods of Inquiry in the Humanities (Cr: 3)
Or
PSY 236 - Research Methods (Cr: 3)
IDS 489 - Senior Research (Cr: 3)
IDS 490 - Senior Thesis (Cr: 3)

Open Electives (7 Credits)

Montessori Education Concentration Required Course- (18 Credits)

Elective (Cr: 3)

ED 101 - Introduction to Education (Cr: 3)
IDS 100 - Seminar in Academic Inquiry (Cr: 3)
PSY 200 - Child and Adolescent Psychology (Cr: 3)

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will:

Effectively communicate in writing and through oral communication.
Demonstrate the critical inquiry and analysis skills needed to engage constructively in intellectual discourse in various disciplines.
Recall and apply the basic foundational knowledge of educational studies as delivered through the Baccalaureate Core.
Articulate the connections and distinctions between and among liberal arts disciplines, and their contemporary relevance.
Design, execute and present a personal project, which synthesizes and applies, selected knowledge, skills and experiences appropriate to the student’s personal and professional goals and/or their chosen area of specialization.

In addition to fulfilling the outcomes of the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies program, students completing the concentration in Montessori Education will:

Enhance student writing and critical thinking regarding the Montessori Method.
Develop skills in action research.
Identify and describe intrinsic motivation as it applies to themselves as teachers and students.
Understanding the role of democracy in establishing the current public and private education system.
Assess the influence of culture on educational objectives.