College of Arts and Sciences

Interdisciplinary Doctorate

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a dynamic degree for doctoral students with cross-disciplinary interests.

Mission

grad student

The Interdisciplinary Studies Doctorate (ISLD) at Western Michigan University enables self-directed scholars to integrate disciplines with guidance from a team of faculty members, aiming to create original knowledge that tackles complex societal challenges and supports WMU’s goals of discovery, inclusion, and public impact.

Fast Facts

Formats: In-person, remote, hybrid

Credits required for doctorate: 60

Graduate transfer credits permitted: 18 maximum, with approval

Minimum GPA: 3.25

GRE: not required

Application deadlines:

  • Fall admissions: Feb 15
  • Spring or Summer admissions: Oct 15
     
Contact Program Director to Learn More

Program Overview

Thank you for your interest in the Interdisciplinary Studies Doctorate (ISLD) offered by the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University. This unique, student-driven degree is highly individualized, allowing students with cross-disciplinary interests to take the lead in designing a tailored doctoral program for themselves in consultation with academic advisors who agree to work with the student. From the pre-admission application process until degree completion, ISLD students work under the guidance of at least four faculty advisors who are invited by the student to work with them based on the fit between the faculty members’ areas of expertise and the student’s interests.

The ISLD degree is appropriate only for students whose needs cannot be met by one of WMU’s existing graduate departments/programs. It is not meant as an alternative for students who were unable to gain admission to other programs or who were not successful in another program. Our priority is to support established programs at WMU. If a current program adequately meets the needs of an applicant, the applicant will be encouraged instead to pursue that degree option.

The degree is housed within the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and must include required coursework from at least two declared degree-granting departments/programs, with at least one of them housed within CAS. Each of the two declared departments/programs must offer graduate coursework. Certificate programs are not eligible. The resulting transcript and diploma will indicate “Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies.”

This Interdisciplinary Studies Doctorate (ISLD) supports the Western Michigan University mission to offer an access-oriented institution that provides an impactful and inclusive education that integrates discovery and fosters holistic growth and well-being so that all may learn.

The ISLD Handbook serves as a guide to the policies and procedures of the Interdisciplinary Studies Doctorate (ISLD) program. It should be carefully reviewed by prospective students, admitted students, and the faculty serving on ISLD dissertation committees. All guidelines described herein are subject to compliance with the policies and procedures of the university, as outlined in the Graduate Catalog and to the policies and procedures of the College of Arts and Sciences. For additional information, please contact the College of Arts and Sciences at 269-387-4350. 

If you believe this program may be a good fit, you are encouraged to begin a conversation with the Director of the ISLD program, or their designee, indicating your interest via email. Admission to the ISLD program requires you to formulate a well-designed, compelling, and feasible plan of study and independent research that combines coursework and faculty mentorship from four faculty members across two or more departments/programs. You must also convincingly justify why the ISLD program is a better fit for you than any traditional doctoral program at WMU. Dialog with the ISLD Director or their designee is a significant component of successful applications.

Unlike many other doctoral programs, where the dissertation committee is formed after admission, the ISLD program requires you to form a dissertation committee from the outset. This enables committee members to provide applicants and future students with guidance on course selection for the program of study. You may learn about WMU faculty and explore their research areas by searching the department/program websites in disciplines relating to your area of interest.  Faculty agree to work with ISLD applicants on the student’s invitation, which they consider on a case-by-case basis. 

If you are not currently a WMU student, you may need to visit campus to meet with potential dissertation committee members before applying to this program, or you may set up remote meetings. It is the sole responsibility of potential students to form their own four-person dissertation committee, although they may seek advice from ISLD program leaders and affiliates in doing so.

Agreement by faculty to serve on the ISLD dissertation committee is understood as an indication of their willingness to assist you from the beginning to the end of your degree progress, and to welcome you in the research culture of their departments/programs, including department mailing lists, invitations to seminars and social functions, and access to research facilities.

As part of the application process, you must obtain a written agreement from all prospective dissertation committee members (at least four faculty members) and each of their department chairs/program directors stating the faculty members' willingness to serve on your dissertation committee should you be accepted into the program and approval of the department chair/program director for them to do so. This non-negotiable prerequisite must be met by all students before their applications will be reviewed. 

Your dissertation committee must include at least one faculty member in each of at least two departments/programs housing your proposed degree. A minimum of one of these faculty members must be from a department/program within the College of Arts and Sciences. At least one of these faculty members must consent to serving as the dissertation committee chair, or two may serve as co-chairs. The dissertation chair must be in the College of Arts and Sciences. In the case of co-chairs, at least one of the co-chairs must be in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

All prospective dissertation committee members must have Graduate Faculty Status at WMU or must be in the process of applying for this status. One or more external members from outside WMU may be included if they apply for WMU Graduate Faculty Status, using the Graduate Faculty Nomination Form process, outlined below. But there needs to be a total of three WMU faculty members on each ISLD committee. For example, an ISLD committee may include three WMU members and one or more external members.

Before submitting an application, be sure you have devoted sufficient time and effort to outlining a program of study and a research agenda that aligns with the expertise of your selected dissertation committee members. You are encouraged to seek guidance from the ISLD Director or their designee in the process of developing your application. Unlike traditional doctoral programs, entry into the ISLD program requires that students develop their own unique program of study in consultation with four supporting faculty members as a prerequisite for admissions. To meet this aim, successful applicants usually engage in a series of meetings with multiple faculty members, the ISLD director, and program advisors as part of this process. Often these meetings take place over the course of several months to allow sufficient time for appropriate relationships and common understandings to develop. As such, students should be prepared to devote significant time and effort to this challenging and rewarding task. 

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Visit the Graduate College page to Start Your Application. The following application criteria and materials are required for regular admission into the Interdisciplinary Studies Doctorate program:

Required Criterion and Materials
  1. Prerequisite Education: Bachelor’s or master’s degree must be completed before entry into the ISLD program, with a minimum grade point average of 3.25 out of 4.00 for your last degree.
  2. Resume or CV (Curriculum Vitae).
  3. Recommendations: Three letters of recommendation addressing your academic qualifications for this doctoral degree program.
  4. Transcripts: Copies of all transcripts as required by Western Michigan University.

  5. Statement of Purpose: (1500 words maximum): Describe your proposed plan for coursework, goals for independent research, and rationale for applying to the ISLD program. Be sure to include each of the following elements in the order below:

    a. Discuss your plans for independent research, explain why you need an interdisciplinary studies program to accomplish your stated study/research aims, and justify why the ISLD program is the most appropriate fit for you rather than any other WMU doctoral program.

    b. List the official names of at least two departments/programs that would house your degree and explain how the approaches and methods in each of these departments/programs would contribute to your proposed plan of study and research. For a list of all of WMU’s Graduate Programs.

    c. Identify the names and department/program homes of each of the four or more faculty members who have agreed to serve on your dissertation committee and explore the connections between their specific areas of expertise and your proposed study/research plan. In this section, specify which faculty member has agreed to serve as “dissertation chair” or which faculty member(s) have agreed to serve as co-chairs.  The dissertation chair must be a faculty member in the College of Arts of Sciences. In the case of co-chairs, at least one of the co-chairs must be a faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

    d. Outline your proposed coursework plan, identify at least two specific graduate courses you would take in each of the departments/programs housing your degree, and explain how each course would strengthen your ability to meet your study/research aims. Additionally, mention any graduate credits you would like to have considered for transfer credit. For a complete list of graduate courses offered at WMU, consult the most updated Graduate Catalog.

    e. Explore how your background education and professional experience have prepared you to embark upon the specific doctoral program of study you have outlined here.

    f. Address your potential career placement after program completion and explain how the ISLD degree would enhance your career and professional trajectory.

    g. If you have been dismissed from another doctoral program at WMU prior to applying to the Interdisciplinary Studies Doctorate, please describe the personal and academic improvements you have made since that dismissal which would facilitate a successful outcome in the ISLD program.

    6. Writing Sample (Recommended) It is highly recommended, but not required, for you to include a writing sample demonstrating your ability to produce scholarly work connected to your prospective area of independent research. Faculty members who are asked to be part of your dissertation committee or other members of the applicant’s committee may request such a writing sample or other documentation of the applicant’s skills and readiness for doctoral study.

    7. The Pre-Admission Faculty Support Form for Prospective ISLD Students must be completed and uploaded as a “Supplemental Form” in your application.[1] The completed form must provide documentation of written consent (signatures) from at least four faculty members indicating their willingness to serve on your ISLD committee, should you be admitted to the program. The form must also be signed by the department chair/director of each proposed WMU committee member and the ISLD director or designee. No applications will be reviewed before this documentation is received.

    8. Ensure Graduate Faculty Status of All Dissertation Committee Members: The ISLD applicant is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all prospective committee members have Graduate Faculty Status at WMU, or of ensuring that any prospective faculty members who do not already have that status at WMU are in the process of submitting the Graduate Faculty Nomination Form. Graduate Faculty Status is mandatory both for WMU and non-WMU (external) dissertation committee members. It is recommended that ISLD students send the appropriate links and forms to any prospective committee members who do not have such status. Please see details in the bullet points below.

    a. Prospective ISLD students should ask prospective dissertation committee members to confirm that they either already have, or that they qualify for graduate faculty status. If prospective dissertation committee members are not sure, ISLD applications may ask their prospective dissertation committee to check the criteria specified in the Graduate Catalogue under Graduate Faculty Appointments, available via the link below, and make sure that their status is up to date with the Graduate College.

    b. If a prospective dissertation committee member does not already have Graduate Faculty Status at WMU, the ISLD student should request that the prospective dissertation committee member apply for it using the Graduate Faculty Nomination Form available on the Graduate College website. 

Potential external (non-WMU) dissertation committee members may: 

  • Only apply for “Associate Graduate Faculty" status.
  • Is not eligible to serve as the sole dissertation chair. External members can, however, serve as the co-chair, as long as the other co-chair is from the College of Arts and Sciences and has full status at WMU.
  • For more details on obtaining the Graduate Faculty Nomination Form for external members, please see the section of the Handbook devoted to this.
  • After obtaining the completed Graduate Faculty Nomination Form and CV from the prospective dissertation committee member, the ISLD student should send the completed form and CV to the ISLD Director or designee. Please note, for ISLD students, the ISLD Director will complete the signature line of the form marked for “Chairperson.”

Admission decisions will be made by an admissions Committee who will review your application before providing their decision in written form. In addition, the chairs/directors from each of the departments/programs of proposed study must agree to the admission. If an applicant has been dismissed from another doctoral program at WMU prior to applying to the Interdisciplinary Studies Doctorate program, a review of their credentials will include an evaluation of evidence of your personal and academic improvements since the dismissal. 

Course requirements and other requirements

1. At least 60 credit hours with a GPA of 3.0 or better.

a. Students with a relevant master’s degree may petition the College of Arts and Sciences to transfer a maximum of 18 master’s degree credits on their Permanent Program of Study Form.

b. At least half of the credits taken at WMU must be at 6000-level or above.

c. No fewer than 30 credits plus 12 dissertation credits must be taken after admission to the ISLD program.

d. At least six credit hours of 6000-level coursework in each of at least two departments/programs is required after admission to the ISLD program. If one of the student's declared departments offers graduate coursework, but not 6000-level classes, it is possible that adjustments can be made.

2. Overall, the program of study must include the following:

a. A minimum of 32 credit hours of subject knowledge, including at least two classes from each of two or more departments/programs.

b. At least 15 credit hours in research methodology, including relevant research methods courses offered by departments or graduate research independent study credits (this may include classes like A-S 7350, REL 6000, SOC 6800 etc.), and demonstrated proficiency in two research tools. Some examples of research tools include participant observation, interviews, survey, archival methods, statistical analysis, focus groups, auto-ethnographic exploration, etc.

c. Twelve hours of dissertation credits (A-S 7300 or a department equivalent, such as PSY 7300, HIST 7300, ECON 7300).

3. Other requirements:

a. ISLD students must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course requirement offered through WMU’s Graduate College (or equivalent).  Information on the RCR can be found here.

b. ISLD students must familiarize themselves with all policies and procedures of the ISLD program and gain an awareness about all the forms that they will need to submit throughout the program and their deadlines, as listed in Appendix B, and as otherwise described in the ISLD Handbook.

c. ISLD students must have the support of a dissertation committee composed of at least four members who will offer sustained supervision of their student’s program of study, including research project, annual reviews, proposal defense, and candidacy exams, dissertation defense, plus any and all other requirements.

d. ISLD students must meet with their dissertation committee at least annually to review their progress.

e. ISLD students must successfully complete the oral defense of a research proposal, which will be determined by the dissertation committee.

6. ISLD students must successfully meet all the requirements for a mandatory comprehensive exam, as determined by the dissertation committee members.

7. ISLD students must complete and successfully defend a dissertation involving original research across disciplines.