Interdisciplinary Studies B.S.

Build a degree as broad as your interests, anchored by an area of emphasis you choose.

The Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies at Manhattan University is an alternative to the traditional major, pairing a broad general education core with a focused area of emphasis you design with faculty advisors. It is built for students whose goals cross disciplinary lines, offering greater breadth, structured flexibility, and a culminating capstone, so you graduate with both a wide foundation and a clear focus.

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Credit Hours
120
Time to Complete
4 Years
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This program is part of History, Political Science and International Studies

The Manhattan University Difference

What Sets Us Apart

The Interdisciplinary Studies B.S. at Manhattan University gives you the freedom to build a degree around your own goals while keeping the structure and rigor of a focused area of emphasis. Grounded in the University's Lasallian Catholic mission and supported by faculty advisors across the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences, it is designed for students who learn best by connecting ideas across fields.

A Degree You Design

Build your program around your goals, combining a broad core with a focused area of emphasis instead of a single traditional major.

Three Areas of Emphasis

Choose from Humanities and Arts, Natural and Health Sciences, or Social Sciences and Education to anchor your studies.

Faculty-Guided Advising

Work closely with faculty advisors in your area of emphasis, coordinating with Centralized Advising at every step.

Breadth Across Disciplines

Draw on courses from across the Kakos School, building connections that a single-major path rarely allows.

A Capstone of Your Own

Cap your degree with a 400-level project, internship, or research experience that ties your area of emphasis together.

Built for Flexible Goals

Ideal for pre-professional paths, double interests, or careers that reward broad, adaptable thinking.

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The Manhattan Advantage

Why Study Interdisciplinary Studies at Manhattan University?

Some goals do not fit neatly inside a single major. The Interdisciplinary Studies B.S. lets you build a broad, structured education around your interests, guided by faculty who help you connect coursework across the arts, sciences, and social sciences into a coherent path. With a strong general education foundation, a focused area of emphasis, and a culminating capstone, you graduate with the adaptable thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills that employers and graduate programs value most, near the heart of New York City.

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Degree Program Options

Choose Your Area of Emphasis

Every Interdisciplinary Studies student builds a general education core and then concentrates 36 credits in one of three broad areas of emphasis, including a capstone, shaped around your goals with faculty guidance.

  • Humanities and Arts — Draw on Communication, Digital Media Art, English, Game Design and Production, History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Sound Studies, and Spanish.
  • Natural and Health Sciences — Draw on Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Exercise Science, Health Science, Healthcare Administration, Mathematics, Physics, Public Health, and Radiation Therapy Technology.
  • Social Sciences and Education — Draw on Criminology, Economics, International Studies, Organizational Leadership, Peace and Justice Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Education (Childhood and Adolescent).
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Academics

Curriculum & Courses

The Interdisciplinary Studies B.S. combines a 51-credit general education core (17 courses, including nine credits in religious studies) with a 36-credit area of emphasis built around your goals. The core spans English, foreign language, fine arts, history, mathematics and science, philosophy, psychology, religious studies, and sociology, providing a broad foundation, while the area of emphasis culminates in a 400-level capstone.

Because the degree is built individually, each student's plan of study is designed with faculty advisors. To view the full curriculum and core requirements, please visit Manhattan University's academic catalog.

  • General Education Core — 51 credits
  • Area of Emphasis — 36 credits
  • English, Foreign Language, Fine Arts, History
  • Mathematics and Science, Philosophy
  • Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology
  • Religious Studies (within core) — 9 credits
  • 400-Level Capston
  • Independent Study, Internship, or Research capstone options
  • At least 4 emphasis courses above the 100 level
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Why Study in New York City

An interdisciplinary education thrives in a city defined by the intersection of fields. New York brings together the arts, sciences, business, government, healthcare, and nonprofits in one place, giving Interdisciplinary Studies students an unmatched range of internships, research, and capstone opportunities to match whatever path they design. Whether your emphasis is in the humanities, the sciences, or the social sciences, the city offers real-world settings to apply and connect what you learn. This access, near the heart of New York City, helps you turn a flexible degree into focused, practical experience.

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Interdisciplinary Studies: Think Broadly, Connect Deeply.

At Manhattan University, Interdisciplinary Studies students graduate with exactly the skills a changing economy rewards: the ability to think across fields, communicate clearly, and adapt quickly. Built around your goals and guided by faculty, the degree prepares you for graduate study and for careers that value breadth as much as depth.

Think Across Disciplines

Connect ideas, methods, and perspectives from multiple fields to understand problems in their full complexity.

Solve Problems Creatively

Approach challenges from more than one angle, drawing on a broad toolkit few single-major graduates have.

Communicate With Clarity

Write and speak effectively across audiences, a skill built through a wide and writing-rich core.

Adapt to Change

Move comfortably between fields and roles, an advantage in careers that increasingly reward versatility.

Prepare for Graduate Study

Build a foundation suited to law, the health professions, and other graduate paths that value broad preparation.

Pursue a Focused Goal

Combine breadth with a clear area of emphasis and capstone, graduating with both range and direction.

 Learn From Faculty Across the University

One of the strengths of the Interdisciplinary Studies B.S. is the breadth of its faculty. Rather than learning from a single department, you work with professors across the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences, scholars and teachers in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences who help you connect your coursework and design a coherent path. Coordinated with Centralized Advising, your faculty advisors mentor you from your first emphasis course through your capstone.

Meet the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences Faculty

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About

The Kakos School of Arts and Sciences

The Kakos School of Arts and Sciences is the largest of Manhattan University's three schools, offering 33 undergraduate majors, six graduate programs, and six combined degrees across the humanities, natural and social sciences, and professional fields. Grounded in the University's Lasallian Catholic mission and located near the heart of New York City, the School pairs rigorous academics with small classes, close faculty mentorship, and real-world experience throughout the five boroughs and beyond. That foundation delivers: Manhattan University ranks in the top 3% nationally for salary impact (Wall Street Journal, 2026), a measure of how strongly a degree here translates into graduates' career earnings.

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Career Outcomes

Where It Can Lead

Because you design the Interdisciplinary Studies B.S. around your own goals, it opens doors in many directions. The degree builds the broad, transferable skills, critical thinking, communication, adaptability, and the ability to connect ideas across fields, that employers value across industries and that graduate and professional programs look for. Many students use the degree to prepare for law school, the health professions, or graduate study, while others enter careers that reward versatile, big-picture thinkers.

  • Critical thinking and analysis
  • Clear written and oral communication
  • The ability to connect ideas across disciplines
  • Adaptability across fields and roles
  • A foundation for graduate and professional school
  • Preparation for law and the health professions

Flexible Paths

The catalog notes that there is no single required major for law school or for the health professions; the Interdisciplinary Studies B.S. can be built to support either, in consultation with Manhattan University's pre-law and pre-health advisors. Graduates also pursue careers across business, education, nonprofits, communications, public service, and more, shaped by their chosen area of emphasis.

Program Costs & Financial Aid

Manhattan University is committed to making a high-quality, career-focused education accessible and affordable. Through a combination of competitive tuition, robust financial aid, and our Jasper Guarantee, students and families can plan their education with confidence. The Jasper Guarantee locks your tuition rate for all four years—ensuring financial stability and eliminating unexpected increases as you work toward your degree.

More than 90% of Manhattan University students receive some form of financial assistance, including merit scholarships, grants, and need-based aid, significantly reducing the overall cost of attendance.

A Manhattan University education is an investment in your future, and we are dedicated to helping you access the resources that make it possible.

Learn More About Costs and Financial Aid

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A Smarter Investment in Your Future

Jasper Guarantee

At Manhattan University, every undergraduate student is protected by the Jasper Guarantee, which locks your tuition rate for all four years, ensuring clarity, stability, and peace of mind as you plan your education. This promise reflects our commitment to affordability and to supporting students and families throughout their academic journey.

Learn More About the Jasper Guarantee
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Admissions Information

Start Your Journey with Interdisciplinary Studies
Applying to Manhattan University is designed to be clear and accessible. Review the requirements and key deadlines below to take the next step toward a future in data-driven business.

Requirements:

  • Application & transcript
  • SAT/ACT optional
  • Personal statement
  • Letter(s) of recommendation

Deadlines:

  • Early Action: November 15
  • Regular Decision: February 1

Admission and Application Process

International Students:

Support available for visas, documentation, and English-language assessments.

Learn More about International Financial Aid

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Prepare for the Real World

At Manhattan University, your education is built around who you are and where you want to go. Whether you’re ready to apply or just starting to explore, take the next step when you’re ready — we’re here to help.

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