Program in Interdisciplinary Studies
PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies
Program Director Carl Franzblau
The Graduate Program
The PhD Program in Interdisciplinary Studies is designed to give a small number of qualified students the opportunity to pursue doctoral-level studies in areas that are not available in the existing departments or programs of the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences. There is no Master of Arts program. The individualized programs of study combine the academic resources of two or more departments in the Division and require a scholarly focus that cannot be achieved within a single discipline. Because an advanced level of competence in at least one discipline is necessary for interdisciplinary study, the student is normally expected to possess a relevant master's degree or to demonstrate a command of one discipline by completing the equivalent of one year of graduate-level work in an appropriate department. In any event, the student should be prepared to do graduate-level work in all areas selected for study. The student is expected to fulfill all Division requirements for the PhD degree described under "General Requirements for the PhD" in the "Graduate Departments and Degree Programs" section.
In choosing an interdisciplinary program of study, students must realize they are not members of any one department and, therefore, may relinquish the close association with fellow students and the support of departmental affiliation and normal department-based sources of graduate aid. The nature of the program requires that its students possess a great degree of clarity of intellectual purpose, maturity, and motivation. The admission standards for the program are very high. Students considering an interdisciplinary program shoud be aware that the nontraditional character of their studies may place them at a disadvantage when seeking postdoctoral employment.
Further information is available from the Division Office at 715 Albany Street, Room L 317, Boston, MA 02118-2526; 617/638-5120.
Program Authority and Advising The Associate Dean
of the Division acts as the coordinator for the Interdisciplinary
PhD Program and is assisted by members of the Division graduate
faculty who serve on the supervisory committees of enrolled students.
Other faculty members act in a consultative role and provide advice
on general matters of policy, particularly on issues relating
to admissions. Each student arranges for direct supervision throughout
the course of study by an advisory committee of three or more
faculty members, one of whom is the major advisor. Admission to
the program is, in part, contingent upon the agreement of these
three faculty members to serve on the advisory committee. Of the
three, only one may be a faculty member of a School at Boston
University other than the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences
and only one may be a junior (nontenured) faculty member.
Admissions and Prerequisites
As for all other Division programs, applicants must submit results
of the Graduate Record Examination General Tests and hold at least
a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline. Applicants with
master's degrees are preferred. The application process is more
extensive than for other Division programs, requiring more consultation
and planning. A student interested in applying to the program
should propare a brief statement of purpose and a proposed program
of study using courses listed in this bulletin. The director should
then be consulted as to the feasibility of the proposal. The director
will include coordinating committee members in preliminary discussions.
The student will be directed to faculty members who may be willing
to serve on the advisory committee. After development of the advisory
committee, and with its approval, the student must prepare a five
to seven-page detailed proposal to be submitted with the formal
application for admission to the Division of Graduate Medical
Sciences. This proposal should include the following:
All inquiries and requests for application forms should be addressed
to the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences, Boston University
School of Medicine, 715 Albany Street, Room L 317, Boston MA 02118-2526.
Course Requirements Students with a
relevant master's degree must complete eight semester courses
(32 credits). Students with a bachelor's degree must complete
16 semester courses (64 credits). The general plan for coursework
must be proposed as part of the application (see the previous
section on "Admission and Prerequisites"), and this plan should
be reviewed and approved by the advisory committee each semester.
Master's Equivalency Requirement Every student admitted
to the 16-course postbachelor's program must satisfy both
the advisory committee and the coordinating committee as to competency
at the master's level in one of his or her program disciplines.
The method of satisfying this requirement must be proposed as
part of the application (see "Admissions and Prerequisites" above);
the advisory committee must report to the coordinating committee
when this requirement has been satisfied.
Language Requirement, Qualifying Examination, PhD Candidacy, Residency Requirement, Dissertation Prospectus, Dissertation, and Final Oral Examination See under "General
Requirements for the PhD" in the "Graduate
Departments and Degree Programs" section. The prospectus, format,
and substance of the examinations must be approved by both
the advisory and the coordinating committees.
Degree Title The degree is awarded
in Interdisciplinary Studies with major field specified, "Interdisciplinary
Studies (major field)."
Courses This program does
not offer its own courses but does accept all courses described
in this bulletin.
Published by Trustees of Boston University
11 March 1999
Top of Page
PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies
The completed application must be submitted to the Division
of Graduate Medical Sciences, Boston University School of Medicine,
715 Albany Street, Room L 317, Boston, MA 02118-2526. The deadline
for submission of applications for September admission is March
1.
147 Bay State Road
Boston, MA 02215
Page prepared by the
Office of Publications Production and the
Office of Information Technology
Boston University
GMS Questions