COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES COMMITTEE
REPORT OF ACTIVITIES
APRIL 2008
1. INDIVIDUAL INTERDISCIPLINARY GRADUATE PROGRAMS
The College of Graduate Studies and Research encourages re-alignment of traditional disciplines into
new patterns, crossing department and college boundaries where this will foster new areas of
learning. To facilitate this, the College of Graduate Studies and Research provides opportunities for
students to develop INDIVIDUAL INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS leading to the PGD, M.A.,
M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. Students in interdisciplinary graduate programs are not restricted by
traditional academic boundaries.
Many departments and colleges have graduate programs that allow sufficient flexibility to students to
complete an interdisciplinary program while enjoying affiliation with an established academic unit.
Individual Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs are not intended to compete or replace these
programs.
The Individual Interdisciplinary Graduate Program is administered by the College of Graduate
Studies through the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee.
Candidates interested in Interdisciplinary Studies are responsible for developing the program
proposal, which must be approved by the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee. To be considered
"interdisciplinary", the proposed program must integrate course work and research into a concise
program that is not available within the traditional academic setting.
2. INTERDISCIPLINARY GRADUATE COURSES
INT D 898.3 - Special Topics
Topics will be selected according to the student's specific area of interest.
INT D 990 - Seminar
Students are required to attend, and to present at least one seminar during their program.
INT D 992 - Project
Students taking the non-thesis Master's degree must register in this course. ( not sure
about this)
INT D 994 - Research
Students writing a Master's Thesis must register in this course.
INT D 996 - Research
Students writing a Ph.D. Thesis must register in this course.
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3. INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES COMMITTEE
MEMBERSHIP
Carol Rodgers (Chair, starting September 1, 2007) – Kinesiology
Tony Kusalik – Computer Science
Ron Wheeler – Political Studies
Jane Alcorn-Pharmacy and Nutrition
Yin Liu, English-February-June 2008
Karl Pfeifer-Philosophy
Jim Kells-Civil and Geological Engineering
Muriel Miller – Director of Programs, CGSR
Ron Borowsky/Trever Crowe – Acting Associate Dean, CGSR
GSA Representative
4. STUDENTS
As of April 30, 2008 there are 44 students participating in Individual Interdisciplinary Graduate
Programs– nine students in Master of Arts programs, eight students in Master of Science
programs and twenty-seven students in Ph.D. programs. Among the current enrollment of 44
Graduate students 27 of students are female, 7 are self-identified as Aboriginal and 6 are selfidentified as a Visible Minority. (There are some that did not self identify).
During the past year, 8 students entered the Individual Interdisciplinary Program and 9 students
convocated.
5. INTERD WEBSITE
The Interdisciplinary Studies Committee website (http://www.usask.ca/cgsr/interd) continues to be
updated to serve as the key source of information for both prospective and current students in the
InterD program. The website contains details on the application procedure, scholarships, and the
InterD seminar. It is also being updated to include more detailed information about InterD students,
including biographical information.
6. INTERD SEMINARS
The INTD 990 Seminar has two components. The first component is the Interdisciplinary Seminar
that is held on a monthly basis. Interdisciplinary students must attend a minimum of 50% of the
Interdisciplinary Seminars over the course of the academic year. Interdisciplinary students will also
be required to make a least one presentation to this seminar series during their time in program. The
Interdisciplinary Seminar consists of presentations by students and faculty members. The
Interdisciplinary Seminar was well attended during the year, and students indicated that they found
the presentations and resulting discussion to be very informative and a critical element of their InterD
program. Detailed audience feedback is provided to each of the student presenters as part of the
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formative component of the seminar.
The second component of the INTD 990 is regular attendance at one or more campus seminars in an
area or areas of relevance to the student’s program and research.
A key area of activity for the interdisciplinary studies committee during the past year has been to
review and refine the seminar component of the curriculum.
7. SCHOLARSHIPS
The Interdisciplinary Studies committee allocates the funds made available by CGSR to students in
the Interdisciplinary Studies Program
.
Four Interdisciplinary students were funded during the 2007-08 academic year by the InterD
program’s devolved Scholarship Fund. In addition, one student was funded through GTF funds, and
two students through GTA funds.
8. CONCENTRATION AREAS
Many students in Interdisciplinary Studies pursue highly individualized programs of studies.
However, there is also the opportunity for students to pursue studies within one of four formalized
areas of concentration; (1) Co-operative Studies, (2) Biotechnology and Society and (3) Agriculture,
Law and the Environment (4) Aboriginal and Indigenous. The Concentrations Areas allow a more
streamlined application procedure for students wishing to work in one of these areas, as well as
providing students a peer group with which they can interact. The Interdisciplinary Committee
regulates the activities of the Concentration Areas.
9. STUDENT INTERACTION
This continues to be a challenge for students in the Interdisciplinary Studies program. Few students
are housed together in any single location on campus. A number students align with cohorts in the
department of their supervisor. One of the concerns raised by students in the InterD program is that
they often feel alone, without a peer or support group. We are currently pursuing potential solutions
to this situation through discussions with the Dean of the CGSR.