COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES COMMITTEE
REPORT OF ACTIVITIES
APRIL 2007
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, M.A.,
M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. Students in interdisciplinary graduate programs are not restricted by
traditional disciplinary 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 Executive 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 disciplinary 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.
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
Robert Hudson (Chair) – Philosophy
Jim Kells – Civil and Geological Engineering
Jane Alcorn – Pharmacy and Nutrition
Karl Pfeifer – Philosophy
Tony Kusalik – Computer Science
Ron Wheeler – Political Studies
Muriel Miller – Director of Programs, CGSR
Trevor Gambell – Associate Dean, CGSR
GSA Representative
4. STUDENTS
As of April 30, 2007 there are forty-seven students participating in Individual Interdisciplinary
Graduate Programs (decrease of 4%) – twelve students in Master of Arts programs, seven students in
Master of Science programs and twenty-eight students in Ph.D. programs. Applications for four other
students have been approved and the students will start their programs in either May or September of
2007.
During the past year, six students entered the Individual Interdisciplinary Program and eight 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 and pictures
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 are also
required to make a least one presentation to this seminar series during their time in program. The
Interdisciplinary Seminar was modestly attended this year; still, students indicated that they found
the presentations and resulting discussion to be informative and a valuable element of their InterD
program. We continue to take attendance at the 990 seminar and provide detailed audience feedback
for presenters.
The second component of the INTD 990 is regular attendance at campus seminars in an area of
relevance to the student’s program and research.
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7. STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEES (SACs)
Challenges are present as regards the effective monitoring of student progress and the maintenance
of up-to-date records. This is due to the fact that the InterD Program is quite large with upwards to
fifty students, and that SACs are diversely populated with faculty throughout the campus. The
InterD Executive Committee is considering how to improve the situation. Section 5.5 of the CGSR
Policies and Procedures Manual has been revised to more accurately reflect the membership of
SACs.
8. SCHOLARSHIPS
The allocation of scholarships for students in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program is devolved to
the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee. A Scholarship Subcommittee of the InterD Committee
allocates the funds made available by CGSR. This year, the members of the Interdisciplinary
Committee are de facto members of the Scholarship Subcommittee. This year, one InterD M.Sc.
student received a Master’s SSHRC, and an incoming M.Sc. student received a Dean’s Scholarship.
9. CONCENTRATION AREAS
As the Interdisciplinary Program grows, a number of students are entering the program in research
areas focused around a particular topic with an established group of faculty that interact quite closely.
Currently there are four such Concentration Areas: (1) Co-operative Studies, (2) Biotechnology and
Society and (3) Agriculture, Law and the Environment, and (4) Aboriginal and Indigenous Studies.
These Concentrations Areas allow a more streamlined application procedure for students wishing to
enter the Interdisciplinary Program, as well as providing students a peer group with which they can
interact. The Interdisciplinary Committee regulates the activities of the Concentration Areas.
Form GSR 411 has been revised to explicitly address the issue of Concentrations.
10. STUDENT INTERACTION
One of the concerns raised by students in the InterD program is that they often feel alone, without a
peer or support group. To address this issue, the InterD program had a social in December 2006 that
was modestly attended. The Chair continues to seek advice on finding ways to enhance the InterD
student experience and foster collegiality amongst them.
11. SUMMARY
The Interdisciplinary Program plays an important role in the University as the main conduit by
which new interdisciplinary programs are created and incubated. It is key to maintain the health of
the Program that the College find ways to support those who participate in the governance of the
Program.