Customize your master’s degree

Our interdisciplinary studies master’s degree programs emphasize liberal studies education and enhance your intellectual skills. You’ll design your own program, which will allow you to study multiple academic disciplines, including traditional humanities, social sciences, education, business, Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media.

We offer the following master’s degree options within the Interdisciplinary Self-Designed Program:

• Interdisciplinary Studies (MA)
• Interdisciplinary Studies (MS)
• Liberal Studies (MA)

Courses are offered on weekday evenings at the Lincoln Park Campus. The program can be completed in two years.

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Which program should I enroll in?

The Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) program is for you if:

• you’re interested in combining areas of professional expertise or preparation with the traditional liberal arts.
• you’re a working professional seeking to augment your current work experience with new skills.
• you have a specific professional skill set in mind that you’re hoping to gain for your anticipated profession or professional move.
• you’re seeking a course plan without a required core or thesis.

Interdisciplinary Studies: MA vs. MS

• If the majority of courses you take for the master’s in interdisciplinary studies are drawn from programs that award the Master of Arts degree, then you will earn the MA.
• If the majority of courses you take are drawn from programs that award a Master of Science degree, then you will earn the MS.

(If the number is equal, you can choose the MA or the MS)

The MA in Liberal Studies (MALS) program is for you if:

• you’re interested in combining two or more areas in the liberal arts.
• you’re interested in fulfilling a personal desire to better understand history, culture and the ideas of the world.
• your job requires a greater breadth of cultural knowledge.
• you’d like to conclude your education with a capstone project, which can be like a traditional master’s thesis or combine your personal and academic interests.

Your living laboratory

You’ll study and engage with Chicago both in and out of your classroom. Take advantage of research and service-learning opportunities in a vibrant urban environment. And leverage DePaul’s connections with corporations large and small, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and cultural institutions that call Chicago home.

Application Deadlines

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Admission Requirements

Submit an online application, official transcripts and letters of recommendation. MALS applicants will submit an essay. IDS applicants will submit a statement of purpose and proposed list of courses. An interview may also be required.

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Required Courses

You’ll take 48 to 52 quarter hours depending on your concentration and completion option.

IDS MA RequirementsIDS MS RequirementsMALS Requirements

 

95%

of Interdisciplinary Self Designed Program graduates were employed, continuing their education or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation.

Customize your education with leading faculty

Spend your time learning and working alongside a diverse group of faculty including David Gitomer, PhD, who is an associate professor and director of the interdisciplinary self-designed program. He previously studied with pandits in India and conducted manuscript research throughout South Asia, which has helped him to become a specialist in the religions and literatures of pre-modern South Asia. Dr. Gitomer is one of the many examples of knowledgeable faculty you’ll have the opportunity to learn from at DePaul.

“I have an insatiable desire to learn and explore interesting topics. This program allowed me to task my intellect—to nourish and to feed it. The MALS program gave me the tools I need to deftly handle any challenges and obstacles. The interdisciplinary courses taught me to see every issue from multiple perspectives. And I think this sets me apart from my technically trained peers.”

Hakki (MA ’16)

Security Specialist, Chicago Police Department 

Alumni Network

You’ll join a diverse network of 180,000 DePaul University alumni working in Chicago and around the world, giving you opportunities to connect with fellow graduates at companies and organizations like Allstate, Tribune Media, KPMG and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Scholarships & Aid

The Interdisciplinary Self-Designed Programs award a limited number of partial tuition awards for graduate students. Learn more about scholarships and financial aid opportunities available to you.

Admission Requirements

We seek highly committed candidates with the academic preparation, motivation and experience to undertake a flexible and rigorous program of study. While no specific background or major is required, candidates with strong liberal arts background would be ideal candidates to the program.

Applicants to the Interdisciplinary Self-Designed Program are evaluated on their overall academic record. The committee considers each application on the basis of all materials submitted and does not eliminate applications solely on the basis of grade point averages or test scores; however a grade-point average of 3.0 or better in the junior and senior years is required for admission. Additional consideration is given to the strength of the applicant’s undergraduate program and its standards.

International students (those who were educated outside of the U.S. and/or require an F1 visa) must take additional steps to be considered for admission. Please visit the Internatio?nal Admission page for exact information. 

Application materials (except official transcripts) can be submitted through the online application. Official transcripts can be emailed from your institution to The Office of Graduate Admission at gradtranscripts@depaul.edu.

Application Checklist

All students applying to Interdisciplinary Self-Designed Programs will submit:

• Application for admission: Apply online
• Non-refundable $40 application fee
• Transcripts of all prior academic work
• GRE, LSAT or GMAT scores are not required but may be submitted to strengthen an application
• TOEFL scores (international students only).  We accept TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo. 

Additional requirements for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS):

• MALS Application Essay (see requirements below)
• Qualified applicants may be asked to submit letters of recommendation and/or to have an interview with the program director

MALS Application Essay Requirements

Additional requirements for the MA or MS in Interdisciplinary Studies:

• Statement of Academic Purpose (SAP): An essay of two or more pages explaining your academic goals, and how the courses you have chosen will help you reach those goals. In addition to the narrative discussion of your goals, please state them in a concise list. At least two of your goals must be drawn from the IDS Learning Outcomes, which address general competencies in academic performance.
• Proposed List of Courses (LOC) from DePaul's Course Catalog
  • IDS List of Courses (LOC) Form
  • IDS List of Courses (LOC) Instructions
  • LOC FAQ
• Two letters of recommendation. In order to determine if an applicant is qualified for his or her proposed program of study, the IDS Program may request additional letters from faculty or administrators of undergraduate or graduate departments in which the applicant was previously enrolled.
• Admission interview and course consultation

Learn more about Graduate Admission.

Degree Requirements

Portfolio

All students will keep a portfolio of significant work done for courses, such as final papers or special projects, with comments and grades from the professor. By the midpoint, there will be work from a total of at least three courses in the portfolio. At the culminating point there will be work from a total of at least six courses in the portfolio.

Midpoint Essay

After completing the sixth course but before taking the ninth course, all students in both programs will write a 3-5 page essay examining their progress to that point, using as evidence work from the portfolio. The Midpoint Essay reflects on the student's intellectual growth, and suggests directions for the second half of the student's program.

Culminating Point Essay

All students in both programs (regardless of which final option they choose) will write an essay of 3-5 pages, reflecting on their intellectual growth in the second half of the program.

Course Work

• Completion of 48 or 52 quarter hours of graduate credit, depending on the completion option (thesis, practicum, enhanced portfolio or exit course) chosen by the student.
• Maximum of 8 quarter hours of credit in approved 300-level courses, and remainder of credit hours from 400/500/600-level courses.
• No more than five courses may be taken in the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business  (KGSB), including courses which are cross-listed in other programs and courses transferred from other institutions which are business courses. Registration for courses in the KGSB must be done through the IDS office.
• No more than six courses may be taken in any single discipline within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, no more than six courses may be taken in the College of Education, and no more than six courses may be taken in the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM). Special permission must be sought for courses taken in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (formerly SNL). Only non-performance courses may be taken in School of Music or the Theatre School.
• Prerequisites within Departments and Schools apply.
• Certain individual courses may be not be open to IDS students.
• To support the student's program plan, the IDS advisor may require that the student take certain courses in areas such as writing, statistics, disciplinary methodologies, foreign languages, etc., when appropriate.

Program Completion (Capstone) Steps

All students must apply and be approved for the particular option they wish to use for program completion (thesis, practicum, enhanced portfolio or exit course). This application will include the student's portfolio. The thesis and practicum options include a Formal Proposal. Approval of the proposal is necessary before the student undertakes this final stage of the program. Enrollment in MLS 499, the culminating project independent study course, takes place after approval of the proposal has been secured. If necessary, in lieu of an elective, students may enroll in MLS 498 if they require an additional quarter of research and other preparation for MLS 499.

Both 498 and 499 are conducted as Independent Studies. Instructions for proposing and pursuing these are available with the Program. When the project is completed both the members of the committee and the ISD director sign a Culminating Project Completion Form.

Program Completion (Capstone) Options

The IDS program may be completed in one of four ways: 

Thesis Option (12 Courses)

In addition to the Culminating Point Essay and final portfolio submission, the student will write a paper of approximately 35-50 pages that includes 3-4 components or sections, one of which will be a research component and original exploration of the subject. (Other components might include a review of literature, a synthesis of earlier research, a reflection on various disciplinary and methodological approaches to the issue, suggestions for future research, etc.) The research component of the Master’s Thesis involves reflection on primary research, or actual primary research combined with reflection on the primary research of others. The student is encouraged to make a public presentation about his or her thesis. Students who have earned a GPA lower than 3.3 may in some cases be asked to complete their program with a different capstone choice.

• Ordinarily taken as MLS 499 the student's 12th and final course.
• Requires minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3, evaluation of "satisfactory" on the Midpoint Portfolio, formal proposal and approval of committee.

Practicum Option (12 Courses)

In addition to the Culminating Point Essay and final portfolio submission, for the Practicum Option the student will create a project aimed at developing and executing a community-based intellectual or intellectual/creative activity. Examples are a public presentation as a lecture, in broadcast or print media, or on the web. Service learning projects are also encouraged. A 15-25 page descriptive/analytic essay documenting the project is also submitted. The student is encouraged to make a public presentation about his or her practicum in addition to the primary distribution of the project. Students who have earned a GPA lower than 3.3 may in some cases be asked to complete their program with a different capstone choice.

• Ordinarily taken as MLS 499, the student's 12th and final course.
• Requires minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3, evaluation of "satisfactory" on the Midpoint Portfolio, formal proposal, and approval of committee.

Enhanced Portfolio Option (13 Courses)

In addition to the final portfolio submission, and a Culminating Point Essay based on portfolio pieces selected from at least three courses in the second half of the program, the distinctive feature of the Enhanced Portfolio option is the writing of a new extended expository essay of 12-15 pages. This is a paper on a topic of the student's own choosing that makes an argument. (Further information on this paper and the option is available from the program.)

• Ordinarily taken as MLS 499, the student's 13th and final course.
• Requires formal proposal and approval of committee.

Exit Course Option (13 Courses)

In addition to the Culminating Point Essay and the final portfolio submission, the student proposes a particular course over and above the original 12 courses. This course should be chosen as an "exit course," in that it brings together a number of areas of interest that the student has pursued over the course of the program. By arrangement with the instructor, the student uses the final paper or final project to make connections with the goals of his or her overall IDS Program. The instructor will grade the paper, and another reader suggested by the IDS program will also review and comment on the paper.

•  Requires formal proposal and approval of committee.

Determination of Degree

If the majority of courses completed for the master’s degree are drawn from programs that award the Master of Arts degree, then the student will earn the MA. If the number is equal the student can choose the MA or the MS.