PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies

Is anyone aware of a D/L degree at the PhD level in Interdisciplinary studies? Perhaps something similar to the CSUDH HUX program. I want as broad a program as possible, rather than a specific narrow field of study and I don't want an Educational degree. Although the degree would be for me, I want it to be RA in case I ever decide to use it at some point in the distant future.

I'll keep searching the threads, but any advice is warmly appreciated!

vanadoo

 

Harrison Middleton University



Union Institute & University’s cohort Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies Program

 

Only Union is RA. Harrison is DETC accredited. So Union is probably more expensive but more useful too.

 

I'm not sure if such a thing exists. Any PhD program is going to demand a research dissertation, which will necessarily have to focus in on a single coherent topic that's narrow enough and well enough defined to be do-able.

What I'd suggest is clarifying in your mind what your possible dissertation topic might look like. Then figure out what kind of traditional departments might best support your topic. And then inquire how open those departments might be to more interdisciplinary research that draws on the expertise of other departments as well. Many B&M humanities departments happily accomodate that and will allow you to take classes from and draw some members of your dissertation committee from cognate departments.

Keep in mind that there are very few distance learning PhD programs offered in any of the humanities. Offerings are going to be sparse to nonexistent, depending on what you are interested in.

 

Yes, doesn't a doctorate present you as an expert in a given field? How could one be an expert in a general subject?

 

Probably not very.

 

Clarify more, please.

 

More likely you will choose the subject that you are interested in the most to do your dissertation in.

 

That is correct.

 

Union:

Cohort Ph.D. - Estimated Costs
Along with tuition and fees, we’ve included an estimate of some associated costs based on the past experiences of learners in the Interdisciplinary Studies Ph.D. program. These costs will vary depending on residency location and travel from different regions of the country. When calculating your cost to attend, please keep in mind that you will be enrolled in the program for at least six terms (two terms per year, 3 year minimum in the program).

Cohort Ph.D. - Estimated Costs

Not that bad of a cost. When considering a PhD.

 

Ah, I see. Thanks.

 

I thought of the same thing. But this is how most Humanities/Interdisciplinary studies work. For example:

Cohort Ph.D. - Areas of Concentration

Learners pursuing the Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies focus their studies in one of the following three areas of concentration...

Ethical and Creative Leadership

Public Policy and Social Change

Humanities and Culture

You must pick one.

---

As there is still a large debate as to what encompasses the Humanities, most will say all the studies that speak to us as humans, while others will stick to the notion of educational enlightenment.

I would put this type of doctorate under a DA, rather than a PhD.

 

No need to earn it. You will always be the highly esteemed, Gadfly in all of our hearts.

 

A degree like this would be done mostly out of interest, wouldn't it? I can't see many employment opportunities that it would open up. Enlighten me, if I'm wrong.

 

Yes. My HMU DA in Humanities is out of interest only; internal enlightenment.

 

This is mistaken. "Interdisciplinary" doesn't mean "General." It means the approach taken utilizes ontologies and epistemoligies from multiple academic disciplines in order to examine one's very specific topic. Various methodologies, literatures, etc., are also leveraged to both explore a topic and situate it in the extant literature and theories.