Degree Requirements

• Approval by the chair of Interdisciplinary Studies of a Learning Agreement outlining the student’s focused, achievable, individualized program.
• Sixty credits earned at 300-level classes and above. These credits will be accumulated by completing the courses listed in the student’s approved Learning Agreement, and will include credits earned from the required Gateway Seminar (INTD 301), Advanced INTD Research Seminar (INTD 380), 6 credits of Special Topics (INTD 490) and Capstone Seminar (INTD 480).
• Students will design their Learning Agreement for a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies in the Gateway Seminar.
• Course work to be applied to the major may include up to 9 credit hours of independent study and 6 credit hours of transfer and/or consortium credits.*
• Interdisciplinary Studies students must attend the Gateway and Capstone semesters, Special Topics and Advanced Research courses in residence.

*Note: This does not constitute an increase in the total number of transfer credits allowed. A maximum of 60 transfer credits will be accepted.

The Learning Agreement

The Learning Agreement is an intensive investigation into the areas of academic interest initially proposed in the student’s Plan of Study. The student will be guided through this investigation by a careful consideration and interaction with the professor teaching the Gateway Seminar. In order to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the Bachelor of Arts program, the Learning Agreement must incorporate disciplines from at least two but no more than three of the BA programs offered at Naropa. Students must select a minimum of 12 credit hours at the 300-level or above from each BA program’s list of required courses, provided in the course catalog. This is to ensure that they receive basic fluency, literacy and methodology for each discipline.

Contemplative Practice

Naropa University is known for its inclusion of contemplative practices that nurture self-knowledge, open-mindedness and compassion. In order to best serve an individual's development and enable them to find their center and ground, and practice compassionate living, the Learning Agreement must include a minimum of 3 credits in one of the contemplative practices offered at Naropa University.

Civic Engagement

Through the use of community-based learning, Civic Engagement courses are designed to add a public dimension to the academic skills students develop in their area of study. In order to help students apply their learning to the public realm, the Learning Agreement must include a minimum of 3 credits in a Civic Engagement Seminar.

Diversity Awareness