An IDS major requires considerably more independent work than most regular departmental majors. In addition to a large investment of your time, it demands a heavy investment from UF faculty. With that in mind, please take a few minutes to review and answer the following questions in an effort to determine whether or not the IDS Program is right for you. Be honest with yourself — no one is going to review your answers!
- Are you genuinely interested in at least two fields of study that have some common ground?
- Have you reviewed the requirements for the regular departmental majors in these fields?
- Have you already done work or extensive reading in these fields?
- Is at least one of your proposed fields of study covered by a department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
- Are you having difficulty in deciding on a major because you find two (or more) fields equally attractive?
- Are you at least four semesters away from graduation?
- Do you view this program as a means of obtaining your degree more quickly?
- Does your principal academic interest lie in an area outside of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
- Is your grade point average very close to or below 3.0?
- Do you find it difficult to choose a major because nothing UF offers you is sufficiently interesting (or appealing) to warrant a heavy investment of your resources?
If you answered most of the questions 1-6 with a ‘yes’ and most of the questions 7-10 with a ‘no’, there is reason to believe that an IDS major is worth your consideration. If you answered most of questions 1-6 with a ‘no’ and most of questions 7-10 with a ‘yes,’ then you may consider options outside of the IDS Program.
Experience in this office indicates that individuals who are having difficulties scholastically, don’t have a well-defined interest, and/or have an interest or interests that lie primarily in other colleges are likely to have trouble with an IDS major. Avoidance of difficult or “uninteresting” coursework is not a good reason for applying to the program.
If you do intend to apply, you must find two faculty sponsors and devise a program that the College Interdisciplinary Studies Committee will approve. Students who have a clear picture of their areas of interest and whose interests lie mainly within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences typically have no trouble devising a suitable program of study.
For more information, please visit our FAQ.