Center for Integrative & Interdisciplinary Studies
Interdisciplinarity can be defined as a functional application of more than one discipline in addressing complex issues or solving complex problems. In practice, academic interdisciplinarity can run the gamut from simply acknowledging the interaction between disciplines to a full-fledged integration of interdisciplinary concepts and practices into a multi-faceted experiential exercise (integrative learning).
Under the guidance and direction of the Center for Integrative and Interdisciplinary Studies, Wartburg College is moving away from simple acknowledgement toward a more purposeful integration of applied interdisciplinarity throughout and beyond the curriculum. This is based on the expectation, that post-graduation, students will approach complex issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. As such, Wartburg College will prepare students in a more purposeful and integrated fashion to do so.
Interdisciplinary Majors
Interdisciplinary Minors
Special Programs
May Term
Wartburg’s one-month May Term is an ideal time for off-campus travel and study. About one in every four students will travel abroad each May Term. Faculty members accompany students on a variety of courses.
Study Away
Students can study abroad for a term with an approved program or during Wartburg’s four-week May Term. Service trips provide opportunities to actively engage participants with communities through service and learning.
The mission/vision of the Center for Integrative and Interdisciplinary Studies is to foster collaboration among programs that will benefit from sharing agendas and resources to maximize their potential to serve student and faculty interdisciplinary interests. As the Center evolves it will become a cohesive collection of programs and supporting personnel focused on promoting an integrative interdisciplinary approach to solving real world, complex problems in both a theoretical and applied fashion.
The Center is to serve students, the college and eventually the community by facilitating integrative, experiential and immersive learning. The Center will serve as a resource for innovation for students, faculty and in the future the community wiith an innovation space where campus and community members can gather to address and generate solutions, both theoretical and applied, to complex real world problems in an interdisciplinary and integrative fashion and as a professional resource for interdisciplinary methods and solutions.