Students at Iowa State have the choice and freedom to design their own majors through interdisciplinary studies.

The only criterion is to have a theme in the courses the student picks to be his or her major, said Jean Lassila, coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. Students must also find a faculty member who is willing to advise them.

The first step in declaring the major should be building a template, a listing of courses that relates to the specialized area of study, Lassila said. Though this is not mandatory.

A student may opt to write a letter detailing what he or she expects to do with the personalized major.

A faculty adviser must then submit an additional letter that is added to the student’s letter, before the major is declared.

“In most of these majors, there’s a faculty review board. In other words, they recall people who understand this field that they want to major in,” she said. The faculty review board within interdisciplinary studies is made up of three faculty members and an adviser who offer suggestions and give final approval of the major.

Interdisciplinary studies was created in 1991. It took the place of the individual major.

Undergraduate growth in this major is represented in small numbers, she said. “I have several students per month who come in and talk about it and I think that the numbers have been pretty steady,” Lassila said.

Interdisciplinary studies is also an individualized program within the Graduate College.

Patricia Keith, chairwoman of graduate studies in the Graduate College, said there are 55 students enrolled this semester, making it one of the largest inter-departmental programs in the college.

Similar to its undergraduate version, it is designed for “students who want a more diverse program,” she said.

Employment opportunities for the major are fairly high. In 1995-96, 86 percent of the graduates were employed at least six months following graduation, said Laurie Karns, assistant director of career services in the College of Business and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Undergraduates in the major are employed as lab technicians, publishers and even gymnastics instructors, she said.

Karns said the best way to ensure employment is to keep the GPA high.

“Get good grades because employers still see it as a benchmark,” she said. Other factors include developing leadership skills through campus involvement and getting any kind of career-related experiences, such as an internships or co-ops, she said.