Individualized Degree Program
An individualized degree program is an individualized major that incorporates components of several major areas through the Individually Designed Interdepartmental Major Program (IDIM) and the Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) Program. This is for students whose preferences are not met by one single major-track program. These students should contact an advisor in the BIS/IDIM office in 345 Fraser Hall, 612-624-8006, idp@adv.cla.umn.edu.
Students who wish to design an individualized major incorporating Spanish or Portuguese should note that this department expects a student's proposal to go beyond departmental minor requirements but not as far as meeting major requirements.
The number of required courses for a student within this range will vary and is contingent upon the other areas that will be represented in the individualized study program as well as consideration of the student's justification for the proposed plan of study. This department and the College of Liberal Arts have carefully constructed our major plans to ensure that students are guided through various stages of cognitive development that theoretically culminate in a profound way through a major project. The important component stages of our major are: advanced language skills (Spanish or Portuguese); thematic introductions to critical analysis; various advanced courses wherein those analytical skills are applied; and finally, a self-designed major project where a student demonstrates an individual level of analytical competence in this field. For individually designed programs, students need to demonstrate how the proposed courses in this department will form part of a coherent, well-conceptualized program through a unique, self-designed combination of areas of study. In general, it is expected that the best individualized major proposals incorporating work in this department would come from students already having a strong advanced level of the language in order to focus appropriately on more intellectually challenging upper-division courses as part of the overall individual plan. This means that while advanced language courses (Span 3015/3021 or Port 3003) may be listed in the prerequisite area of proposal, these courses do not inform the core or count toward the minimum credits of coursework expected in individualized study in this department. Moreover, it is not viable for students to create a BIS/IDIM core incorporating both Spanish and Portuguese (students interested in both should consider simply seeking our combined Spanish-Portuguese Studies Major).
Important note: As consideration of a Spanish or Portuguese component of a BIS/IDIM proposal is completely dependant upon each individual student's master plan (including the other areas of study proposed and overall logic), it is imperative that a student be able to provide at least a draft of his/her master plan IN WRITING when seeking departmental advising. Given the complexity of forming a viable BIS/IDIM proposal with a concentration in this area as well as issues of access to certain courses without major or minor status, students intending on pursuing a BIS/IDIM plan are encouraged to first declare a major or minor in this department as they work toward an acceptable BIS/IDIM proposal and later drop the major/minor once the proposal is approved. Students interested in BIS/IDIM should consult departmental advising with a written draft of the proposal as early as possible and preferably before beginning 31XX level courses.