Students interested in interdisciplinary study are encouraged to consider interdisciplinary majors. The following interdisciplinary majors have been approved by the Faculty, and the required courses have been defined as listed below. Students who wish to declare any of these established interdisciplinary majors may do so by filing the normal Declaration of Major form with the Office of the Registrar. Any deviation from the program of study outlined in the description must be approved by the chairpersons of the departments involved.

A total of sixty-two (62) credits as follows:

1. Required Mathematics and Computer Science courses (22 credits):
   • MATH 122 (Integral Calculus)
   • MATH 123 (Sequences & Series) 
     Note that MATH 123 is a 2 credit course that can be taken concurrently with MATH 122.
   • MATH 251 (Differential Equations)
   • MATH 211 (Intro Statistical Methods & Applications)
   • MATH 214 (Discrete Math Modeling with Biological Applications)
   • MATH 315 (Continuous Math Modeling with Biological Applications)
2. Required Biology courses (14 credits):
   • BIOL 130, 131L, 140, 141L (Intro Bio Sequence)
   • One of the following courses:
     • BIOL 300 + 300L (Evolution)
     • BIOL 304 + 304L (Genetics)
     • BIOL 305 + 305L (Population Genomics)
     • BIOL 315 + 315L (Ecology)
     • BIOL 348 + 348L (Wildlife Biology)
     • BIOL 358 + 358L (Plant Genetics & Sustainable Agriculture)
3. Math Electives (8 credits): Select 2 additional courses from all MATH courses at the 200-level or higher in consultation with the advisor (1 of the courses must be at the 300- or 400- level; MATH 211, 214, 251, and 315 cannot count towards this requirement).
   • COMP 142 (Computer Science II: Object-Oriented Programming) can count as a 200-level course
   • Four credits of MATH 451/452 (Math Research) can count as a 400-level course
4. Biology Electives (14 credits): Select 3 courses from all Biology courses at the 300-level in consultation with the advisor (2 of those courses must have an associated lab). The following combinations of courses can count as an elective with a lab:
   • BIOL 307 (Cell Biology) + BMB 310 (Methods in Cell Biology and Biochemistry)
   • BIOL 312 (Environmental Issues: South Africa) + BIOL 314 (Environmental Field Study: Namibia)
   • CHEM 315 (Biochemistry) + BMB 310 (Methods in Cell Biology and Biochemistry)
   • Four credits of BIOL 451/452 (Biology Research)
5. Senior Research (4 credits): Students will complete a capstone research project in which they use mathematical, computational, and statistical methods to model biological phenomenon. Each student will take four credits of seminar, one credit in the spring of their junior year, and three credits in their senior year (all in one semester or divided between fall and spring semesters).
   • One credit of MATH 386 (Junior Sem) 
     Students may petition to substitute one credit of MATH 451/452 or participation in Research Fellowships/St. Jude Summer Plus program for this requirement if they have engaged in the corresponding research for at least two terms before their junior spring semester. Additionally, students studying abroad during the spring semester of their junior year may petition to substitute one study abroad course for this requirement.
   • Three credits of MATH 485, 486 (Senior Seminar)

Recommended Courses:

• If considering grad school in Ecology it is strongly recommended that students take BIOL 315, COMP 142, and MATH 305.
• If considering grad school in Mathematics, Biomathematics, or Mathematical Ecology it is strongly recommended that students take MATH 201, 261, and 321.
• PHYSC 111 + 113L (Fundamentals in Physics I) as appropriate to career goals
• Some classes that may be of interest:
  • ECON 407 (Game Theory)
  • HIST 105 (Special Topics: Disease & Epidemics) F2i, F3
  • HIST 270 (Global Environmental History) F3, F11
  • HIST 307 (Nature & War) F3
  • INTS 340, 341 (Global Ecopolitics, Comparative Ecopolitics) F8
  • PHIL 230 (Environmental Ethics)
  • PHIL 303 (Medical Ethics) F1

A total of sixty-two (62) credits as follows:

       1.  Economics 100 Introduction to Economics, 201 Intermediate Microeconomics, 202 Intermediate Macroeconomics, 290 Statistical Analysis for Economics and Business, 420 Econometrics, 486 Senior Seminar in Economics.

       2.  Business 241 Financial Accounting, 340 Managerial and Cost Accounting, 351 Corporate Financial Management, 361 Management of Organizations, 371 Marketing Management, 486 Senior Seminar in Business. 

       3.  Four credits from:

             a.  ECON 250: Readings in Economics

             b.  ECON 265: Topics in Economics

             c.  ECON 305: Public Economics

             d. ECON 308: Industrial Organization

             e.  ECON 310: International Trade and Policy

             f.  ECON 311: International Financial Economics

             g.  ECON 312: Economic Development

             h.  ECON 317: Money and Banking

             i.  ECON 318: Economics of Crime and Corruption

             j.  ECON 323: Classical and Marxian Political Economy

             k.  ECON 331: Labor Economics

             l.   ECON 338: European Economic History

             m.  ECON 339: U.S. Economic History

             n.  ECON 343: Family Economics

             o.  ECON 345: Economics of Sports

             p.  ECON 349: Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

             q.  ECON 357: Economics of Risk, Uncertainty, and Information

             r.  ECON 377: Economics of Education

             s.  ECON 407: Game Theory

             t.  ECON 412: Data Management and Analysis (new course added last year)

             u.  ECON 440: Advanced Econometrics

             v.  ECON 465: Advanced Topics in Economics

       4.  One course from each of two of the following areas:

             a.  Accounting: Business  341 Intermediate Accounting I

             b.  Finance: Business 452 Cases in Managerial Finance, 454 Investments/Financial Analytics.

             c.  Management: Business 463 International Management, 466 Personnel and Human Resource Management, 467 Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

             d.  Marketing: Business 472 Marketing Analytics and Metrics, 473 International Marketing, 474 Services Marketing.

             e.  Other: Business 481 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility, 483 Advanced International Business Cases, 484 Social Impact of Business in South Africa   

      5.  Math 115 Applied Calculus, 116 Calculus with Business Applications or 122 Integral Calculus

       6.  Recommended: Mathematics 107 Linear Methods; Philosophy 225 Justice, Equality, and Liberty; Media Studies 240 Public Speaking, Computer Science 141 Programming Fundamentals, 142 Object-Oriented Programming, Business 460 Internship, Economics 460 Internship.

A total of 15-16 courses (60-64 credits) as follows:

1. Economics 100, 201, 202, 290, 310, 312; either Economics 486 or International Studies 485.
2. Economics 407 or 420.
3. International Studies 110, 120, 201, and three additional courses at 200-level or above. At least one 4-credit course should be selected from Area A - Global Leadership, and at least one 4-credit course should be selected from Area B - Regional Leadership.
4. Mathematics 115, 116 or 122.
5. An appropriate foreign language through completion of the second year (202) or demonstrated proficiency through the 202 level as indicated by an appropriate proficiency test.

A total of 12-13 courses (48-52 credits) as follows:

1.  Three History courses at the 300 or 400 level. At least one course must be at the 400 level.

2.  International Studies 110, 120, 201, 301.

3.  Economics 100.

4.  A total of three additional courses, including at least one from History and at least one from International Studies.  Students must choose one of the following concentrations:

a.  Africa/Middle East:  HIST 105 (WHEN COURSE TOPIC IS FOCUSED ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL REGION), HIST 271, HIST 272, HIST 275, HIST 276, HIST 277, INTS 243, INTS 244, INTS 245, INTS 251, INTS 252, INTS 253, INTS 254.

b.  Asia:  HIST 105 (WHEN COURSE TOPIC IS FOCUSED ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL REGION), HIST 281, HIST 282, HIST 283, HIST 287, HIST 288, HIST 293, HIST 294, INTS 260, INTS 261, INTS 262, INTS 263, INTS 264, INTS 395.

c.  Europe:  HIST 105 (WHEN COURSE TOPIC IS FOCUSED ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL REGION), HIST 212, HIST 213, HIST 214, HIST 215, HIST 216, HIST 217, HIST 225, HIST 226, HIST 229, INTS 280, INTS 281, INTS 282, INTS 283, INTS 284, INTS 285.

d.  Global/Comparative:  HIST 105 (WHEN COURSE TOPIC IS FOCUSED ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL REGION), HIST 207, HIST 209, HIST 224, INTS 220, INTS 221, INTS 256, INTS 310, INTS 311, INTS 330, INTS 332, INTS 334, INTS 336, INTS 340, INTS 341, INTS 371, INTS 372, INTS 373, INTS 374, INTS 420, INTS 421, INTS 422, INTS 451, INTS 452.

e.  Latin America:  HIST 105 (WHEN COURSE TOPIC IS FOCUSED ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL REGION), HIST 261, HIST 262, HIST 267, INTS 273, INTS 274.

5.  History 485 or International Studies 485

6.  An appropriate foreign language through completion of the second year (202) or demonstrated proficiency through the 202 level as indicated by an appropriate proficiency test.

Qualified students wishing to pursue Honors can do so by fulfilling the requirements of the interdisciplinary major and of the Honors Tutorial in either department.

A total of 15 courses (58 credits) as follows:

1. Economics 100, 201, 202, 290, 407, 420
2. One course from Economics 305, 308, 310, 331, 343, 357, 412, 440
3. Mathematics 122, 123, 201, 223, 251, 261
   Note that MATH 123 is a 2 credit course that can be taken concurrently with MATH 122.
4. Mathematics 311 or 321
5. Economics 486 or Mathematics 485 and 486. Senior projects must have a faculty reader from both departments. The final presentation of the senior project must be made in the Senior Seminars of both departments. Students taking Math 485 and 486 are encouraged to take Math 386 (Junior Seminar) in the spring semester of their junior year.

Qualified students wishing to pursue Honors can do so by fulfilling the requirements of the interdisciplinary major and of the Honors Tutorial in either department.

Mathematics and economics majors seeking admission to graduate programs in economics, operations research, statistics, or mathematical finance are advised to also take Mathematics 312, Mathematics 431, Computer Science 141, Computer Science 142, and possibly Business 351.

A total of 16 courses (64 credits) as follows:

Music Courses (6 courses, 8 performance credits) 

a. Theory & Musicianship:

• MUSC 204: Understanding Musicianship [F5]* – offered in Fall semesters
• Two (2) 300-level music theory courses (306-313)  
  *If placement test determines this course is redundant, choose three 300-level music theory courses

b. History & Literature: 

• One (1) 200-level Music History & Literature Course (4 credits)
  Select from MUSC 227-229 [F3] or MUSC 267 [F9]

c. Performance:

• 4 semesters of applied music lessons (MUSC 160-180 = 1 credit each)
• 4 semesters of ensemble performance (1 credit each) 
            • MUSC 181: Rhodes Orchestra
            • MUSC 184: Rhodes Jazz Ensemble
            • MUSC 185: Rhodes Pep Band
            • MUSC 187: Archipelago Ensemble
            • MUSC 190: Rhodes Singers
            • MUSC 390: Rhodes Choral Collaborative
            • Other ensembles may count with departmental approval.

d. Electives: Two (2) 4-credit courses

• One (1) music cognition/therapy topic course (MUSC 140-149 or MUSC 340-349)
• Other courses should be selected from the following recommended list: 
  MUSC 103, 117-119, 130, 222, 227-228, 306, 310, 414

Once declared, Music & Psychology majors will have the Applied Music fees waived for up to eight (8) credits of their principal applied instrument. Music majors taking more than eight (8) credits of Applied Music and lessons taken prior to declaration of the major will be charged the applied fee for those credits. Fine Arts Scholarship waivers for Applied Music fees are outlined in the award letter which supersedes music major and minor fee waivers outlined here.

Psychology Courses (7 courses)

a. Foundational Psychology Courses:  

• PSYC 150: Foundational Issues in Psychology [F8] 
• PSYC 200: Research Methods and Statistics (Sophomore year) 
• PSYC 211: Statistical Methods [F6] (Sophomore year)  

b. Perception: PSYC 216  

c. Advanced Research Methods (Junior year):
    One advanced methods and statistics course from among Psychology 350-353 or content courses that include
     substantial integration of statistical analysis and work with datasets (i.e., 306, 338). This course should be taken
     junior year. Before taking a particular advanced methods course, students should complete PSYC 200 and 211,                
    as well as the core course that relates to it. 

d. Two other courses chosen from one concentration:

               Cognition:  
                         PYSC 232: Psychology of Gender and Language  
                         PSYC 306: Psycholinguistics  
                         PSYC 327: Cognitive Processes  
                         PSYC 345: Cognitive Neuroscience  
                         PSYC 451-452: Research Practicum (4 credits)  
                         NEURO 270: Neuroscience  
                         NEURO 318: Neuroscience of Brain Disorders  

               Applied:  
                         PSYC 218: Psychology of Addiction  
                         PSYC 220: Psychology of Health  
                         PSYC 222: Educational Psychology  
                         PSYC 224: Psychological Disorders  
                         PSYC 229: Developmental Psychology: Infant and Childhood [F11]  
                         PSYC 230: Adolescent and Early Adult Development  
                         PSYC 231: Psychology of Aging  
                         PSYC 280: Psychology of Gender and Sexuality
                         PSYC 311: Counseling Psychology  
                         PSYC 326: Learning and Motivation

Senior Experience (4 credits)

Either MUSC 485-486 or PSYC 485 as recommended by advisor and topic availability. The culminating Senior Seminar research project is required to integrate the fields of Music and Psychology.

A total of 14-15 courses (56-60 credits) as follows:

1. International Studies: 110, 120, 201, and three additional courses at 200-level or above. At least one 4-credit course should be selected from Area A - Global Leadership, and at least one 4-credit course should be selected from Area B - Regional Leadership.

2. Politics and Law: PLAW 151, three additional PLAW classes (12 credits) and a political theory course (4 credits) (one of PHIL 216 (Philosophy of Law), PHIL 225 (Justice Equality and Liberty), PHIL 301 (Philosophy, Politics, and Power), or PLAW 390 (Utopias/Dystopias in Theory and Practice, currently PLAW 386)). At least one of the four additional classes must be a 300-level or higher PLAW class. (PLAW 262 and 263 do count towards the requirements). Students may count up to 4-credits of experiential learning towards the 200-level PLAW requirement.

3. Economics 100 or International Studies 311.

4. International Studies 301 or PLAW 270.

5. International Studies 485 or PLAW 485.

6. An appropriate foreign language through completion of the second year (202) or demonstrated proficiency through the 202 level as indicated by an appropriate proficiency test.

A total of 13 courses (52 credits) as follows:

1. Russian 201, 202, 301, 302.

2. One of the following: Russian 205, Russian 285, Russian 410, History 229, or another elective course on Russia or USSR (subject to the approval of the Russian Studies Program Director).

3. International Studies 110, 120, 201, 301, and two additional courses at 200-level or above. At least one 4-credit course should be selected from Area A - Global Leadership, and at least one 4-credit course should be selected from Area B - Regional Leadership.

4. Economics 100 or International Studies 311.

5. International Studies 485.

The option of a self-designed interdisciplinary major is available for those students whose academic goals may best be achieved by combining and integrating the work of two or more academic departments. Like the College’s other interdisciplinary programs, the self-designed interdisciplinary major exists to provide an appropriate structure for programs of study that do not fit within the bounds of existing departments and require an interdisciplinary approach.

The majors currently offered by the College’s academic departments and interdisciplinary programs are carefully designed and rigorously reviewed by the faculty for intellectual depth and coherence. Students who wish to propose a self-designed course of study should expect that their proposals will be held to the same standards. The self-designed interdisciplinary major petition process therefore requires a significant amount of time and reflection. Students wishing to pursue this option will work closely with their advising faculty in the relevant departments to construct their proposal and to see their study through to completion.

Students who wish to pursue a self-designed interdisciplinary major must complete the required “Declaration of Interdisciplinary Major” form. In completing that form, students should follow the steps below in order to meet the rigorous criteria for the proposed program of study.

1. Consult with faculty members in the departments that will be combined in the major to determine the feasibility of the interdisciplinary major. Consultation with the Registrar is also recommended in order to secure an understanding of the approval procedure.
2. Prepare, in consultation with those faculty members and departments, a petition requesting the College Faculty’s approval of the interdisciplinary major. This petition is addressed to the Chairperson of the Faculty Educational Program Committee. The petition must contain the following items:
   1. An essay that articulates the student’s rationale for the interdisciplinary major. Simply explaining how courses in different departments are related is not a sufficient rationale. The rationale must specifically explain why the academic goals of the self-designed major cannot be achieved through a combination of majors and minor(s). The petitioner must demonstrate that only by integrating work in the departments can those academic goals be realized. The importance of this essay cannot be overemphasized. It is not only a statement of the student’s reasons for choosing the proposed interdisciplinary major, but also a philosophical and practical statement of (i) how the new major meets the same rigorous standards as the College’s already-existing majors, (ii) how the proposed course-plan will include truly “interdisciplinary” study, (iii) how, if there are similar programs or majors at other comparable institutions, the proposed plan for interdisciplinary study compares to those.
   2. The Declaration of Interdisciplinary Major, including a complete listing of courses that comprise the interdisciplinary major, with numbers, titles, and dates when the courses are to be taken. Though it is customary that the number of courses in each department will be fewer than what is expected of a major in that department, it is essential that substantial advanced work is done in each department. The proposed program of study must include a complete description of how the “interdisciplinary” senior experience will be structured. It must be clear how the departments involved in the major will be integrated into the senior seminar, seminars, or capstone experience. Any self-designed capstone experience should be explained in detail and should be comparable in content, rigor, and methodology to the capstone experiences for existing majors.
3. The Declaration of Interdisciplinary Major must be endorsed in writing by the chairpersons of the concerned departments. This endorsement must include a detailed assessment of the student’s rationale and of the student’s ability to undertake and complete successfully the work projected in the petition. The departmental endorsements should also specify who will serve as the principal faculty advisor for the student. If the student’s petition includes coursework or other projects outside of the participating departments’ normal course offerings, the chairpersons should also note their awareness of those elements of the proposal and give assurances that those or comparable opportunities will be available for the student.
4. The entire Declaration of Interdisciplinary Major with the completed petition is submitted to the Registrar for review before it is sent to the Education Program Committee for a full review and final determination. Incomplete Declarations will be returned to the student without review.
5. Interdisciplinary majors must be declared and receive approval no later than midterm of the spring semester of the junior year. It is expected that work on the petition, interviews with faculty, and consultation with the Registrar should begin as early as possible, but will take place no later than the fall semester of the junior year. The student who submits an interdisciplinary major petition will have already declared a major by midterm of the spring semester of the sophomore year. If the interdisciplinary major can be worked out in time for the sophomore year deadline for declaring a major, it should be submitted earlier.
6. Any proposed deviation from an approved interdisciplinary major must have departmental approvals and the approval of the Education Program Committee before changes are made in the course of study.