Success in today’s job market often requires more than expertise in a single field. Job seekers who can blend knowledge from different disciplines into a greater whole and bring diverse perspectives to problem-solving are often more appealing to prospective employers.
This is especially true if you’re an adult returning to college with real-world experience and looking to build an education that meets your multifaceted career goals. It’s worth your time to explore what integrative studies is and how you can customize your curriculum for your specific professional aspirations.
What Does Integrative Studies Mean?
Integrative studies, sometimes called interdisciplinary studies, is an academic approach that combines methods and perspectives from multiple fields of study to explore complex issues or develop broader understandings. Instead of concentrating on one traditional major like biology or history, you customize your own degree program from a range of disciplines, including:
- Sciences
- Humanities
- Social Sciences
- Arts
This type of program is especially useful if you have diverse interests or a specific career path that doesn’t fit neatly into a single academic box. The purpose of integrative studies is to help you think critically across disciplines, make connections between different types of knowledge, and apply what you learn in real-world contexts.
Is Integrative Studies a Good Degree?
It can be worth it to complete an online degree program in integrative studies if you want to shape your education around your interests and job markets. This degree has a few benefits that you may not find in a traditional program, such as:
- Flexibility: Choose courses from various fields, like psychology, business, or health, to build a program that fits your interests
- Broader Skill Set: Draw from various disciplines to develop a wide range of skills, such as critical thinking, communication, and adaptability
- Personalized Learning: Work with advisors to create a tailored plan of study
Employers often appreciate candidates who can tie together ideas from different subjects and adapt to various challenges. However, it’s important to clearly communicate the focus of your integrative studies degree to potential employers by highlighting the specific skills and knowledge you’ve gained.
What Careers Can You Pursue With an Integrative Studies Degree?
You can prepare yourself better for roles that require a mix of skills and knowledge with an integrative studies degree. For example, future teachers can get a strong head start by majoring in integrative studies before transferring to a teaching pathway program to earn a bachelor’s degree in education. You can choose classes from a wide array of subjects, like child development, psychology, communication, or social sciences, that all support a career in education.
Other integrative studies graduates might be entrepreneurs, public relations specialists, or project managers. Some other career examples and their recommended studies include:
- Nonprofit Management: Communication, public policy, ethics
- Event Planning: Business, marketing, hospitality
- Community Outreach: Sociology, education, psychology
- Organizational Leadership: Business, psychology, communication
You’ll start by choosing a core theme that fits your ideal job description and then customize your curriculum accordingly. Then, you’ll work with an advisor to select courses from different departments with meaningful connections that support your long-term plans.
Continue Your Education With Integrative Studies at The University of Olivet
If you already have some college under your belt but haven’t earned your bachelor’s degree yet, knowing what integrative studies is provides an avenue to build on your past experience and tailor your education to what matters most to you now. Instead of starting from scratch, you can apply previously earned credits and concentrate on a path that fits your current goals and responsibilities.
At The University of Olivet, we make balancing higher learning with life’s responsibilities easier in our flexible online integrative studies degree completion program. Create a focused, interdisciplinary plan today that helps you finish what you started and move forward with purpose.