Admission Requirements

Apply to this program through a centralized application. Review the sections below before you begin.

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Master of Science, Interdisciplinary Studies

Gerald Masterson, Program Director
Carrrington Hall, Room 306
Phone: 417-836-5005
infomsas@missouristate.edu
MSIS.MissouriState.edu/

Program description

Missouri State University offers an innovative interdisciplinary program at the master's level for students who find that traditional master's degrees or formally-designed options do not meet their unique, creative, and professional needs or for those seeking growth and advancement within their vocations. The MSIS program allows students, in consultation with graduate faculty, to utilize coursework from at least two graduate certificate programs to produce a well-designed and intensive program of study. MSIS students are expected to demonstrate research and writing proficiency appropriate to their career path and program emphasis.

Admission requirements

Admission to the program is based on the following:

  1. Bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by agencies recognized by Missouri State University or equivalent education from a foreign university;
  2. A minimum overall undergraduate GPA, or a GPA in the last 60 hours of work, of a 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, or 3.00 on 9 hours of graduate hours.
  3. Admission to at least one graduate certificate program.

Accelerated Master's Option Admission requirements

This is an option for MSU undergraduate students who are juniors and have accumulated at least 60 credit hours with an overall GPA of 3.20 or higher. If admitted, up to 12 hours of 600-level or 700-level courses by count for Mixed Credit.  Please reach out to the Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies office to discuss the application process.

Before enrolling in a course that will apply to both the undergraduate program and the master's program an undergraduate student must:

  1. Be admitted into the accelerated program;
  2. Receive prior approval from the MSIS advisor, department head of the undergraduate program, and the Dean of the Graduate College. This is done by using a mixed credit form.

Degree requirements (Minimum of 33 hours)

After being admitted to any graduate certificate program, a student may apply for admission to the MSIS. Students will select at least one additional graduate certificate for completion of MSIS coursework. Students must be admitted to each graduate certificate selected.

Course type Description Credit
hours
Research methods Variety of courses available 3 hrs
Research/Captstone experience Thesis, Non-Thesis Project, or Internship 3-6 hrs
Interdiscplinary Coursework Coursework from 2 or more Graduate Certificates 24-27 hrs
Additional degree requirements
  1. Successful completion of the research or capstone experience will serve as the student's comprehensive examination.
  2. All other university and Graduate College requirements must be met for completion of a degree program.

Statement of purpose

Before being admitted into the MSIS program, students will also submit a statement of purpose explaining the student's reason for wanting a degree in interdisciplinary studies. In the statement, students must identify their chosen areas of study; state the reasons for choosing the selected areas of study; and explain why traditional masters programs are not in the best interest of that student.