Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science (IDS)
Build a personalized, theme-based concentration by drawing on courses from across campus, grounded in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences.
MSU’s Center for Integrative Studies in Social Science offers two flexible majors designed to help you shape an academic path around your interests and goals:
Build a personalized, theme-based concentration by drawing on courses from across campus, grounded in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences.
Combine a strong foundation in the social sciences with focused study of a world region or an issue that crosses borders.
MSU Degree: Global & International Studies (GLIS) with a concentration in International Development. Second major in Political Science with a minor in Economics.
Year Graduated: 2020
Current Employment: Lead Growth Operations Manager at Clinii (New York)
Why GLIS: My interdisciplinary education at MSU gave me a mindset that meshed well with how I problem solve, both academically and personally. This carried out after my studies and even now in my workplace, as when considering any challenges, I first try to consider it from many different perspectives before proposing solutions.
Words of Advice: Keep your mind open and explore career paths that you may not have previously considered.
MSU Degree: Global & International Studies (GLIS) (Middle East focus) and Arabic with a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies.
Year Graduated: 2020
Current Employment: Legal intern at ZS, while pursuing a J.D. degree at Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology. Previously Immigration Services Manager at Syrian Community Network.
Why GLIS: This was a major I wholeheartedly enjoyed and cared for. The beauty of our degree is that you can truly end up anywhere your dreams and passions lie, and the best thing is that you now have the tactics and best practices to be able to thrive in that environment.
Words of Advice: First, if you have not yet been validated in your experience of how scary and unknowing it is to be in college, allow me to validate you. Ride that wave and get comfortable with the discomfort of it. Remind yourself that it really does all work out in the end. This is a time in your life that is special and one of a kind. Follow your passions and don’t listen to that voice in your head that fears rejection.
MSU Degree: Global & Area Studies (now GLIS) with a concentration in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Anthropology cognate.
Year Graduated: 2014
Current Employment: Director of Marketing and Audience at Tradeoffs
Why GLIS: I had the opportunity to concentrate on a world region that excited me while allowing me to explore my areas of interest across disciplines. Since graduating, I've found that this interdisciplinary approach to learning and global approach to thinking has helped me in every job I've had throughout my career.
Words of Advice: Seek out work and people that excite you, and don't be afraid to throw away your "five-year plan" if life takes you in a new direction.
MSU Degree: Global & Area Studies (now GLIS) with a concentration in Asian Studies.
Year Graduated: 2010
Current Employment: Assistant Professor in molecular physics in the Quantum Photo-Science Laboratory at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (Japan)
Why GLIS: I chose the major because I wanted something more holistic than a focused degree might offer. It allowed the flexibility to learn about Asia from a multidisciplinary perspective: I could see how, for example, Japanese literature (in one class) was shaped by the unique historical events of the time (in a separate class). This generalist approach allowed a sort of conversation between the classes that I took. I could step back and look at the whole, putting the pieces together. This interdisciplinary way of thinking has had a large influence on my understanding of the world and on my career path.
Words of Advice: People around you are more important than any single job or project. It’s important to figure out what kind of environment works for you, but the people around you should support your development and push you to be the best version of yourself.
MSU Degree: Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) with a specialization in Global and Area Studies: Gender and Global Change.
Year Graduated: 2010
Current Employment: HR Analytics Consultant at BJC Health System
Why IDS: I loved being able to create my own degree. It wasn't prescripted coursework, so pretty much everything was interesting. The combination with the Honors College allowed me to travel internationally during the summers, skip prerequisites, and take some graduate-level classes my senior year – all of which was a great foundation for my Master of Public Health and helped me start building specific skillsets (e.g. ArcGIS) that I needed for my first job after grad school.
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