Interdisciplinary Studies Field

Undergraduate Program

Introduction to the Major

The Interdisciplinary Studies Field (ISF) major offers highly motivated students the unique opportunity to design an original program of research and study resulting in a major research project (senior thesis). ISF allows you to take advantage of UC Berkeley’s strengths as a research institution by combining work across disciplines in courses and with faculty where no other structured program exists.

The major is intended for students who wish to focus their studies on a non-U.S. topic, have a clear idea about the research they would like to pursue and the courses that will be most meaningful to them, and who are prepared to write a senior thesis.

The ISF Curriculum 

ISF is an individualized cross-disciplinary research program that includes a course of study and a senior thesis. The course of study is made up of courses taken in the social sciences, the humanities, and/or the professional schools and colleges, alongside the required courses in ISF. The capstone experience is a scholarly, rigorously-researched 40-page required senior thesis, a sustained inquiry in the social sciences and humanities based on original, cross-disciplinary research.

Amplify Your Major

I am honored to have been in the ISF major because it provided me an innovative and empowering education.
Emily Cohen, ISF class of 2015

Four-Year Student Timeline

First Year

Explore Your Major

Connect and Build Community

Discover Your Passions

Engage Locally and Globally

  • Attend the Calapalooza student activities fair and get involved with a student organization.

  • Explore study, internship, and research abroad options with Berkeley Study Abroad.

Reflect and Plan Your Future

Second Year

Explore Your Major

Connect and Build Community

Discover Your Passions

  • Enroll in a Sophomore Seminar such as UGIS 39.

  • Assist faculty in their research through URAP

  • Attend debates, talks, and panels by a variety of professionals through Berkeley Forum

  • Find research and funding opportunities in the OURS database.

Engage Locally and Globally

Reflect and Plan Your Future

Third Year

Explore Your Major

  • Focus on upper division requirements and electives based on your field of study.

  • Read through the ISF Senior Thesis guidelines in preparation for your study. 

  • Ask your major advisor about the ISF Honors Program.

Connect and Build Community

  • Consult with outside faculty with research specialties related to your thesis. 

  • Welcome new students to UC Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.

Discover Your Passions

Engage Locally and Globally

Reflect and Plan Your Future

Fourth Year

Explore Your Major

  • Do a degree check to ensure you are on track to graduate.

  • Complete your senior thesis.

  • Challenge yourself with a graduate-level course.

  • Complete any “bucket list” courses and remaining major, college, and campus requirements.

Connect and Build Community

Discover Your Passions

Engage Locally and Globally

Reflect and Plan Your Future

What Can I Do With My Major?

As an ISF major, you will learn critical skills of research, analysis, interpretation, and writing that will translate across professional sectors and domains, including academia, non-profit work, business, government, and community service.  Your demonstrable record as a scholar and researcher with the capacity to complete original and innovative work will be a bonus for employers, graduate programs, and professional schools seeking unusual and highly-motivated graduates.

Jobs and Employers

  • Account Associate, Accenture 

  • Analyst, Riviera Partners

  • Business Develop. Assoc., Oracle

  • Communications Coordinator, UCOP

  • Data Analyst, BALANCE

  • Engineer, PG&E

  • Fellow, Americorps

  • Financial Analyst, Citigroup

  • Interaction Designer, VMWare

  • Marketing Manager, Freshslice Pizza

  • Media Planner, Digitas 

  • Operations Research Analyst, Zoox

  • Technical Trainer, AMN Healthcare

  • Volunteer, Peace Corps 

Graduate Programs

  • Anatomy, PhD

  • Business Administration, Masters

  • Computer Science, PhD

  • Education, Masters

  • International Development, Masters

  • International Relations, Masters

  • Information Technology, Masters

  • Law, JD

  • Latin American Studies, Masters

  • Physical Sciences, Masters 

Examples gathered from the First Destination Survey of recent Berkeley graduates.

Learn More

Connect With Us

Cal Day

Come to Berkeley’s annual Open House in April for information sessions, campus tours, special talks, and more. ISF faculty will discuss the possibilities for student interdisciplinary research at Berkeley and tackling the most pressing problems facing society today.

Golden Bear Orientation

Join your peers in the campus-wide UC Berkeley orientation program for all new students. Attend an ISF info session to hear from faculty about this amazing interdisciplinary research major.

Events

Attend an ISF Application Workshop and find out more about the major and the application process. Visit isf.ugis.berkeley.edu for news and updates.

Advising

Meet with an ISF undergraduate advisor via appointment or drop-in advising. Appointments can be made by contacting advisors directly. Visit isf.ugis.berkeley.edu/people/ for office hours and locations.

Advising Drop-In Hours

Monday - Friday 9-11:30am, 1:45-5:00pm

How to Use this Map

Use this map to help plan and guide your experience at UC Berkeley, including academic, co-curricular, and discovery opportunities. Everyone’s Berkeley experience is different and activities in this map are suggestions. Always consult with your advisors whenever possible for new opportunities and updates.

Topics

Major Maps topic page, College of Letters & Science topic page

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