Pursue interdisciplinary research into social issues, social problems and humanities topics where no other structured program exists.
The Bachelor of the Arts program in Interdisciplinary Studies (ISF) offers highly-motivated students the unique opportunity to design an original program of research and study resulting in a major research project (senior thesis). The ISF major allows undergraduates 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-US 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.
Highlights
- Develop a unique research field to guide your studies.
- Choose your own classes that are relevant to your research interests.
- Work closely with faculty to develop your curriculum and research ideas.
- Challenge yourself with an Honors Thesis.
Curriculum
Students pursue the ISF degree in the context of a Research Field consisting of two elements: a Course of Study (courses chosen with the aid of a Faculty Advisor) and a Senior Thesis focused on a significant research problem in the social sciences or the humanities. Courses taken in the social sciences, the humanities, and/or the professional schools and colleges in addition to ISF’s own interdisciplinary methods course (ISF 189) constitute the Course of Study. The Senior Thesis (ISF 190) consists of a 30-40 page piece of original research and is the culminating product of the ISF degree.
Research Fields should not replicate an existing major. Instead, the proposed Research Field integrates approaches from at least three academic disciplines (departments or programs), and is discussed with and approved by a Faculty Advisor to assure feasibility.
Learn more at isf.ugis.berkeley.edu
Study Options
Undergraduate and Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Letters & Science offers majors in American Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Media Studies, as well as minors in American Studies, Applied Language Studies, Creative Writing, Disability Studies, and Politics, Philosophy, and Law.
Our programs attract undergraduates who wish to explore the most intellectually engaging and promising interdisciplinary fields under the direction of scholars who are pioneers in charting these new areas and methods of inquiry.
Declaring the Major
The ISF declaration requirements consist of two classes, each taken from two of the following three categories of courses: Disciplines, Comparative Horizons, or Cross-Disciplines. To declare the ISF major, you must have completed your first declaration requirement course with no less than a C grade; be enrolled in your second declaration course; and have had your research program approved by a Faculty Advisor.
Transfer students who are accepted to UC Berkeley and have selected ISF on their undergraduate admissions application will be admitted directly into the major (no declaration required). Transfers admitted to UC Berkeley as a major other than ISF must follow the declaration requirements as listed.
Students in the ISF major develop critical research skills that help prepare them for a wide variety of careers and further study. The major does not provide professional training, but prepares students for research in careers ranging from the university to Wall Street, from non-profits to the World Bank. Recent graduates have pursued advanced study in Urban and City Planning, Anthropology, History, Creative Writing, Development Studies, Education, International Relations, Area Studies, Philosophy, Public Health, and Law School, while others have gone on to internships and jobs in nonprofit organizations as well as investment and marketing firms.
UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students studying American Studies. The College of Letters & Science offers advising for undergraduates pursuing medical or health professions programs, law school, or masters and PhD programs. Additionally, Berkeley Career Engagement provides career counseling, professional and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Account Associate
- Americorps Fellow
- Analyst
- Business Development Associate
- Communications Coordinator
- Data Analyst
- Engineer
- Financial Analyst
- Interaction Designer
- Marketing Manager
- Media Planner
- Operations Research Analyst
- Peace Corps Volunteer
- Technical Trainer
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- Anthropology
- Business Administration
- Computer Science
- Education
- History
- International Relations
- Law
- Latin American Studies
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Urban and City Planning
Shantel, class of 2026
In ISF, Shantel had a strong interest in how legal and economic systems shape housing and social geography. Her senior thesis explored the relationship between California’s RHNA enforcement mechanisms and post-2017 housing production outcomes across the nine Bay Area counties. She has contributed to multiple policy recommendations that inform state and local housing strategies, particularly for people experiencing homelessness. Shantel leaves UC Berkeley as a scholar and practitioner committed to bridging policy with lived experience, applying a multidisciplinary lens to build more equitable housing systems for California’s most vulnerable residents.
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Start exploring with L&S 1 and the L&S New Freshman Student Guide.
- Visit L&S Advising for help with major exploration and degree requirements.
- Familiarize yourself with the ISF major and ISF Student Handbook.
- Begin courses for the major declaration requirement.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar, Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Join a student organization like the ISF Student Association.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Get academic help from the Student Learning Center.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out graduate profiles on the ISF website.
- Begin making a plan to get career ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans; discuss your intended Research Program and Course of Study with a Faculty Advisor.
- Continue exploring with a Sophomore Seminar or Big Ideas course.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor.
- Verify you have completed all declaration requirements and declare the major.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend events such as the UGIS Student Welcome, the ISF Social in the Fall, and the ISF Symposium in the Spring.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Explore research opportunities from OURS; apply to URAP to work on a faculty project.
- Browse grants from the Center for Race and Gender and Institute for the Study of Societal Issues.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division, L&S Advising, and BCE.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Begin upper division coursework, including core requirements in theory and methods (ISF 100A) and theory and practice (ISF 100 series).
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Spend a term off-campus through UCDC or the Intercampus Visitor Program.
- Consider applying to the ISF Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars and SURF.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Volunteer at the ISF table at College Information Day, Cal Day, or Golden Bear Welcome.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives; satisfy your research methods requirement (ISF 189) if you haven’t done so yet.
- Enroll in ISF 190 Senior Thesis in your final semester.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Get published! Submit your work to Oddyard or the Berkeley Undergraduate Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Connect with alumni groups such as ISF UC Berkeley Alumni.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like the ISF 100 series.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Data Science or Digital Humanities.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with L&S 198 Transitioning to Cal and the L&S New Transfer Student Guide.
- Review info for transfers and the ISF Student Handbook; meet with your major and college advisor and discuss your intended Research Program and Course of Study with a Faculty Advisor.
- Begin upper division coursework, including core requirements in theory and methods (ISF 100A) and theory and practice (ISF 100 series).
- Declare the major if you were not admitted directly to ISF.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Join a student organization like the ISF Student Association.
- Connect with the Transfer Student Center or Re-entry Student Program.
- Get academic help from the Student Learning Center.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out graduate profiles on the ISF website.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on core requirements and classes for your Course of Study.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor.
- Consider applying to the ISF Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars and SURF.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend events such as the UGIS Student Welcome, the ISF Social in the Fall, and the ISF Symposium in the Spring.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities from OURS; apply to URAP to work on a faculty project.
- Browse grants from the Center for Race and Gender and Institute for the Study of Societal Issues.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division, L&S Advising, and BCE.
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with upper division requirements; satisfy your research methods requirement (ISF 189) if you haven’t done so yet.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Spend a term off-campus through UCDC or the Intercampus Visitor Program.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Enroll in ISF 190 Senior Thesis in your final semester.
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Get published! Submit your work to Oddyard or the Berkeley Undergraduate Journal.
- Volunteer at the ISF table at College Information Day, Cal Day, or Golden Bear Welcome.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Connect with alumni groups such as ISF UC Berkeley Alumni.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Get ready for Berkeley with RHETOR 100 Writing at the University.
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like the ISF 100 series.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Data Science or Digital Humanities.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about Interdisciplinary Studies or the College of Letters & Science?
The ISF program offers undergraduate advising for students interested in the ISF major. The Student Academic Advisor is available for help with the ISF major declaration process, ISF course offerings, checking ISF major progress, addressing corrections on the Academic Progress Report for the ISF major requirements, clarification on ISF major requirements and policies, signatures on forms required by L&S, and class planning 1-2 semesters in advance. Faculty Advisors are available to discuss the development of your Research Program and senior thesis, and to review your Course of Study progress and any changes that need to be made to your plan. For advising hours and contacts, visit isf.ugis.berkeley.edu/people/.
The College of Letters & Science helps students with non-major-specific academic topics, including major exploration, general program planning, finding campus resources, and pre-professional graduate programs. L&S College Advisors are available for in-person and virtual meetings. Visit lsadvising.berkeley.edu or email asklns@berkeley.edu.
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