COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Introduction Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Science Departments: Biological Sciences Chemistry Geological Sciences Mathematical Sciences Physics Dr. Thomas E. Brady, Dean Dr. Larry P. Jones, Associate Dean Dr. Jorge A. Lopez, Assistant Dean Bell Hall, Room 100 Phone: (915) 747-5536 Fax: (915) 747-6807 E-mail: science@utep.edu		Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies Web site at: http://www.utep.edu/graduate/ 404A Geology Building Phone: (15) 747-5218 E-mail: cornell@utep.edu PROGRAM DIRECTOR: William C. Cornell The MSIS program is designed to satisfy the need for interdisciplinary graduate programs of study which cannot be accommodated within the confines of the normal graduate programs of the university's academic departments. Typical interdisciplinary courses of study include Arid Region Studies, Environmental Science, Resource Management, Engineering Management, Materials Science, curricula in Computer Applications, and others. All such interdisciplinary programs require courses from the offerings of several different departments. The curricula under the MSIS program are individually tailored to the needs of each student. Requirements for Admission In addition to the other Graduate School entrance requirements, including a satisfactory score on the GRE, applicants for the MSIS program must submit a letter outlining their proposed areas of study and their graduate education goal. Upon the receipt of the application documents and letter, an evaluation is made to determine the Program's ability to satisfy the needs of the applicants. Upon acceptance of the applicant into the program, a Guidance Committee, made up of at least three graduate faculty members from different departments, is selected by the Program Director and approved by the Graduate School to guide the student in his or her program. Faculty selected will normally have interests and expertise in the student's proposed field of study. Courses for the individual study plan are determined by the committee in consultation with the student. This committee normally also acts as the student's examination committee. Special Requirements for the MSIS Degree The MSIS degree requires 36 hours of course work; at least 27 of these hours must be selected from graduate-level courses. The individually designed curriculum must include courses from the offerings of at least three different departments with no more than 15 hours in the department of highest course concentration and no more than 12 hours of credit from any other single department. At least half of all semester hours credited toward the degree must be selected from graduate credit courses offered by science and/or engineering departments. Up to 6 hours of graduate-level individual instruction problem-solving courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements. Students enrolled in such courses are expected to submit a report of the work accomplished. If the student desires and the Guidance Committee concurs, this report may be bound and presented in the form of a thesis. The individualized curricula are composed of courses listed under the various individual departmental offerings in this catalog.

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