Welcome everyone to our blog forum! As mentors, we hope to provide each of you with a fun learning experience that will help guide you through this degree program and life. First, lets get to know each other a little better. We will be working together for the next 8 weeks sharing our knowledge and common interest in Interdisciplinary Studies. In your reply to this post you should give a brief introduction of yourself. We want to know who you are? What are you areas/minor? What year are you in?
After you have given an introduction go to
http://www.sixwise.com/Survey/FreeCareerTestWhatsYourCareerPersonality/FreeCareerTestWhatsYourCareerPersonality.aspx
and take a short career test. Keep in mind this is just to give you an idea of how your personality may relate to different careers. Give a brief description of the results and how they do or do not relate to you.
Interdisciplinary Studies offers a unique degree. This degree program allows us to take our diversified interests and find a common ground. How do you explain Interdisciplinary Studies to others? Explain at least two advantages and two disadvantages of an interdisciplinary education.
Please be sure to keep up with the blogs. As the next conversation comes out we will be moving on to new subjects. Keeping up will also allow mentors to efficiently respond to your posts. Remember at the end of each blog to sign your name to ensure you recieve credit. We appreciate your co-operation and look forward to the next couple of weeks.
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Hey everyone, I'm Kyle.
ReplyDeleteMy areas of focus are Humanities and Life/Biomedical Sciences, and my minor is Cognitive Science. My interests lie in philosophy and neurobiology, and converge on problems concerning subjective experience. I am heading into my fifth year as a college student and plan on doing one more year after this (a sixth) to complete a few final courses, as well as an honors thesis.
My career test results indicated that I am a "People Person." Out of the four result possibilities, I would say I have to agree--I have, what seems to me, a clear perspective on interpersonal situations, and a general tendency towards helping the people I encounter.
I do not usually explain Interdisciplinary Studies, per se. I generally follow up the pronouncement of an IDS major with my interests of study. The IDS major does not change how I approach problems (I did not have much of a disciplinary allegiance to begin with), so the problems I am interested in remain my primary focus.
An advantage of an interdisciplinary education is that one acquires an understanding for the need to address certain problems through means that transcend individual disciplines. A second advantage is that one learns an interdisciplinary mode of thought, so to speak, which can be applied in a range of situations.
The primary disadvantage is certainly the lack of disciplinary depth that one fails to acquire. An additional disadvantage is the potential tension one may encounter between disciplinary and interdisciplinary researchers (i.e., a lack of motivation on the part of potential disciplinary collaborators who see interdisciplinary researchers in a negative light).
Kyle Larimer
Hello! I'm Hope Diehl. My areas are American Sign Language (will appear as Health on my degree) and Behavioral and Social Sciences with a minor in English-Writing. Since UCF doesn't have a Deaf Studies program, I'm trying to sort of create one here be studying the language and then the minority group that created it from a sociological perspective. Writing is second nature to me and I really hope to challenge myself through these courses to become a better, more confident writer.
ReplyDeleteLike Kyle, I too am a “People Person” according to the test. Though I’m used to personality test results declaring this, I’ve recently undergone some sort of extrovert to introvert metamorphoses and was slightly surprised this time around to get that result. The career suggestions were nurse, psychologist, or teacher. While I could never work in a place that requires me to touch another person’s blood, I’ve definitely considered the education field and counseling professions.
My explanation of IDS has changed drastically since this course began and provided me the proper understanding of it all. Now I can tell people it is the blending of disciplines to create new information that without integration wouldn’t be achievable. Acquiring that new information and being able to quench my thirst for multiple disciplines are advantages of the program as well as a general flexibility to cross disciplines. What college student doesn’t dream of flexibility in their degree? My head was nodding along as I read Kyle’s responses to the disadvantages of IDS. I think that most disadvantages found are not so much in the program itself, but rather the skewed or uninformed perspective other people have on interdisciplinary study. In the career world, a singular disciplined degree may have more weight to many employers than a seemingly divided and interdisciplinary degree. Also, not having as much education on a single subject may cause the applicant to feel less confident amongst ‘competitors’ in similar fields. The increasing popularity of IDS programs will hopefully have a positive effect on these potential downfalls.
Hope Diehl
Kyle,
ReplyDeleteI really think your thoughts about interdisciplinary are very introspective and offer a honest reality when describing our unique major.
I also like your comment, "An additional disadvantage is the potential tension one may encounter between disciplinary and interdisciplinary researchers". This idea can also be applied to the professional realm. Adding tension between an often disciplinary workforce and the interdisciplinary scholar.
Great post!
Kevin Edmondson
Hope,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I want to go right to your last thought, “The increasing popularity of IDS programs will hopefully have a positive effect on these potential downfalls”. I completely agree. If you Goggle IDS programs, you will see more and more Universities offering an Interdisciplinary Undergraduate and Graduate degree to capture this enlightened and integrated way of thinking. I do feel this increasing relevance will have a positive effect on the future of an Interdisciplinary education.
Kevin Edmondson
Yes, Kevin. Isn't that how prejudice is removed after all- by people becoming educated?
ReplyDeleteWith regards to getting employment, it's really all about the individual's ability to explain and put to use their education. Plenty of bartenders are packing Psychology degrees and as well as other singular-disciplined degrees. It's very important that WE understand interdisciplinary study and are motivated about our personal academic objective. In all reality, these degrees should be opening up more doors, not closing any.
Hope Diehl
I am Linda Diggs, age 50; I served in the U.S. Air Force for 22.5 years, I retired at the age of 41, and I am classified as 100% disabled Veteran. I obtained an Associates of Applied Science in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force in 1992 while I was active duty military and raising a family overseas. After I retired in 2001, I decided to return to college yet I was not interested in seeking a degree. I was taking classes for fun; Intro to Photography, Landscaping, and History of Broadcasting. It wasn’t until I overheard a friend state that he regretted not finishing college that I decided to pursue a degree. After completing a degree audit, I started working on my Associates of Applied Science in Business Administration and graduated from Brevard Community College (BCC) in 2008. I went on to complete my Associates of Arts in General Studies from BCC in 2009. I am now in my junior year at UCF. I usually explain my Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) degree program by comparing it to a traditional degree that has one focus or discipline, such as business or biology. The IDS degree allows me to pick three areas of focus. My disciplines are Business, Public Administration, and Interpersonal/Organizational Communications. The advantages of this degree program are the freedom to choose your disciplines. The choices are yours; they are not decided by the university. A student can graduate with a high degree of knowledge in three separate disciplines instead of only one as in traditional degree programs. This versatile degree program is extremely beneficial in today’s rapidly changing global society.
ReplyDeleteLinda Diggs
People Person....who me???
ReplyDeleteI’ve had a career for over 22.5 years in the Personnel Administration field, working with people all day. That doesn’t automatically put me in the category of being a “people person”. I don’t feel I have the traits listed for that category. I’m a worker, if there is a job to be done; I do it. I feel that I am jaded regarding the phrase “people person”. If someone is labeled a “people person” I wonder what the opposite of the label would be. Certainly it doesn’t mean you are a “non-people person”.
Linda Diggs
Hope,
ReplyDeleteInteresting retort. I agree with your thoughts, but do you feel that I do not welcome the added responsibility of being an Interdisciplinary student?
Interdisciplinary Studies to me is more than just simply combining things or notions together to see what happens, it’s the inspiration and motivation to merge questions, thoughts, and concepts to challenge preconceived ideas that change ones concepts and philosophy.
I feel that Interdisciplinary students are challenged to find unique and distinctive solutions to various hypotheses creating “outside the box” conclusions. Using creativity in complex situations creates broader perspective that influences perceptions.
Ultimately the IDS degree pushes the notions that sometimes keep ideas confined, by being able to see the big picture, to have the wherewithal to ask tough questions, and to challenge those around them. Being able to bring people together, combining thoughts, breaking down walls, driving results, and effectively communicating ideas is what makes an effective leader.
Yes an IDS degree should open doors to employment, but in reality it’s how we influence opinion through engaged and effective dialogue about our degree, that will keep us in the room.
Our blog is off to a great start!
Kevin Edmondson
"I agree with your thoughts, but do you feel that I do not welcome the added responsibility of being an Interdisciplinary student?"
ReplyDeleteNo-no-no! I wasn't accusing anything like that. I was actually just reflecting off of what I neglected to consider in my own original post. Thinking outloud, if you will. Again, before this class began I had very little knowledge of what it meant for a degree to be "interdisciplinary". The more we discuss it, the more excited I become about it!
Hope Diehl
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteAs we have all seen our personalities distinguish who we are, and who we will become in the work field. There are many advantages and disadvantages, in IDS. However keep in mind that this goes with all career fields and degrees. One should not be hung up on the disadvantages, but instead embrace their new evolved and truly unique studies. The IDS promotes individuality, while giving well rounded education to help suit everyone's interest.
Some advantages and disadvantages posted by you great mentees include:
"One learns an interdisciplinary mode of thought, so to speak, which can be applied in a range of situations." -Kyle L.
Multitasking and intertwining relationships with one another is a good way of using your cognitive skills and thinking.
"Not having as much education on a single subject may cause the applicant to feel less confident amongst ‘competitors’ in similar fields." Hope D.
Ah, the fearful Competition, Competition, Competition! This happens in every field, nonetheless one should further promote their additional educational studies.
"A student can graduate with a high degree of knowledge in three separate disciplines instead of only one as in traditional degree programs."- Linda D.
Several educational studies is definitely a great advantage, Linda.
We encourage you to focus more on the advantages instead of the disadvantages of this program. Hopefully as we continue this course, it will further inform you on being an IDS Major.
Group 16 :]
Hi fellow bloggers!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Callie, and I'm in my last 2 semesters here at UCF. My areas of study are Life/Biomedical Sciences and Physical Sciences, with my minor in Science Education. My hopes are to become a high school biology teacher and to spread my love of biology to young mold-able minds.
I've worked at Sea World for the last 3 years, and through it, have learned many aspects of the zoological and eco-education world. If secondary education doesn't end up working out, I would have no problem going back to doing something along the lines of what I do now, though not at Sea World. Not that it isn't a wonderful place to work... It's just TOO HOT in Florida!
In explaining IDS to other people who aren't familiar with it, I begin by explaining the concentrations. I talk about my concentrations being in Life/Biomedical Sciences and in Physical Science and my minor being in Science Education. Then I usually follow that up by explaining what I plan to do with that major in order to help them understand why I'm doing it.
ReplyDeleteCallie Gaines
With my IDS degree, I've found the advantages to be the sheer expanse that we can use our degree for. We are able to have experience and knowledge in more than one discipline and that gives us the "edge" when it comes to possible job opportunities
ReplyDeleteThe disadvantages can be a little less knowledge in one subject. Honestly, that is the only disadvantage I can think of... I'm very happy with my decision to switch to IDS, mainly because of the fact that I didn't see many disadvantages to it.
Callie Gaines
Hello everyone!
ReplyDelete(1) My name is Carly and my minor is Exceptional Education with my two areas in Health (ASL) and Behavior Psychology. I have one year left at UCF and I plan to go to graduate school for Applied Behavior Analysis. I want to work with students with Autism for the rest of my life, I love it! Hopefully one day I will be able to open up my own school (ultimate goal).
(2) When I took the career personality test I got "people person." It said I would be a teacher, or psychologist. I already am pursuing teaching, so that’s good :-) It seemed pretty on target with what I want am doing already, phew! I liked this assignment because I got to see how well I interact with those around me in my work area. I know that there are certain things I need to work on ex: parent conflicts and resolution, but this test helped me to see my strengths and weaknesses in regards to that area.
When explaining IDS to others I say that it is an outlet that allows me to pursue all the different things I am interested in, instead of just one area. I think two advantages are the ability to broaden my horizon with different ideas and knowledge of different subjects and also, I think it makes for a well-rounded student. Two disadvantages, however, could be someone saying that you aren't skilled enough in one area and that for the minors, you only need a couple of credit hours (so they go hand in hand there).
Hey everyone!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Christina, and I have one more year left at UCF after summer classes. My areas of study are Health and business, with a minor in Interpersonal/Organizational Communication. My goal is to become a Pharmaceutical/Medical sales representative when I finish school.
I would have to agree and say that I am a most definitely a “people person”. I have been bartending for the last eight years, and if I wasn’t a “people person”, I would never have made it this long. I am constantly networking and collecting business cards everywhere I go. I believe the more people you know, the farther in life you will get. Something I have learned is to never burn your bridges! I left my bartending job that I’m currently at twice, and they hired me back for my third run. I always got along with everyone and was a pleasure to be around, so they had no reason to not want to hire me back.
I would explain IDS as a program that allows individuals to study several specific academic areas, while achieving a bachelor’s degree. It keeps students interested in the classes because they got to pick exactly what they wanted to study. It focuses on the specifics of your own interests. To further explain IDS to people, I start by telling them about my areas of discipline and what I want to do when I finish. When I say three areas and not one, they usually immediately stop me and say… “Three areas??” I just laugh now and further explain this program to them. It really is unique that the IDS program allows you to have so much range in disciplines.
The advantages I've found with my IDS education so far, is the opportunity to have three disciplines of focus. It opens up the possibilities for more jobs. IDS gives me the opportunity to widen my opportunities and give me more of a successful start when getting into my career. It will give me more skills and will show an employer I have a wide area of expertise.
With my IDS degree, I can’t really think of any disadvantages. I know that my three disciplines are going to help me excel in the career I want. I know I’m supposed to give one disadvantage… Well, I guess they could say you don’t have enough knowledge in one discipline because you spread it out over three. I am very confident with my choice to start this IDS program, and am so happy I found out about it before I was done with my degree in only one discipline.
-Christina Hope-
Hello all! I’m Shawnee Bailey, from Ft. Lauderdale. I enjoy being with my family and friends, basically just having a good time. My hobbies includes, listening to music, shopping, reading, and going to the beach. In the fall, I will be a fifth year Senior, so I’m very much looking forward to graduating. I came to UCF, fresh out of High School at a time where I thought I knew what I wanted to do in life. I always had a soft spot for children and knew I wanted to do something that included a great deal of interaction with them. My initial major was Micro and Molecular Bio, but after having spoken with a few students with that major, I quickly realized I didn’t want to take that path. It was then changed to Legal Studies, and now to IDS. So after a few semesters of being completely lost, I’m now content My two areas of studies are Public Affairs, Behavioral and Social Sciences, with a minor in Health Sciences. Upon graduating in the fall, I plan on attending FAU to complete their accelerated nursing program. After working as a Registered Nurse after a couple years, I hope to continue my education by going onto Physicians Assistant School to achieve my overall goal of become a certified PA. According to the survey…I am a people person, which I know is true as I love to make others happy. So, in a nutshell, that is who I am!
ReplyDeleteShawnee Camille Bailey
When explaining IDS to others who have never heard of it before, I usually begin by explaining that it’s a fairly new approach to earning a degree. I explain to them that instead of focusing your entire undergrad career on one primary major, IDS gives you the opportunity to create your own major by concentrating on multiple fields of your interest, in order to give you wider perspectives on your future goals. Usually they have a better understanding after this explanation.
ReplyDeleteShawnee Camille Bailey
To me there are many advantages on having an interdisciplinary education. For the obvious, you had the opportunity to be educated in more than one area of focuses. It opens you to a larger learning spectrum that you don’t get when you major in other fields. Another advantage is that you are given the opportunity to virtually build your own degree, because you can choose from a combination of different focus areas. One disadvantage is that since it is so new, many people are unaware of exactly what it is. I feel like in the employment world, someone with an IDS education might be overlooked for a position over someone whose focus was geared towards that particular field.
ReplyDeleteShawnee Camille Bailey
Hello -- My name is Matthew Schaller and I am from West Palm Beach. I am a nontraditional distant-learning student currently focusing my IDS degree on Humanities and Commerce, with a minor in Business as well as Information Technology. Originally from New Jersey, I attended West Virginia University immediately out of high school as a political science student. After almost two years, I began to become uneasy about my future career choice. I left WVU and moved to Orlando; establishing residency in Florida and completing an AA degree prior to transferring to UCF. I originally intended to pursue an Management Information Systems degree within the College of Business, but after the major was disbanded, I decided that an Interdisciplinary degree focusing on my specific areas of interest would be the most appropriate. My fiance and I spend most of our free time enjoying Palm Beach county, where she works as a radio personality and programming assistant for CBS radio.
ReplyDeleteMy career personality test was pretty accurate. It described me as a people-person, which I can honestly agree with. Outgoingness is a strongpoint of mine, which I display at work as well as on my personal time. At times, I am very concious about all angles of a situation or conflict, and this ability coupled with my compassion and empathy make me a flexible and utility-oriented asset.