Interdisciplinary Studies recognize that academic disciplines do not exist in a vacuum, that to fully understand a subject one must move beyond the silos of the individual disciplines and integrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are to be found in related, complementary academic subjects. Thus the student will study at least two different subjects in the Interdisciplinary program, looking for connections between them.
About the Concentration
Public Policy spans a variety of different disciplines, connecting any discipline’s focus with the laws, policies and institutional framework surrounding that particular focus. Someone entering the world of policy benefits from a broad knowledge of policy issues, and specific information about how agencies operate.
Building on a core set of courses on public policy, policy analysis and statistical methods, students branch out into areas directly connected to their policy interest ranging from globalization, health care, education, gender and development, human rights, climate change, environmental policy in general, and beyond. Besides connecting with disciplines across campus, some courses taught online at other U Maine schools connect well with the program, especially concerning local government and public administration.
UMF is committed to experiential learning, and our goal is to have practical real-world experiences to help the transition from college to the working world. While many students will go into policy related fields in state, local or national government, policy knowledge is also important for business and prepares one well for continued academic study, especially in fields such as law.
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