Purpose

This program is a research degree culminating in an academic thesis that is interdisciplinary in content and methodology. This program will equip students in two academic fields as researchers and ultimately practitioners of Interdisciplinarity.

Program Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:

• Analyze the interdisciplinary relationship of knowledge from the literature of two distinct disciplines.
• Produce graduate level research using methods and evidence from two distinct academic disciplines.
• Evaluate interdisciplinary research in light of a Christian worldview.

Program Specific Admissions Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements, admission to candidacy in the M.A. in Interdisciplinary Research program requires:

1. Earned baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., SACSCOC, TRACS, ABHE, etc.)
2. An undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (on a 4.00 scale)
3. TOEFL (if applicable)

Students who do not meet the minimum Good Standing GPA requirement may be admitted on Academic Caution status. Students who have an undergraduate GPA below 2.5 will not be admitted to the program.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer up to 23 credit hours from an accredited institution subject to department approval. In order to transfer credit, students must have earned the minimum grade of C-, and courses must have been completed within 10 years of the start date of the program. Credits from a prior degree on the same academic level earned through Liberty University are considered transfer credits.

Delivery Format: Online Only

American LegalCriminal Justice

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
CJUS 500	Criminal Justice Integration	3
Criminal Justice Area of Study Electives
Criminal Justice Elective 1		3
Criminal Justice Elective 1		3
Criminal Justice Elective 1		3
Criminal Justice Elective 1		3
Criminal Justice Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level CJUS course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
CJUS 500	Criminal Justice Integration	3
Criminal Justice Area of Study Electives
Criminal Justice Elective 1		3
Criminal Justice Elective 1		3
Criminal Justice Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level CJUS course not already applying into the Area of Study

Economics

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
BUSI 530	Managerial Finance	3
BUSI 600	Business Research Methods	3
BUSI 683	Money & Capital Markets	3
or ECON 613	Microeconomic Theory
Economics Area of Study Electives		9
Choose nine hours of Economics Electives
ECON 613	Microeconomic Theory
ECON 614	Macroeconomics Theory
ECON 630	International Economics
GEOG 620	Economic Geography
Total Hours		18

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
BUSI 530	Managerial Finance	3
BUSI 600	Business Research Methods	3
BUSI 683	Money & Capital Markets	3
or ECON 613	Microeconomic Theory
Economics Area of Study Electives		3
Choose three hours of Economics Electives
ECON 613	Microeconomic Theory
ECON 614	Macroeconomics Theory
ECON 630	International Economics
GEOG 620	Economic Geography
Total Hours		12

English

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
ENGL 602	Methods and Materials of Research	3
English Area of Study Electives
English Elective 1		3
English Elective 1		3
English Elective 1		3
English Elective 1		3
English Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level ENGL course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
ENGL 602	Methods and Materials of Research	3
English Area of Study Electives
English Elective 1		3
English Elective 1		3
English Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level ENGL course not already applying into the Area of Study

Ethnomusicology

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
ETHM 531	Resources and Materials in Ethnomusicology	3
ETHM 650	Research Methods in Ethnomusicology	3
Ethnomusicology Area of Study Electives
Ethnomusicology Elective 1		3
Ethnomusicology Elective 1		3
Ethnomusicology Elective 1		3
Ethnomusicology Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level ETHM course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
ETHM 531	Resources and Materials in Ethnomusicology	3
ETHM 650	Research Methods in Ethnomusicology	3
Ethnomusicology Area of Study Electives
Ethnomusicology Elective 1		3
Ethnomusicology Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level ETHM course not already applying into the Area of Study

Geographic Sciences

Geography

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Geographic Sciences. Geography and Geographic Information Systems cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
GEOG 501	Research Methods	3
GEOG 505	Quantitative Analysis	3
Geography Area of Study Electives
Geography Elective 1		3
Geography Elective 1		3
Geography Elective 1		3
Geography Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level GEOG course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
GEOG 501	Research Methods	3
GEOG 505	Quantitative Analysis	3
Geography Area of Study Electives
Geography Elective 1		3
Geography Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level GEOG course not already applying into the Area of Study

Geographic Information Systems

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Geographic Sciences. Geography and Geographic Information Systems cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
GEOG 501	Research Methods	3
GEOG 505	Quantitative Analysis	3
GIS Area of Study
GEOG 502	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)	3
GEOG 640	Remote Sensing	3
GEOG 641	GIS for Urban Planning	3
GEOG 642	GIS for Disaster Management	3
Total Hours		18

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
GEOG 501	Research Methods	3
GIS Area of Study
GEOG 502	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)	3
GEOG 640	Remote Sensing	3
GEOG 641	GIS for Urban Planning	3
or GEOG 642	GIS for Disaster Management
Total Hours		12

Government and International Relations

Government

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Government and International Relations. Government and International Relations cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
PPOG 502	Economics and Public Policy	3
PPOG 503	Political Philosophy	3
PPOL 501	Foundations of American Governance: An Introduction to Public Policy	3
PPOL 505	Applied Public Policy Research Methods	3
Public Policy Elective 1		3
Public Policy Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level PPOG or PPOL course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
PPOG 502	Economics and Public Policy	3
PPOG 503	Political Philosophy	3
PPOL 501	Foundations of American Governance: An Introduction to Public Policy	3
PPOL 505	Applied Public Policy Research Methods	3
Total Hours		12

International Relations

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Geographic Sciences. Geography and Geographic Information Systems cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
PPOG 503	Political Philosophy	3
International Relations Area of Study Electives		15
Choose 15 Hours of International Relations Studies Electives
PPOG 504	Leadership, Statesmanship, and Governance
PPOG 506	Introduction to Geopolitics and International Diplomacy
PPOG 540	Foreign Policy
PPOG 640	Middle East Law and Policy
PPOG 641	U.S. Middle East Foreign Policy
PPOL 506	Introduction to Geopolitics
PPOL 650	International Law, Policy, and Politics
PPOL 652	U.S. Foreign Policy and Sovereignty Issues
Total Hours		18

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
PPOG 503	Political Philosophy	3
International Relations Area of Study Electives		9
Choose nine hours of International Relations Studies Electives
PPOG 504	Leadership, Statesmanship, and Governance
PPOG 506	Introduction to Geopolitics and International Diplomacy
PPOG 540	Foreign Policy
PPOG 640	Middle East Law and Policy
PPOG 641	U.S. Middle East Foreign Policy
PPOL 506	Introduction to Geopolitics
PPOL 650	International Law, Policy, and Politics
PPOL 652	U.S. Foreign Policy and Sovereignty Issues
Total Hours		12

History

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
HIST 501	Historical Methods	3
or HIST 503	Public History and Archival Methods
History Area of Study Electives 1
History Elective 2		3
History Elective 2		3
History Elective 2		3
History Elective 2		3
History Elective 2		3
Total Hours		18

¹

HIST 501 and HIST 503 cannot be applied to the History Area of Study Electives. 

²

Any 500-600 level HIEU, HIST, HIUS, or HIWD course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
HIST 501	Historical Methods	3
or HIST 503	Public History and Archival Methods
History Area of Study Electives 1
History Elective 2		3
History Elective 2		3
History Elective 2		3
Total Hours		12

¹

HIST 501 and HIST 503 cannot be applied to the History Area of Study Electives. 

²

Any 500-600 level HIEU, HIST, HIUS, or HIWD course not already applying into the Area of Study

Legal Studies

American Legal Studies

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Legal Studies. American Legal Studies and International Legal Studies cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
JURI 510	Introduction to Legal Systems and Research	3
JURI 515	Legal Writing and Analysis	3
JURI 520	Constitutional Law	3
Americal Legal Studies Area of Study Electives
Juris Master Law Elective 1		3
Juris Master Law Elective 1		3
Juris Master Law Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level JURI course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
JURI 510	Introduction to Legal Systems and Research	3
JURI 515	Legal Writing and Analysis	3
JURI 520	Constitutional Law	3
Americal Legal Studies Area of Study Electives
Juris Master Law Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level JURI course not already applying into the Area of Study

International Legal Studies

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Geographic Sciences. Geography and Geographic Information Systems cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
JURI 600	Foundations of Law	3
JURI 690	Legal Research and Writing I - Capstone	3
JURI 695	Legal Research and Writing II - Capstone	3
International Legal Studies Area of Study Electives		9
Choose nine hours of International Legal Studies Electives
JURI 610	Jurisprudence/Legal History
JURI 620	Law and Economics
JURI 630	International Business Law
JURI 640	International Public Law
JURI 650	International Trade Law
JURI 660	International Law and Diplomacy
JURI 670	The Law of Armed Conflict
JURI 680	International Human Rights Law
Total Hours		18

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
JURI 600	Foundations of Law	3
JURI 690	Legal Research and Writing I - Capstone	3
JURI 695	Legal Research and Writing II - Capstone	3
International Legal Studies Area of Study Electives		3
Choose three hours of International Legal Studies Electives
JURI 610	Jurisprudence/Legal History
JURI 620	Law and Economics
JURI 630	International Business Law
JURI 640	International Public Law
JURI 650	International Trade Law
JURI 660	International Law and Diplomacy
JURI 670	The Law of Armed Conflict
JURI 680	International Human Rights Law
Total Hours		12

Linguistics

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
LANG 500	Applied Language Studies	3
or LING 600	Advanced Semantics and Pragmatics
LANG 501	Analysis of World Language	3
or LING 605	Advanced Phonetics
Linguistics Area of Study Electives
Linguistics Elective 1		3
Linguistics Elective 1		3
Linguistics Elective 1		3
Linguistics Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level LING or SPAN course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
LANG 500	Applied Language Studies	3
or LING 600	Advanced Semantics and Pragmatics
LANG 501	Analysis of World Language	3
or LING 605	Advanced Phonetics
Linguistics Area of Study Electives
Linguistics Elective 1		3
Linguistics Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level LING or SPAN course not already applying into the Area of Study

Military & National Security

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
ETHC 620	Just War Theory	3
MISC 501	Research, Doctrine, and Leadership	3
NSEC 501	National Security Structure and Responsibilities	3
Military and National Security Area of Study Electives
Military and National Security Elective 1		3
Military and National Security Elective 1		3
Military and National Security Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level MISC or NSEC course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
ETHC 620	Just War Theory	3
MISC 501	Research, Doctrine, and Leadership	3
NSEC 501	National Security Structure and Responsibilities	3
Military and National Security Area of Study Electives
Military and National Security Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level MISC or NSEC course not already applying into the Area of Study

Nutrition

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
HLTH 640	Principles of Nutrition	3
Nutrition Area of Study Electives
Nutrition Elective 1,2		3
Nutrition Elective 1		3
Nutrition Elective 1		3
Nutrition Elective 1		3
Nutrition Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level NUTR or HLTH course not already applying into the Area of Study

²

Allow FACS 570 as a substitute. 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
HLTH 640	Principles of Nutrition	3
Nutrition Area of Study Electives
Nutrition Elective 1,2		3
Nutrition Elective 1		3
Nutrition Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level NUTR or HLTH course not already applying into the Area of Study

²

Allow FACS 570 as a substitute. 

Psychology

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
PSYC 510	Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology I	3
PSYC 515	Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology II	3
Psychology Area of Study Electives
Psychology Elective 1		3
Psychology Elective 1		3
Psychology Elective 1		3
Psychology Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level PSYC course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
PSYC 510	Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology I	3
PSYC 515	Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology II	3
Psychology Area of Study Electives
Psychology Elective 1		3
Psychology Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level PSYC course not already applying into the Area of Study

Public Administration

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
PADM 530	Politics, Strategies, and Initiatives of Community Economic Development	3
Public Administration Area of Study Electives
Public Administration Elective 1		3
Public Administration Elective 1		3
Public Administration Elective 1,2		3
Public Administration Elective 1,3		3
Public Administration Elective 1,4		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level PADM course not already applying into the Area of Study

²

Allow GEOG 502 as a substitute. 

³

Allow GEOG 541 as a substitute. 

⁴

Allow GEOG 641 or GEOG 642 as a substitute. 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
PADM 530	Politics, Strategies, and Initiatives of Community Economic Development	3
Public Administration Area of Study Electives
Public Administration Elective 1		3
Public Administration Elective 1		3
Public Administration Elective 1,2		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level PADM course not already applying into the Area of Study

²

Allow GEOG 502 as a substitute. 

Religion

Apologetics

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Religion. Apologetics, Church History, New Testament, Old Testament, or Theology  cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
APOL 500	Introduction to Apologetics	3
Apologetics Area of Study Electives
Apologetics Elective 1		3
Apologetics Elective 1		3
Apologetics Elective 1		3
Apologetics Elective 1		3
Apologetics Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level APOL course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
APOL 500	Introduction to Apologetics	3
Apologetics Area of Study Electives
Apologetics Elective 1		3
Apologetics Elective 1		3
Apologetics Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

This area of study cannot be combined with the Church History, New Testament, Old Testament, or Theology areas of study in the MA Interdisciplinary Research. 

²

Any 500-600 level APOL course not already applying into the Area of Study

Church History

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Religion. Apologetics, Church History, New Testament, Old Testament, or Theology  cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
CHHI 520	History of Christianity I	3
or CHHI 525	History of Christianity II
CHHI 610	Historical Development of Christian Theology	3
Church History Area of Study Electives
Church History Elective 1		3
Church History Elective 1		3
Church History Elective 1,2		3
Church History Elective 1,3		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level CHHI course not already applying into the Area of Study

²

Church History Elective (CHHI 500-600 level) or APOL 520

³

Church History Elective (CHHI 500-600 level) or HIEU 566

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study 1
Research Methodology
CHHI 520	History of Christianity I	3
or CHHI 525	History of Christianity II
CHHI 610	Historical Development of Christian Theology	3
Church History Area of Study Electives
Church History Elective 1		3
Church History Elective 1,2		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level CHHI course not already applying into the Area of Study

²

Church History Elective (CHHI 500-600 level) or APOL 520

New Testament

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Religion. Apologetics, Church History, New Testament, Old Testament, or Theology  cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study 1
Research Methodology
NBST 610	Hermeneutics	3
New Testament Area of Study Electives
New Testament Elective 1		3
New Testament Elective 1		3
New Testament Elective 1		3
New Testament Elective 1		3
New Testament Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level NBST or NGRK course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
NBST 610	Hermeneutics	3
New Testament Area of Study Electives
New Testament Elective 1		3
New Testament Elective 1		3
New Testament Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level NBST or NGRK course not already applying into the Area of Study

Old Testament

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Religion. Apologetics, Church History, New Testament, Old Testament, or Theology  cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
NBST 610	Hermeneutics	3
Old Testament Area of Study Electives
Old Testament Elective 1		3
Old Testament Elective 1		3
Old Testament Elective 1		3
Old Testament Elective 1		3
Old Testament Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level OBST or OTCL course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
NBST 610	Hermeneutics	3
Old Testament Area of Study Electives
Old Testament Elective 1		3
Old Testament Elective 1		3
Old Testament Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level OBST or OTCL course not already applying into the Area of Study

Theology

Note: Students may not choose a primary and a secondary area of study in Religion. Apologetics, Church History, New Testament, Old Testament, or Theology  cannot be combined as a primary and secondary area of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
THEO 525	Systematic Theology I	3
THEO 530	Systematic Theology II	3
THEO 610	Biblical Theology	3
Theology Area of Study Electives
Theology Elective 1		3
Theology Elective 1		3
Theology Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level THEO course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
THEO 525	Systematic Theology I	3
THEO 530	Systematic Theology II	3
THEO 610	Biblical Theology	3
Theology Area of Study Electives
Theology Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level THEO course not already applying into the Area of Study

Strategic Communications

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Primary Area of Study
Research Methodology
STCO 534	Strategic Media Analysis	3
Strategic Communications Area of Study Electives
Strategic Communications Elective 1		3
Strategic Communications Elective 1		3
Strategic Communications Elective 1		3
Strategic Communications Elective 1		3
Strategic Communications Elective 1		3
Total Hours		18

¹

Any 500-600 level STCO course not already applying into the Area of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Secondary Area of Study
Research Methodology
STCO 534	Strategic Media Analysis	3
Strategic Communications Area of Study Electives
Strategic Communications Elective 1		3
Strategic Communications Elective 1		3
Strategic Communications Elective 1		3
Total Hours		12

¹

Any 500-600 level STCO course not already applying into the Area of Study

• Postgraduate Education
• Research
• Teaching
• Writing