What makes USAO different? Meet the Interdisciplinary Studies program…

The world is complex and the challenges facing this generation reflect that complexity. Isn’t it time for an educational approach that does as well?

USAO’s interdisciplinary core curriculum is not just a bundle of general education requirements with a fancy name. Our Interdisciplinary Studies (or IDS) program is a carefully designed sequence of courses that incorporates many academic traditions while building connections between them. These classes are generally team-taught by two or more professors from different disciplines. The IDS program is the spine that has held USAO’s liberal arts mission upright for 50 years.