Individual Programs of Study

Members of the admission committee include the directors of graduate study of the two focus areas identified in the curriculum proposal and the director of the M.I.S. program. To facilitate the application process, the M.I.S. applicant proposing an individualized program of study is strongly encouraged to schedule a preliminary advising interview with the director of the M.I.S. program.

In addition to the general VCU Graduate School requirements and the general requirements for admission to the M.I.S program, applicants who are proposing an individualized course of study must:

• Submit satisfactory scores on the GRE from a current test (fewer than five years old). Substitutions of other standardized test scores may be made on a case-by-case basis, depending upon the focus areas identified in the curriculum proposal and the approval of all members of the admission committee.

• Articulate in the written statement of intent the applicant’s academic goal and how the M.I.S. degree program will facilitate the achievement of that goal. In some cases, applicants may want to address how a more traditional program does not meet their specific academic goals.

• Complete a preliminary curriculum proposal form [Word document] identifying the specific course work that will support the academic goal articulated in the written statement of intent.

Program requirements

In addition to the general M.I.S. degree requirements, students who are admitted to individual M.I.S. programs of study must:

• Obtain approval for all transfer and elective course work as part of the formal advising process for developing and/or changing the approved curriculum plan

• Complete a minimum of three graduate credits in a research methods course relevant to the final research project before beginning the final research project; and

• Complete three to six graduate credits as part of the final research project in the form of an approved directed research, independent study, special project or thesis. A student who chooses the thesis option must identify a thesis adviser and committee before beginning formal work on the thesis. The student will follow the thesis guidelines of the school/program of the thesis adviser, as well as the general guidelines for completion of theses/dissertations as prescribed by the Graduate School, the University Graduate Council and VCU Libraries. A student who chooses the directed research option must obtain formal approval for the final research project. Before beginning formal work on the thesis or the final directed research project, the student must submit to the director of the M.I.S. program a copy of the proposed project, along with a signed copy of the Final Project Proposal Approval form [Word document].

For more information on the Individual Master of Interdisciplinary Studies programs visit the VCU Bulletins.