UHV’s graduate interdisciplinary studies program receives ranking
The Master’s Program Guide website recently ranked the University of Houston-Victoria Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies as one of the nation’s top 50 liberal studies programs.
UHV’s program is No. 31 on the website’s 50 Best Online Master of Liberal Studies Degree Programs 2018 list. The website ranked programs based on criteria that include school reputation, a liberal studies focus or variety of offerings, and online accessibility.
“UHV’s graduate interdisciplinary studies program is a good option for many people,” said Bud Fairlamb, a UHV professor of humanities and interdisciplinary studies, and the coordinator of the graduate program. “UHV offers 14 different areas of study that students can pursue, whether it is for professional advancement or their own enrichment. It’s gratifying to see the program receive this recognition.”
UHV’s graduate interdisciplinary studies program is available entirely online and is intended to help students combine disciplines, Fairlamb said. For example, someone in a law enforcement or forensics career could combine the criminal justice and biomedical sciences concentrations, or someone in business could combine a business concentration with psychology. In the same way, high school teachers can pursue a degree in education and another discipline such as history, English or mathematics.
The program also serves students who want to pursue cultural interests such as history, English or education. Other students want to work toward a doctoral degree.
“Our students come from a broad range of places and careers,” Fairlamb said. “The only real limits to the program are that students can only take two concentrations, but the broad range of options makes this perfect for students who want to pursue multiple subjects.”
The ranking is a welcome acknowledgement of the university’s program, Fairlamb said. Because the program features many subjects that also have their own dedicated degrees, most of the program’s courses are taught by faculty members across the university. Fairlamb teaches the core courses and coordinates the overall program.
“UHV’s Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies is a unique program that draws from every corner of the university,” said Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences. “I am glad to see it has received this acknowledgement and am proud of what it means to the university’s faculty.”
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
