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The Multidisciplinary Studies Program Individualized Track is designed for individuals with unique professional and educational objectives not readily met by traditional master’s degree programs. Through advisement and within certain guidelines students design their own degree program by selecting graduate courses from select academic departments at the college or from other accredited institutions. The Individualized Track courses are offered on campus.

Guidelines for Designing a Multidisciplinary Studies Curriculum

A variety of curriculum options, depending upon student interest may be used to design a curriculum. The first step is for students to select graduate course work from a variety of academic areas at Buffalo State which may include, but not limited to: Adult Education, Applied Economics, Biology, Business Management, Computer Information Systems, Creativity and Change Leadership, Criminal Justice, Data Science and Analytics, Design, Education, English, Fine Arts, Great Lakes Environmental Science, Health, Nutrition and Dietetics, Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration, History, Mathematics, Public Administration in Public and Nonprofit Management, Public Relations, and Social and Psychological Foundations. Only graduate course work may be included in the Multidisciplinary Studies master’s program.

When designing a curriculum, it is important to select a specific content area for which your main course work and cumulating experience (Master’s Thesis) will reside. Once content courses have been determined, the student must seek out a graduate faculty member (with graduate faculty status designation) from a department directory to work with. A copy of the Statement of Intent and the Principal Adviser Consent Form must be provided to the identified faculty member who has agreed to work with the student. Students who need assistance identifying a principal adviser should contact the program coordinator in the Graduate Studies Office.

Advisement

After completing the statement of intent and meeting with the program coordinator, students identify a principal adviser. The principal adviser reviews the statement of intent and eventually approves a plan of study and agrees to serve as thesis adviser. A detailed plan of study, including specific courses, may be required.

When a principal adviser has been secured the Principal Adviser Consent Form must be completed.

The principal adviser also enumerates any additional requirements the student must complete before being permitted to advance to candidacy, including but not limited to requiring that the student must identify a second adviser to support the course of study and read the eventual thesis.

The principal adviser is charged with working closely with the student throughout the plan of the study and with service as a point of contact with the Graduate School to support and advise the student. It is the student's responsibility to initiate and maintain contact and ongoing communication with the principal adviser.