Course Schedule and Catalog
Course Schedule - Fall Semester 2025
Meeting location information can now be found on student schedules in ESTHER (for students) or on the Course Roster in ESTHER (for faculty and instructors).Additional information available here.
Meeting location information can now be found on student schedules in ESTHER (for students) or on the Course Roster in ESTHER (for faculty and instructors).Additional information available here.
MLSC 500 001 (CRN: 12597)
THE INTERDISCIPLINARY MIND
Long Title: THE INTERDISCIPLINARY MIND: LIBERAL ARTS AND THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE
Department: School of Continuing Studies
Instructor: Nixon, Burke
Meeting: 6:00PM - 9:00PM W (25-AUG-2025 - 5-DEC-2025)
Part of Term: Full Term
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Seminar
Language of Instruction: Taught in English
Method of Instruction: Face to Face
Credit Hours: 3
Course Syllabus:
Course Materials: Rice Campus Store
Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s):
Graduate
Section Max Enrollment: 0 (permission required) Department Permission Required
Section Enrolled: 4
Enrollment data as of: 20-APR-2025 8:58AM
Final Exam: GR Course-Dept Schedules Exam
Description: This course will unpack and explore the meaning and history of interdisciplinary studies, as well as the various debates and controversies associated with the concept of liberal education. Along the way, we’ll reflect on the role such an education plays in our own intellectual and personal lives while also examining the relationship between this form of education and issues of citizenship, democracy, justice, and the public good. The course will introduce you to the habits of inquiry, analysis, discussion, reflection, and interdisciplinary research that animate graduate-level activity in this program. Ultimately, this work will provide an opportunity for us to wrestle with complex and enduring questions about human life and the search for meaning and happiness while at the same time honing the foundational scholarly skills of writing, reading, and critical thinking. Required for all new students.Required for all new students.