Bellevue College Interdisciplinary Studies Frequently Asked Questions

A. There are two basic types of IDS courses offered at BC: 10~12 credit courses (the equivalent of 2 "regular" classes), or 15-17 credit courses (the equivalent of 3 "regular" classes). The courses are designed by a team of two to three instructor s from different academic disciplines who have a mutual interest in the topic or theme of the class. For example, instructors from Psychology, Sociology and English developed a course looking into how communities function in contemporary America.

Students meet from 2-4 hours a day with the same community of learners who participate in a variety of activities ranging from book seminars to writing workshops. Students are expected to take responsibility for the tone and direction of the course and to initiate and complete their own successful educational experience.

A: For the 10-12 credit class, the schedule varies by instructor teams and course content. For the 15-17 credit classes, here is the breakdown of the average weekly schedule below. Keep in mind that, as with 10-12 credit classes, the instructor team and course content may affect overall course structure.

Basic Week For A Seventeen Credit IDS Course

A basic week for a 10 credit IDS course would be similar, but would meet for 5 days with a seminar on Monday and the rest of the week arranged as the instructor wants in 2 hour blocks.

A: Allows all learners, students and instructors, to work together in a supportive, comfortable and inquiring environment to learn about a topic in-depth. Through this process we all improve several abilities. We become better communicators, critical thinkers, reasoners, and appreciators of diverse perspectives. We learn to see connections between ideas, thereby developing new insights and innovative ideas. Our peers in the learning community encourage us to take responsibility for our work and our actions, thereby becoming an active and committed part of a community. Finally, the collaborative skills we develop will transfer to new settings, both academic and in other realms of our lives. Overall, we all learn more about living in a community and solving problems together.

A: The Interdisciplinary Program at Bellevue College has been structured so that credits are easily transferred to other institutions. Students enrolled in IDS classes receive individual credits for the separate course that compose the interdisciplinary class. Each 17 credit IDS class is composed of three separate five credit courses and one two-credit course. Each of these four classes will appear separately on college transcripts. In the IDS class, African Rhythms: American Images and African Realities, which was offered Fall Quarter 1997 students chose one course from each of the following categories:

Credits transfer as they are described in your course syllabus, according to the transfer agreement between BC and your transfer institution. Check the AAS Degree advising sheet for credit options.

A: You need to officially drop the course. Then check with the Admissions office so you will receive a registration appointment for the following quarter.

A: Specific classes are repeated on an irregular basis. Scheduling individual courses is related to instructor involvement, student enrollment, and space availability--all of which are unpredictable factors. It is generally best to enroll in a course when it is offered rather than wait for it to come 'round again.

The origin of Interdisciplinary Studies at Bellevue College came from the Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education established in 1985 at The Evergreen State College as an inter-institutional consortium. The Center focuses on emphasizing utilization and sharing of existing resources through collaboration among member institutions.The Center is supported by the Washington State Legislature.