Interdisciplinary Programs: Soc, Psych, Policy

[jennesy]

I'm interested in interdisciplinary programs in Soc, Psych, and Policy. So far I'm looking at Human Development & Family Studies (HDFS) programs at Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and Michigan's Social Work & Social Sciences joint PhD. Does anyone know of other programs like this?

I've went through the applications process (albeit unsuccessfully) last year, I applied to Social Psych PhD programs. Looking back, I think I knew that I didn't want to do Social Psych but felt but felt like that was my only option. I've decided that an interdisciplinary program would be better for me, I feel like I'd be happiest where I can do research, teach (I'm an Experimental Psychology TA now and love it) and some kind of applied work (policy? outreach?). A purely research-based program/career does not excite me as much as actually applying research to solve problems. (Yes, I'm one of those "save the world" types.) My undergrad majors were Psych and Soc and I had minors in Women's and European Studies; my research was in Clinical Psych. I almost feel as if I'd be stifled in a Social Psych program since I'm used to doing work in so many different fields.

[PETRAL6]

U chicago if you get into HUDV or Psychology you can pretty much work with and take classes in anything and self-design. A lot of people do ti.

[jennesy]

Thanks! The HUDV program looks great.

I wish I knew these programs existed last year!!

[Minnesotan]

I'm an MA candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at York University (Toronto), and love it. With your three disciplines, you could easily tailor a statement. The program revolves entirely around your thesis, and you can pick and choose courses from any discipline. Plus, it's the largest Arts school in Canada, with the second-largest number of grad students. It's a very nice environment in which to work.

Here's the url of the brochure, in PDF format, if you're interested:

http://www.yorku.ca/web/futurestudents/ ... terdis.pdf

[jennesy]

Thanks, I'll look into it. What departments are you working in? Do you know anything about funding for international students? (I guess I would be, since I'm coming from the states!)

[Minnesotan]

I'll send you the info via private message, since anyone associated with my program would know who I am by my replies.

[tychoish]

I've found that developmental psych (like the UChi's HD program) if you pick the right program can be particularly interdisciplanary... In addition to Chicago, I'd look at some of the programs at michigan, because they have a program in "culture and cognition" in addition to a strong social science collaberation between women's studies and the social sciences (which helps with the general trend of interdisciplnarity) Also their social work school might help in this matter.

You might also consider the Human Development programs in College's of Human Ecology at Land grant schools. Cornell has a rather amazing one, but there are also.

One way to find interdisciplinary possibility is by looking for people who are doing interdisciplnary work that you're interested in, and then apply to work with them, regaurdless of the program. It could work...