Definitions of interdisciplinary research: Toward graduate-level interdisciplinary learning outcomes

Abstract

Comparing the interdisciplinary studies (humanities) literature with a content analysis of 129 successful proposals (written primarily by science and engineering faculty), we identified and discussed five categories of learning outcomes for interdisciplinary graduate education: (a) disciplinary grounding, (b) integration, (c) teamwork, (d) communication, and (e) critical awareness. Both sources valued disciplinary grounding, communication and establishing common ground, and the integration of disciplinary perspectives. However, humanities literature operationalized integration through critical awareness, while engineering and science proposals operationalized it as teamwork. In other words, humanities emphasized (solitary) intellectual skills, whereas science and engineering emphasized interpersonal skills. Nonetheless, there were important complements and parallels between the two approaches. Specifically, critical awareness extends engineering and science definitions of critical thinking and creative problem solving. Team projects were suggested as a means of developing complementary integration skills in humanities students. Applying the lens of interdisciplinary studies (humanities) to science and engineering provides important depth and focus to engineering and science interdisciplinary learning outcomes (particularly in detailing integration processes), while science and engineering experience with teams represents a potential resource for education in the humanities. © 2010 Association for the Study of Higher Education All Rights Reserved.