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The College of Education, Health, and Behavioral Sciences offers the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) degree. This degree is a full, 4-year baccalaureate self-designed general studies degree that complies with all university requirements as well as allows students to choose courses that best match their career goals. The BIS degree can be obtained either through online or traditional on-campus coursework.
We do accept up to 60 hours of non-college credit including military, DANTES, CLEP and Portfolio credit hours. For more information on the DANTES and CLEP credit please visit the Student Services and Success Mentoring Center at http://www.utm.edu/departments/success/testing.php or click the Forms tab on our webpage. More information for the Portfolio program can be obtained by visiting the Portfolio webpage at http://www.utm.edu/departments/pla/portfolio.php. Please keep in mind that only 12 hours of Portfolio credit will be accepted.
120 hours
Full or part time
Fall, Summer, or Spring
With the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree, career possibilities are almost endless. Below are some career fields occupied by UTM graduates with this degree:
Total Minimum hours required for Bachelor’s Degree – 120
* Upon being accepted to the University, you will need to speak with your advisor to talk about your educational goals in order to personalize your specific program degree plan to fit your educational needs. Your degree plan also serves as a check sheet that will show a listing of all the courses that you have completed as well as the hours you will need to complete to meet the program and graduation requirements.
We greatly value our relationships with our students and it is our goal to foster a sense of community between our students, faculty, and community partners. This begins with the first contact between advisor and student. Your advisor is the person who will work with you to understand all of the requirements of the program, help you develop your plan of study, answer questions about registration, and guide you toward your career goal. This is an important relationship that we hope will make you feel more comfortable in our program as well as provide you with information. The advisor- student connection is vital in your personal and professional development. As faculty members, we enjoy this time we spend getting to know and mentor you. Our hope is that you continue to feel a part of our program even after you graduate, keeping us up to date on your personal and professional milestones.
To further promote our sense of community we have established a Facebook page for current students and alumni. When you are accepted into the program, you will be sent an invitation via email to join our Facebook group and we hope you will accept. On this site, we post news about the program and share updates about students and alumni. We hope those of you still on Facebook will accept our invitation!
We are excited to help students explore their interests and passions by providing you with a self-designed degree. Below are a few examples of how UTM has helped students achieve their academic goals.
Even though I was 38 years old and brought 80 hours with me, she assured me a reasonable goal of graduating in three years while I worked my full-time job was possible.- Since earning my degree, I have been promoted and I am earning more money at my full potential. More important, my teenage daughter knows that anything is possible because of what I was able to accomplish academically.- My degree has instilled a sense of pride for my alma-mater along with filling a hole in my personal goals. - My degree proudly hangs in my office and it inspires me every day I come to work to be my best. I'm a Skyhawk now and there's nothing else I'd rather be.
- Scott, Class of 2014
I’m probably not the only one out there who’s taken classes here and there but then had to stop again. The demands of work or family became so much that I could no longer do it all, and classes were another “someday” dream. And so I had this long trail of classes out behind me, from different schools and in no useful pattern.- But that was where UT Martin really helped - This program also made amazing use of my previous coursework, giving me elective credit for some classes I had pretty much written off as useless. - With the interesting classes available and the convenience of them being online (and asynchronous!), I was able to finish a lot sooner than I ever dreamed. I graduated the day before my 49th birthday, and started grad school just a few weeks after that.
- Summer, Class of 2015
View admission requirements here.
Our office is available to provide more information on the program, admission requirements, student life, and anything else you are wondering about.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies
(731) 881-7589
332 Gooch Hall
Martin, TN 38238
Apply for admission
Ready to become Skyhawk? Find out how.
Find out more about this degree
BIS Student Testimony
