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Interdisciplinary Programs at Carnegie Mellon

Pursue Your Passions Without Boundaries

At Carnegie Mellon University, we cross traditional boundaries and shatter academic silos. Our undergraduate and graduate levels empower you to follow your intellectual curiosities wherever they lead — from the latest computational biology research to next-gen entertainment technology marvels.

Our interdisciplinary DNA encourages you to seek excellence, challenge assumptions and forge creative discoveries. Here, you'll develop the integrative mindset to achieve more than you ever thought possible — and even reach for the moon. 

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BXA Intercollege Degree Programs

Blend analytical study and creative training with CMU’s BXA Intercollege Degree Programs. Take courses in both the College of Fine Arts and other disciplines to fuse your passions, from computer science and engineering to humanities and science.

Explore CMU's BXA Programs
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Integrative Design, Arts and Technology Network (IDeATe)

Fuse technology with artistic expression with an interdisciplinary minor from IDeATe. Gain expertise across engineering, fine arts, humanities, sciences, computer science and business fields as you study topics such as game design, intelligent environments and immersive technologies.

Learn About IDeATe Minors

Interdisciplinary Programs at CMU

Browse our many interdisciplinary studies opportunities. Additional programs may exist within CMU’s schools and colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions About Interdisciplinary Studies

By integrating multiple areas of study into your undergraduate or graduate program, you gain creative, technical and practical skills that position you to drive innovation across disciplines in unique ways. Benefits to interdisciplinary studies include:

  • Pursuing multiple interests by choosing areas that interest you most
  • Accessing diverse expert insights and methodologies across CMU disciplines
  • Following your intellectual curiosity to new or more efficient solutions
  • Learning to communicate and collaborate with people with different academic backgrounds
  • Building integrative problem-solving abilities prized by employers

You can complete most CMU interdisciplinary programs within the same timeframe as traditional undergraduate or graduate programs. The key difference lies in the flexibility to customize your academic path. Choose courses from multiple departments or colleges as you fulfill your degree requirements.

Undergraduate students: If you are adding a double major or an additional major to create an interdisciplinary experience, be sure to talk to an academic advisor. Generally, it is possible to fulfill the requirements of both majors in four years by taking the course requirements of the second major in the elective spaces allowed by the first major.

For undergraduate students, we offer interdisciplinary majors, additional majors and minors. In addition, you can pursue many of our programs as a double major or additional major alongside your primary area of study. You can create a truly individualized path that matches your interests and goals.

For graduate students, we provide interdisciplinary master’s degrees and Ph.D. programs.

Consult our academic advisors to explore the possibilities or design a customized degree plan. They can guide you in combining fields to craft an education tailored to your unique goals.