Master of Arts Interdisciplinary Studies

At a glance

Credential: master's degree
Credits: 33
Next start: see program details

With Athabasca University’s Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies, you will learn to think holistically, critically, and reflectively. You will find the connections and points of overlap between specialized and generalized knowledge.

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About Master of Arts Interdisciplinary Studies

Discover the exciting opportunities with Athabasca University's Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies, a fully online program designed to deepen your critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and grasp of interdisciplinary approaches. Throughout the 33-credit journey, you'll merge theories and practices from the arts, humanities, and social sciences, culminating in a final project that ties into your personal or professional life. This comprehensive program not only readies you for today's multifaceted work environment but also lets you focus on what truly matters to you, whether it's advancing your career or addressing community challenges.

Admission requirements

Admission requirements include a baccalaureate degree and an academic language assessment.

See full Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies admission requirements

Program details

Overview

Participate in an interdisciplinary online master’s program that integrates theories, methods and practices from the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

The Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies program allows you to relate your research to issues in your life, workplace, and community. Your program will finish with a final integrated project or capstone paper that will exercise and explore your newly acquired skills and
knowledge.

You can choose to complete this project in a grouped-study capstone course, or through an individual-study project that will allow you to:

explore a question or issue that’s important to you
relate your research to a work or life situation
address a community problem

Why take the Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies?

In an age of rapid change, employers and professional associations want workers with wide-ranging educations who are capable of:

multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches
critical thought
teamwork
social awareness

AU's Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies develops these skills and prepares grads to envision and pursue innovative solutions to a variety of problems.

The Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies is a 33-credit online master’s program. You must complete 18 credits through Athabasca University.

You may register in Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies courses anytime as a non-program student, and if you want to apply to the program, there are 3 intakes each year. Please see our FAQ.

Application procedure

Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies courses are offered in online grouped study and individualized study formats. Grouped-study courses have defined start and end dates. Individualized-study courses begin on the first day of every month, year-round.

Application deadlines and start dates

Application deadline	Start date
Jan. 15	spring
May 15	fall
Sep. 15	winter

Routes and options

The Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies program has several academic focus areas to choose from, as well as an independent track that allows you to develop your own program of study.

Completion times

Finish this program in as little as 2 years of full-time study, or work at your own pace to complete your requirements within 6 years.

The expected normal completion time is 3–4 years.

Tuition and fees

A non-refundable convenience charge will be charged when using Visa or Mastercard to pay student fees. American Express is no longer an accepted method of payment. For more information on the convenience charge, please visit the Financial Services website.

The following fees are effective for courses starting Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025. All fees are quoted in Canadian dollars and are subject to change. Academic-related fees are exempt from the Federal Goods and Services Tax (G.S.T.). G.S.T. is added to all other goods and services, for example, workshops, some publications, self-help seminars, and Athabasca University promotional sales items.

program application and admission fee
Program application fee (non-refundable) required each time a person applies:	$197
Program admission fee (payable upon acceptance into the program and non-refundable)	$255
Non-program application fee (non-refundable) required only once and waived if previously an AU student:	$124

Course tuition fees (includes all required materials)

fees for students in Canada and out
Students living in Canada	$1,975¹
Students living outside Canada	$2,220¹

¹Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies (MA-IS) Course Tuition fees now include a Course Administration and Technology fee of $167 and a Course Materials fee of $37 per course, plus the Athabasca University Graduate Students Association (AUGSA) fees of $14 per credit.

Note: MA-IS students are now able to take Heritage Resources Management courses. Course tuition fees for HRM courses can be found on the HRM fees page.

Estimated program tuition cost (2024-2025):

The total tuition cost for a student living in Canada who takes all courses from Athabasca University, would be $21,725 ($1,975 x 11, three-credit course equivalents). AUGSA fees, Course Administration and Technology fee, and Course Materials fee are included in the above calculations. Application and admission fees are not included.

Other fees

other fees
Transfer credit evaluation fee	$348 per course
Continuation fee	$136
Course extension fee	$334
Letter of Permission fee	$100
Western Deans' Agreement administration fee (non-AU visiting students)	$250 per course
AU Graduate Student Association Fee (per credit):	$14
Course withdrawal processing fee¹	$453
Supplemental Exam Fee	$124

¹ The course withdrawal processing fee is a mandatory administrative fee charged when a student withdraws from a course. For early withdrawal only, the student will be refunded the full course tuition fees (see above) less the course withdrawal processing fee.

Fee information effective Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025.

Courses

In this program, you'll dive into a rich mix of required core courses, electives, and project-based learning that cater to your intellectual curiosity. While core courses lay the foundation in interdisciplinary research and theory, you'll have the flexibility to choose electives that align with your interests or even carve out your own independent track.

To complete the program you will need to fulfill all the general requirements of the Master of Arts, plus those specific to your focus area.

Our program regulations plans can give you an idea of what courses you need to finish this program.

Program regulations

Focus area courses

Courses to explore

Below are some of the courses that our students take in this program.

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Career options

After completing this program, you'll be well-equipped to enter a variety of careers that value interdisciplinary thinking and research skills, from roles in academia and public policy to positions in non-profits or corporate sectors. Whether you're interested in becoming an educator, researcher, consultant, or manager, the flexible skill set you'll gain will open doors to opportunities in multiple fields.

Some sample careers may include (but are not limited to):

educator
researcher
public policy analyst
non-profit manager
corporate strategist
consultant
project manager
community organizer
communications specialist
content developer
social media manager
program coordinator
grant writer

Resources and links

Additional information that you need to know about AU and this program.

Program resources

Additional resources

Program contact

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