Thematic Studies

When adult learners have interests and questions that cross the boundaries of academic disciplines and do not fit easily into any of the other areas of concentration outlined here, they may work with an advisor to construct a thematic concentration. These may involve concepts, ideas and/or themes such as “freedom,” “the imagination,” “discovery in science and the arts,”  “creative expression,” or  “Vermont as an Idea,” which the learner wants to understand through inquiry into two or more disciplines, such as literature, art, philosophy, economics, history, political science, mathematics, and the natural sciences.

In this case, the conceptual framework would necessarily involve understanding how the subject of inquiry is dealt with in each discipline, as well as knowledge of the disciplines themselves. Or the learner’s work may necessarily involve core knowledge from more than one area, such as environmental design, which would require some understanding in both environmental studies and the arts, or business, which requires core knowledge in psychology, ethics, mathematics and policy.

Example projects created by UI&U's B.A. learners

• Uses and Abuses of Power
• Individual Freedom and Community Responsibility
• News in the Digital Age
• Globalization

Contact
For more information, please contact an enrollment counselor at 888-828-8575 or 802-828-8500 (outside the U.S.) or email admissions@myunion.edu