DEPARTMENT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING AND TEACHING
MISSION AND VISION
The mission of the department of ILT is to foster the intellectual and professional growth and integrity of students and faculty through critical reflection and dialogue, civic responsibility, and leadership. This mission will be accomplished by nurturing a community of interdisciplinary learners who:
- Promote excellence in academic and pedagogical knowledge and research
- Engage in reflective practice
- Embody a strong professional identity and can articulate their philosophies and values
- Value diversity and multiple perspectives
- Promote equality and social justice
- Care about their students and their profession
- Advocate for educational change and reform
GOALS
The department of ILT will create a context that nurtures interdisciplinary learners who:
- Acquire and demonstrate content and discipline knowledge
- Demonstrate an awareness and acknowledgement of and engagement in research-based, reflective, culturally responsive practices
- Are producers, disseminators, and critical consumers of research
- Demonstrate an awareness and acknowledgment of and engagement in social justice and equitable practices
- Articulate their professional philosophy and demonstrate a strong professional identity
DEPARTMENT HONORS
The Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching awards Department Honors to certain outstanding students and provides the opportunity for advanced study under close faculty supervision.
Selection for honors designation is based on the student’s academic performance and recommendation by the faculty of the student’s major discipline. To be eligible for the program, students must have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 at UTSA and a minimum grade point average of 3.5 in their major at UTSA. The minimum grade point averages must be maintained for students to receive the approval of the Department Honors Committee and the discipline faculty. Students applying for Department Honors are expected to enroll in the appropriate honors thesis course during their final two semesters. The completed thesis must be approved by the supervising faculty sponsor and another departmental faculty member. Students interested in this program should contact their professors for additional information.
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies
- Degree-Only Concentration
The Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching offers a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) degree-only concentration may be used as preparation for careers in government service or work with youth in a non-teaching capacity, or as an opportunity to prepare for graduate or professional study in areas such as business, counseling, or social work. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the B.A. in IDS degree-only concentration, including the Core Curriculum requirements, is 120, at least 39 of which must be at the upper-division level. Students selecting this concentration also choose an academic specialization. See the section entitled “Degree Programs Without Teacher Certification” for a listing of the requirements for this degree.
- Degree with Certification Concentrations
Students who choose the IDS major can also seek teacher certification. The IDS program is designed to give successful students the opportunity to become teachers who understand their own thinking and learning processes and can successfully foster children’s conceptual, intellectual, and affective growth. Within the Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching, IDS majors who select a teacher certification concentration can choose from four concentrations: early childhood–grade 4 (EC–4) generalist certification, grades 4–8 language arts/reading/social studies certification, grades 4–8 mathematics/science certification, or EC–12 special education. For additional information regarding requirements for these certifications, students should consult the section of this catalog entitled “IDS Degree Program with Teacher Certification Concentrations.” They should also consult with an advisor in the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) Advising and Certification Center for information regarding certification requirements and for information on admission to the teacher certification program.
IDS majors seeking bilingual certification for EC–4, 4–8, or ESL certification for 4–8 should refer to the section of this catalog entitled Bicultural-Bilingual Studies.
Secondary Certification
The Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching offers coursework required for students seeking secondary certification (grades 8–12). Students seeking certification to teach at the secondary level must obtain a bachelor’s degree in the academic area in which they plan to teach. They should consult with an advisor in the college in which their degree is contained. They should also consult with an advisor in the COEHD Advising and Certification Center for information regarding secondary certification requirements and for information on admission to the teacher certification program. For additional information regarding secondary certification requirements, students should consult the section of this catalog entitled “Secondary Certification Programs.”
Teacher certification requirements are subject to change; students should consult with an advisor for the most current certification requirements.
DEGREE PROGRAMS WITHOUT TEACHER CERTIFICATION
- Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (degree-only concentration)
- Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Degree in Infancy and Childhood Studies
IDS DEGREE PROGRAM WITH TEACHER CERTIFICATION CONCENTRATIONS
Programs are subject to change without notice due to changes in the state’s certification and/or program approval requirements. Teacher certification programs address standards of the State Board for Educator Certification. Standards can be found at www.sbec.state.tx.us.
- Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Early Childhood–Grade 4 Generalist Certification Concentration)
- Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Grades 4–8 Language Arts/Reading/Social Studies Certification Concentration)
- Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Grades 4–8 Mathematics/Science Certification Concentration)
- Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (EC–12 Special Education Certification Concentration)