Interdisciplinary Studies
The Graduate School’s Programs in Interdisciplinary Studies train students in specialty areas of focus that cross disciplinary boundaries.
The Interdisciplinary Studies Program, housed in the Graduate School, allows faculty to propose interdisciplinary programs of study that will form the basis for suitable areas of specialization to train students. These programs typically cross departmental and unit boundaries. Individual students may not propose individualized degrees through using this program.
Faculty members are tasked with crafting interdisciplinary study tracks, subject to approval from their department chair and dean. These tracks, which serve as the foundation for master’s concentrations and doctoral specializations in specific areas of focus, must secure endorsement from multiple academic entities, including Unit Curriculum and Budget Committees, the Graduate Council, and the Provost.
Faculty interested in proposing a track within this program should contact the Graduate School for further guidance.
Current Interdisciplinary Programs
Interdisciplinary Studies: Specialization in Translational Neuroscience (PhD)
(not accepting applications for the academic year 2024 – 2025)
Our IPTN program is meticulously crafted to provide comprehensive training across the vast landscape of neuroscience. Whether your passion lies in academic, clinical, or translational research, IPTN equips you with the expertise to tackle complex challenges in the nervous system, including diseases, trauma, and developmental disorders. Our esteemed faculty, drawn from a diverse range of basic and clinical neuroscience disciplines, will collaborate with you to design an individualized curriculum. This curriculum emphasizes essential genetic, molecular, cellular, and systems mechanisms crucial for understanding a spectrum of neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions.
Our program offers focused exploration in:
- Spinal Cord Injury, Motor Systems and Rehabilitation
- Vision, Retina, and Visual Pathways
- Sensory Systems, Autonomic Nervous System and Pain
- Developmental Neurobiology
- Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuropharmacology and Neurochemistry
Interdisciplinary Studies: Specialization in Bioinformatics (PhD)
The Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Bioinformatics (the Bioinformatics Program) trains students in bioinformatics for careers in research, education, and industry. Bioinformatics is a broad and diverse domain, ranging from management of biological research databases to computational approaches to biomedical modeling and data analysis.
The Bioinformatics Program focuses on those aspects of bioinformatics that reflect the research interests and experience of the Program's faculty. These include basic research in biostatistical methodology, computer science and mathematical modeling with applications to biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular biology. The following areas have been identified and named by the Bioinformatics Program faculty to represent the focus application areas of the Program:
- Biomedical and Natural Sciences
- Computational Sciences
- Mathematics and Statistics
Interdisciplinary Studies: Specialization in Translational Bioengineering (PhD)
The Interdisciplinary Studies in Translational Bioengineering (ISSTBE) PhD program is designed to provide multidisciplinary training in translational bioengineering preparing students to lead research and development in academia, industry and governmental agencies and/or to advance bioengineering technologies through start-up companies as entrepreneurs or within established biomedical companies. This program is a collaborative effort between J.B. Speed School of Engineering, the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry and the College of Business.
In this PhD program, students will have the opportunity to pursue graduate-level training in one of three tracks:
- Traditional Bioengineering Research
- Clinical Translational Research
- Advancement of Bioengineering Technologies through Entrepreneurship
Students must also choose one of the following concentration areas:
- Bioelectronics and Biomedical Devices
- Bioimaging and Biocomputational Modeling
- Biomechanics and Rehabilitation
- Molecular and Tissue Engineering
Interdisciplinary Studies: Concentration in Sustainability (MA/MS)
(not accepting applications for the academic year 2024 – 2025)
The large-scale goal of the Master of Interdisciplinary Studies in Sustainability Degree programs (both MA and MS degree programs are available) is to prepare students to address complex regional, state, national and global challenges posed by the intersection of human exponential growth and increasingly limited resources that support society. Students seeking a career involving research or doctoral program should consider pursuing the Master of Science option.
This Master of Interdisciplinary Studies in Sustainability program is an initiative of the University of Louisville’s Sustainability Council which seeks to integrate sustainability into everything that goes on at UofL. Students in the program are encouraged to contribute to the Sustainability Council’s efforts to explore sustainable solutions for UofL and our community.