Interdisciplinary Arts
BACHELOR OF ARTS
On this page: Major Description | Requirements | Learning Objectives | Faculty & Staff | Courses
Use your creativity, imagination, and passion for innovation to develop or express meaning across audiences!
Do courses like Photography & Digital Art, Creative Writing, and Performing Arts Technique sound exciting to you?
Do you want to explore a career as an independent artist, curator, arts activist, or educator?
The Interdisciplinary Arts major at the University of Washington Bothell offers students the opportunity to develop expertise in areas spanning written, visual, performance, sound and video, digital, and publication arts as they respond to the constantly evolving world of contemporary arts practice. The IA major is built on the belief that meaningful contributions to art can be made by anyone from any class, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender, ability, and background. IA faculty implement critical and relevant thinking and practices in art in order to inspire students to push towards new engagements and achievements.
Purpose
Students in the Interdisciplinary Arts major are passionate about developing projects that address cultural, philosophical and political phenomena. Students interested in cultivating artistic skills through independent and collaborative projects thrive in this major.
Practice
Courses in the Interdisciplinary Arts major focus on helping students to think in innovative and experimental ways. Classes include drawing, painting, experimental writing, installation, internet art, performance, photography, video, and more.
Profession
Using their background in Interdisciplinary Arts, graduates in this major become creative and innovative thinkers. Students in the IA major end up working as independent artists, activists, curators, and develop arts-based projects in a range of employment sectors, including health, media, and education.
Major requirements
Recommended Preparation
Interested in exploring this major, but not ready to commit? Consider taking one of the below courses! Any of these selections will help familiarize you with the academic program and prepare you for advanced coursework in the major.
- BIS 121 Introduction to Drawing
- BIS 130 What is Art?
- BIS 131 Introduction to Arts Practice
- BIS 132 Introduction to Photography
- BIS 133 Introduction to Acting
- BIS 136 Introduction to Art History
- BIS 208 Experimenting With the Arts
- BIS 209 Engaging Visual and Media Arts
- BIS 212 Engaging Performing Arts
- BISIA 207 Introduction to Creative Writing: Words, Stories, Dialogues
Prerequisites
There are no formal prerequisites for Interdisciplinary Arts major. Current UW Bothell students can submit a declaration form if they are in good academic standing (2.0 cumulative GPA), follow this link to the IAS Major Declaration Form. Incoming students can apply directly into the major when applying to UW Bothell.
Useful preparation for this major includes formal and informal training in visual, written, digital, and/or performing arts. Students will need strong skills in collaborative and creative problem-solving.
Degree requirements
The following degree requirements are required as of Autumn 2024 quarter. Student who enter the Interdisciplinary Arts (IA) major prior to Autumn 2024 have different requirements. Please see your Academic Advisor for questions and academic planning.
- 10 credits of Composition Coursework
- B WRIT 133 or B WRIT 134 or ENGL 131 or equivalent (5 credits)
- B WRIT 135 or ENGL 141 or equivalent (5 credits)
- Core Course: BISIA 319 Interdisciplinary Arts (5 credits)
- Art Studios and Art Workshops (IA:SW) Courses (15 credits)
- Additional Interdisciplinary Arts (IA) Courses (20 credits)
- Additional IAS Coursework (20 credits)
TOTAL = 70 Credits
Note: Classes in this major are offered primarily during day-time hours.
School of IAS Requirements & Policies
- Residency Requirement: 30 credits must be completed in residency at UW Bothell
- Cumulative GPA Requirement: Major GPA must be at a cumulative of 2.00 or higher
- Interdisciplinary Practices & Reflection (IPR): The IPR requirement can overlap with 70 credit major coursework or it can be completed through elective credits. Please see the IPR page for course options.
- Upper Division Credit Policy: Of the credits applying to the major requirements, a minimum of 35 credits must be completed at the Upper Division (300-400) level.
Learning objectives
The Interdisciplinary Arts curriculum advances the five core IAS learning objectives. Students taking courses and/or majoring in Interdisciplinary Arts will focus on:
- Learn how to create and experiment across diverse artistic forms and media.
- Locate artistic practices within positional, social, political, and historical situations.
- Consider creative practice as a means to generate critical thinking, collaboration, and community response.
- Attend to questions of difference and challenge the structural power relations inherent in creative production.
- Develop a foundation for sustainable arts practice beyond the academy—in community, career, and/or graduate study—through an emphasis on critical reflection.
People
Faculty
- Carrie Bodle (Faculty Co-Coordinator)
- Amaranth Borsuk (Faculty Co-Coordinator)
- Anida Yoeu Ali
- Naomi Bragin
- Gary Carpenter
- Ching-In Chen
- Gavin Doyle
- Jeanne Heuving
- Howard Hsu
- Amy Lambert
- Minda Martin
- Joe Milutis
- Masahiro Sugano
Research Librarian
Courses
A. IA Core Courses (IA:CORE)
- BISIA 319 Interdisciplinary Arts
B. Art Studios and Art Workshops (IA:SW)
- BISIA 207 Introduction to Creative Writing: Words, Stories, Dialogues
- BISIA 230 Performing Arts Techniques
- BISIA 240 Visual and Media Arts Techniques
- BISIA 244 Time-Based Media Art
- BISIA 250 Photography as Art
- BISIA 283 Interdisciplinary Art Techniques
- BISIA 310 Creative Writing: Poetry
- BISIA 311 Creative Writing: Prose
- BISIA 330 Performing Arts Workshop
- BISIA 340 Visual and Media Arts Workshop
- BISIA 344 Video Art
- BISIA 350 Photography and Digital Art
- BISIA 383 Interdisciplinary Arts Workshop
- BISIA 399 Art and Design Digital Portfolio
- BISIA 410 Advanced Creative Writing Workshop
- BISIA 440 Advanced Visual and Media Arts Workshop
- BISIA 444 Video Installation Art
- BISIA 450 Image & Imagination
- BISIA 483 Advanced Interdisciplinary Arts Workshop
- BISIA 484 Arts Learning in the Community
C. Interdisciplinary Arts Courses (IA)
- BIS 121 Introduction to Drawing
- BIS 130 What is Art?
- BIS 131 Introduction to Arts Practice
- BIS 132 Introduction to Photography
- BIS 133 Introduction to Acting
- BIS 135 Introduction to Painting
- BIS 136 Introduction to Art History
- BIS 163 The Lives of Objects
- BIS 185 Art and Climate Change
- BIS 206 Engaging Literary Arts
- BIS 208 Experimenting With the Arts
- BIS 209 Engaging Visual and Media Arts
- BIS 212 Engaging Performing Arts
- BIS 319 Public Arts and Ecological Restoration
- BIS 322 Topics in Performance Study
- BIS 323 History of Photography
- BIS 347 History of American Documentary Films
- BIS 372 Representation, Colonialism, and the Tropical World
- BIS 378 Languages of Poetry
- BIS 431 Sexual Politics and Cultures
- BIS 460 Topics in Critical Theory
- BIS 464 Topics in Advanced Cinema Studies
- BIS 470 Art, Politics, and Social Change
- BIS 471 Women in Art
- BIS 486 Studies in Women and Literature
- BISAES 367 Exploring American Culture: Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration
- BISCLA 318 Performance, Identity, Community, and Everyday Life
- BISCLA 380 Art and its Context
- BISCLA 384 Literature and Popular Genres
- BISIA 401 Literary & Arts Journal
- BISPSY 348 Cultural Psychology
- BISMCS 333 Media and Communication Studies
Minor
IAS also offers arts minors in Creative Writing; Performance; and Visual & Media Arts.