'A Jack of All Trades and a Master of Some of Them': Successful Students in Interdisciplinary PhD Programs

Abstract

Interdisciplinarity has become a growing emphasis in U.S. higher education, and the prevalence of interdisciplinary doctoral programs is one indicator of such growth. Despite this growth, the experiences of individuals within interdisciplinary doctoral programs have been largely unexamined in the literature. This paper examines a self-designed interdisciplinary doctoral program for the two-fold purpose of better understanding students' experiences and faculty members' conceptualizations of what constitutes student "success." Using the lens of socialization, findings uncovered issues related to a lack of program structure and support for those involved. Findings from the study demonstrate a need for a higher level of self-direction for these students given the increased ambiguity of the program's structure as well as the need for external support given the lack of community.