Focus on Student Exploration
18-20 credits
The Bethany Plan has a general education component called the Interdisciplinary Trail. The program is designed to evaluate the enduring and current issues of human experience through a diverse set of perspectives. Each Bethany student will complete an interdisciplinary trail with courses in a variety of different disciplines and instructors outside of a student’s intended major. The collection of courses addresses areas of knowledge and methods of thinking traditionally associated with a liberal arts education. The intention is to have the students gain experiences in community and civic engagement, creativity and expression, and problem-solving and scientific reasoning. Each course in the program is designed to have an interdisciplinary orientation and each course will consider the perspectives of other disciplines
Learning Objectives
Bethany’s Interdisciplinary Trails will enable students to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of disciplinary divisions
- Understand real-world challenges using insights from across disciplines
- Reflect on personal growth as a learner
Each Bethany student will complete an Interdisciplinary Trail, which includes courses with different instructors in various disciplines. The Interdisciplinary Trail includes a combination of courses that has a minimum of 18 credits with a maximum of 20 (to account for laboratory courses). Two courses (a total of 6-8 credits) from each of the three divisions of programs (Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences) must be completed. Students may choose to build their own trail from the list of recognized courses or to follow a designed Interdisciplinary Trail with a specific theme.
Policies Applicable to Interdisciplinary Trail
Course Limitation
- Only 100/200 level courses will be included for approved courses. If courses have a prerequisite, it must be listed in the course description. Courses listed as 300-level courses or higher may request to be approved through the Curriculum Committee.
- Two courses taken to satisfy a major requirement can satisfy components of the interdisciplinary trail.
- Courses taken must be from different course areas. No two courses completed can be from the same four-letter course prefix.
- Honors courses equivalent to identified courses may be approved but must meet the requirements and align with the learning outcomes.
Transfer Courses
All individual courses will have a course evaluation in accordance with the Bethany College Transfer Policy. Approved equivalent courses will be recorded on the transcript as having fulfilled the trail requirement.
Courses by Divisions of Programs
Students select two courses from each of the following divisions. Review the “Course Limitation” section
for additional details.
Arts/Humanities
ARBC 180: Civilization of the Arabic-Speaking World
CHIN 180: Chinese Civilization
ENGL 156: Introduction to Literary Studies
ENGL 200: Literature and Literary Diversity
ENGL 212: Writing for College and Community
ENGL 230: Writing and the Environment
ENGL 245: British Literature I
ENGL 246: British Literature II
ENGL 250: American Literature
ENGL 264: Masterpieces of Drama
ENGL 266: Masterpieces of European Literature
ENGL 267: Masterpieces of World Literature
ENGL 268: Modern World Literature
ENGL 275: American Short Stories
ENGL 311: Poetry Writing Workshop
ENGL 312: Fiction Writing Workshop
ENGL 313: Creative Non-Fiction Writing Workshop
ENGL 360: Classic British Novels
ENGL 383: African American Novel
ENGL 385: Women and Literature: The American Experience
ENGL 455: American Women’s Poetry 1800-Present
FREN 180: French Civilization
FREN 181: Contemporary France
GRMN 160: German Culture through Film
GRMN 180: Civilization of Germany
GRMN 181: Civilization of the German-Speaking World
GRMN 420: Survey of German Literature I
GRMN 421: Survey of German Literature II
HIST 101: World Civilizations I
HIST 102: World Civilizations II
HIST 151: U.S. History I
HIST 152: U.S. History II
HIST 210: The Age of Extremes: The Twentieth-Century World
HIST 228: History of Bethany College
HIST 230: History Role-Playing Games: Dilemmas of Diversity, Democracy, and Nationhood
HIST 233: The Making of the Islamic World: 610-1258
HIST 234: The Modern Middle East
INTD 241: Introduction to Social Justice
INTD 251: Origins of Western Thought I: The Ancient World
INTD 252: Origins of Western Thought II: The Middle Ages and Renaissance
INTD 253: Origins of Western Thought III: The Modern Age
JAPN 180: Japanese Culture
JAPN 181: Modern Japan
PHIL 124: Introduction to Ethics
RELS 220: Introduction to World Religions
RELS 229: Christianity
RELS 231: Judaism
RELS 235: Sex, the Body, and Religion
RELS 241: Religious and Psychological Lenses on Social Justice
RELS 244: Hinduism and Buddhism
RELS 352: Islamic Civilization
SPAN 180: Civilization of Spain
SPAN 181: Civilization of Latin America
SPAN 420: Survey of Peninsular Spanish Literature I
SPAN 421: Survey of Latin American Literature I
SPAN 422: Survey of Peninsular Spanish Literature II
SPAN 423: Survey of Latin American Literature II
THEA 270: Women Playwrights
VISA 103: Women and Art
MUSI 104: Out of the Blues and Into Rock
Social Sciences
BUSI/COMM 303: Organizational Communication
COMM 101 Introduction to Communication
COMM 104 Visual Communication
COMM 106 Introduction to Sports Communications
COMM 160 Introduction to Film
COMM 200: Digital Media and Digital Culture
COMM 203 Principles of Advertising and Public Relations
COMM 206 Public Speaking and Announcing
ECON 201: Principles of Microeconomics
ECON 202: Principles of Macroeconomics
SOWO 145: Women’s Issues Across the Life Span
SOWO 150: Social Problems
SOWO 210: Human Diversity
SOWO 240: Deep Dive into Issues of Diversity
POLS 110: American Politics
POLS 111: Comparative Politics
POLS 112: International Relations
POLS 211: Women of the World
POLS 212: Dystopian Politics
POLS 222: Black Politics
POLS 253: Nature and International Society
PHED 209: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Sport
PHED 247: The Olympic Games
PHED 337: Organization and Administration of Physical Activities
Natural Sciences
BIOL 102: Horticultural Science
BIOL 103: Introductory Biology I: Molecular Genetics, Cell, and Development
BIOL 104: Introductory Biology II: Evolution, Diversity, and Ecology
BIOL 110: Plants, People, and Environment
BIOL 115: Biology of Women
BIOL 180: Invertebrate Zoology
CHEM 100: Chemistry for Society
CHEM 101: General Chemistry I
CHEM 108: Introduction to Forensic Science
GENS 220: Geology
INTD 204: Human Sexuality
PHYS/GENS 151: Astronomy
PSYC 100: General Psychology
PSYC 210: Psychology of Women
PSYC 241: Religious and Psychological Lenses on Social Justice
PSYC 250: Multicultural Psychology
Potential Combinations of Completing the Interdisciplinary Trails
Are you interested in one of these topics? Consider completing the interdisciplinary trail by following one of these planned pathways for completion.
Sustainability in the Modern World