Concentrations
This is an overview of all OIGP administered and affiliated concentrations. Some concentrations have the prospective student apply and be admitted to the program directly but will receive a degree from the associated graduate department. Other concentrations are applied for after a student has already been admitted to a program at Purdue University. Please visit the Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (IGP) Admission Models page for more details.
Administered concentrations are managed by the Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs. Affiliated concentrations are managed by an outside program or department.
Administered Concentrations
Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (CIGP) provides you with the opportunity to integrate your primary discipline and research with computing and computational methods. Broaden your approach and diversify your skills through the exploration of several specialization areas, all within a multidisciplinary environment. To be considered for CIGP admission, students must be enrolled in an officially affiliated program.
The Persistent Pursuit of New Perspectives
"The Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (CIGP) has been a wonderful opportunity to explore mathematical concepts that have a broader impact on computational biology. One of the most exciting aspects is seeing how machine learning is applied across a variety of fields, from Civil Engineering to Biology to Aerospace Engineering. It fosters a collaborative environment where students learn how to generate hypotheses, design experiments, and draw meaningful conclusions, uniting us through a shared approach to problem-solving. CIGP brings together students from a diverse range of academic fields, creating a dynamic space to exchange ideas and learn from one another’s expertise. These interactions broaden our perspectives and inspire innovative thinking, benefiting both academic and personal development. Through guided activities like 3MT presentations and talks from speakers affiliated with renowned research labs and universities, I’ve gained valuable insights that have direct applications to my own research in machine learning and computational biology. CIGP has truly enriched my academic journey and advanced my approach to interdisciplinary research"
Simran Kadadi, Computer Science, Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
Are you passionate about making a real difference for the planet? The Ecological Sciences and Engineering (ESE) Program at Purdue University offers an unparalleled opportunity to tackle some of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time. With a dynamic, interdisciplinary curriculum, you'll gain the cutting-edge knowledge and hands-on experience needed to drive innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
Prepare to be at the forefront of environmental change, leading efforts to reduce humanity's ecological footprint and create a healthier, more sustainable world for generations to come. Whether it's through pioneering technologies, sustainable practices, or global policy initiatives, your journey begins here — with Purdue's ESE program, where your passion meets purpose.
Developing greater understanding, one small step at a time.
"The ESE Interdisciplinary Program allows students to develop a multidisciplinary perspective through diverse coursework and in-depth conversations with peers in other departments. As a student in this program, I have been able to learn from the unique perspectives of my ESE colleagues and pursue interdisciplinary collaborations giving me the chance to deep dive into real-world problems and provide unique, realistic solutions."
Ariana Lazo, Agronomy, Ecological Sciences and Engineering
Join in the Information Security program and become a part of one of the world’s leading programs for research and education in areas that are crucial to the protection of critical computing and communication infrastructure. The program, which offers degrees through both the College of Liberal Arts and the Polytechnic Institute, works in collaboration with the Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS). CERIAS focuses on computing privacy, security, prevention, detection, policy and law.
We work hard here. And we achieve more because we keep going.
“Purdue has created a very highly regarded, positive culture of academic achievement and engagement with industry and government. The world recognizes us for addressing relevant near-future cybersecurity challenges.”
James Lerums, Polytechnic Institute, Information Security
Are you ready for an innovative opportunity to discover your true area of passion in research? PULSe — the Purdue University Interdisciplinary Life Science Program — puts you in the driver’s seat for creating your own research path. You’ll choose from nearly a dozen training groups and diverse opportunities across many disciplines.
From Diverse Paths to Unified Goals.
"PULSe is for those who thrive on a multidisciplinary approach to science. It’s one of the only programs at Purdue where you can come from a completely different background and dive into a new research field. Here, boundaries between disciplines dissolve, allowing us PULSe students to explore science in ways that align with our unique goals and interests."
Purba Mandal, Integrative Neuroscience
Affiliated Concentrations
Join the African-American Studies program and immerse yourself in one of the most significant global dimensions of American culture. Gain expertise in the diverse practices, theories and methods involved in the study of African-American life, including the African Diaspora and its connections to the Caribbean and Latin America. Explore African-American social, cultural and economic life in all its complexity.
"For me, the best part of the program has been the community of support from faculty, alumni and graduate students. It was important that I work with professors who offer perspectives and resources that challenge me to think as an interdisciplinary scholar."
Keturah Nix, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, African-American Studies
Do you want to take a scientific approach to major medical problems like spinal cord injuries and the battle against cancer? The Biomedical Sciences program is a medically-oriented program for scientists that combines veterinary medicine and engineering. The program emphasizes biomedical approaches to diagnose and treat various troublesome human diseases.
We are dedicated to research and unique opportunities.
“The program offers a unique opportunity to be trained at the interface of biology and engineering and to apply cutting-edge technology. It’s a stimulating environment that allows students to do high-quality research.”
Aya Saleh, Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Sciences
When you join the Food Science program, you're undertaking a venture that is centered on enriching and improving food through increased food safety, novel processing techniques, nutritional benefits, and food functionality. The program focuses on four signature areas: food chemistry, structure and function; foods for health; food safety and microbiology; and food processing and technology development.
We learn together here.
"The program provides both cultural and research diversity. The students are from various cultural and ethnic groups. Additionally, very few students study the same thing so we are always learning from each other."
Breanna McArthur, Nutrition Science, Food Science
Concepts of human rights lie at the core of our modern self-conception. Any student engaged with study of literature, history, philosophy, art, culture or religion will have their understanding improved and research deepened by investigating how these concepts have been practiced, the philosophical tensions at their foundations, and the historical circumstances of their development. The Human Rights Studies (HRS) Concentration will allow graduate students to gain a wider understanding of the political and historical context in which the concept of human rights has developed and in which it operates and forms the basis for political action within our world
"I intend to obtain a graduate concentration in Human Rights Studies for two reasons. First, I understand Human Rights as an essential course to enhance feminist activism, especially related to the defense of reproductive autonomy. I also know that the courses in the HR Concentration provide a broad and relevant understanding of the concept of Human Rights as well as its political and historical trajectory. The discourse of Human Rights has significantly challenged and influenced Global South programs pertaining to social justice. Engaging with this discourse and its evolutionary history helps me formulate better methods to apply in social activism and also prepares me as a researcher and analyst of politics and public policies from a Human Rights perspective."
Aline Beatriz Coutinho, Human Rights, History
Choose the graduate program at the Ingestive Behavior Research Center (IBRC) and join a program that promotes and coordinates collaborations among laboratories that investigate food and fluid intake, ingestive disorders, and the biological, psychological, and social processes associated with them. The IBRC features funded support, flexibility and specialized training experiences.
Here, we embrace the challenges that lead to new ways of thinking.
“The IBRC is a great resource for my research. The collaborative environment has really helped me move my work forward. I’ve had the chance to connect with researchers from different fields, which has given me new perspectives and ideas. It’s a supportive space where curiosity and innovation thrive, and I’m grateful to be part of it."
Giorgiana Rutigliani, Ingestive Behavior
You can study the full impact that diet can have on health and well-being in the Interdepartmental Nutrition Program. Research on nutrition and health integrates information from many disciplines, including biochemistry, physiology, psychology, food science, genetics and cell biology.
Success starts with one small step.
"Our program has a high-achieving academic environment that gives students the skills to succeed in all areas of research. Students leave here well rounded and well prepared for a successful career no matter what."
Andrea Lobene, Nutrition Science, Interdepartmental Nutrition
The Philosophy and Literature Ph.D. program encourages the interplay between philosophy and literature currently animating discussions in such areas as social and critical theory, feminism, hermeneutics, narrative, semiotics, psychoanalysis, aesthetics, African-American studies, and cultural studies.
The demands facing global business, governments, and society as a whole are increasingly complex, and changing at an ever accelerating pace. Navigating this dynamic environment will require leaders who understand how to bring order to this complexity, drive and navigate social change, and develop, scale and tailor solutions capable of yielding the reach, significance, paradigm change, and longevity of influence that we call impact. The Interdisciplinary Graduate Concentration in Transformational Innovation and Design draws on insights from Innovation Science to provide graduate students with the opportunity to gain an end-to-end perspective on innovation, rooted in the design process, and founded on rigorous theory, methods, and experiences from a diverse array of disciplines. The Concentration is an ideal complement to any graduate degree, and is particularly suited for graduate students seeking to proactively drive impact in complex socio-technical settings.
Shifting Innovation from Serendipity to Science.
“Novel perspectives on design and innovation expanded my problem-solving skillset beyond my base domain of engineering. This gave me the confidence and adaptability to go after any complex socio-economic-technical problem that I wish to tackle.”
Feminism and the equality of all people regardless of gender or sexual orientation are as important now as they ever were. If you are interested in the issues central to these concepts, you'll find a place in the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program. This newly integrated program nurtures academic research and scholarly inquiry that investigates the core values of these important concepts.
Moving human knowledge forward. That's our giant leap.
"The knowledge you gain in these classes is something you will use, without exaggeration, every day for the rest of your life. These classes and this program are necessities for moving the sum total of human knowledge forward."
Jaimalene Hough, Political Science, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies