Program Overviews
The Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs offers a wide variety of programs which may be offered as concentrations, graduate certificates, or a degree program. Please visit the different Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP) Admissions Models to learn more regarding how the admissions process functions.
Administered programs are managed by the Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs. Affiliated programs are managed by an outside office 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).
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
Administered Certificates
The Inclusive Excellence Certificate Program will advance graduate students’ understanding of the role that they play in fostering a more diverse and inclusive environment while expanding students’ understanding of situations that may hinder the formation of inclusive and communities. By the end of the certificate program, students will have an enhanced awareness of how to work across difference and will be able to develop policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusion in a variety of settings.
Dual Title - PhD
Participate in an immersive experience at the forefront of cancer research and education. Purdue University Institute of Cancer Research (PICR) is now offering a Dual-Title PhD Program in Cancer Research, a unique opportunity for aspiring scholars to distinguish themselves in the dynamic field of cancer research.
Program Website
Why Choose a Dual-Title PhD in Cancer Research?
As cancer continues to pose complex challenges, the demand for experts in this field has never been higher. Graduates from a degree program focused on cancer are poised for diverse and rewarding career opportunities in academia, industry, private NGOs, and government sectors. However, those with a Dual-Title PhD in cancer research, in combination with one of Purdue University's established degree programs, elevate their profile as scholars and researchers with a specific disciplinary focus coupled with an in-depth understanding of cancer.
“The dual-title cancer research program connects cancer researchers from diverse backgrounds and multiple disciplines. Equipped with cutting-edge tools and unique perspectives, we are able to collaborate and collectively move the needle in tackling cancer, from start to finish. In addition to my academic growth, this program has given me a supportive community that I can rely on throughout my journey as a cancer researcher.”
Garima Baral, Dual-Title Ph.D. in Cancer Research
Join the Gerontology program and become part of a groundbreaking dual-title gerontology PhD program. With the Center on Aging and the Life Course (CALC) at its core, the program offers the flexibility and expertise to accommodate diverse interests and embrace the “long view” in the study of aging.
An innovative approach to aging research and education.
"The dual-title PhD in Sociology and Gerontology empowers me to bridge disciplines and explore aging through a broad societal lens, enhancing my ability to approach complex challenges in aging research."
Destiny Ogle, Ph.D. Candidate, Sociology & Gerontology
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 IBSc (Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences) program has allowed me to participate in integrative, collaborative, and innovative research - an opportunity unmatched by other programs. Having these opportunities has broadened my horizon far beyond anything I could have expected.”
Rachel Stingel, 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.
"I’ve experienced a warm reception from fellow students, faculty, and staff who are deeply invested in my journey and success. The breadth of research available within the department allows students like me to delve into fascinating areas of study. I’ve appreciated the collaborative spirit that extends beyond our department to include partnerships with other disciplines."
Christian Mensah, Food Processing, 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.
“It’s great to have a broad understanding of the complexity of nutrition science. Learning about ingestive behavior really allows you to think of a topic from different angles, all of which are important in influencing health and wellness.”
Stephanie Hunter, Nutrition Science, 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.
“The Interdepartmental Nutrition program equips students with the skills to excel in multidisciplinary research teams, emphasizing critical thinking, innovation, and leadership. This comprehensive training ensures that graduates are well-rounded, well-prepared, and capable of advancing the field of nutrition, no matter where their careers take them.”
Anna Clapp Organski, Ph.D. Candidate, Interdepartmental Nutrition
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
Affiliated Certificates
The certificate provides current M.A. and Ph.D. students the opportunity to deepen their specialties in Black Studies research and methods. Graduate students in departments and programs across campus can build their expertise in the practice, theories, methods, and approaches to the study of African American life and African diasporic history, culture, and experience.
The global society in which we live is often faced with large-scale, pressing challenges that can only be solved through interdisciplinary research. The route chosen at Purdue to discover solutions to these grand challenges encourages collaboration between humanists, social scientists and STEM researchers, communicating the results to industry and policy makers. The Purdue Systems Collaboratory is eager to equip the next generation of systems thinkers with the tools and approaches for tackling the world’s complex challenges – to move our world… forward.
Affiliated Degrees
Are you a self-directed graduate student who is interested in studying numerous disciplines and working with nationally recognized faculty at one of the oldest programs of its kind in the country? The American Studies program offers the opportunity to integrate theories, practices and content by choosing from more than 130 courses in 10 departments.
Making progress through innovation and diversity.
"American Studies does exactly what I was looking for. It encourages students to develop innovative approaches to the study of social justice issues in U.S. society and use diverse perspectives that draw a more holistic picture of the U.S. in the global arena."
The Comparative Literature program teaches and compares world literature as both social documents and works of art in a cross-disciplinary approach. The program encourages the study of languages, an understanding of diversity and globalization, as well as an appreciation of various media as ways to fully engage literature.
At Purdue, no one stands alone.
"All the faculty members have helped us to become engaged in the program and the community since we arrived. We all feel the program is our home. The program teaches students to think critically, have deep analysis and communicate complex ideas."
Tulin Ece Tosun, College of Liberal Arts Administration, Comparative Literature
When you join the Linguistics program, you will become immersed in the scientific study of languages and learn how to scientifically study all the world’s languages through a program distinguished by a strong, applied focus and thorough, theoretical training. Discover the structure of languages, how humans acquire and use language, how languages change, and the roles language plays in societies and cultures around the world. Apply theory in a variety of areas, including bilingualism, corpus linguistics, natural language processing and sign languages.
Here, our curiosity keeps us learning.
“What I’ve really come to appreciate about our program is the sheer variety of courses on offer. It’s a great place to be for students with natural curiosity and diverse interests.”
Roderick Clare, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Linguistics
In Purdue University’s Master of Public Health (MPH) and Doctorate in Public Health (PhD) programs, you are not only trained in core public health disciplines, but you will also expand your knowledge and research skills in a specific public health area under the supervision of one or more of the public health faculty members.