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 Program (CIGP) is an interdisciplinary graduate program that provides students with the opportunity to study their primary discipline along with computing in a multidisciplinary environment. The aim of the program is to produce a student who has learned how to integrate computing with their own research interests. Students are required to work within an officially affiliated program to be considered for admission.
The Persistent Pursuit of New Perspectives
"This program gives students a new perspective, broadens their minds, and benefits their academic and personal development. It lets you meet students from various backgrounds, exchange ideas and learn from each other."
Mengmeng Zhu, Biological Sciences, Computational Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
Are you ready to reduce the “ecological footprint” of human society on earth? ESE — Ecological Sciences and Engineering at Purdue — empowers you with the interdisciplinary experience needed to solve real-world environmental problems. You’ll be prepared to lead the way in finding answers to some of society’s grand ecological challenges.
Developing greater understanding, one small step at a time.
"The best thing about ESE is learning to speak the languages of other disciplines. ESE has given me the opportunity to develop the necessary skill set to be a useful collaborator on interdisciplinary projects through courses, symposiums and seminars."
Kate Haapala, Political Science, 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.
The persistent pursuit of a cure.
"PULSe is designed so that students can interact with great scientists. PULSe has given me access to an array of courses that have helped me towards my goal of becoming an independent multidisciplinary cancer researcher."
Esteban Orellana, Molecular Signaling and Cancer Biology Training Group
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
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.
From Boilermaker to Scholar. That's Blakelee's Giant Leap.
“The interdisciplinary mentorship is the best part of the program. The faculty are adept at integrating information in a clear and comprehensible way. The dual-title PhD option is an excellent way to become a scholar who wears two hats.”
Blakelee Kemp, Sociology, Gerontology
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.
"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