The Angle of a Degree

Unique Structures, Topics and Approaches to University Study

Unique Program Structures

Block Program

Topic: These programs will block a series of classes together around one topic in a multidispiplanary lense

An example course From the Evergreen State University website:

In this example program, which combines Physics, Economics and History--"Earth Dynamics asks how humans have changed local environments and large-scale global processes. This program covers all the same subjects as a traditional education that offers multiple separate courses, but also deeply explores how the individual subjects connect to one another and the layers of that connection. "

Or in the UK, The London Interdisciplinary School

" Solutions to the world's most complex and interconnected problems won't come from a single specialism or subject. We need to bring together experts and knowledge from across the arts, sciences and humanities."

Course: These programs focus on one class at a time for about 3.5 weeks. So you do 4 classes a semester but only one at a time. So if you take a class like German you can go to Germany, or Geology the class can sleep on the rocks they are studying. (May be some bais as CC is my alma-matter)

Colorado College and Cornell College

Travel Programs: Programs where travel is built into the nature of the program.

Bocconi as an example has the World Bachelors of Business where, the ﬁrst year is in Los Angeles, the second in Hong Kong, the third in Milan and the fourth at your choice of one of these schools.

or Minerva University-- San Fransisco, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Hyderabad, London, Soul, Taipei-- Study in 7 countries in the 4 years of education.

Verto Education- Get your University studies started with Travel for a semester or up to three while taking University courses at 'partnering' Universities. This program is a pathway for admission into spacific Univesities in one of two ways. 1) Earn guaranteed admission to Verto’s Direct Transfer Partner Colleges through Verto’s free Partner Application. or 2) Select first-year applicants to these universities receive an admission offer by successfully completing their university-specific Verto Program.

Build Your Own Major

These are programs where you can build your own major focused on what you are interested in.

Some programs, like Stanford's Individually Designed Major in Engineering- are focused on a single large subject area, in this case Engineering.

Some programs are more interdisciplinary in nature like Goucher's Individualised Interdisciplinary Major. "Areas such as global politics, world peace, intercultural awareness, environmental concerns, and advances in science and technology exemplify the need for academic programs that cross, integrate, and transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries." From the Gaucher IIM program webpage.

Please note that students can sometimes also do a more traditional degree and then enrich their programs with their minor choices.

All On Their Own in their Unique Qualities

Deap Springs College - is a two year program that combines Service/Labor with Leadership and Academics. The students work a ranch while studying, and the program is designed to have students be responsible for their community. Students who finish this 2 year program go on to attend top Universities (with guidance) in the world, generaly go on to earn degrees in fields including politics, science, journalism, academics, agriculture, medicine, law, business, and design, and the two years at Deap Springs are free.

Earn two degrees from two different Universities at the same time!

Science Po & Columbia University: Students start off at Science Po for the first two years, and then spend their last two years at Columbia University in New York City, and earn degrees from both Universities.

City University & Columbia University Joint Bachelors Degree Program: The students do their first two years in Hong Kong and their last two years at Columbia University in the US and graduate with a degree from both Unviersities.

Berkley & Hong Kong University: Students start off in Hong Kong for the first two years. In Hong Kong "Undergraduate students choose from 10 faculties offering more than 40 programs and over 100 majors to suit their interests." Then students study for the last two years in California and at Berkely they will study in the College of Letters and Science, and over 80 degree programs are offered. Students will earn degrees from both Universities.

CEFAM- French and American Business Degrees: This program is located in Lyon France, and this is where a student will start their degree program, and spend their first three years. Then the student has options to choose where they want to finish their degree and their area of specialisation. As an example a student who wanted to focus their Business degree on Business and Management Theory could attend Northeastern in Boston along with co-op work opportunities to put that theory into practice to complete their program and end up with a degree in Business from Northeastern and from CEFAM in France.