Interdisciplinary Courses (SOHE) (INTER-HE) < University of Wisconsin-Madison

INTER-HE 201 — BELONGING, PURPOSE AND THE ECOLOGY OF HUMAN HAPPINESS: ECOYOU

3 credits.

Practical strategies for increasing happiness, enhancing social relationships, and designing personal and professional lives that are meaningful, fulfilling, and purposeful. Applies the Human Ecology lens to understand wellbeing within interconnected natural, built, and social environments. Topics include attachment relationships, emotional and sexual intimacy, resilience, empathic communication, belonging, creativity, awe, spirituality, civic engagement, and psychedelic science.

INTER-HE 202 — SOHE CAREER & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

1 credit.

Provides an introduction to leadership development, career development, and career readiness competencies.

INTER-HE 301 — SPECIAL TOPICS IN HUMAN ECOLOGY

1-3 credits.

Specialized subject matter of current interest.

INTER-HE 601 — INTERNSHIP

3 credits.

Develop career-readiness skills while applying academic knowledge in a workplace setting.

Requisites: INTER-HE 202 and junior standing

Course Designation: Workplace - Workplace Experience Course

Repeatable for Credit: Yes, for 2 number of completions

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Develop relationships with co-workers and supervisors working as a team member through varied experiences while improving interpersonal relationships
Audience: Undergraduate

2. Enhance knowledge of the industry’s systems and procedures, including adapting to changing market trends and technology
Audience: Undergraduate

3. Reinforce educational and career goals while preparing for transition from student to a professional in the workplace
Audience: Undergraduate

4. Explore career opportunities within a company/organization and industry through real-world situations
Audience: Undergraduate

5. Develop professional competencies in written and oral communication
Audience: Undergraduate

INTER-HE/ELPA 770 — COMMUNITY, OPPORTUNITY, AND JUSTICE

3 credits.

Critical examination of school-community engagement and collaboration. Examines theory and practice of mutually beneficial collaboration in diverse education settings, including leadership issues in collaborative settings, and facilitators and inhibitors to effective collaboration.

INTER-HE 792 — THEORIES AND PERSPECTIVES IN HUMAN ECOLOGY

1-2 credits.

Explore the multidisciplinary theories and perspectives that inform ecological thinking and the lens of the School of Human Ecology. Gain a clear understanding of the human ecological perspective, as it presents in SoHE; the benefits and challenges of applying this lens to research, policy, and outreach; and how your work fits within the larger human ecological perspective. Furthermore, develop skills and discover resources supporting cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration.

Requisites: Graduate/professional standing

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Fall 2025

Learning Outcomes: 1. Define "human ecology" in a way that is personally significant and contextualizes your work
Audience: Graduate

2. Describe several cross-cutting perspectives that link definitions of human ecology across fields and disciplines (content areas)
Audience: Graduate

3. Integrate perspectives into a human ecological framework relevant to your work and professional goals
Audience: Graduate

4. Employ a human ecological perspective in framing questions and critically evaluating issues
Audience: Graduate

5. Evaluate the benefits and challenges of approaching your work with a human ecological lens
Audience: Graduate

6. Articulate your emerging identity as a human ecologist
Audience: Graduate

INTER-HE 793 — RESEARCH METHODS

3 credits.

Basic techniques: questionnaires, interviews, behavioral observation, sampling, experimental designs and data analysis using computer. Learn to write a research proposal with literature review.

INTER-HE 801 — SPECIAL TOPICS IN HUMAN ECOLOGY

1-3 credits.

Special Topics in Human Ecology.

INTER-HE 815 — PROFESSIONAL SKILLS FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PRACTITIONERS

1 credit.

Special topics related to applied work and professional skill development in Human Ecology.

INTER-HE 940 — COLLABORATIVE CAPSTONE I

3 credits.

Begin the collaborative design thinking process by exploring current state, empathizing with users, and defining opportunity areas for design. Specifically - find and frame a challenge, break it down to get started, conduct ethnographic and inspiration research, synthesize research findings into themes, insights and opportunities, visualize opportunities with frameworks and concepts, and compile evidence for desirability, feasibility and viability. Practice behaviors of design thinking - ethics, critique, and storytelling.

Requisites: Declared in the MS Design + Innovation

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Summer 2025

Learning Outcomes: 1. Apply an iterative design thinking process on an interdisciplinary team.
Audience: Graduate

2. Frame a challenge at an appropriate level for design exploration.
Audience: Graduate

3. Empathize with a broad range of stakeholders to understand needs through the ethnographic method.
Audience: Graduate

4. Synthesize raw learnings into opportunities for design.
Audience: Graduate

5. Communicate effectively, both visually and orally.
Audience: Graduate

6. Demonstrate constructive collaboration behaviors— creative critique, balancing independent work with group work, and knowing when to get an outside opinion.
Audience: Graduate

INTER-HE 980 — CAPSTONE SEMINAR

1-3 credits.

Facilitates and supports completion of a capstone project. Gain feedback from peers and the instructor; set goals and provides structure for timely and successful project completion; covers skills and knowledge to support students in the next stage of their careers, after graduate school.

Requisites: Consent of instructor

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: Yes, for 2 number of completions

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Articulate key issues in using and communicating about research in applied settings.
Audience: Graduate

2. Plan and carry out a capstone project demonstrating their substantive knowledge and analytic skills in the human ecology field.
Audience: Graduate

3. Communicate the results of their capstone project to both academic and non-academic audiences.
Audience: Graduate