The mission of Integrated Liberal Studies (ILS) is to provide an integrated and interdisciplinary exploration of human inquiry and expression in scientific, literary, political, economic, historical and artistic thought. The Integrated Liberal Studies curriculum offers a set of related courses specially tailored to meet the breadth requirements of the College of Letters & Science. Integrated Liberal Studies draws exemplary, dynamic faculty from departments across campus to create courses that challenge students with a rigorous program of interdisciplinary study emphasizing critical thinking and judgment rather than passive absorption of information. Although these courses may be taken as single electives, the purpose of the program is to counter the fragmentation of undergraduate education by providing a common ground of learning.
Because ILS courses are interdisciplinary, students are encouraged to make connections between the various subject areas that comprise the ILS curriculum. Students encounter the relations between literature and the arts; science, technology, and philosophy; and political, economic, and social thought. The content of the curriculum has been developed in the belief that historical perspective is required for a full understanding of contemporary issues.