Careers

What can I do with a BIS degree?

Career readiness skills

There are tons of ways an interdisciplinary education can help students meet and excel at their job goals and life desires. Below is a list of in-demand skills from National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) students earn and practice in the BIS program:

1. Critical thinking: Gather and analyze information from a diverse set of sources and individuals to fully understand a problem.
2. Communication: Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of your field.
3. Professionalism: Understand and demonstrate effective work habits, act in the interest of the larger community, and prepare expected workplace products and output.
4. Equity and inclusion: Address systems of privilege that limit opportunities for members of historically marginalized communities.
5. Technology: Manage technology to integrate information to support relevant and effective strategic goals.
6. Career and development: Develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking.
7. Leadership: Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.
8. Teamwork: Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.

Grad school preparation

BIS courses are designed to build and refine interdisciplinary research and writing skills, which prepare students to take the next academic step into graduate school. In BIS 350W, students learn to compose a research proposal. In BIS 460C, students design and complete comprehensive research papers on topics of their choice.  Classes are small so faculty can work closely with students on skills such as research collection, revision, and citation. 

Minors that lead to careers

BIS allows students to strategically pair minors and certificates that fit specific career paths. BIS students often pair these minors to help them build careers in these fields: