Hello and salutations everyone,
I just wanted clarification on an aspect of Penn. One of the aspects of the university that I continue to hear about is their interdisciplinary approach to academics. My understanding of this is that is referring to the fact that no matter what college you apply to (within Penn), you can take pretty much any class at any other college within Penn, as long as it is not a class far beyond your qualifications. Is this correct, or does the interdisciplinary approach refer to something else?
Thank you!!
I apologize if this is a stupid question.
There is a limit of number of classes you can take outside of your home school.
From what I could tell, at least for the majors my son is considering, he could take four classes in another school. So, if he was in the College, he could still take four classes in SEAS or Wharton. So yes, I think it’s the ability to take classes in other schools.
I also think the interdisciplinary approach has to do with certain degrees, such as DMD, as well. I noticed, too, that a lot of classes are cross enrolled such as ones in Fine Arts, Cinema, and Writing.
Thank you everyone! I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t another name for that!
This “interdisciplinary approach” is a pretty generic thing offered at most schools. Please don’t make this the deciding factor for favoring a particular school.
No I understand that @GMTplus7
I just wanted to make sure that was the proper term for that
Okay- a LOT of misinformation happening on this thread
Penn’s interdisciplinary approach to education extends far beyond the very meaningful ability to take classes and do research in all of Penn’s undergraduate/graduate/professional schools. Let me begin by correcting what’s been said above and then cover some new topics.
- You are NOT limited in the number of courses you can take outside of your homeschool. While you can often only count 4 classes from outside of your homeschool towards your degree, you are free to take as many classes as you would like! Additionally, you can petition to have more classes counted if you are persistent and that is something that really matters to you. But education is about more than attaining your degree, so if you are interested in more than four classes you are definitely permitted to take them!
- The interdisciplinary approach is also incorporated into specific majors. Like Politics Philosophy and Economics (PPE), Biological Basis of Behavior (BBB), Health and Societies (HSOC), and the list goes on and on. Penn has the largest number of interdisciplinary majors of any of its Ivy peers and each one unites the resources of Penn's many departments and schools to provide a unique perspective on traditional education. Additionally, many concentrations within traditional majors are interdisciplinary by nature. The Diplomatic Concentration in History, for example, combines resources from Political Science, International Relations, Penn Law classes in Law and Diplomacy and Wharton classes in Business and Public Policy.
- University-wide programs are also specifically dedicated to interdisciplinary studies. Consider the Consumer Psychology minor which allows students to earn a minor in both Wharton and the College. Take a look at the Legal Studies and History Minor which combines the College and Wharton again. Investigate American Public Policy which also gives students a minor from Wharton and the College. The list goes on and on(https://www.college.upenn.edu/minors) and no other university is as dedicated to offering these interdisciplinary opportunities. And no other university has the resources to provide these opportunities.
- Dual Degrees are also possible at Penn in a way that simply isn't possible at a university with fewer educational resources devoted to as vast an array of academic disciplines. Penn students are the only students in the world who can get an Ivy League degree in the Liberal arts and Business, earning two Bachelors degrees at the same time.
- The Engineering school and the College of Arts and Sciences have an agreement in which students in both can take up a second major in the other school WITHOUT having to fulfill the degree requirements of the second school. That means students can effectively add a double major in a school that is not their homeschool. No other Ivy+ program is as flexible.
- The One University Policy allows you to take classes and do research across the ENTIRE university. So while students at other universities aren't even able to step foot in the graduate and professional schools, Penn students are taking classes, working with professors, studying in their libraries and more. Signing up for a class in another school is also as easy as signing into the online class portal, "Penn In Touch." While at other universities you may need to petition your way into a grad course or a course outside of your homeschool , Penn lists all of the courses outside of your homeschool on the online scheduler, making it incomparably easy to take classes that interest you. The process is streamlined in a way that encourages that exploration.
- Because Penn students are studying SO many different disciplines and will inevitably take classes together and live together, there exists an intellectual cross pollination that cannot be created elsewhere. The way a student studying business approaches a problem and the way an engineer approaches a problem will be VASTLY different. So when you put those students in Writing Seminar (which all Penn students take) with a history student and a nursing student, the conversation and the ways in which certain questions are handled will be very different than at a university where there are ONLY engineers or ONLY students studying the liberal arts and sciences. There is a broadening to a Penn education that is only possible because each school and the student body as a whole is so well integrated.
- Penn Integrates Knowledge is a program in which Penn fosters this interdisciplinary activity in a way that no other university has replicated. PIK professors have appointments in multiple Penn schools which means they are actively bridging the gap between disciplines with their research and teaching. It gives undergrads access to some of the brightest minds in the graduate programs and it gives Professors an opportunity to teach their research in a multitude of different course styles ranging from traditional undergrad seminar to highest level graduate class (https://pikprofessors.upenn.edu/about-pik).
I can keep going. These are only 8 examples of the way Penn’s commitment to an interdisciplinary education outshines that of every other university. But if you need more, I’ve got them. From Academically Based Community Service Courses, to clubs, to institutes on campus like the Netter Center and competitions like the Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative, Penn is forging the education of the future.
This is NOT a generic quality found at other schools. Other schools have different and more limited opportunities to explore outside of your major but NO other university has an equal dedication to providing a truly interdisciplinary education to the students that seek it. This ABSOLUTELY should be a deciding factor for where you intend to matriculate and advice otherwise reflects a genuine and deep misunderstanding of what a truly cross-disciplinary education provides for a student.
And there is no such thing as a stupid question. 
You can have a unique major at Penn:
https://www.college.upenn.edu/prospective/unique-academic-options
It is a very important thing - for example, my son is at a different college, and has played at jazz concerts. He can’t just take music, he has to sign up for a music minor in order to take music, and that includes audition performing groups.
As an engineer at Penn, I took fine arts and literature courses. The thing is, if you want a unique major, it will be more work than just taking classes that you like as “extras”. If you are satisfied with 80% of your classes defined by your major, go with a set major and be flexible with electives (and you can ask to make your own electives).
@PennCAS2014, I agree with you that (1) “interdisciplinary” is not a “generic” feature of taking a few classes across schools, (2) that for people with interdisciplinary interests it should be a “deciding factor for where you intend to matriculate”, and (3) that Penn is high interdisciplinary, with many joint, dual and specific programs that cut across boundaries. That said, I don’t agree with your statement that “NO other university has an equal dedication to providing a truly interdisciplinary education to the students that seek it.” That’s hubris. Consider some of the following schools:
- Stanford. There are no specific colleges to which you apply, and students are free to take courses and combine majors from any program, and to submatriculate (they call it "co-terminal"). I majored in Comparative Literature and Mathematical Sciences, spent a year overseas in Paris in Berlin, and got a master's in Linguistics in my 4 years at Stanford.
- Duke. Duke has 2 schools, but tremendous freedom to mix and match across them. Something 80% of students do more than just a single major, with up to 3 majors/minors/certificates, plus interdisciplinary majors and Program II, which allows students to design a customized curriculum. There are tons of interdisciplinary programs outside of academics through Bass Connections, DukeEngage, and numerous interdisciplinary research centers and specific programs.
- Dartmouth. There are no specific undergraduate schools. Dartmouth has terrific freedom to do multiple programs, combine programs, and customize programs to the specific interest of the student.
- UChicago. There are no specific undergraduate schools, and the Core provides a broad intellectual and academic base across disciplines. Because of the heavy core the number of courses required for majors is somewhat less than at other schools, and multiple majors, minors, and submatriculation in some cases are all options.
I think that interdisciplinary is a key feature of Penn and one which distinguishes it from several of the other Ivies. But it is far from the only place which is committed to providing an interdisciplinary education.
@renaissancedad I respectfully disagree and I think you’ve proven my point in your answer. Though perhaps my response was a little intense and for that I apologize.
What you mention about Stanford is also possible at Penn. You can submatriculate into Penn’s graduate programs as well as its Professional schools . So at Penn you could absolutely double major in Comparative lit and Math while adding to those majors all of the other interdisciplinary options Penn offers and that I mentioned above. What you cannot do at Stanford is double major in literature and mathematics while also pursuing a minor in healthcare management offered by the College and Wharton or partake in the Huntsman program that combines international relations from the College and Business from Wharton.
Duke has two schools (arts and sciences and engineering) both of which Penn has and the barriers to studying in them are actually lower at Penn in that you can take on a full major in either school without having to fulfill the degree requirements of the other. Additionally, while Duke only offers a BSE in 5 programs, Penn offers a BSE in 10 Programs and a BAS in an additional 5 programs (http://admissions.duke.edu/education/majors#engineering , http://www.seas.upenn.edu/undergraduate/degrees/). So the opportunities to mix and match at Penn are actually much greater in number and the barriers to mixing and matching in truly substantive ways (not just certificates or courses but an actual, full major in the two schools) are much lower at Penn. And at Duke you won’t find students from the best undergraduate business school in your sociology class or students from the best undergraduate nursing school in you interdisciplinary Biological Basis of Behavior class simply because those degrees aren’t offered at Duke.
Dartmouth is another outstanding school with plenty of opportunities to mix and match different parts of your education- yet again, Penn has all of the same departments as Dartmouth but it also has: 1) business classes specifically geared towards undergrads 2) a graduate school of Social Policy and Practice in which students can do research/take classes 3) a graduate school in Government in which students can take classes/do research 4) one of the best Law schools in the world at which students can work for written publications//take classes/do research and more 5) and the list goes on and on. And Dartmouth’s student to faculty ratio is actually higher than Penn’s (7:1 at Dartmouth compared to 5:1 at Penn) which means more direct access to professors at the undergraduate level at Penn despite being larger than Dartmouth. (http://www.upenn.edu/about/facts , http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/dartmouth-college-2573)
UChicago’s core is an incredible component of a Chicago education. That being said, every core class at Chicago can be found in some iteration at Penn. The only difference is that students are not required to take specific courses at Penn, freeing them to personalize their interdisciplinary education as they see fit. Additionally, as you mentioned Chicago has one undergraduate school (and it’s certainly outstanding) but it doesn’t have the course offerings or degree opportunities that a university with more schools and resources dedicated to a wider variety of disciplines has.
The reality is that every program you’ve listed is ALSO available at Penn in some form or fashion in addition to all of the interdisciplinary opportunities that are unique to Penn because it has undergraduate and easily accessible graduate programs in a multitude of fields. Cornell also has a lot of different schools but they are not nearly as integrated as Penn and they offer fewer cross-school programs. Is it possible to craft your own interdisciplinary experience at a place other than Penn? Sure! But at Penn it’s handed to you on a silver platter and you are able to tweak it and personalize it in any way you see fit.
Penn is not perfect for everyone. And other universities certainly have admirable qualities. Stanford’s CS program is amazing. Dartmouth’s small college feel seems really cool. Chicago’s “where fun goes to die” firebrand intellectuals have turned the university into a nobel prize factory and an incomparably rigorous university in each of it’s outstanding programs (especially law).But while these universities all have qualities that are unique to them, one quality that is unique to Penn is the unwavering and incomparable dedication to interdisciplinary opportunities available at Penn and available nowhere else in such large numbers or with equal university support.
Perhaps you still disagree but I don’t think I was off base in saying Penn has more in the way of interdisciplinary opportunities than any other university. Or maybe my “Penn Blinders” are on and I’m missing something. It’s almost homecoming so the red and blue is really running through me right now 
Thank you all for your input!! My college counselor thought that it referred strictly to the way that classes are taught, and I thought they told me otherwise at Penn.
^^ Yes, I still disagree. Your Penn blinders are on. If you say “One of Penn’s strengths is it’s interdisciplinary opportunities, which are probably the equal of any university in the country” then I wouldn’t have much of a disagreement. What you said was “NO other university has an equal dedication to providing a truly interdisciplinary education to the students that seek it.” That’s entirely different. You’ve essentially defined interdisciplinary = Penn, and that’s just arrogance.
Interdisciplinary opportunities have little to do with requirements, or about availability of equivalent classes. It’s about creating an interdisciplinary mindset and a culture where students are encouraged to cross disciplines. Penn has that in spades, but so do all of the schools I mentioned, to a roughly equal degree. Each school is different in terms of some of the specific programs that are offered and the resources that are available. Penn obviously has Wharton and impressive dual degree programs for those with a business interest; but other schools have strengths that Penn doesn’t have (for example, Duke has the Sanford School of Public Policy.) For applicants who have strong interdisciplinary interests, I think that it is important to look at schools which encourage such an approach and which have strong offerings in the particular areas of interest. Penn may or may not be the right fit for all such applicants, but it should certainly get a hard look.
Well we’ll have to agree to disagree then.
Requirements and availability of classes actually have quite a bit to do with it. If you are restricted in what you can take because of your requirements or your university literally doesn’t offer a certain program because it doesn’t have a comparable school or department on campus, then that would not make for a comparable interdisciplinary experience. Furthermore, Penn does do an unparalleled job creating an atmosphere and a mindset for interdisciplinary work with programs like Penn Integrates Knowledge and the many inter-school initiatives, academic options, and research opportunities that are unique to the university. Yes, Duke has a school of public policy which offers one major that has requirements and course offerings that look surprisingly similar to Penn’s Politics, Philosophy and Economics major (with maybe a sprinkling of Penn’s Business and Public Policy or Fels Institute of Government course offerings). I’m not saying all interdisciplinary opportunities are exclusive to Penn. I am instead saying that Penn has more unique interdisciplinary opportunities that are more readily accessible to undergrads because of the many schools (12 between graduate and undergrad schools if we’re counting 
) it has on one single campus and the incomparably low administrative barriers between them. Amy Gutmann can’t get through a whole sentence without saying “interdisciplinary” at least once because the dedication to a cross-boundary approach to education at Penn serves to define every decision it makes from construction on campus to course offerings and more. So you’re right, I’m saying Interdisciplinary = Penn, but not to the exclusion of other schools. The commitment at Penn is simply deeper as evidenced by the unparalleled breadth and depth of interdisciplinary opportunities and the importance the University places on it as a central mission of the school: http://www.upenn.edu/president/penn-compact/integrate-knowledge
That being said, of course you can get an interdisciplinary education elsewhere… it may just be a little less interdisciplinary
^ The commitment is no deeper. You’re just exposed to it more, and you’re drinking the kool-aid.
For example:
http://admissions.duke.edu/education/philosophy
http://admissions.duke.edu/education/majors
https://interdisciplinary.duke.edu
https://bassconnections.duke.edu
http://program2.duke.edu
Just to touch on a small part of interdisciplinary resources and offerings available. The breadth and depth of interdisciplinary opportunities are no less a part of the central mission and focus at Duke than at Penn. And Duke isn’t the only one.
Again, Penn is plenty interdisciplinary, and a wonderful place for people with interdisciplinary interests. But it’s not “more” interdisciplinary, and the commitment is not deeper than at some other places. Ignorance of alternatives does not make something true.
@renaisancedad No one is saying that other schools are not interdisciplinary. All @PennCAS2014 is saying is that Penn is very well known for its interdisciplinary approach, more so than other schools, and was a pioneer in terms of interdisciplinary study. They were one of the very first to create dual degree programs on the graduate and undergraduate level and also make the curriculum flexible enough so that it is easier for people to double major, minor and generally explore various fields. Also Penns offers very easy access for undergrads to take classes and do research in its graduate schools and the many institutions and foundations that are part of the university. There is a reason why interdisciplinary is a word that is associated much more with Penn, than say Duke. This doesn’t mean that you cannot get a great interdisciplinary experience at Duke, but at Penn is more prominent and a bigger part of the culture and the tradition of the school. Every school has a few things that is really well known for, and interdisciplinary culture and focus is one of the things Penn is famous for, arguably more famous than most other top schools.
Again, I don’t deny that other universities are connecting students to an interdisciplinary education. Penn is doing it better.
It’s the difference between 54 majors at Duke and 89 majors at Penn. It’s the difference between being able to take classes in the engineering school’s 4 departments at Duke and being able to literally declare a second major from the engineering school without completing the engineering school’s requirements at Penn in a larger number of fields. It is the difference between an abstract and unspecific paragraph on Duke’s website discussing its commitment to interdisciplinary studies and Penn hiring select professors in an effort to specifically foster collaboration among faculty, schools, and students (PIK professors). Again, that collaboration isn’t just a happy side affect of hiring those faculty members-- they were brought to Penn with the specific purpose of uniting disparate fields of knowledge. It sets a tone for the entire university. It’s the difference between Bass Connection’s “5 themes” and Penn’s entire institutional devotion to cross-disciplinary study in every field. It is the difference between there being a total of 333 individual participants on those Bass Connections teams to which students had to apply and simply being able to participate without application in Penn’s interdisciplinary endeavors. It’s the difference between Sanford offering one major to undergrads and Wharton/Engineering/Nursing/College offering their entirely undergraduate focused curriculums in fields as diverse as real estate and biomedical engineering to the whole student body.
It’s the difference between Duke grad programs saying: “These course are generally not open to undergraduate students and special permission is required for enrollment by undergraduates.”
While Penn law is saying: “Penn Law welcomes students enrolled in professional and graduate programs at Penn, upper-class undergraduates, and staff to take a class at the Law School.” And no, I wasn’t required to get any special permission to take courses at the Law School. I just enrolled as if I were a law student. Some courses at Penn are even cross listed BETWEEN graduate and undergraduate schools (http://www.history.upenn.edu/courses/hist362-law-american-life-0). You won’t find that too often elsewhere…
https://trinity.duke.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies/grad-professional-courses
https://www.law.upenn.edu/registrar/for-current-university-students.php
There are so many wonderful universities in the US and the best ones are offering profoundly meaningful interdisciplinary educations. Penn is just doing a better job of offering and genuinely connecting its entire student body with those opportunities than those other universities.
Penn values the importance of understanding a major and also understanding subjects related to it. For example, while almost all schools teach Computer Science, Penn also offers a broader NETS program that provides in depth understanding of CS while also incorporating a depth of understanding of the related subjects of Systems, Networks, Mathematics, and Economics. No other school has attempted a program this extensive at the undergraduate level. nets.upenn.edu
The course dependencies are extensive. Penn offers these types of programs because they understand that understanding the relationships among fields of study can be a powerful tool.
It was pretty cool when my son and I visited Penn in September, and he was encouraged to visit a grad level class in Game Design. (He’s on a gap year, and will start at Penn next fall) I really like that you can take grad level classes as an u/g if need/want be. MIT is like that, I think, at least according to my oldest son.