Design your own major: The Interdisciplinary Degrees in US Universities

Indian students unsure of choosing one field can explore interdisciplinary majors in US universities. These flexible programs blend subjects like tech and policy, enabling students to design unique degrees. Yamini’s success in combining robotics and development shows their real-world potential

For Indian undergraduate students, this is a great opportunity.

Choosing the right major at the age of 17 or 18 can be overwhelming. Many students are passionate about more than one subject—perhaps you like both economics and design, or coding and public policy. But you don’t want to choose just one. That’s where interdisciplinary majors in US universities play a role.

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These programs allow students to try and test different fields, designing a unique and personalised degree.

What is an Interdisciplinary Major?

An interdisciplinary major is a pathway where you combine two or more academic disciplines. Instead of following a fixed path like only studying biology or economics, you can blend them to suit your interests and career plans. This is especially useful in a world where most problems—and jobs—require knowledge across multiple fields.

Some Unique Programs in US Universities

Some US universities offer specially designed interdisciplinary programmes. A few notable examples include:

• BXA Intercollege Degree Programs: These allow students to merge fine arts with other fields like computer science or humanities.

• IDeATe (Integrated Design, Arts, and Technology): A program that focuses on the overlap between design, technology, and the arts.

• MCS Scholars Program – Mind, Culture, and Society: This honours programme integrates philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology to explore how human minds function within cultural systems.

• PPE – Philosophy, Politics, and Economics: It combines three powerful disciplines to prepare students for leadership roles in public policy, law, government, or international affairs.

If this sounds exciting to you, start your research with University websites, Department Pages, Admissions Offices and Alumni Networks.

Why Indian students should consider this path

Indian education after Grade 12 often expects students to pick a clear track—science, commerce, or humanities. But at that age, many students are still discovering their strengths and interests.

US universities allow you to experiment during the first two years. You can take classes in subjects of your choice and finalise your major once you’re confident. This trial-and-error approach gives you time to make informed decisions and explore passions you may not even know you had.

Here is an interesting story for you:

Yamini, a bright student from Telangana, had always been fascinated by how machines could improve people’s lives. In school, she excelled in both science and social studies—a rare combination.

When she got admitted to a top US university under a partial scholarship, she didn’t choose the usual Computer Science or Engineering major. Instead, she designed her own interdisciplinary program combining Robotics, Public Policy, and Development Studies.

At a reputed US university, she became part of the BXA Intercollege Programme, allowing her to blend technical skills in AI and robotics with policy frameworks and human-centered design. She spent her summers interning with NGOs, researching how drone technology could be used to deliver medical supplies in remote Indian villages.

Her final-year capstone project was titled “Drone for Dignity: Using Robotics to Improve Healthcare Access in Rural India.” It involved developing low-cost, easy-to-maintain drones to transport basic medicines to hilly tribal regions. Her professors were impressed, and so was a US-based non-profit organisation that supported her pilot project back in India.

Yamini returned to India with a mission. She collaborated with a city-based startup to manufacture affordable drones and partnered with state health departments to implement her delivery system in parts of Telangana and Odisha. Within two years, her initiative was operational in 30 villages and successfully reduced emergency response time in medical cases by over 40%. Yamini’s journey shows how combining different disciplines—like tech and policy—can lead to real-world solutions.

If you’re passionate about multiple fields, don’t feel pressured to pick just one. The US higher education system gives you the freedom to design your subject combinations. It’s not about thinking outside the box but creating your own box!

EducationUSA is the US Department of State’s official resource for accurate, free, and up-to-date information about studying in the United States. Students can download the EducationUSA India app, available for free on iOS and Android devices, for the latest information about the college application process. Or visit https://educationusa.in/.

In Hyderabad, please visit the only EducationUSA center at,

EducationUSA@YAxis Foundation

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Email: HyderabadYAF@educationusa.org Website: https://educationusa.state.gov