Interdisciplinary master programs: utilizing breadth in student recruitment

Episode 6

At SLU and many other universities, new interdisciplinary master's programs are established.

Many of the problems our societies are facing are complex and involve a broad range of knowledge areas.

Thus, there is a need for interdisciplinary competence and we have to develop the ability to cooperate and understand each other across disciplinary boundaries.

In this episode, Jan Stockfors talk to Camilo Calderon about Camilo’s work with the master program Environmental communication and management here at SLU. 

This program has an interdisciplinary character and students are recruited from a broad range of backgrounds regarding disciplines as well as geographically and culturally.

Camilo shows us how essential the variation of experiences the students bring is for the learning of the program.

This broad student recruitment also brings some challenges and in the episode, Camilo also shares his experience of how these challenges can be turned into learning experiences.

Participants 

Camilo Calderon:  Researcher and Lecturer at the Department of Urban and Rural Development; Division of Environmental Communication, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Jan Stockfors: Educational developer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)