Bachelor of Individualized Studies

What is the Bachelor of Individualized Studies?

The Bachelor of Individualized Studies (BIS) program is ideal for students with academic and career aspirations that require inter- or multi-disciplinary study. The program attracts motivated and self-directed students who feel constrained by the specialized nature of traditional degree programs and want to design their own, personalized plan of study. Other students, particularly those returning to the university after years away, or those with full-time jobs, choose the BIS degree because they have specific personal or job-related academic needs that can be met most efficiently through the BIS.

Why does NMSU offer a BIS?

Universities across the nation are discovering that traditional degree programs sometimes do not address society's interdisciplinary educational needs. NMSU has responded by creating a more flexible program in the form of the individualized studies degree. The Program allows students to pursue their educational goals in areas not available within an existing departmental curriculum or traditional major. The BIS offers new opportunities for current and prospective students, and welcomes those who are:

• Employed fulltime
• Completing their degree at a distance
• Veterans, active duty military personnel or active duty family
• Transferring from other institutions
• Returning to college after time away
• Completing their baccalaureate degree for the purpose of attending graduate school

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