University of Saskatchewan

What you'll study

The Interdisciplinary Studies master’s is built around a custom programme of study that integrates courses and supervision from two or more academic units. Students typically take a combination of graduate-level seminars, research methods courses and elective modules drawn from disciplines such as social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, business, Indigenous studies, public policy and health sciences.

Common components include:

• Core seminar in interdisciplinary theory and practice, covering approaches to collaborative research, knowledge integration and problem-framing across disciplines.
• Research methods courses tailored to your project (qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, participatory approaches or laboratory methods as appropriate).
• Discipline-specific electives that provide depth in one or more contributing fields.
• Major research component — options typically include a thesis, major research paper (MRP) or a course-based project, supervised by an interdisciplinary committee.
• Professional development opportunities such as grant writing, knowledge mobilisation, ethics training and network-building across campus centres and institutes.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a four-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a strong academic record. Exact grade requirements follow the university’s graduate admissions policies and vary by faculty; applicants should consult the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for programme-specific expectations.

Typical application materials include:

• Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
• A statement of research interests or programme proposal explaining the interdisciplinary focus and proposed supervisory units.
• Letters of reference, usually two or three academic or professional referees.
• Confirmation of a primary supervisor or evidence of potential supervisory support from faculty members in the relevant units is often required or strongly encouraged.
• Proof of English language proficiency for applicants whose first language is not English, according to university requirements.

Some applicants may be admitted with recommended or required preparatory coursework if their background does not align directly with the planned interdisciplinary programme.

Career prospects

Graduates of the Interdisciplinary Studies master’s develop skills in integrating knowledge across fields, research design and project coordination, which are applicable to a wide range of careers. Common pathways include:

• Research and analysis roles in government departments, think tanks and NGOs.
• Project and programme management in industry, community organisations and public service.
• Policy development, evaluation and consultancy positions that require synthesis of diverse evidence streams.
• Research support and coordination roles at research institutes, health organisations and environmental agencies.
• Further academic study at the doctoral level in interdisciplinary or discipline-specific programmes.

Why study at University of Saskatchewan

The University of Saskatchewan is a research-intensive institution with strengths across natural and social sciences, health, engineering and Indigenous scholarship, providing a rich environment for interdisciplinary work. The programme is administered through the university’s graduate college, which supports cross-unit supervision and custom programme design.

Students benefit from access to campus research centres and institutes—such as those focusing on agriculture, health, Indigenous research and environmental studies—along with graduate professional development services, ethics and research training, and opportunities for partnerships with government, industry and community organisations in Saskatchewan and beyond.

The campus setting in Saskatoon offers a collegiate research community, with resources to support collaborative projects and the flexibility to shape a degree that matches individual academic and career goals.