Challenges of designing interdisciplinary postgraduate curricula: case studies of interdisciplinary master’s programmes at a research-intensive UK university

ABSTRACT

This study, based on case study analyses of two interdisciplinary programmes in a research-intensive university in the UK, focuses on the challenges involved in designing, coordinating, and leading interdisciplinary postgraduate curricula, including workload, student heterogeneity, and difficulties in achieving coherence. Solutions and approaches developed within these case study programmes are also highlighted. This study raises awareness of the complex nature of interdisciplinary curricula so that it may help academics proactively develop better strategies and approaches to address common challenges. It also synthesises disparate literature into a framework for investigating curricular coherence.

KEYWORDS:

• Interdisciplinary curriculum
• postgraduate curriculum
• curriculum design
• curriculum issues
• interdisciplinarity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to our participants and to two anonymous peer reviewers.