Course leaders’ conceptions of the purpose of interdisciplinary education

Universities are expanding the number of interdisciplinary courses they offer. These courses are often developed at the fringes of universities and academic departments by course leaders who often have significant design and teaching autonomy. Course leaders’ conceptions of the purpose of interdisciplinary education shape their decisions about course outcomes, content, and educational approaches, yet little is known about the rationales underlying their choices. This study uses phenomenographic interviews to address the question: How do interdisciplinary course leaders conceive of the purpose of interdisciplinary education? Outcomes from interviews with 23 leaders at an Australian university show five conceptions of purpose that are: (A) enrichment-oriented, (B) employability-oriented, (C) integration-oriented, (D) epistemically-oriented, and (E) society-oriented. Some of these course leaders’ conceptions reflect common instrumental purposes of interdisciplinary education that focus on preparing students to work in interdisciplinary teams and workplaces. However, some conceptions extend beyond instrumental purposes to include the development of students’ epistemic and relational capabilities aiming to prepare them to engage with novel, open-ended forms of knowledge work. The created outcome space offers a reflective tool that course leaders and other stakeholders can use to support their discussions about the purposes of interdisciplinary education. It also could serve as a starting point for curriculum planning and design.