INT 201 Interdisciplinary Learning Community
Studying music professionally requires tireless dedication. It also requires countless hours spent alone and with others in a highly focused environment. The expertise developed during this sacred time prepares us for the performances we dream about, but it also exercises skills that can be adapted to other circumstances — even non-musical ones. Among other things, we learn to think creatively, communicate effectively, and work as a team. This course explores how to adapt these skills to different contexts, such that we feel prepared to confront the sobering reality that career paths are rarely linear. By exercising the ability to connect dots between seemingly disparate disciplines, we prepare ourselves to embrace the unexpected and harness its transformative potential. To this end, the first part of the course immerses students in workshops that target skills in teamwork, problem solving, and creative thinking, all while examining models of interdisciplinary work that highlight powerful tools and techniques (e.g., brainstorming, artificial intelligence). As a complement to this experience, students will hear firsthand from guests in a variety of creative fields who have put these ideas into practice. The second part of the course challenges students to think outside the box and craft their own group project that brings together different subject areas. Teams will be guided through each step of the process, from idea formation to final product, and will cap off the semester by showcasing their work to a general audience. Registration in this course is strictly limited to second-year undergraduate students.