University Catalogues

Interdisciplinary Studies (ID)

ID 101 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion     (3 credits)

Diversity Equity and Inclusion is an interdisciplinary course that examines, issues, theories, frameworks and approaches around diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging and how they intersect with each other. Students will understand and critically analyze issues of oppression, power and privilege as they intersect with themselves as well as others. Students will gain a conceptual and foundational framework of social justice topics utilizing several interdisciplinary approaches.  

Typically Offered: Once a year

ID 150 Introduction to Nonprofit Organizations     (3 credits)

Context and Perspectives: Institutions and Power

The nonprofit sector is a key component of the social, economic, and political fabric in the United States. Often referred to as the “third sector,” organizations play a vital role in our society. Economically, nonprofits employ millions of workers and have an economic impact of over 1trillion dollars. As with any business, there are many challenges and complexities in starting up, managing, and moving forward the work of a nonprofit organization all of which occur inside the political economy. This course aims to help students to gain an understanding of the structures of nonprofit organizations, an overview of the nonprofit sector in aggregate, introduction to nonprofit organizations from a variety of social issue and organizational backgrounds, and some insight as to how to become involved in the nonprofit sector.

ID 209 Interdisciplinary Internship     (1 credit)

Students must have completed at least 21 credits and complete an eligibility form in order to take the course. ID 209 and ID 210 combined can only be taken once for credit.

This course allows undergraduate students to earn one academic credit for internship work experience completed during the summer, fall or spring semesters. The student must complete a minimum of 45 hours of work at the internship over a period of no less than 4 weeks to receive credit for the course. Students will need to have completed a minimum of 30 credits prior to taking this class in order to be eligible. This class can only be taken once. Students can take this class as a business elective (ID 209) or arts and science elective (ID 210).

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

ID 210 Interdisciplinary Internship     (1 credit)

Students must have completed at least 21 credits and complete an eligibility form in order to take the course. ID 209 and ID 210 combined can only be taken once for credit.

This course allows undergraduate students to earn one academic credit for internship work experience completed during the summer, fall or spring semesters. The student must complete a minimum of 45 hours of work at the internship over a period of no less than 4 weeks to receive credit for the course. Students will need to have completed a minimum of 30 credits prior to taking this class in order to be eligible. This class can only be taken once. Students can take this class as a business elective (ID 209) or arts and science elective (ID 210).

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

ID 211 Sex, Gender, and Power     (3 credits)

Context and Perspectives: Race, Gender, and Inequality

“It’s a boy!” One of the first things we learn (or decide) about a baby is their gender, and gender continues to have a major influence on our experience of the world throughout our lives. This course considers gender both on its own terms and in relationship to other identities and experiences that we have, both as individuals and as members of various groups. Drawing on perspectives from the arts, sciences, and business, the course will ask crucial questions about the difference between sex and gender, the way we express and experience our gender in the world, how our gender affects power dynamics in relationships and workplaces, and so on. We will also learn how gender interacts with race, class, sexual orientation, and religion, considering our multifaceted personal and professional identities in this globalized world.

ID 212 Valente Center Roundtable Seminar     (3 credits)

The Valente Roundtable is a three-credit course in which a small group of dedicated students meets every week with members of the faculty, representing different disciplines, to read and discuss challenging books of recognized importance and value. The books are ones that the faculty members do not already know and that do not come from their field of expertise. This way the seminar has no “teacher” in the usual sense. Students and faculty members read and learn together, and it is the student participants who lead the discussion.

ID 260 Sex and American Culture     (3 credits)

Context and Perspectives: Value, Ethics, and Society

Despite the assumption that sexual acts are personal experiences conducted in private, every day we witness the public battle over what we should or should not do, show, or talk about. This course examines the relationship between sexual identity, sexual expression and gender to ask who gets to decide what is moral or immoral, appropriate or inappropriate, and obscene or artistic. In what ways do political systems, religious and educational institutions, and the entertainment industry define, regulate and categorize sexual behavior? What is the role of personal agency and responsibility? The course will examine different assumptions about the origins and function of gender and sexuality and then more closely examine the American sexual value system in topics like sexual content in entertainment media, the regulation of pornography and sexual commerce, access to sex education, birth control and abortion, and communities based on sexual identity.

Typically Offered: Once a year

ID 306 Community Service in a For-Profit Organization     (3 credits)

Pre-req: (GB 112 and GB 212) or (EMS 104 or EMS 105)

This course develops an understanding and appreciation of the issues related to the integration of community service initiatives and social responsibility in a profit-motivated organization.It considers the academic, theoretical and practical issues involved in planning and implementing a service-learning project that emphasizes the professional and social responsibilities of profit-motivated organizations and their employees. It assesses the social and ethical responsibilities of profit-motivated organizations, as well as develops the skills and competencies needed in this area of the workplace.

ID 320 Multidisciplinary Issues in Healthcare Delivery     (3 credits)

This course introduces and describes the US healthcare delivery system, addressing its components and complexities. Each session of the course presents a general principle in healthcare, followed by an in-depth examination of a timely issue. Sessions are co-taught by faculty members from various academic departments at Bentley paired with invited experts from industry, government, nonprofit and other applied perspectives in healthcare delivery. Students who complete the course will gain a basic understanding of the organization, functions, and delivery of healthcare.


The course will discuss the historical basis for the system, the various modes of healthcare delivery, and the ways healthcare is organized and financed. In addition to presenting the foundations of healthcare organization, the course will include an overview of healthcare delivery, health insurance, policy, public health, patient experience, healthcare finance and purchasing, and current challenges to systems innovation.

Typically Offered: Fall

ID 399 Experimental Course in ID     (3 credits)

Experimental courses explore curriculum development, with specific content intended for evolution into a permanent course. A topic may be offered twice before it becomes a permanent course. Students may repeat experimental courses with a different topic for credit.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

ID 401 Directed Study in ID     (3 credits)

A Directed Study is designed for highly qualified students who, under the direction of a member of the sponsoring academic department, engage in an agreed-upon in-depth independent examination, investigation or analysis of a specialized topic.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

ID 420 Interdisciplinary Internship Arts and Sciences     (3 credits)

A GPA of at least 3.0 or instructor permission is required

This course offers a field-based learning experience that addresses issues and questions spanning several disciplines. An interdisciplinary internship provides a workplace opportunity that integrates different business disciplines, or even cuts across the conventional boundaries of business and the arts and sciences. This kind of internship reflects the type of integrative, collaborative and multidisciplinary activities that students are likely to experience in the workplace. Students are required to spend a minimum of 15 hours a week at a designated workplace, submit an experiential report at the end of the term, attend required workshops through the Center for Career Services, receive an evaluation of their work from an on-site supervisor, and meet all other requirements stipulated in the course syllabus. Students may earn three credits for ID 420, which may be applied to the major with authorization from the major department.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

ID 421 Interdisciplinary Internship     (3 credits)

This course offers a field-based learning experience that addresses issues and questions spanning several disciplines. An interdisciplinary internship provides a workplace opportunity that integrates different business disciplines, or even cuts across the conventional boundaries of business and the arts and sciences. This kind of internship reflects the type of integrative, collaborative and multidisciplinary activities that students are likely to experience in the workplace. Students are required to spend a minimum of 15 hours a week at a designated workplace, submit an experiential report at the end of the term, attend required workshops through the Center for Career Services, receive an evaluation of their work from an on-site supervisor, and meet all other requirements stipulated in the course syllabus. Students may earn three credits for ID 421, which may be applied to the major with authorization from the major department.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

ID 422 Global Impact Internship     (3 credits)

Pre-Req; minimum 30 credits, 3.0 GPA and approval from the Associate Dean of Business

The Global Impact Internship is an intensive 8-week travel program that aims to develop the next generation of socially responsible leaders. Students will have the opportunity to consult directly for a global social enterprise or NGO while receiving leadership and professional development training. Students from various geographic locations will work together in teams and develop skills related to managing high level, strategic projects. This course is offered in various locations such as South Africa, Peru and Spain.
The Global Impact Internship program is run by our partner organization EmzingoU. Once accepted into the ID 422/3 course, students will be assigned an EmzingoU Project Leader who will facilitate program completion. Students may earn three credits, and can take this class as a business elective (ID 422) or arts and science elective (ID 423), which may be applied to the major/minor with authorization from the major/minor dept. Both satisfy a global experience rqmt.

ID 423 Global Impact Internship     (3 credits)

Pre-req: Minimum 30 credits, 3.0 GPA and approval from Associate Dean of Arts and Science

The Global Impact Internship is an intensive 8-week travel program that aims to develop the next generation of socially responsible leaders. Students will have the opportunity to consult directly for a global social enterprise or NGO while receiving leadership and professional development training. Students from various geographic locations will work together in teams and develop skills related to managing high level, strategic projects. This course is offered in various locations such as South Africa, Peru and Spain.
The Global Impact Internship program is run by our partner organization EmzingoU. Once accepted into the ID 422/3 course, students will be assigned an EmzingoU Project Leader who will facilitate program completion. Students may earn three credits, and can take this class as a business elective (ID 422) or arts and science elective (ID 423), which may be applied to the major/minor with authorization from the major/minor dept. Both satisfy a global experience rqmt.