Menu
Interdisciplinary Exploratory Track
Find your major or design your own
Find your major or design your own. Start at UMass Amherst with guided exploration, advising, and a first-year seminar tailored to you.
Not sure which major fits you best, or thinking about creating an interdisciplinary path? Interdisciplinary Exploratory Track supports incoming first-year students who want time and guidance to choose a major or to pursue a customized option like Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration major (BDIC) if that is the better fit. You will explore courses across UMass Amherst with dedicated advising and a seminar that helps you connect interests, strengths, and goals.
100+ Majors
Explore more than 100 major options across UMass Amherst
60+ Minors
Add breadth and depth to your academic journey
1:1 Advising
Dedicated advisors help you find the right academic path and transition smoothly to UMass
A Message from the Associate Provost of Interdisciplinary Programs
Our “interdisciplinary exploratory” namesake highlights two things. First, we give students the chance to explore. With more than 100 majors and 60 minors, the possibilities at UMass Amherst are limitless. Why commit before sampling your options? The Interdisciplinary Exploratory Track lets you try courses that have always interested you—or ones you never considered. Taking time to explore helps you find the major that best fits your talents and interests.
Second, we emphasize broad interdisciplinary learning. Approaches that reach across fields are essential for solving today’s challenges and meeting employers’ needs. Interdisciplinary scholars develop both the intellectual breadth to think creatively and the people skills to collaborate effectively.
In the Interdisciplinary Exploratory Track, your success is our success. Our staff are committed to ensuring a smooth transition, building personal connections, and helping you find the academic path that fits.
If you want a flexible, student-centered program, the Interdisciplinary Exploratory Track is the right place to begin your UMass Amherst journey.
Scott Davidson
Associate Provost of Interdisciplinary Programs
How IET Works
You will take introductory courses across areas that interest you. Some courses will confirm what you already enjoy, and others may open doors you did not expect. The goal is informed choice, grounded in your values, strengths, and emerging career interests.
You will be paired with an academic advisor who helps you reflect on goals, select courses, connect with resources, and map next steps. We ask students to be engaged and proactive. Advisors commit to responsive, individualized guidance and to connecting you with academic and co-curricular opportunities.
You can contact the dedicated advisor for IET, Angie Whitmal at @email.
This 1-credit seminar will support your smooth transition to college, expose you to the wide array of majors, minors, and certificate programs available at UMass Amherst, and help you to choose your path forward. The focus of the course is on the Clifton Strengths Finder ™. After finding your strengths, you will be engaged in an additional series of self-assessments that will help you to put them into practice in your life and connect your strengths to potential majors at UMass Amherst and future career options. The goal is that you will be able to align your academic journey with your passions and sense of purpose.
Hear From the First-Year Seminar Instructor
I think our IET students are amazing creators, analyzers, and explorers, who are having a hard time picking the "right" major that incorporates all of their talents. We are at our best when we communicate with each other, and so my seminar helps me connect with our students, authentically, while sharing some of the resources that I have acquired on my own journey.
Adam Grimmitt (he/him)
IET First-Year Seminar Instructor
Kinesiology Doctoral Candidate
Take the Next Step
Attend Fall Visit Days and our academic open house to meet advisors, explore the Exploratory Track, and discover first-year opportunities in Interdisciplinary Studies.