The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program is no longer accepting applications. The Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, Education, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Humanities, Mechanical Engineering, and Natural Sciences Ph.D. programs are now open for applications. Please inquire to umkcsgs@umkc.edu with any questions.

Mission, Philosophy and History

Research is rapidly expanding as global problems and issues require scholars with an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving. It will no longer be enough to know one area, one discipline, one field. Inquiry and discovery are crossing disciplines. For this reason, in 1990, UMKC developed and introduced an interdisciplinary doctoral degree program that spans traditional boundaries across disciplines while helping students develop knowledge and skills for independent research on the fundamental questions of the present and the future.

This Ph.D. program reflects our commitment to providing tailored education that meets the specific professional goals and academic needs of each student. By refining our offerings, we aim to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their chosen fields, whether in private or public sectors, academia, or impactful industries. Students in the program develop the ability to integrate principles and theories from at least two disciplines, using approaches, methods, ethical principles, and tools to pursue a research line of inquiry.

Our program maintains its dedication to academic excellence and scholarly inquiry, offering a methodical approach to research and problem-solving. With a renewed focus on individualized pathways, students receive personalized academic training designed to support their unique goals and aspirations.

Through a blend of rigorous academic study and practical application, our program ensures that students develop a comprehensive understanding of their chosen fields. By emphasizing collaboration and interdisciplinary perspectives, we prepare graduates to thrive in diverse professional environments.

Moreover, by prioritizing the acquisition of transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication, and project management, our program equips students with the tools necessary to navigate complex career landscapes and adapt to evolving professional demands with confidence and adaptability.

Program Description

Applicants to UMKC's Ph.D. program must meet both general and discipline-specific criteria for admission, endorsed by the doctoral faculty review groups within the chosen disciplines. Upon approval by the graduate dean, students are admitted to the School of Graduate Studies, which oversees their progress, enforces program regulations, and facilitates communication.

Each student collaborates with UMKC doctoral faculty to develop a tailored program of study that aligns with their professional goals and research interests, satisfying specific requirements within their discipline.

The program aims to equip students with:

• A solid foundation in their chosen fields.
• The ability to integrate principles and theories from multiple disciplines.
• Effective communication skills for interdisciplinary research.
• Research proficiency in various approaches, methods, ethics, and tools.
• The capability to investigate innovative research endeavors.

The participating programs cover a range of areas including Administrative and Information Sciences, Biological and Chemical Sciences, Education, Humanities and Arts, and Physical, Mathematical, Engineering, and Computer Sciences.

Admission is competitive, and enrollment is limited to students committed to advanced study and scholarship. Students must fulfill a residency requirement and develop a Plan of Study proposal within 24 months of admission, guided by their supervisory committee. The final phases of the program entail significant research, completion of a written dissertation, and a successful oral defense of the research work.

Program Administration

Program oversight is primarily conducted by designated faculty within each program, who are certified by the University of Missouri-Kansas City to chair and serve on doctoral supervisory committees. These faculty members are responsible for developing and implementing students' doctoral plans of study and evaluating their qualifications for the Ph.D. degree. The School of Graduate Studies and the UMKC Graduate Council provide assistance and support in this process.

An executive committee of the Discipline Coordinators, chaired by the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program Director, governs Interdisciplinary Ph.D. studies. This committee collaborates to establish policies governing the program, ensuring representation from various academic areas. This collaborative effort allows for the review and refinement of program goals, procedures, and policies, with any significant changes requiring approval from the doctoral faculty.

Doctoral Faculty Participation in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program

Major responsibility for assessment of Doctoral Faculty qualifications rests at the department level where nominations for membership are initiated. Doctoral Faculty must be duly nominated and approved regular (tenured or tenure-track) members of the faculty with the rank of assistant professor or higher. In UMKC's Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, three members of a student's supervisory committee must be members of the UMKC doctoral faculty, and the research advisor must be from the primary discipline area.

There are three classifications of Graduate Faculty membership at the University of Missouri-Kansas City: (a) Graduate Faculty, (b) Ex-officio graduate faculty and (c) Adjunct Graduate Faculty. The Graduate Dean approves these appointments on an annual basis.

The supervisory committee shall be composed of one doctoral faculty from each of the primary and co-disciplines with a maximum of three from any one discipline. Up to two of the remaining members of each committee can hold either graduate or adjunct graduate faculty status.  Final approval of the composition of each supervisory committee shall be obtained in writing by the advisor (or committee chair) from the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Where graduate or adjunct graduate faculty are included, the advisor shall provide a strong justification for their inclusion.

For purposes of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, a discipline is defined as an academic unit, such as a department or division (with a chair/head) within a school, college or academic program. To be able to participate as a discipline in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, a discipline, meeting the above definition, must have at least four regular doctoral-faculty members.

Doctoral Faculty Discipline Affiliation

Continuing doctoral faculty are reviewed for five-year reappointment and nominations for new appointments are considered throughout each academic year. Consequently, the list of doctoral faculty is dynamic and subject to change. Current lists are available from the School of Graduate Studies.

Student Learning Outcomes

The course requirements for the program are not predetermined, but rather formulated by the student in consultation with the UMKC doctoral faculty who will serve on their supervisory committee, to meet the student's individual needs and research interests, satisfy discipline-specific requirements and assure upon graduation students are able to:

• Students will demonstrate a thorough degree of knowledge in the primary discipline and co-discipline.
• Students will demonstrate interdisciplinarity in their writing by integrating methods, theories, paradigms, concepts, etc. from more than one discipline.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to use proper investigation techniques for their chosen disciplines.
• Students will effectively use oral and written forms of communication to convey their ideas.

Discipline-Specific Requirements

All Interdisciplinary Ph.D. applicants and students must first meet the general requirements of the School of Graduate Studies for admission and retention in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. (General Graduate Academic Regulations and Information,Application Procedure and Minimum Criteria for Admission, Minimum Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Academic Regulations and Degree Requirements.) In addition to these general academic regulations that have been outlined in previous sections of the general catalog, disciplines may set more stringent discipline-specific requirements that take priority over the general requirements. Discipline-specific requirements for disciplines eligible to participate in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program are listed in alphabetical order by name of discipline. These guidelines are subject to ongoing review and revision, and the doctoral faculty reserves the right to make judicious changes in discipline-specific requirements. The student is referred to coordinators in the disciplines for the most current information.

Satisfactory Progress Policy

The UMKC Graduate Academic Regulations establish the maximum timeline for academic progress (see policy KC-ACA-3786) and ineligibility due to unsatisfactory progress or performance (see policy KC-ACA-3741). The satisfactory progress of doctoral students in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program is assessed annually by a student's primary doctoral mentor, discipline coordinator, supervisory committee (when appropriate) and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program director on the basis of academic performance, as well as by meeting the various deadlines for language examinations, qualifying and comprehensive examinations, dissertation proposal defense, and any other discipline specified requirements.  

A student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress will be advised in writing by the Discipline Coordinator and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program Director of the corrective steps needed, the timeline for meeting those steps, and apprised of the consequences of failing to take those steps. Failure to satisfactorily take corrective action by the established timeline could result in a recommendation by the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program Director to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for program dismissal and ineligibility for further graduate study. A student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress may also lose eligibility for financial aid or funding (e.g., assistantship, fellowship).

A student can be classified as "not making satisfactory progress" and recommended for possible dismissal at any point in their academic training, regardless of whether they are within the maximum time constraints outlined in the UMKC Graduate Academic Regulations.

Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress and are consequently recommended for dismissal and ineligibility for further study have the right to submit documentation to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for review and consideration when determining the student’s eligibility status.  Per the UMKC graduate academic regulations, students have the right to appeal the Graduate Dean’s decision to the Provost.