Interdisciplinary Opportunities

One question, many lenses: Our liberal arts approach lets you take courses among multiple fields, design your own path of study, and apply your learning through real-world, cross-disciplinary experiences.

What does ‘interdisciplinary experiential learning’ mean?

Interdisciplinary means combining two or more academic disciplines—history and data science, music and cultural studies, policy and environment, and many more.
Experiential learning means learning by doing through research, internships, community projects, performances, labs, fieldwork, and additional experiences.Interdisciplinary experiential learning lets you apply theory to real problems using tools from multiple fields of study.

Why it matters

You’ll learn to think with greater flexibility, viewing challenges from different perspectives and connecting theory to practice through real-world experiences with communities and organizations. Along the way, you’ll develop transferable skills like — effective communication, critical thinking, and collaboration—that will serve you in any career.

You’ll learn to innovate by combining ideas from different fields, build resilience by navigating complex, real-life situations, and strengthen your professional identity as you discover which combinations of disciplines best fit your goals and interests.

Academic pathways that cross boundaries

Design your own degree

Individualized majors allow you to blend your academic interests into a unique degree, supported by faculty guidance. Integrated into the curriculum:

Interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary curriculum requirement
Cross-listed courses and multi-field capstones
Faculty mentorship across programs
Call-out: The Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute (X-SIG) at Gettysburg College offers funded summer research across STEM fields.

Equestrian statue and Civil War monuments at Gettysburg National Military Park.

Civil War Institute (CWI)

Battlefield-based learning, internships, and fellowships in public history

Group of students posing in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Eisenhower Institute (EI)

Policy engagement, travel programs, and applied research for all majors

Students work together at a table in the Garthwait Leadership Center.

Garthwait Leadership Center (GLC)

Leadership Certificate and group facilitation training opportunities

People planting vegetables in a community garden.

Center for Public Service (CPS)

Service-learning, community-based research, and immersion projects

Orchestra performing with strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion

Sunderman Conservatory of Music

Double majors, interdisciplinary courses, and global residencies

Student in protective clothing and gloves handling a laboratory sample.

Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute (X-SIG) at Gettysburg

Summer research and mentorship across biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, mathematics, and psychology

The Ann McIlhenny Harward Interdisciplinary Program for Culture and Music

Created in 2023 with support from the Endeavor Foundation, this program honors the legacy of Ann McIlhenny Harward. Inspired by the vision of Donald W. Harward, the program focuses on the humanities and the connections between culture and music. It promotes a broad, well-rounded approach to learning that brings together cross-disciplinary fields of study. Each year, the program offers hands-on experiences for Gettysburg students and events that involve the campus and Gettysburg community.

Visitors sit beside a Gettysburg battlefield monument at sunset.

College Experience Camp

Gettysburg College’s summer programs offer high school students immersive academic camps in topics like civic engagement, psychology, and Civil War era studies, along with a chance to experience campus life and connect with other motivated students. The programs are designed to be hands-on and college-like, with lectures, workshops, field trips, and community-building activities.