I’m Kristen, the Marketing Communications Manager here at the School of IS, and now an IS student. I switched my major from the MS in Marketing to the MA in Interdisciplinary Studies, and in this weekly series I share my experience with the MAIS. As the weeks go on, I’ll talk about the coursework, the school, and balancing my career, education, and personal life.
In this week’s video, I introduce myself and talk a little about how the degree works. The most remarkable thing about the MAIS is how customizable it is. For me, the Marketing program at Jindal School was not exactly what I needed. It may be the perfect thing for someone wanting to do strictly marketing-related work like optimizing SEO, buying online advertising, understanding target audiences, and analyzing consumer behavior. In my case, I found my interests and talents leaning more towards creative communications and strategy, like how to craft a voice and aesthetic for a brand and how to tell stories that speak to people. I realized UTD doesn’t really offer the degree I want, so it’s up to me to make it.
That’s where the MAIS comes in.
Because this degree allows me to explore a variety of disciplines, I can take courses that interest me and apply to a concentration area of my choosing. Then, with the final research project, I can demonstrate that I’ve blended those disciplines into an integrative understanding. It will look different for everybody, but for me, I’m likely to create a digital portfolio that incorporates the creative, strategic, and academic.
Now that I’ve introduced myself and the MAIS, in future videos I’ll probably get a little more specific about my coursework and personal experience. I hope you’ll join me, and I also hope you’ll send questions and comments to kristen.walker@utdallas.edu. If I feel your question could be helpful to others, I may answer it in an upcoming video (anonymously of course).
I’m excited to go on this journey, and I look forward to sharing with you!