Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement at NYU’s Graduate School of Arts & Science offers a dynamic Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies for students whose research interests are best explored at the intersection of academic disciplines, creative practice, and social action.

Guided by dedicated faculty advisors, XE students design their own curriculum through a range of interdisciplinary seminars, such as “Decolonizing the Digital,” “The Copy: Media and the Culture of Replication,” and “Aesthetics of Decline.” XE also recently launched an Advanced Certificate in Experimental Writing that combines the art of creative writing with the practice of academic research. Half of an XE student’s courses can be taken in departments across New York University, allowing them to chart their course of study in a way that best matches their research interests. The XE program culminates in a final master’s project where students can produce an academic research paper or a creative project, such as a collection of essays, a film, a photographic portfolio, a graphic novel, a musical composition, or an exhibition proposal.

Faculty incorporate archives, galleries, and events across New York City into their courses and XE hosts a range of public programs every semester that feature guest lecturers, writers, and artists. Students also host regular events, oversee a peer-reviewed student journal, and intern at institutions such as Oxford University Press, Motto Pictures, and the American Museum of Natural History.

Many alumni pursue PhDs in art history, anthropology, and comparative literature, or work in advertising, arts administration, library science, communications, consulting, law, and policy at the New York Times, the Brooklyn Museum, Symphony Space, and Random House, demonstrating the broad scope and flexibility afforded by an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies.

The fall 2025 priority application deadline is April 1, 2025. All new students entering the program will receive the Draper Scholarship, which covers 40 percent of the cost of tuition. For more information, RSVP to attend a virtual information session on Thursday, February 27, 2025 from 12–1pm ET or visit here.