In the United States, broad study in an array of different disciplines —arts, humanities, science, mathematics, engineering— as well as an in-depth study within a special area of interest, have been defining characteristics of a higher education. But over time, in-depth study in a major discipline has come to dominate the curricula at many institutions. This evolution of the curriculum has been driven, in part, by increasing specialization in the academic disciplines. There is little doubt that disciplinary specialization has helped produce many of the achievement of the past century. Researchers in all academic disciplines have been able to delve more deeply into their areas of expertise, grappling with ever more specialized and fundamental problems.

Yet today, many leaders, scholars, parents, and students are asking whether higher education has moved too far from its integrative tradition towards an approach heavily rooted in disciplinary “silos”. These “silos” represent what many see as an artificial separation of academic disciplines. This study reflects a growing concern that the approach to higher education that favors disciplinary specialization is poorly calibrated to the challenges and opportunities of our time.

The Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education examines the evidence behind the assertion that educational programs that mutually integrate learning experiences in the humanities and arts with science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) lead to improved educational and career outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students. It explores evidence regarding the value of integrating more STEMM curricula and labs into the academic programs of students majoring in the humanities and arts and evidence regarding the value of integrating curricula and experiences in the arts and humanities into college and university STEMM education programs.

Contents

• The National Academies of SCIENCES • ENGINEERING • MEDICINE
• COMMITTEE ON INTEGRATING HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE ARTS, HUMANITIES, SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
• BOARD ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Summary
  • EVIDENCE FOR THE OUTCOMES OF INTEGRATION
  • SUPPORT FOR INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES
  • EVALUATING INTEGRATIVE COURSES AND PROGRAMS
  • ENHANCING INCLUSIVITY THROUGH INTEGRATIVE COURSES AND PROGRAMS
  • REMOVING THE BARRIERS TO INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES
  • TOWARD A MORE INTEGRATED FUTURE
• 1. Challenges and Opportunities for Integrating Established Disciplines in Higher Education
  • THE CHARGE TO THE COMMITTEE
  • THE LIMITS OF ACRONYMS
  • THE ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
• 2. Higher Education and the Demands of the Twenty-First Century
  • A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES
  • DISCIPLINARY INTEGRATION AND ISSUES OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
  • THE DISCIPLINARY SEGREGATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
  • THE NEED FOR GRADUATES TO BE ADAPTABLE, LIFELONG LEARNERS
  • INTEGRATION AND HUMAN LEARNING
  • THERE IS BROAD AGREEMENT BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON CERTAIN STUDENT LEARNING GOALS
  • WHAT DO STUDENTS WANT?
  • INTEGRATION AND THE INNOVATION ECONOMY
  • THE CORRELATION BETWEEN PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
  • SHIFTING GROUND IN HIGHER EDUCATION
• 3. What Is Integration?
  • THE DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT
  • THE DISCIPLINES DEFINED
  • MULTIDISCIPLINARY, INTERDISCIPLINARY, AND TRANSDISCIPLINARY INTEGRATION
  • INTEGRATION IN THE CURRICULUM
  • STUDIES OF INTEGRATIVE EXPERIENCES DO NOT ALWAYS INVOLVE INTEGRATION OF THE HUMANITIES, ARTS, AND STEMM
  • WHAT IS INTEGRATIVE LEARNING?
• 4. The Challenges of Assessing the Impact of Integration in Higher Education on Students
  • EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING IN REAL-WORLD CONTEXTS
  • THE CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS OF RESEARCH ON INTEGRATION
  • THE PATH AHEAD
• 5. Understanding and Overcoming the Barriers to Integration in Higher Education
  • THE INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS TO INTEGRATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
  • OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS TO INTEGRATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
  • EXISTING PRACTICES AIMED AT OVERCOMING COMMON BARRIERS TO INTEGRATION
• 6. The Effects of Integration on Students at the Undergraduate Level
  • THE COMMITTEE'S APPROACH
  • DOES THE DIRECTION OF THE INTEGRATION MATTER?
  • INTEGRATION OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES INTO THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS MAJORING IN STEM
  • EXPOSURE TO THE ARTS CAN SUPPORT SUCCESS IN STEM THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF VISIO-SPATIAL SKILLS
  • INTEGRATION OF STEM INTO THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS MAJORING IN THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES
  • THE IMPORTANCE OF MOVING FROM ANECDOTE TO EVALUATION
  • KEY INSIGHTS FROM A “DEAR COLLEAGUE” LETTER
  • THE IMPACT OF INTEGRATION ON GROUPS UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING
  • SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE FROM UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS AND COURSES
• 7. Integration in Graduate and Medical Education
  • FEDERAL AGENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS HAVE SUPPORTED INTEGRATIVE GRADUATE EDUCATION
  • MOST OF THE RESEARCH HAS FOCUSED ON INTEGRATION IN GRADUATE EDUCATION BETWEEN SIMILAR DISCIPLINES
  • GRADUATE EDUCATION IN ESTABLISHED INTERDISCIPLINARY FIELDS
  • THE IMPACT OF GRADUATE PROGRAMS THAT INTEGRATE THE HUMANITIES, ARTS, AND STEMM
  • WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT PROMISING PRACTICES FOR INTEGRATION BETWEEN SIMILAR DISCIPLINES THAT COULD APPLY TO THE INTEGRATION OF THE HUMANITIES, ARTS, AND STEMM
  • SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE ON INTEGRATION IN GRADUATE EDUCATION
  • INTEGRATION IN MEDICAL EDUCATION
  • INTEGRATING MEDICINE INTO THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES
  • SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE ON INTEGRATION IN MEDICAL EDUCATION
• 8. Findings and Recommendations
  • FINDINGS
  • RECOMMENDATIONS
• Epilogue
• References
• APPENDIXES
  • Appendix I. Committee and Staff Biographies
  • Appendix II. Statement of Task
  • Appendix III. Meeting Agendas
• Gallery of Illuminating and Inspirational Integrative Practices in Higher Education

Suggested citation:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. The Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education: Branches from the Same Tree. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: https://doi.org/10.17226/24988.