This degree track allows students to study a broad range of leadership topics while leveraging the skills acquired through ROTC and military training. The broad range of topics and focus on leadership skills create a comprehensive experience leaving students primed to successfully transition into a leadership role in the public or private sector (e.g., for-profit, non-profit, government and education). Our multidisciplinary program design allows for customization to fit your interests and professional goals.
Curriculum
The minimum number of semester credit hours for this degree is 120, at least 39 of which must be at the upper-division level.
Students seeking a B.A. degree in the Strategic Leadership & Defense path of Multidisciplinary Studies must fulfill the university core curriculum requirements.
Students seeking a B.A. degree in the Strategic Leadership & Defense path of Multidisciplinary Studies must fulfill the following 78 semester credit hours.
- Technology Requirement: IS 1403 or CS 1033 (3 semester credit hours)
- Communication Requirement: COM 1043, COM 1053, COM 2113, or ENG 2413 (3 semester credit hours)
All candidates for this degree must complete three areas of focus. Courses selected to satisfy each area must be approved by the Multidisciplinary Studies Program Coordinator and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. Furthermore, the courses used to satisfy each focus area must be completed with at least a 2.0 grade point average. This path is currently limited to students currently enrolled in the UTSA Army ROTC Program or the UTSA Air Force ROTC Program.
All candidates for this degree must complete MDS 2013: Introduction to Multidisciplinary Studies.
All candidates for this degree must complete MDS 4983: Senior Seminar for Multidisciplinary Studies.
All candidates for this degree must complete 27 semester hours of free electives, at least 15 of which must be at the upper-division level.
BA-MDSL Strategic Leadership and Defense 2024-26 Catalog
| FALL | SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIS 1203 or 1223 | Academic Inquiry and Scholarship | 3 | CORE | American History | 3 | |
| CORE | American History | 3 | CORE | Life & Physical Sciences | 3 | |
| CORE | Mathematics | 3 | WRC 1023 | Freshman Comp II (Q) | 3 | |
| WRC 1013 | Freshman Comp I (Q) | 3 | ELEC (LD) | Focus Area I | 3 | |
| MDS 2013 | Intro to Multidisc Studies | 3 | Technology Requirement | CS 1063, 1083, 1173, DS 4003, 4013, IS 1413, 1053 | 3 | |
| TOTAL | 15 | TOTAL | 15 | |||
| FALL | SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POL 1013 | Introduction to American Politics | 3 | POL 1133 or 1213 | Texas Politics and Society | 3 | |
| CORE | Life & Physical Sciences | 3 | CORE | Lang, Philosophy & Culture | 3 | |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 2 | 3 | CORE | Creative Arts | 3 | |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 3 | 3 | ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 1 | 3 | |
| COM Requirement | COM 1043, 1053, 2113, 2343, 2733, ENG 2413 | 3 | ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 2 | 3 | |
| TOTAL | 15 | TOTAL | 15 | |||
| FALL | SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CORE | Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 1 | 3 | |
| CORE | Component Area Option | 3 | ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 2 | 3 | |
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 1 | 3 | ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 3 | 3 | |
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 2 | 3 | ELEC | Free Elective | 3 | |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 3 | 3 | ELEC | Free Elective | 3 | |
| TOTAL | 15 | TOTAL | 15 | |||
| FALL | SPRING | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 1 | 3 | MDS 4983 | Seminar for Multidisc Studies | 3 | |
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 3 | 3 | ELEC (UD) | Free Elective | 3 | |
| ELEC (UD) | Free Elective | 3 | ELEC (UD) | Free Elective | 3 | |
| ELEC (UD) | Free Elective | 3 | ELEC | Free Elective | 3 | |
| ELEC | Free Elective | 3 | ELEC | Free Elective | 3 | |
| TOTAL | 15 | TOTAL | 15 | |||
Focus Area 1
Focus Area 1 - 15 hours required (Army ROTC)
Depends on Military Service student selected, MSC or ASC
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite C- or better |
|---|---|---|
| MSC 1013 | Introduction to the Army and Critical Thinking ( equivalent to MSC 1012 and 1011) | MSC 1001 |
| MSC 1023 | Adaptive Leadership and Professional Competence ( equivalent to MSC 1022 and 1021) | MSC 1101 |
| MSC 2013 | Leadership and Decision Making ( equivalent to MSC 2012 and 2011) | MSC 2011 |
| MSC 2023 | Army Doctrine and Team Development ( equivalent to MSC 2022 and 2021) | MSC 2021 |
| MSC 3014 | Training Management and the Warfighting Functions ( equivalent to MSC 3013 and 3011) | MSC 3011 |
| MSC 3024 | Applied Leadership in Small Unit Operations ( equivalent to MSC 3023 and 3021) | MSC 3021 |
| MSC 3033 | American Military History | |
| MSC 4014 | The Army Officer ( equivalent to MSC 4013 and 4011) | MSC 4011 |
| MSC 4024 | Company Grade Leadership ( equivalent to MSC 4023 and 4021) | MSC 4021 |
Focus Area 1 - 15 hours required (Air Force ROTC)
Depends on Military Service student selected, MSC or ASC
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite C- or better |
|---|---|---|
| ASC 1031 | The Foundation of the United States Air Force I | |
| ASC 1041 | The Foundation of the United States Air Force II | ASC 1031 |
| ASC 2031 | The Evolution of United States Air Force Air and Space Power I | |
| ASC 2041 | The Evolution of United States Air Force Air and Space Power II | ASC 2031 |
| ASC 3013 | Air Force Leadership Studies I | |
| ASC 3023 | Air Force Leadership Studies II | ASC 3013 |
| ASC 4013 | National Security Affairs/Preparation for Active Duty I | |
| ASC 4023 | National Security Affairs/Preparation for Active Duty II | ASC 4013 |
Focus Area 2
Focus Area 2 - 12 hours required
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite C- or better |
|---|---|---|
| CSH 3823 | Advanced Topics in World Cultures | WRC 1023 |
| CSH 4003 | Colloquium in East Asian Culture | CHN 1024, JPN 1024 or KOR 1024 |
| GLA/POL 3443 | Governments and Politics of East Asia | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3783 | Democracy and World Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| HIS 3923 | China in Revolution | |
| CHN 1014 | Elementary Chinese I | |
| CHN 1024 | Elementary Chinese II | CHN 1014 |
| HIS 2553 | Introduction to East Asian Civilization |
Focus Area 2 - 12 hours required
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| CSH 3823 | Advanced Topics in World Cultures | WRC 1023 |
| CSH 4003 | Colloquium in East Asian Culture | CHN 1024, JPN 1024 or KOR 1024 |
| GLA/POL 3433 | Governments and Politics of Southeast Asia | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3443 | Governments and Politics of East Asia | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3783 | Democracy and World Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| HIS 3973 | Muslim South Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangledesh | |
| HIS 3903 | Modern Japan | |
| HIS 2553 | Introduction to East Asian Civilization | |
| HIS 2583 | Introduction to South Asian Civilization | |
| JPN 1014 | Elementary Japanese I | |
| JPN 1024 | Elementary Japanese II | JPN 1014 |
| KOR 1014 | Elementary Korean I | |
| KOR 1024 | Elementary Korean II | KOR 1014 |
Focus Area 2 - 12 hours required
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| GLA/POL 3423 | Geopolitics of Russia and Eurasia | |
| GLA/POL 3783 | Democracy and World Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| HIS 3743 | Imperial Russia | |
| HIS 3753 | The Soviet Union and After | |
| HIS 3763 | Russia before Peter the Great | |
| RUS 4213 | Topics in Russian Culture | RUS 2013 |
| RUS 1014 | Elementary Russian I | |
| RUS 1024 | Elementary Russian II | RUS 1014 |
Focus Area 2 - 12 hours required
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| CSH 3823 | Advanced Topics in World Cultures | WRC 1023 |
| GLA/POL 3383 | East European Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3403 | European Governments | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3783 | Democracy and World Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| HIS 3523 | European Cultural History | |
| FRN 1014 | Elementary French I | |
| FRN 1024 | Elementary French II | FRN 1014 |
| GER 1014 | Elementary German I | |
| GER 1024 | Elementary German II | GER 1014 |
| HIS 2563 | Introduction to European Civilization | |
| ITL 1014 | Elementary Italian I | |
| ITL 1024 | Elementary Italian II | ITL 1014 |
Focus Area 2 - 12 hours required
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| CSH 3823 | Advanced Topics in World Cultures | WRC 1023 |
| GLA/POL 3393 | Latin American Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3453 | Politics of Mexico | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3473 | Latin American in the World | POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3593 | Topics in Latin American Security | GLA 1013 or POL& 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3783 | Democracy and World Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| HIS 3293 | Imperial Spain | |
| HIS 3313 | History of U.S. Relations with Latin American | |
| HIS 3353 | Latin America Since Independence | |
| HIS 3373 | Revolution in Latin American | |
| HIS 2533 | Introduction to Latin American Civilization | |
| SPN 1014 | Elementary Spanish I | |
| SPN 1024 | Elementary Spanish II | SPN 1014 |
Focus Area 3
Focus Area 3 - 12 hours (3 semester credit hours required)
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| GLA 3343 | National Security in the Global Context (required) | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GES 3643 | Political Geography | |
| GLA 3003 | International Law | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 3213 | Theories of International Relations | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 3543 | Diplomacy | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 3733 | National Security Law | POL 1013 |
| GLA 4123 | Analytical Methods for National Security and Intelligence Decision-Making | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 4133 | Conflict, Law, and Security in Global Affairs | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 4243 | Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 2603 | Introduction to Global Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3033 | Global Governance | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3463 | Politics of the Developing World | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3503 | American Foreign Policy since World War II | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3513 | International Organizations in World Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3523 | Force in International Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 3763 | Globalization | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 4213 | The Intelligence Community in World Affairs | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| HIS 3543 | History of Modern Warfare | |
| PAL 4153 | Politics, Law, and Literature | POL 1013 |
| POL 3143 | Political Philosophy: Modern | POL 1013 |
| POL 3643 | Justice among Nations | POL 1013 |
| POL 4023 | Analytical Methods for National Security and Intelligence Decision-Making | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| POL 4133 | Politics, Law, and Literature | POL 1013 |
| GLA 1013 | US in the Global Context | |
| GLA 2103 | Introduction to Intelligence Studies | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA/POL 2633 | Comparative Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| POL 2503 | Introduction to Political Theory | POL 1013 |
Archived Focus Areas by Year
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Contact the Multidisciplinary Studies Program
