What counts as success in interdisciplinary undergraduate education? An epistemological analysis

In interdisciplinary undergraduate education, the integration of knowledge structures and social practices across disciplines poses challenges, as teachers and students may be unaware of the differing ‘rules of⁣ the game’ inherent to each discipline. University research and practice on interdisciplinary education have disregarded knowledge, which is problematic because disciplinary knowledge can shape what students think and how they engage with the world. This study extends the ‘knowledge debates’ by exploring what constitutes success as reflected by 42 curriculum documents and 63 course syllabi from an interdisciplinary undergraduate programme. Our findings indicate that curriculum documents emphasise knowers, whereby students are expected to internalise personal and social characteristics and dispositions when engaging with disciplines. Conversely, course syllabi prioritise knowledge, whereby students are expected to learn theories, concepts, and methods derived from disciplines. Our empirical case emphasises how success in interdisciplinary education is defined by epistemological logics rather than by merely instrumental accounts.