In many areas either a major or a minor may be pursued. This interdisciplinary program draws on courses in anthropology, art, history, sociology, political science, economics, and literature to explore the nature of life in the United States. Sophomores and juniors may apply for admission. This honors program accepts a small group of entering freshmen who demonstrate exceptional promise for independent work in the liberal arts. In addition to completing the requirements for a bachelor's degree in Weinberg College, scholars also are assigned a faculty mentor to help them create an individualized curriculum of courses, tutorials, and creative or research projects related to their academic interests.
Scholars receive a stipend for their projects and associated expenses.
A special application is required in addition to the undergraduate application. This concentration offers promising juniors instruction in writing poetry and prose. Honors tutorials give students the opportunity to work with faculty mentors on a writing project. Among the writers who have participated in this program are Richard Ford, Scott Turow, Ann Beattie, and Tracy Kidder. ISP students explore the relationships between scientific disciplines and their mathematical underpinnings.