Exploring Students' Perceptions of Interdisciplinary Major Programs in University

The study aims to identify ways to improve the quality of interdisciplinary major programs in university, with a focus on understanding the perceptions of students participating in such programs. To achieve this, the study analyzed 44 essays submitted to the “Interdisciplinary Major Participation Review Contest” at University A, using a semantic network analysis based on key terms. The analysis revealed 33 frequently occurring words and 76 frequently occurring word pairs, leading to the identification of five distinct perception types: expectations for interdisciplinary majors and education, advantages of interdisciplinary majors, characteristics of the courses offered in interdisciplinary majors, promotional strategies for enhancing interdisciplinary major programs, and strategies for improving teaching and learning in interdisciplinary courses. Participants in the interdisciplinary major programs at University A recognized the characteristics of the interdisciplinary curriculum, focusing on the advantages and course features of the offered programs. They also expressed interest in strategies to enhance the quality of interdisciplinary major programs, based on improvements in teaching and learning and promotional activities targeted at students. By examining the perceptions of students who have actively participated in interdisciplinary programs, this study provides learner-centered insights and highlights ways to promote the development of interdisciplinary major programs at University A and in universities across Korea.