The UAF graduate Interdisciplinary Studies program provides a pathway for students who have well-defined goals and interests to earn an M.A., M.S. or Ph.D. degree that draws on multiple disciplines and does not fit in the established programs offered by the university. The program is an interdisciplinary individual program where students and faculty design an individual or unique program of study to meet the student's needs. The program draws on UAF's experience and strengths in interdisciplinary research and education. Interdisciplinary degrees meet the increased societal need for research to address complex problems that involve multiple disciplines. Students in the graduate Interdisciplinary Studies program pursue a wide range of topics. Given the place-based nature of much of UAF's scholarship, Alaska and the Arctic are common themes in their scholarship. These topics include but are not limited to the following areas: Indigenous and Western knowledge, education, language and culture, ecology and sociology, community health care, and natural resources, economics and policy.