Integrated studies helps student turn passions into career path
5 – minute read
Shaelyn Crabtree’s schedule is one that would leave many people absolutely frazzled.
The 20-year-old Florida Gulf Coast University student is on track to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in fall 2027. She’s juggling classes this fall with rehearsals for TheatreLab’s Oct. 8-11 production of the musical “Cabaret,” in which she plays a major role. On top of that, she holds down a full-time job promoting a local theater company and coordinating its educational programming.
The time demands and duties may seem dizzying, but for Crabtree they represent a labor of love, one made possible in part by FGCU’s integrated studies major.
Flexibility is at the heart of the program, which enables students to earn an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree. They can customize a course of study across at least three academic disciplines — making it ideal for personal, professional and civic goals that do not fit into a single traditional department.
This path is tailor made for students like Crabtree. A thespian since her pre-school days, she started as a theatre major before shifting to integrated studies as a junior and augmenting her knowledge base by adding a minor in education. This fall, she added another minor, business management.
Her goal is to fold her avocation — live performance — into her vocational desires to forge a career in theatrical education or management or some combination of the two.
Meanwhile, she’s enhancing her academic studies with invaluable on-the-job experience as the marketing and education director at Cultural Park Theatre, one of the oldest community troupes in Southwest Florida, located in her hometown of Cape Coral.
Flexibility to work and study
The latitude provided by integrated studies has been a difference maker on multiple fronts for Crabtree, who has also acted and directed more than 20 shows at the theater.
“It has honestly given me a lot of flexibility, especially with my schedule,” she said. “With a traditional major, you have a pretty specific course map, and sometimes those classes just don’t fit what you’re trying to do or the timeline you’re working with.
“With integrated studies, I’ve been able to pick classes that actually make sense for me and kind of design my college experience around what I want to do. I think it’s really great for someone who has a lot of different interests or is balancing school with a job or other commitments.”
Accommodating academic and work requirements has meant trying to schedule weekly classes in two- to three-day blocks.
“That way, I can spend certain days at the theater and use the other days for work and school,” Crabtree said. “It can definitely be a lot to balance, but the flexibility of the program has made it possible for me to do all of it without feeling like I have to choose one over the other.”
Being highly motivated and having a solid vision for one’s end goal are critical to making it work, she said.
“One of the biggest challenges is not always having someone to lead and guide you. Thankfully, I have a clear idea of where I hope to go, which allows me to intentionally choose experiences and opportunities that will benefit me. I also know that I learn most effectively when I am genuinely interested in or have a need for what I am learning. When I can connect new knowledge to something I am currently working on or something that supports my future goals, I am able to apply what I learn almost immediately. This makes my learning feel purposeful, relevant and much more meaningful.”
Integrating all disciplines
Integrated studies was established as a degree program in 2017 in the College of Arts & Sciences, primarily to serve students who had studied broadly at the university but had yet to complete their degree, according to Ashley Greene, the Department of Integrated Studies chair and a professor of history and peace studies.
Today, the program has more than 200 students enrolled and a focus on serving those entering careers “that require them to be nimble, complex thinkers and to use multiple lenses to analyze problems,” she said.
The department also houses University Colloquium and Foundations of Civic Engagement, two classes that fulfill FGCU’s sustainability course graduation requirement, which are serving over 1,000 students this fall.
All disciplines and fields of study offered at FGCU can be incorporated into an integrated studies major. In previous years, students could not declare it as a major until their junior or senior year. However, as of this fall, students can declare the major from their first year.
“That means we have the opportunity to partner with students from the beginning of their academic journey,” said Greene. “As integrated studies looks forward to celebrating its 10th anniversary, we are embarking on an exciting phase of program development to build a four-year major that serves FGCU students from the moment they step foot on campus.”