“I Learned How to Think, Not What to Think.” Student Perspectives on an Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Honours Programme

Oct 15, 2026

The Arts and Science Honours Academy (ASHA) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate honours programme at a research-intensive Canadian university. Data were collected in early 2020 from 108 past and present students across the first eleven cohorts. Using triangulated quantitative and qualitative analyses, the study describes students’ educational and social experience, and—after graduation—their post-graduate activities. It evaluates differences by arts versus science backgrounds and identifies the programme components most associated with impact, including interdisciplinary thinking, research opportunities, study abroad, peer connections, and career influence.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Programme background and data collection

Findings: academic and social impacts

Arts vs science differences and implications

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 15 | Issue 2 | Article 2 | | --- | --- | | Summer 08-31-2024
“I Learned How to Think, Not What to Think.”Student Perspectives on an Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Honours Programme
Jenny Godley
University of Calgary, jgodley@ucalgary.ca
Lori Jane Pasaraba
University of Calgary, lorijane.pasaraba@ucalgary.ca Megan Wilson
University of Calgary, megan.wilson1@ucalgary.ca Mabel Teye-Kau
University of Calgary, mabel.teyekau@ucalgary.ca Mark Migotti
University of Calgary, migotti@ucalgary.ca
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14311](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14311) | | Recommended Citation Godley, J., Pasaraba, L. J., Wilson, M., Teye-Kau, M., & Migotti, M. (2024) . “I learned how to think, not what to think.” Student perspectives on an interdisciplinary undergraduate honours programme. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 15(2). [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14311](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14311) “I Learned How to Think, Not What to Think.” Student Perspectives on an Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Honours Programme Abstract The Arts and Science Honours Academy (ASHA) is a unique interdisciplinary undergraduate honours programme at a large research-intensive university in Canada. Data were collected in early 2020 from 108 past and present students, representing the first eleven cohorts of the programme. Triangulating results from quantitative and qualitative analyses, we describe the ASHA students’ educational and social experience during their time at university and, for those who have graduated, their post-graduate activities. Situating our investigation within previous literature examining interdisciplinary undergraduate learning communities and high impact practices, we assess whether students from arts and science disciplines experienced the programme differently, and which aspects of the programme were most impactful. We find that academically, students reported benefiting from the exposure to interdisciplinary thought, the opportunity to do research, and the study abroad requirement. Socially, students reported benefiting from the connections they formed with a small cohort of high achieving peers from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. While science students reported benefitting the most from ASHA socially, arts students were more likely to indicate that the programme influenced their careers following graduation. These findings provide evidence to support the creation and design of future interdisciplinary undergraduate programmes. Le programme Arts and Science Honours Academy (ASHA) est un programme interdisciplinaire unique de premier cycle offert dans une grande université canadienne à forte intensité de recherche. Des données ont été recueillies au début de l'année 2020 auprès de 108 étudiants et étudiantes, anciens et actuels, représentant les onze premières cohortes du programme. En triangulant les résultats des analyses quantitatives et qualitatives, nous décrivons l'expérience éducative et sociale des étudiants et des étudiantes du programme ASHA pendant leurs années d’études à l'université et, pour ceux et celles qui ont obtenu leur diplôme, leurs activités post-universitaires. Situant notre enquête dans le cadre de publications antérieures examinant les communautés d'apprentissage interdisciplinaires de premier cycle et les pratiques à fort impact, nous évaluons si les étudiants et les étudiantes des disciplines artistiques et scientifiques ontvécu le programme différemment, et quels aspects du programme ont eu le plus d'impact. Nous constatons que sur le plan académique, les étudiants et les étudiantes ont déclaré avoir bénéficié de l'exposition à la pensée interdisciplinaire, de la possibilité de faire

FAQs

What is the Arts and Science Honours Academy (ASHA) programme?

ASHA is an interdisciplinary undergraduate honours programme at a large research-intensive university in Canada. It combines academic, social, and high-impact learning experiences for a cohort of students.

How was the study conducted and what data were used?

The study collected data in early 2020 from 108 past and present students across the first eleven cohorts. It triangulated quantitative and qualitative analyses to interpret educational and social experiences.

Which ASHA programme aspects were most impactful for students?

Academically, students reported benefits from exposure to interdisciplinary thinking, opportunities to conduct research, and a study abroad requirement. Socially, students reported gains from connections with a small cohort of high-achieving peers from varied disciplines.

Oct 15, 2026

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