Interdisciplinary Opportunities

Today’s intellectual and social problems require the minds and talents of students from many fields. Stanford's graduate students are able to roam freely, gathering and sharing ideas across disciplines.

VPGE works to expand cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary educational opportunities for students. We encourage students to enroll in classes across the university, outside of their home discipline. We foster opportunities for students from diverse fields to interact with one another, expanding their professional and personal networks.

• Stanford Graduate Summer Institute (SGSI)

  
  This program is organized and offered by the VPGE office. SGSI courses are only for Stanford graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. As short courses offered during summer quarter, they purposefully introduce students to interdisciplinary thinking, while fostering cross disciplinary interactions and collaboration.
  
  Most SGSI courses are small, intensive all-day workshops, of one or two weeks duration. They are usually taught in the two-week period between the end of summer quarter and the start of new student orientation. Courses do not bear academic credit, and students are not charged tuition or fees.

• 12@12

  A program of lunchtime conversations bringing people from different disciplines and perspectives together.

• Summer Institute for Entrepreneurship (SIE)

  This intensive 4-week summer program offers current Stanford graduate students the unique opportunity to build the analytical and practical skills critical to business management. The curriculum includes courses in Economics, Finance, Negotiation, Strategy, Operations and Marketing, as well as Entrepreneurship, Product Design, and Organizational Behavior. Offered by Stanford's Graduate School of Business, this program is open to Stanford graduate students and postdocs from across the campus. Tuition for Stanford students is subsidized by the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.
  
  For students who would like to explore a program that spans the academic year, focused on the process of formulating, developing and commercializing ideas, please see the Graduate School of Business Ignite Program, described below.

• Management and Entrepreneurship Education

  Stanford University is a global leader in the fields of management and entrepreneurship. The resources listed here provide opportunities for all graduate students at Stanford, and invite participation from all Stanford schools.

  • Graduate School of Business Ignite Program provides non-business graduate students and postdocs with the knowledge and tools needed to move innovative ideas forward. The program, taught by GSB faculty, consists of balanced classes in core and functional business skills, guest speakers, panelists, workshops, and sessions with local entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to aid in idea development. Stanford Ignite will run two evenings per week from January - March. The program is heavily subsidized by the GSB; tuition for Stanford grad students and postdocs is $1450. Offers of admission will be made on a rolling basis, apply on the Ignite website.
  • Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) , the entrepreneurship education and research center at the School of Engineering, offers courses in innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship for graduate students.
  • Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (aka the d.school) embraces design thinking as the glue for multidisciplinary collaboration and innovation. The d.school teaches project-based interdisciplinary classes around themes or initiatives (social entrepreneurship, business and design). Participants get to tackle real world projects to learn more about design thinking and practice innovating together.

• Non-credit Leadership Opportunities

  The Student Activities and Leadership office (SAL) provides information about non-credit programs and activities across a spectrum of interests. See their web page.

• Outward Facing Courses

  
  One of the many advantages of graduate study at Stanford University is the opportunity to explore courses taught by our various schools. The Stanford schools of Law, Business, Medicine, Engineering and Education each offer courses designed for interested students from outside their particular school.