Strengthening Academic Programs through Inter-campus Collaboration

Abstract

Collaborations between academic programs are seen as a way to stretch academic resources, especially the highly valuable resource of faculty expertise. One recent joint initiative by two University of Wisconsin System campuses demonstrates how two groups of faculty can pool their scholarly acumen to offer a program that neither institution has sufficient depth to offer independently.

UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee have made it possible for doctoral students in art history at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee's School of Architecture to draw on courses and faculty expertise at both institutions. The collaboration will offer students exposure to architectural historians at both locations and will nourish students' comprehensive study of the physical, cultural, and social aspects of the built environment and strengthen collaborations among the faculty.

Jocelyn Milner, Arijit Sen, and Anna Andrzejewski will present an overview of the process, considerations, and planning that contributed to the development of this program, which will allow UW-Madison students to earn a Ph.D. in art history with an architectural history option. Sen and Andrzejewski will discuss the curricular and faculty aspects involved in creating an interdisciplinary, dual-campus initiative, and Milner will offer insights into the administrative and institutional planning that influence a project of this scope, as well as special considerations for collaborative academic programs.