LIS undergraduates are many things. They’re scientific, analytical, and creative. They’re activists. They’re entrepreneurs. But, above all, they’re curious.
“What if?”
Our students asked what would happen if they chose not to stick with the current university paradigm. They thought big. Broad. Out of the box. Take a look below to see what they think of this course.
“After starting a ‘monodisciplinary degree I was dissatisfied with the extremely limited scope of knowledge that was being taught. I stumbled upon LIS and discovered that the degree would give me the space to explore several academic interests, all while developing an invaluable professional skillset. No brainer.”
“You know when someone asks you if you could have a super power, what it’d be? LIS really feels like that superpower.”
“I talk to my friends at other universities, and it’s clear we have something special.”
“I go to the undeniably best university ever known to humankind. Facts.”
Come to an event
We run a number of events both here on campus and online. Click on the button below to register for one of our Open Days, Q&As, Lates and more.
These events are a great way to learn more about our BASc degree, meet the team and faculty, and ask any questions you might have.
Our Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (BASc) in Interdisciplinary Problems & Methods is the first undergraduate degree of its kind in the UK. Students will study fundamental theories and concepts from disciplines across the sciences, arts and design, technology, the social sciences, and the humanities, and learn to combine them to tackle problems.
The LIS campus is in Whitechapel, just off Brick Lane. Visits are open to anyone and take place every Wednesday afternoon between 1-6pm. They're led by a member of our team, who can answer any questions you have about facilities, accommodation, and so on.
Our campus
The LIS team includes mathematicians, philosophers, entrepreneurs, computer scientists, artists, epidemiologists, journalists, neuroscientists, data scientists, anthropologists, designers, dancers, policy specialists — and more!
Meet the team
Our students consist of a group of wholly unique individuals. They come from a range of backgrounds, bringing with them experiences and passions that could cover most of east London in post-it notes. But they're united by a love of multiple subjects — why not physics and Proust? Why do you have to choose? — with ambitions to shape the word, not just fit in.
Together, we're going to explore a world wrapped in problems of increasing complexity. Solutions might be in grasp. They might be just out of reach. Either way, we're going to try to leave the world in a better place than when we found it. Students can now apply to join us next autumn.
Things for budding polymaths
Range, David Epstein
The Polymath, Waqas Ahmed
Factfulness, Hans Rosling
Unflattening, Nick Sousanis
When Breath Becomes Air, Kalanithi Paul
Whites: on Race and Other Falsehoods, Otegha Uwagba
Doughnut Economics, Kate Raworth
Bitwise: A life in code, David Auerbach
Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, Tyson Yunkaporta
Thinking in Systems: A Primer, Donella Meadows
Scale, Geoffrey West
The Extended Mind, Anna Murphy Paul
Quanta Magazine (for articles like Imagining Data without Division)
Aeon Magazine (for articles like Uncertain Times: The pandemic is an unprecedented opportunity – seeing human society as a complex system opens a better future for us all)
Emergence Magazine (for articles like Kinship, Community, and Consciousness: An Interview with Richard Powers)
How to learn more about anything: Farnham St Knowledge Project
How to connect ideas: Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
An introduction to key concepts in western history: Talking Politics History of Ideas
A range of current leading ideas about how to improve our world: Future Perfect (limited series)
