Thomas Ahn '09 was always intrigued by film, television, fashion, art and advertising. Two especially thought-provoking courses that he took during his sophomore and junior years motivated him to combine those interests in a unique course of study.

"Visuality and Culture," taught by Prof. Ellen Schattschneider (ANTH), focused on socio-cultural theories related to the study of visual images; a costume design course with Prof. Charles Schoonmaker (THA) allowed Ahn to appreciate the aesthetics of theater productions.

Once set on majoring in English and American Literature, Ahn realized that that curriculum didn't reflect his wide range of unique interests. Instead, Ahn created a new major, Visual Culture, that encompassed courses in anthropology, art history, theater arts and English and American literature.

This year, 20 Brandeis students like Ahn plan to complete an Independent Interdisciplinary Major, through which they can design a course of study outside the traditionally offered Brandeis curricula. Over the last two years, students have designed a diverse range of IIMs, including Education and Society, Comparative Media Studies and Forensic Psychology.

IIM coordinator Jennifer Kim describes the option to create an IIM at Brandeis as a "fantastic opportunity." She believes that the IIM is an ideal path for those who are "entirely passionate" about their interests.

Visual Culture, Ahn explains, explores how the mass media affect "our perception of society."

Four advisers from the American Studies, Anthropology and Theater Arts departments instruct Ahn on different aspects of Visual Culture.

Ahn's specific goal in learning about Visual Culture is to understand visual images in the context of "different cultures and societies, popular culture, history and even mathematics," he wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

Visual images are an "effective and powerful" medium that is beginning to "replace" forms of written and verbal communications, he explained.

For Dana Opas '09, Brandeis simply didn't offer a major that effectively fused her interests in psychology, sociology and law. Instead, in her junior year, Opas designed an all-new major, Forensic Psychology.

Forensic Psychology, Opas explains, "examines the criminal justice system through a psychological, sociological and legal perspective."

Through her current internship with the Latinas Know Your Rights Project, a branch of Greater Boston Legal Services, Opas can apply her knowledge in a real-world setting. Opas' work allows her to explore the psychological effects of domestic violence and the sociological barriers victims face to receiving help.

Working with the Project motivated Opas to plan her final research project in Forensic Psychology on the role of shelters for victims of domestic abuse in criminal cases. Specifically, Opas seeks to examine why some shelters conceal information about their clients, even when the information can support the victims' cases in court.

Shoshana Wirshup '09, the Undergraduate Departmental Representative for the IIM, recalls that she "really wanted to be an architect" before deciding to design her own major in Urban Studies.

Urban Studies, Wirshup explains, focuses on how people "interact with space" and construct buildings. Wirshup is currently working on an independent study concentrating on transportation planning and its social impact in the United States.

Though many students find it rewarding to design a major that suits their specific interests and career goals, the University requires that students participate in a relatively lengthy process before declaring their major.

According to Kim, students must design their course of study in collaboration with three faculty members from at least two departments and find a similar program in another university so that their Independent Interdisciplinary Majors are "comparable." Students then prepare a proposal statement and propose curriculum forms to a subcommittee of faculty members from the Committee on Academic Standing and the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, who can grant final approval of the IIM proposal.

Before Brandeis adopted Environmental Studies as an official major last year, approximately 10 students pursued the topic as an IIM. Prof. Laura Goldin, head of the Environmental Studies department, said the University was reluctant to declare Environmental Studies an official major because there was no faculty or department to support its availability on a large scale. Although she emphasized that Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary major because it combines natural and social sciences, she admitted that students now have "less leeway" in choosing classes.

While the University has approved dozens of IIM proposals, some students have been unable to pursue such specific courses of study. Tricia Miller '12 planned to design a major in public relations; however, her academic adviser told her that the topic was inappropriate for a complete major. According to Miller, her adviser emphasized that Brandeis is a liberal arts college, as opposed to a vocational college. Instead, advisers encouraged Miller to consider an independent major in Media and Communications, which she hopes will lay the foundation for a career in public relations.

Wirshup recalls that, although she initially aimed to create a major in City and Regional Planning, her proposal was also dismissed for being too specific.

Taking on an IIM is "an overpowering experience," Wirshup says. Yet, pursuing a course of study that she created, Wirshup says, "I feel like I'm in control of my education.